History of Halloween related

By CHRISTINA OCHOA
Staff Writer

Halloween has always been a holiday filled with mystery, magic and superstition. The Celts were the ones who invented Halloween. Celts believed that on the night before the New Year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred.

On Oct. 31, the Celts celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth. The festival of Samhain is a celebration of the end of the harvest season in Gaelic culture.

By A.D. 43 the Romans conquered the Celts and kept the traditions the Celts had but added their thoughts. The first was Feralia, a day in late October when the Romans traditionally commemorated the passing of the dead. The second was a day to honor Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit and trees. By the 800s, the influence of Christianity had spread into Celtic lands. Pope Boniface IV designated November 1 All Saints' Day, a time to honor saints and martyrs. It is widely believed today that the pope was attempting to replace the Celtic festival of the dead with a related, but church-sanctioned holiday. The celebration was also called All-hallows and the night before it, the night of Samhain, began to be called All-hallows Eve and, eventually, Halloween. In A.D. 1000, the church would make November 2 All Souls' Day, a day to honor the dead. It was celebrated similarly to Samhain, with big bonfires, parades, and dressing up in costumes as saints, angels, and devils. Together, the three celebrations, the eve of All Saints', All Saints', and All Souls', were called Hallowmas.
The superstitions of Halloween are that we avoid crossing paths with black cats, afraid that they might bring us bad luck. This idea has its roots in the middle Ages, when many people believed that witches avoided detection by turning themselves into cats. This superstition may have come from the ancient Egyptians, who believed that triangles were sacred; it also may have something to do with the fact that walking under a leaning ladder tends to be fairly unsafe.
People mainly forget what Halloween was mainly about, it was about the future instead of the past and the living instead of the dead. Halloween to a lot of little kids is mainly a day were you go around house to house getting candy while, parents try to keep them safe by checking every piece of candy to make sure their was no poison or anything bad in it, it is also many traditional activities that include bonfires, costume parties, visiting "haunted houses" and carving jack-o-lanterns. The activity is popular in the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, and due to increased American cultural influence in recent years, imported through exposure to US television and other media, trick-or-treating has started to occur among children in many parts of Europe, and in the Saudi Aramco camps of Dhahran, Akaria compounds and Ras Tanura in Saudi Arabia.

Leadership group includes East teachers

By VALERIE ROYER
Staff Writer

Have you heard of the teacher committee called A.L.L.?

Well if you haven’t it stands for Advanced Leadership Legacy and involves teachers all through the Joplin School District.

At East, the A.L.L members are Mr. Ron Mitchell, Mr. Randy Turner, Ms. Lara Stamper, Ms. Joyce Hale, Ms. Clara Ervin, Ms. Brandi Davis, and Ms. Areke Worku. What do they do during A.L.L. meetings? It is almost like a student council for teachers. The meetings are held once a month at Joplin High School. The purpose of the meetings is so make sure every building is on the same page, so one school doesn’t fall behind. The group also comes up with new ideas for our schools.

Hat Day is Friday

By PRESTON CARPENTER
Staff Writer
Friday October 15, its Crazy Hat Day.

On this day everybody is invited to wear any hat they choose, as long as its school appropriate. Masks, hoodies, and other items worn on the head that aren’t considered a hat will not be allowed.

One of our journalists will come around and take pictures of your hats, so smile for the camera and come see your pictures, here at The East Middle School Journalism Website.

East Band matches on Saturday

By VALERIE ROYER
Staff Writer
The East Middle School is playing in the Carthage Maple Leaf Parade 9 a.m. Saturday. The parade starts on the west side of the square, heads south down Grand Ave., turns east on Centennial, and ends at the Carthage Middle School.
To look at the route more closely visit http://www.carthagechamber.com/mapleleafparaderoute.html

Technology Class Enjoying Their Projects

By:STESHA HIEBERT and
CAYLEY HARDISON
Staff Writters
Mr. William Hedrick’s technology class is engulfed in projects, including mousetrap cars, water rockets, and washer games.

“They enjoy the hands-on projects. They also enjoy working with the tools.” Mr. Hedrick said.

The accidents have been so few and far between that Mr. Hedrick can joke about them.
“Some minor cuts, but nothing serious. Everyone still has all of their fingers, all nine of them…” he said with a smile