VOL. IX, NO. 8
FEBRUARY 2, 1968

'Ruthless Ravager' Attacks Unsuspecting Students
A new epidemic is about to be let loose around the school. It lasts nine weeks; and the after-effects are worse than the flu, mono, or strep throat. Doctors can find neither a cure nor a prevention for this dreaded disease. What is it called? The third quarter slump.

No one is immune to this illness. It strikes young and old alike-freshmen through seniors. There is no way to tell who will be next. It just happens.

What are the causes of this ruthless ravager? Who knows? It seems to be some sort of phenomenon that must remain unexplained, at least for the time being. So far, teachers and students alike have been unable to reach a feasible solution. Many have been offered, but who is to say exactly what causes this plague that catches its victims quite unaware?
 Perhaps it comes with the second wind that arrives here for many teachers at the start of the second semester. Feelings seem to prevail that hint at the lack of accomplishment during the first semester. This second wind enables teachers to make up for lost time by piling long, overdue assignments on their unsuspecting students, not realizing that the average student has at least three other teachers with which to deal.

Let's face it. Kids will be kids, and there seems to be very little anyone can do about it. It can be very disheartening to have to sacrifice that leisure time so important to teens and devote it to doing loads of homework. Already the "slump germ" has gained a firm hand on the student body. Decay in one's attitude immediately sets in. Once decay begins, it is hard to stop it. With each new day comes more victims who are being swept away by the prevailing tide. The ill-effects of this storm will show when it comes time for the report cards.