Chaminade Day
by: Edward Daubel
Each year during late January, Chaminade High School recognizes the Feast Day of our founder, Blessed William Joseph Chaminade. On this day, no classes are held as students and teachers spend a day of remembrance at home. By getting this day off from school, students have a chance to intimately reflect on Blessed Chaminade’s life.
Blessed Chaminade was born on April 8, 1761 in Périgueux, France. At the age of ten, Chaminade felt a call to serve God, and he entered into a minor seminary. By 1785, Chaminade was ordained a priest. In 1790, after the outbreak of the French Revolution, Chaminade moved to Bordeaux, France. Once in Bordeaux, Chaminade became a prominent defender of the faith as he denied the Civil Constitution of the Clergy. This document would have required Chaminade to take an oath disclaiming the authority of the Catholic Church. In addition to doing this, Chaminade secretly remained a faithful priest even though there was a risk of death penalty. Later in his life at Bordeaux, Chaminade helped many clergymen make peace with the church after they took the oath impressed upon them by the Civil Constitution of the Clergy. In 1797, when life in France was becoming extremely dangerous, Chaminade fled to Zaragoza, Spain. While in Spain, Chaminade was inspired to found a religious society: the Marianists. His goal was to return to France and restore the Catholic faith there after so many years of tyranny. Thankfully, Chaminade succeeded in his creation of the Society of Mary.
Based on his successful and admirable life, it makes sense that we take a day to remember Chaminade’s many successes. He is the perfect role model for those students who want to make a difference in today’s society. We must remember that Chaminade day is not just a day off from school, but actually the perfect opportunity to contemplate the effects of the Society of Mary on our lives.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
by: Connor Crennan
An inspiring man once said, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter.” This man’s legacy has influenced people all over the world. Martin Luther King Jr., one of the greatest American Civil Rights leaders, overcame seemingly impossible obstacles in his fight against discrimination and racial segregation. Passion, equality, and love were the pillars of his powerful foundation for justice: the one that defeated racial prejudice. On January 15, 2017, America unites in commemorating the compassion, dignity, humility, courage, and love of the man whose life and legacy filled a great gap in our nation.
From the age of 15, King had always wanted to follow in the footsteps of his father and become a minister; however, he was unaware of the famous inspiration he would soon become in the hearts of American citizens. For most African Americans living in 1960’s America, life was bitter and harsh. Racism enraged the segregated community, and no leaders had stood up to fight for their equality. Dr. Martin Luther King was their knight in shining armor. He never lived at ease and ceaselessly challenged himself to achieve despite anti-racial forces. His demonstrations through protests and marches were incredibly courageous. Arrested twenty times and assaulted four times, he took bold steps in the fight for minorities. Dr. King bolstered race patriotism and unity, but also stood as a symbol for humanity for how we are to treat one another.
Dr. King was inspired in part by Mahatma Ghandi, an Indian revolutionary, who left large shoes to fill for MLK. Ghandi had represented the epitome of passive resistance and displayed the type of character to which MLK aspired. Ghandi had put his life on the line so that his country could have a true democracy in the face of freedom and justice; King did the same. Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech inspired millions across the nation. Preaching from the heart, he poured his soul into declaring America a land of freedom where all men are created equal. He emphasized the importance of perseverance during a time of great inequality for the African American community. His speech revealed the depths of his dream: a land in which people of all races and religion unify towards love and happiness.
On Martin Luther King day, we memorialize all of his dreams and passions for a nation in peace: one that would unify as a society of racial equality. This day symbolizes interracial spirit and power, and reminds us that when united we can conquer more than ever. Most importantly, this day celebrates the birth of the brave ecumenical leader, courageous visionary, and ardent dreamer whose name strums chords of light all through the world.
The Inauguration of the 45th President of the US
by: Peter Camporeale
The inauguration of Donald Trump signifies the culmination of a season of divisive, mud-slinging campaigning. Since the announcement of Trump’s campaign on June 16, 2015, there was much speculation on the tactics and success of the Trump campaign. Most never imagined the possibility of the real-estate tycoon actually gaining the momentum needed to win the Republican Party (GOP) nomination, let alone sweeping the map red on election night.
Many pollsters dismissed Trump completely, especially after losing the first caucus in Iowa. However, the entire election season was defined by the errors of pollsters. Early in the campaign, many were in virtual agreement that the Republican convention would be contested, where Trump would lose the nomination to a more traditional candidate. These predictions were dissolved by his landslide win in the New York primary, in which he won 89 of 95 possible delegates. He only gained momentum from then, and eventually swept the party nomination. He was further propelled by his debate performances, which attracted millions of viewers and expanded the Republican base, which he used to preach his message.
After the GOP Convention ended in late July, the media once again dismissed the GOP under Priebus and the Trump campaign as a failure. On November 4, election night, the media and all predictions were proven wrong. Florida, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, all important swing-states, shocked the country and the world with a resounding anti-establishment vote, pushing Trump just over the 270 mark of electoral college delegates.
Since the win, President-Elect Trump has become much more restrained and has begun to formulate his policy more concretely, along with selecting a varied and somewhat controversial cabinet. In general, people have lost the enthusiasm from the election season since election night —except, of course, the pro-Clinton protesters.
The inauguration itself marks a dramatic shift in the history of the United States. The vote itself can be considered a protest vote against the establishment, “a draining of the swamp,” as Trump expounded during the campaign. The oath ceremony itself will be administered by Chief Justice John Roberts on Friday, January 20. Controversy still remains over the character of Trump, and, as such, many artists have declined the offer to appear at the ceremony. Past the inauguration, Trump will lead the United States into a new era of foreign and economic policy with a new “America First” ideology.
Inauguration Trivia
The shortest inauguaral address was delivered by George Washington (135 words). The longest was delivered by William Henry Harrison in 1841 (8,445 words).
Thomas Jefferson was the 1st president inaugurated in Washington D.C.
Franklin Pierce was the 1st president to recite his entire speech from memory.
The 1st time the oath was administered by a woman was the swearing in of Lyndon B. Johnson. Johnson was also the only president to be sworn in on an airplane.
Ronald Reagan's 1st inauguration was the warmest on record, with a noon temperature of 55 degrees. His 2nd inauguration was the coldest on record, 7 degrees.
Varsity Basketball
by: JP Lynch
After a disappointing lose in the league semifinal last year, the Varsity Basketball team returned with high hopes for the new season. The team began the season with an early 2-1 record with wins over Commack and Ward Melville. However, the team soon dropped to a 2-4 record following three straight loses to Elmont, Hewlett, and Long Island Lutheran. After this early season stumble, the Flyers were forced to regroup. With a eleven days before their next set of games, the Flyers knew that they would need a good stretch of practices to get back on track.
During Christmas break, the team entered the Haggerty Tournament hungry for a much needed victory. In the semifinal of the tournament, Chaminade faced off against Manhasset. The Flyers won convincingly with a score of 74-47. Chaminade would move on to the Championship game against Floral Park. The team's hard work would pay off with a 67-41 victory to capture the championship. The tournament proved to be a great opportunity for the Flyers to get a glimpse of their potential as a team. Notable players from the tournament include Kellen Paradine '17, member of the all-tournament team, and Bobby Connors '18, the tournament MVP. Chaminade would enter the league portion of the season with a new intensity and high aspirations. In their first league game against St. Dominic's, Kyle Murphy '17 led the team to a 72-27 victory over the Bayhawks with 21 points of his own.
The team continued its winning ways during the Apparel Challenge on January 8 against Boys and Girls Academy. The Flyers came from behind in the forth quarter to erase a six point deficit and come out on top with a 57-50 thrilling victory. The Flyers' hard work paid off once again. As Chaminade enters the second half of the season, they are excited to fulfill their potential as a team. Holy Trinity and St. Anthony's pose as the biggest treats to the Flyers this season. Brendan McGuire '18, when asked about the season so far and the goals for the rest of it, said, "Although we got off to a slow start, we have put together a good stretch of games as of late. Looking ahead to the rest of the season, we feel confident and hope to continue to improve every game." The Flyers are championship contenders once again this season and hope to claim the elusive trophy.
