High School According to de Tocqueville

Published on January 27, 2016 in Editorial by Will Harper

In “Democracy in America,” Alexis de Tocqueville explicates the ills of the American dream, describing citizens of abundant democracies (Americans in particular) as melancholy slaves to success. My studies of de Tocqueville’s work in Jonathan Koch’s 10^th grade English class turned out to be some of the most compelling and impactful curriculum I have engaged in at Wesleyan, and “Democracy in America” applies even to my high school career more than I ever thought it would.

Looking back on this captivating slice of my American Literature class, I’ve come to realize that my fascination with de Tocqueville’s writing is the result of relatable, applicable content that transcends the capricious fluctuations of American Culture. What de Tocqueville had to say will always be relevant, and it applies all too well to the life of a Wesleyan student.

De Tocqueville observed the irony of the American Dream; ambitious capitalists of the early 19^th century worked so tirelessly to achieve an archetypal model of success that by the time they got what they wanted, they were dead. Here we are in the early 21^st century, and nothing has changed. Americans have glorified the ideal lifestyle profusely, and our efforts to achieve this societal standard often dominate our existence so much that we never taste the fruits of our labor. At some point, the American Dream gets in the way of experiencing the American Dream, and if we’re not careful, we’ll find ourselves caught in a similar paradox as high school students.

Simply put, the American Dream goes something like this: graduate high school with a 4.0, relish in the “college experience,” establish a successful career, get married, start a family, make lots of money and then retire in Florida. This “dream” has evolved into a mundane list of achievements and milestones. We tenaciously strive to fit one mold after another until the American Dream is complete. Then, when we are finally retired at the ripe old age of 60, as we kick back in our rocking chairs and reflect on our success, we’ll realize that we’ve been so busy doing everything that we haven’t really done anything. We were so busy being successful that we forgot to make an impact or serve a purpose. We forgot to do something that actually matters, and we’ll feel empty. Most importantly, we’ll have forgotten to have fun.

Perhaps as a high school student at Wesleyan, you’re working to figure out where you fit in as a freshman, and by the time you do that, you’ll already be a sophomore. Then you might work so hard as a sophomore to accomplish something significant athletically that by the time you finish that, you’ll already be a junior. Then as a junior you’ll turn your focus toward academics, and as a senior, you’ll try to get into college. All the while, trying to fit in socially and portray a perfect Wesleyan student. No matter what endeavors you pursue in high school, don’t let them consume these four years of your life. Look around once in a while to enjoy where you are.

He Said; She Said: Christmas vs. Thanksgiving

Published on December 7, 2015 in Editorial by Will Harper

He Said:

by Will Harper

Christmas is widely referred to as the most wonderful time of the year for a reason. For those of you who are not familiar with superlatives, this means that it is the absolute best part of the year, and no other time is better. Therefore, Christmas is better than Thanksgiving, and that’s all there is to it.

Well… I suppose I can expound a little bit. Barring the resurrection, Christmas represents the most miraculous and joyful event in the history of the world. Never mind the fact that Christmas is ridden with historical inaccuracy, superficiality and greed. It really is a beautiful occasion. Though I am a firm believer that this glorious holiday is in need of a little reform, I am still confident that Christmas is a truly wonderful thing. Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus. Though we often lose sight of this among the wrapping paper, it is amazing when we slow down to recognize the original purpose of our favorite holiday. Christmas brings unity unlike any other occurrence in so many ways. Christmas brings families together from across the country. It unites strangers in public with the simple phrase “Merry Christmas.” Christmas brings together the Church and encourages generosity. On top of the more meaningful benefits of Christmas, it also provides familiar festivities that fill people of all ages with excitement. Christmas trees, hot chocolate, mall Santa, Christmas movies, stockings, reindeer, lights, music and more create an atmosphere at Christmas time that cannot be beat.

Thanksgiving, on the other hand, is a real bummy holiday. Who cares about the pilgrims and Native Americans? All that Thanksgiving really has to offer is a good meal. Christmas is so much more. Christmas completely transforms the entire month of December. Turkey Day has a cute parade and some cranberry sauce. I’m not knocking Thanksgiving, and in fact, I thoroughly enjoy the food, football and naps. That being said, it is absolutely ridiculous to compare any holiday to the wonders of Christmas.

She Said:

by Emma Parrish

Turkey, ham, gravy, stuffing, pie, family, friends, these are just some of the few wonderful facets of the greatest American holiday of the year: Thanksgiving. Christmas is one of the last breaks before the long winter sets in and Thanksgiving gets the holiday festivities started.
During Thanksgiving, the leaves are still falling and one can still enjoy the crisp fall air. From as early as five-years-old, you begin to learn about the pilgrims settling on Plymouth Rock and having the first original Thanksgiving. You aren’t taught about Christmas in school, are you now? First of all, on Thanksgiving, you have no pressure to give gifts and are relieved of the stress of buying them and coordinating them for every friend and family member. During Christmas season people spend hours in crowded shopping malls spending thousands on gifts. After Thanksgiving, Black Friday rolls around and all hell breaks loose. We’ve all seen it on the news, people being trampled in Walmart trying to get the latest and greatest electronic, and even some waiting in lines or camping out in front of stores just to ensure they get the gift they need. Now how ridiculous is that? According to Marshall Jones, “Thanksgiving promotes gratitude. Instead of asking people what they want or got for Christmas, you get to ask what people are thankful for. And that, by itself, is a reason to be thankful. And love it.” Most importantly, Thanksgiving is a holiday where you have an excuse to eat as much food as you want for an entire day. There is no shame in feeling guilty about it because everyone else is doing it too. But wait, it gets even better: naps. The endearing food coma you slip into after you have eaten your own weight for both lunch and dinner ends the day on a high note. You have a valid excuse to be as lazy as you want for an entire day. The Christmas excitement ends in the morning once you’ve opened all your gifts. The Thanksgiving excitement lasts you for days on end because you will have more leftovers than you can imagine.

It is clear that Thanksgiving has many more perks than Christmas so you may want to rethink your answer the next time you tell someone Christmas is even somewhat better.

Celebrate Christmas with a Spirit of Generosity

Published on December 7, 2015 in Editorial by Will Harper

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. As a child, Christmas means one thing: presents. Of course there are a lot of exciting festivities surrounding the presents, but ripping the paper off a new Xbox is really the main event. Society has taken the holy concept of celebrating our Savior’s birth and reformed it into a celebration of greed laden with irony. At what point did people start to make Christmas less about Jesus and more about us? I’m not here to point fingers, nor will I assert that I am not guilty of going about Christmas the wrong way, but maybe it would be worth-while to rethink one of our favorite holidays.

According to ABC News, each year, Americans spend approximately $465 billion on Christmas. All that money is for Jesus, right? Giving gifts is not intrinsically bad, but it becomes a problem when we take advantage of one of the most glorious events in human history as an excuse to cultivate our lust for material things. Not only is it wasteful and greedy to make Christmas so focused on ourselves and our free stuff, but it also sends a controversial message.

Scripture is pretty clear on these two things among others. Avarice is bad, and Jesus is good. If this is true, and Christians seek to adhere to the Word of God, then why do Christians see Christmas as a chance to glorify avarice and subdue the gospel. Obviously, no one actually enters the holiday season with such malicious intent, but if someone who had never heard of Christmas saw the way we go about celebrating the birth of Jesus, he or she would likely be overwhelmed and confused.

I am not suggesting that we stop giving gifts or going to sit on Santa’s lap, but perhaps we could consider a more modest holiday. Can you imagine the positive impact that $465 billion could have if it were devoted to charitable causes? If we’re not careful, children will be more enticed by Santa’s offer of a Red Ryder BB gun than Jesus’ offer of salvation.

The importance of approaching the Christmas season with the right attitude and heart cannot be underestimated, and this is an area where many of us need to reconsider our favorite holiday, but there is still a lot of good left in Christmas. While we often over-do it, gift giving is at its core a very beautiful, selfless thing.

In addition to the generosity we often express toward our family and friends during the holidays, Christmas also encourages a lot of generosity focused towards people in need. I’m not just talking about the Salvation Army guy ringing his bell outside Target. A lot of soup kitchens, shelters and the like make an extra effort to be generous during Christmas. With so much extra joy to go around during the holidays, people are often more willing to seek out opportunities to help others.

Furthermore, Christmas also encourages unparalleled family bonding time. Late December is one of the busiest travelling times of the year for a reason. People are willing to put forth a lot of energy, time and money to be with family during this special time. Families come together from all across the country and even the world to celebrate the birth of a savior with praise and generosity.

Clearly, the concept of Christmas is a beautiful thing, but it is far too easy to twist things around and make the holidays about us. If Christians really made an effort to approach Christmas with a selfless attitude, the impact could be enormous. Christmas is still a season centered around hope, and I have not lost hope for what remains my favorite holiday, but I am confident that Christmas could improve tremendously with a shift in thinking. By turning our focus away from ourselves and towards the real reason for Christmas, we can transform a time of greed into a true celebration of Jesus.

Wesleyan’s Top Five Biggest Fans

Published on December 7, 2015 in Features by Will Harper

Number 5: Bailey Renfroe

At number five sits a devoted but controversial fan: Bailey Renfroe. Bailey may not be the loudest fan, but he sure does have a lot of spirit points.

Number 4: Chris Cleveland

In fourth place is our beloved headmaster, Chris Cleveland. Mr. Cleveland is knowledgeable, enthusiastic and devoted. We couldn’t put him at spot number one though because, after-all, it is sort of his job.

Number 3: Heidi Lloyd

Third place goes to our high school counselor, Heidi Lloyd. Not only does Mrs. Lloyd go out of her way to attend many sporting events, but she also brings the noise.

Number 2: Zach Young

Our runner up has been around for a long time, and he’s made it clear that he’s not going anywhere. Zach Young, Wesleyan’s former headmaster, can be spotted in Crocs and a visor at just about any Wesleyan event. Mr. Young always goes out of his way to congratulate athletes and is very well liked by students.

Number 1: STEVE

Finally, the number one best Wesleyan sports fan of all time is the one and only, Steve. Steve works at the local Ingles and truly loves Wesleyan sports. He goes to every Wesleyan football game no matter how far away it may be, and he can also be found at baseball and basketball games. “Steve is a legend,” said senior Cole Mannion. “Steve is no bandwagon fan. He sticks with the Wolves through thick and thin,” said senior Jake McCleskey.

Wesleyan Football Goes Toe to Toe with Model

Published on December 7, 2015 in Sports by Will Harper

Wesleyan advances to the second round of the playoffs after improving their record to nine and two with a 45-27 win over Model. The number two seed Blue Devils had home field advantage in Rome. The Wolves came back firing on all cylinders after a close loss in the region championship.

Wesleyan was very productive on offense all night, but got off to a rocky start defensively in the first half. “The offense has really hit full stride in the last two games,” said senior Tucker Cannon. Cannon scored the first touchdown of the night with a 60-yard reception from sophomore Banks Ramsey. He later scored twice more and went for over 200 yards.

Wesleyan was able to make a stop after the touchdown, but the following drive, Model corner Brendan Thomas jumped a screen pass and ran the interception back 70 yards for a touchdown. The extra point was no good.

The second quarter began and Wesleyan responded with a successful drive ending in a 10-yard touchdown run by senior Josh Garrard. Though the Wolves’ offense continued to move the ball, Model responded again. Chris Dublin showed impressive speed, breaking away for a touchdown run of over 60 yards. The Wolves scored twice more in the first half with a 10-yard run by senior Jordan Argilagos and a 45-yard field goal by senior Jordan Weaver. Argilagos had a big game with two touchdowns and over 200 total rushing yards.

Model scored once more with two minutes left in the half on a short run by Kyler Eldridge but the two point conversion pass was intercepted by Cannon. Wesleyan quickly drove down to Model’s 20-yard-line, but with some miscommunication allowed to clock to run out before they had a chance to try and score at the end of the half. The score entering the second half was 24-19.

Wesleyan made some adjustments defensively and only let up one touchdown in the second half. Continued success on offense led to three more touchdowns. Cannon scored two more times, and Argilagos broke a 35 yard run for six. These two playmakers helped the Wolves maintain a balanced attack along with Ramsey who threw with great accuracy all night. Model scored the last touchdown with a ten-yard run by Eldridge.

Next week, Wesleyan will play Jefferson County in Louisville, GA. All four teams from region 6AA moved on to the second round. In regards to the challenge ahead, Cannon said, “Jefferson County has a lot of athletic ability and speed, but if Banks keeps throwing the ball the way he is right now, no defense can stop us.”

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Will Harper has 28 articles published.