Summer 2023 Edition

In the 30s and 40s, there was a section of the school newspaper where students were asked an opinion question. Starting last year, I have taken that idea and used the old questions for the new part of “The Buccaneer,” “Students Speak.” This question was asked of the Mepham students in 1949 and again in 2023.

“What is your favorite after school activity? Why?”

Answers from 2023:
Isabella Castera: My favorite thing to do after school is to sit with my friends because they make me laugh and we don’t have to go out and spend money.
Maximo Chiodi: My favorite after school activity is track. I like team dynamics and the people on the team.
Jonathan Murcia: I love playing soccer because everything just goes away. All my stress, problems, worries, etc. just disappear.
Casandra Viruet: My favorite after school activity is going to the gym because it gets me productive. I feel good and motivated to do my homework and other stuff.
Lilly Whittaker: My favorite after school activity is sleeping. After school I am always really tired so I usually take a nap. I also like going to Starbucks after school.
Andrew Rispoli: My favorite after school activity is going home. After a long day of school, going home and being able to chill out for a bit is a very good feeling.
Sean Solivan: My favorite after school activity is playing sports, especially baseball with friends, because it is a fun workout that I feel I can be very good and competitive at.
Alessandro Walaitis: Lacrosse would be my favorite activity because it brings me lots of joy and happiness.
Olivia Cinquemani: One of my favorite after-school activities is Mepham sports games. Mepham sports events really show how much Mepham is a family and how we all supported each other.

Answers from 1949:
Ruth Seffren: Stunts and Tumbling, gets my mind off school work.
Ellie Rubin: Volley Ball; I like to get a laugh at the Freshmen who don’t know how to play.
Marie Gasquez: Cheerleading, because then no one tells me to be quiet.
Phyllis Grant: Spanish Club; I like to hear Spanish properly by students who know it well.
Pat Bossler: Badminton; it isn’t too active.
Adelaide Wolfanger: Volley Ball; it’s fun and you meet nice people.
John MacPhail: Wrestling, because it builds bodies, loosens joints, and heads, and breaks bones.
Bruce Jobson: Band; you hear a lot of jokes.
Susan Gurney: Skull and Bones; because I enjoy getting my elbows in grease paint.
Marilyn Critchley: Spanish Club, because it’s a change from American atmosphere to the Latin.
Ted Kowalchuk: Orchestra, because it’s nice to see Mr. Pritchard’s arm waving in my face.
Drucilla Munnich: Buccaneer; because there’s always so much excitement before every deadline.