TTHHEE TTAATTTTOOOO BRISTOL PRESS MAKING A PERMANENT IMPRESSION SINCE 1994 VOLUME 5 No. 15 Tattoo writers Computer glitches not over yet

By CHANTELLE GARZONE report cards were nearly a menu-driven program and I enough to stop a machine,” month overdue because half couldn’t alter the system.” said Veins. “If a teacher writes scoop up awards The Tattoo year exams had to be entered “I have a lot more freedom in two tens for example Six student writers recently earned National Gold Key awards in Flaws in the new computer into the new system manually. of doing things the way I instead of 100.” the country’s top high school journalism contest for pieces they software at Bristol’s high The honor roll hasn’t been want,” Mosback said. The new program “is very wrote for The Tattoo. schools have led to confused released yet because gym does- Even report cards are being powerful, if you put a period Bristol Central High School senior Amanda Lehmert, who won attendance records and delays n’t count but the new program made differently, said in the wrong place it could in two categories, emerged a contest winner for the third straight in report cards, desperately identifies it as a course like all Mosback. throw off some information,” year. Her story about construction dust making students and teach- needed grade point averages the others. Grades are recorded by a stressed Veins. ers ill won in the in-depth individual category. for graduating seniors, class Each student’s history -- Along with Bristol Eastern High School juniors Jessica Norton rankings and honor rolls. including attendance, schedul- and Hila Yosafi, Lehmert also earned a prize for in-depth team cov- But administrators say they ing, discipline, and grades -- is erage for a story about a local teenager’s suicide. had to employ a new software The fourth marking period might contained in an icon called an Another Bristol Central High School senior, Collin Seguin, program and got the best one “atom,” said Veins. grabbed a top prize in the annual contest sponsored by the National on the market. also cause a dilemma because of the Even with all of SASI’s tech- Newspaper Association and the Quill and Scroll International School officials learned last problem of averaging final grades, nological advances, items such Honorary Society for High School Journalists. summer that the company that as perfect attendance have Seguin secured his second Gold Key in sports journalism for a supplied the software for the said Principal V. Everett Lyons. been thrown into mass confu- column he wrote about baseball’s home run derby last season. school computer system in the sion this year, according to Two other Bristol Eastern High School juniors also brought home past had been bought out and Veins. National Gold Keys. Merissa Mastropiero captured a prize for a they couldn’t use the old pro- Another major problem is Scantron machine that reads Veins said that the new soft- news story she wrote detailing some of the failings and problems gram anymore. class rank, Lyons said, computer forms on which ware counts someone as hav- with the school’s new computer system. After reviewing alterna- “because we had to convert teachers have penciled in the ing perfect attendance even if The contest honored Joe Wilbur for an opinion column he tives, the schools picked a pro- and enter all the previous proper bubbles instead of the they are late or leave early. penned about the flap in Middletown over boys wearing dresses to gram named School grades” by hand. obsolete method of hand enter- “For perfect attendance you school. Administration Student Unfortunately, this is just ing each individual number. must be in school everyday all Published in the The Bristol Press occasional Mondays, The Information (commonly called the beginning. day,” Veins said. Tattoo is written by high school students. Reporters Steve Collins Another change this year is “sassy”). According to Lyons, the that report cards are printed Under the new system, field and Jackie Majerus are the group’s volunteer advisors. Watch for Though students and staff fourth marking period might trips are counted as absences another edition of The Tattoo next week. at the school instead of the alike have had run-ins with the also cause a dilemma because past practice of sending them and tardies as excused Questions or comments about this page should be directed to new system, Bristol Eastern of the problem of averaging absences. them at 589-5316 or by e-mail to [email protected]. The win- out. High School Principal V. final grades. Eastern freshman Kristy As far as grade point aver- ning stories, along with Tattoo archives, can be seen on the webat: Everett Lyons said the pro- Despite its complications, ages go, Veins said, “We’re http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/Majerus_Collins Harrington said of the new gram is “pretty good.” Eastern secretary Edith report cards, “They don’t come almost there.” “It’s a learning process for Mosback said the new soft- out when they’re supposed to Taking an optimistic view- everybody,” said Lyons, and ware is a necessary change in and the teachers don’t know point, Mosbeck said, “I think it it’s simply “a matter of fine- the school system. what’s going on.” will take a year or two to have Brave new world tuning it.” “I can open many windows it up and running to our The new program had to be at one time, I can go into Daniel Veins, an assistant school specifications.” tailored to suit Eastern’s grades, schedules, etceteras, principal at Eastern, said In the words of Mosbeck, and Keanu, too needs, for things such as per- while in our old program I report cards take longer the new program “has its good fect attendance and honor roll, could only do one at a time,” because of the need to verify points and its bad points.” By CHANTELLE GARZONE said Lyons. said Mosback. all grades. But in any case, it’s here to The Tattoo Second marking period “The old system was a “A simple bubbling error is stay. Are you into computers? Do you enjoy pushing the limits of the imagination? Are you somewhat paranoid that the entire universe is really a shadow of something much darker? Well, then you’ve got a few problems. But the new Keanu Reeves sci-fi flick, Review Make way for The Matrix, is sure to tantalize the masses (even if you’re not a evil, er, misguided genius). Bursting with technological wizardry and fast-paced action sequences, The Matrix exceeds the standards for today’s cinema. Computer-generated graphics shock and amaze even the most ducklings! skeptical of viewers, while Keanu gives a stunning performance as Neo, the chosen one. Uh, uh, uh ... I’m afraid I can’t tell all there is to know about By MERISSA MASTROPIERO “We don’t know how long they were janitors led them through the building, down there. They could have been down leading them out through the band room this movie, you’ll just have to see it for yourself. The Tattoo I will say this, The Matrix gives a blunt view on the possibil- there all last week,” said Flynn. doors, said Hobbs. ity of a grim future for mankind, if continued on its present The return to school from April vaca- The mother duck built a nest within “We just kept blocking them until they course. tion presented a delightful surprise for the courtyard under one of the bushes, found their way out,” said custodian So check out The Matrix before it leaves the theaters — if for some and a dilemma for others. and 14 out of 15 eggs hatched sometime Chad Lockhart. The mother then “pretty no other reason, there’s always Keanu. Students discovered 14 mallard duck- over the vacation week. much led them right out to the water” to lings and their mother waddling around Two janitors and a workman came to a stream flowing through Eastern’s prop- the east wing courtyard at Bristol their assistance, prying open the grate, erty, said Lockhart. “She knew where she Eastern High School last Monday. and then Walter Hobbs, assistant build- was going.” Hole’s Celebrity Skin Sophomore Bill Mahoney spotted the ing supervisor, pulled them out. Lockhart noticed that one duckling mother duck near a metal grate in the “The mother was awfully good,” and couldn’t swim. He said that this was center of the courtyard while sitting in didn’t attack anyone, said Flynn. because it hadn’t developed the oils that was worth the wait teacher Nathalie Flynn’s fourth period Principal V. Everett Lyons now faced allow it to stay afloat. study hall, said Flynn. the dilemma of what to do with them. Hobbs said, “He was just laying in the By SHAINA ZURA Curiosity struck when the mallard “If we don’t get them pretty soon, we’ll water, floating like he was dead. He did- The Tattoo seemed to refuse to change position. either have to feed them or try to get n’t look too good.” After years of taking in 1994’s release of Live Through This, Garrett Vanadestine, a sophomore in them out,” Lyons said. “We have to put Hobbs grabbed it and handed it to Hole fans finally have another album to buy. Celebrity Skin is Flynn’s study hall, discovered the duck- them in an environment where they can Lockhart. “It looked like it was dead. It the band’s newest contribution to the world of music. lings in the sewer beneath the grate. find some nourishment.” was like a wet noodle,” said Lockhart. While it carries many of the qualities that define Hole’s Sophomore “We were just going to throw it out, but music, there are definite differences between it and the band’s Lenor Tores and I’m not into that. I love animals.” other albums. Courtney Love delivers her characteristic throaty freshman Linda Lockhart, cupping the duckling in his yelling and drawn out singing. She also Valdes placed food hands, proceeded to warm it, trying to takes credit for all the lyrics. and water around get it to breathe. Custodian Brad LePane Hitting you with statements like “they the courtyard. got a heat lamp from the science depart- know how to break all the girls like you RReevviieeww “They were cute. ment. and they rob the souls of the girls like you” They were so “We put him in that box, and he came is something to expect from her. In this respect, the strength small,” said Valdes. back to life,” Lockhart said. and anger of previous songs are paralleled. If you flip through “They looked Lockhart is temporarily playing moth- the CD booklet, you’ll notice that there were significant contri- okay, but there was er for the duckling. With the additional butions by people outside of the band. Credit is given to Corgan, one that was really roommate, Lockhart needed some infor- Caffey, and Zandorozny. limping,” said mation. Only half of the songs were written without the aid of one or Flynn. Back to Basics, a Terryville feed deal- two of the three contributors noted. Later on in the er, taught him how to take care of the This is very unlike Live Through This, where all but one song afternoon, the duckling and gave him food. was written by Hole alone. Also, there are less hard guitar bits mother mallard “That place was real helpful too,” said and rough edges to the music. All in all, the album is a little and her 13 duck- Lockhart. more mature than their last release. There is slightly less lings — one died — Lockhart and Hobbs hope to reunite screaming and swearing. There is more melody and recogniza- exited the court- the lone duckling with its mallard family ble words. It is still a very powerful collection of songs. With yard and walked once it’s ready to swim. statements like “love hates you” and “this world is a war” I into the building. Until then, Lockhart said, “Now he’s think Celebrity Skin lives up to the slap in the face tendency of Upon where the doing great, but he still has a little limp.” Hole’s music. Canadians check out Bristol plays, music, culture Pottery in motion

By HILA YOSAFI people she met in Bristol were music department. Sweer said, said, “I’m glad we could return more “down to earth.” “You should be grateful.” the hospitality that they were The Tattoo John Rennie High School Archambeault said, “I guess so generous to show us when Bristol Eastern High has seventh to 11th grade. we don’t know what we have.” we visited their country.” School’s music department Upon graduation in Eastern’s The visitors toured the New recently had a cultural experi- 11th grade, students choral director England Carousel Museum in ence right here in Bristol. must attend a two year One Canadian Ken Ferris said Bristol, attended a dress Band and chorus students school before enrolling student said while the rehearsal of Bristol Central’s from the John Rennie High into a four-year college Bristol school spring musical “Oklahoma,” School in Pointe-Claire, or university. Bristol people is getting mil- and visited Mystic. There was Quebec lived with Eastern stu- All the students lions for reno- also a joint concert in dents for three days. speak English clearly, were ‘down to vations, John Eastern’s cafeteria that fea- Eastern visited the school, without accents. Most earth.’ Rennie is get- tured the two bands and cho- which was Superintendent can speak French as ting thousands. ruses, which was followed by a Ann Clark’s alma mater, last well. “You should dance. school year for their annual Sarah Thorpe, an 11th grad- see this school in a year and a Eleventh grader Lindsay music trip. Nancy Sweer, Jon er from John Rennie, said, “It’s half,” Ferris told Sweer, “You’ll Legault from John Rennie said Rennie’s band director said, so gorgeous here.” be blown away.” the Americans and Canadians “Our kids were so Sweer said students in The students voluntarily were “pretty much the same.” impressed…We came here to Montreal don’t start playing hosted the more than 60 Ninth grader Andrew learn and we’ve already instruments until the eighth Canadians at their homes. Kerrigan, also from Montreal learned what nice people you grade. Students here start While most students took one said the Americans he met are.” tootin’ horns in the third or two, Ferris took in four pronounced their ‘As’ funny. Eastern’s band director grade. boys. Troy Tagg, a ninth grader Richard Theriault said his stu- Junior Patti Archambeault, Junior Nicole Echagarrua, also from John Rennie said dents got to know kids from who plays in Eastern’s band, who plays in Eastern’s band the international display of another country musically but said most of the music stu- and took in two girls said, “I flags in the cafeteria, part of a more importantly, culturally. dents here don’t think the thought it would be a nice recent effort to celebrate Shaunte Miller-Ligon / The Tattoo Alexandra Morgan, a ninth Board of Education is provid- thing to do.” diversity at Eastern, was a Bristol Eastern High School junior Becky Russo works on a grader at Jon Rennie said the ing them with enough for their Her father, Leo Echagarrua good idea. piece of pottery for a class.