By Fr. Michael Brunner, O.S.B.

Back just before the turn of the century, Father Bernard (who lived with u s b r i e f l y ) t o o k F r. Augustine and I out to his house in the wilds of St. C h a r l e s C o u n t y. F r . Augustine put on waders and proceeded to chase a pair of swans out of Fr. Bernards pond. Not being very gainly on land, I then was able to come up behond them, grab them (one at a time) and place them in large dog crates. So impr i soned , these b e a u t i f u l b i r d s w e r e delivered to the Priory pond.

That is how our first pair of swans came to Priory. They were named Abelard a n d H e l o i s e , a f t e r a r e n o w n e d m e d i e v a l theologian-priest and his pupil-love interest-nun, a t r a g i c c o u p l e a n d a famous true story which proves the middle ages were not dull.

Our Heloise and Abelard also had a not dull but also tragic life here. They mated and dutifully sat on their clutches of eggs four y e a r s i n a r o w. T h e managed to hatch but their cygnets were done in by snapping turtles each time

w i t h i n t w o d a y s o f hatching.

A b e l a r d g o t i n t o a spectacular fight with one of my African Geese and bludgeoned him to death w h i l e t h e s t u d e n t s helplessly watched from the 100s and 200s. While he never bludgeoned a student, he did threaten t h e m d u r i n g m a t i n g season if they came too close to the pond. He did chase a visitor all the way up into the parking lot, and sprang lightening fast out of the water upon a boy who wandered down to the pond from the Graduation reception.

Heloise died suddenly one winter night during the first hard freeze of winter. After her demise Abelard w a s h e a r t b r o k e n a n d would follow the sun a r o u n d t h e P r i o r y buildings to look at his reflection in the window, undoubtedly thinking it was his lost love. He used to settle down at night outside the monastery next to the window by the St. Benedict statue, and I would have to walk him back to the pond so he wouldnt become dinner for the coyotes.

Alas, during my time away after leaving the h e a d m a s t e r p o s i t i o n ,

A b e l a r d d e c i d e d t h e stagnant pond was just too disgusting. So he went searching for fresh water, and was ambushed by the coyotes. And so in the summer of 2012 Priory became swan-less.

To the rescue came the Fathers Club, who under Mr. Roger Cammons leadership raised a swan fund. I began a search for swan breeders, but could o n l y f i n d s u c h i n Tennessee and Iowa. To my rescue came our own Dee Webb, the anchor of o u r M a i n t e n a n c e Department, who found a b r eede r i n beau t i f u l , bountiful Belleville, IL. So in the fall of 2013, we put down our deposit on a pair of swans, yearlings to be delivered in the Spring of 2014.

When the Spring Came, t h e m a i n t e n a n c e department rehabbed the abandoned swan house ( N e u s c h w a n s t e i n ) , r epa i r ing the t e rmi t e damage, putting on a new roof and grading the site to drain water away from the nesting area. A new fence was installed to deter predators. And so at the end of April our new swans arrived, Tristan and I s o l d e , n a m e d a f t e r another tragic couple in another famous medieval

story, but this time they werent a priest and a nun. Wagner did write an opera about them.Its taken a while, but they have adjusted. For the first month or so, they never came out of the water. N o w t h e y a r e q u i t e comfortable coming up to the top of the hill on the north and west. They get along far too well with the Canada Geese for my liking, allowing them to dine and hang out around the swan house. But this will change in two more years when Tristan and Isolde will be ready to mate and will fiercely gua rd the i r t e r r i to ry. Theres one Canada Goose with white splotches on his neck that I hope will get a royal whupping from Tristan.

In the meantime, please help them feel at home. They will try to leave if they dont feel welcome, and that would prove fatal. Dont throw things into the pond or chase the geese. (They cant tell youre not after them.) Just admire their natural elegance and thank God for their presence among us. And if you have a BIG pond in your back yard, you might get a chance to have a swan or two of your own in three years.

2 NEWSThe Swans of Priory

Long ago, the four nations lived together in harmony.

file://localhost/Users/therecord12-13/Google%20Drive/Volume%20XLV/Issue%202/Swans%20at%20Priory.docfile://localhost/Users/therecord12-13/Google%20Drive/Volume%20XLV/Issue%202/Swans%20at%20Priory.docfile://localhost/Users/therecord12-13/Google%20Drive/Volume%20XLV/Issue%202/Swans%20at%20Priory.docfile://localhost/Users/therecord12-13/Google%20Drive/Volume%20XLV/Issue%202/Swans%20at%20Priory.docfile://localhost/Users/therecord12-13/Google%20Drive/Volume%20XLV/Issue%202/Swans%20at%20Priory.docfile://localhost/Users/therecord12-13/Google%20Drive/Volume%20XLV/Issue%202/Swans%20at%20Priory.docfile://localhost/Users/therecord12-13/Google%20Drive/Volume%20XLV/Issue%202/Swans%20at%20Priory.docfile://localhost/Users/therecord12-13/Google%20Drive/Volume%20XLV/Issue%202/Swans%20at%20Priory.docfile://localhost/Users/therecord12-13/Google%20Drive/Volume%20XLV/Issue%202/Swans%20at%20Priory.docfile://localhost/Users/therecord12-13/Google%20Drive/Volume%20XLV/Issue%202/Swans%20at%20Priory.docfile://localhost/Users/therecord12-13/Google%20Drive/Volume%20XLV/Issue%202/Swans%20at%20Priory.doc

By Louis Rolwes 19

Albert Einstein once said, The only source of knowledge is experience. Many of you seventh graders out there, or even older s tudents , are probably concerned about the coming year. You may be wondering things like, How hard will it be? or Will I be able to make friends? Keep in mind, though, the people in the grade just above you have already experienced the same trials, and many of them are eager to help out. Here are some eighth graders thoughts on their first year at priory, what their hopes are for eighth grade, and some simple advice for the seventh graders this year:

Q: What was seventh grade like for you?

A: Kind of difficult. At first It was kind of difficult to make friends. But after that I made friends in both seventh and eighth grade.

Q: Do you have any advice for the seventh graders this year?

A: Stay on the teachers good side and be prepared.

Q: What was the transition like for you from your old school to Priory?

A: I was kind of scared. I thought I would have a hard time making friends but it turned out a lot of people at Priory were just like me.

Q: Do you have any hopes for your eighth grade year?

A: I hope to be successful and do better than last year.

Q: Are you saying you made bad grades last year?A: No, of course not! I made great grades last year!

Q: So what exactly qualifies as great grades for you, Bs, Cs, ...Ds?

A: Um...

So take it day by day. The unknown can be just as interesting as it is intimidating. And remember a good attitude can make all the difference in the world.

3 NEWSThe Record

VOLUME XLVISSUE 1

AUGUST 25, 2014Editor in Chief

Robert E. Donnelly III 15

Layout EditorThomas Rosebrough 15

Content EditorsAlexander Hill 15Stephen Millsap 15

Patrick Lane 15Robert Erbs III 15

Faculty ModeratorMichael Ware

Contacttheprioryrecord@gmail.com

314-434-3690 ext. 221

The Record DisclaimerThe Record is the official student publication of Saint Louis Priory School in St. Louis, Missouri. It is produced by students/staff members. Its purpose is to inform students of events in the community ; to encourage discussion of local, national, and international issues; and to serve as a training ground for budding journalists, photographers, and graphic designers. The Record accepts contr ibutions from all members of the Priory community, including students, faculty, and alumni.The Record will not publish c o n t e n t c o n s i d e r e d l e g a l l y unprotected speech, including but not l i m i t e d t o : l i b e l , c o py r i g h t infringement, unwarranted invasion of privacy, or material disruption of the educational process. Student editors apply professional standards to the production of the newspaper and are solely responsible for all content, both explicit and implicit. Letters to the Editors are always appreciated. F e edba c k no t i n t e nded f o r publication is also welcome.

Then, everything changed when the fire nation attacked.

An 8th Graders View on 7th Grade

A Freshmans View on 8th Grade

By Ian Rosebrough 18

Even though the school does not change, there are a lot differences between and junior and high school. As an eighth grader, the classes in general were simple. The class rooms were all right next to each other. You had a homeroom who shared nearly every class with you. Also, there are the seventh graders; because were older than them, we have privileges such as first lunch and better

s p o r t s l o c k e r s . E i g h t h graders are respected as the head of the junior school able to rule over its entire domain. Seventh graders looked up to us for guidance in a new school full of mystery.

Now, as a freshman, I can already see differences. Your day-to-day schedule has t o b e m o r e p l a n e d o u t because classes are more spread out and our schedules are fairly personal. I can tell

that quizzes and test will be much harder because of the time limit. And after a whole year of working our way to the top of the junior school, we just get thrown back down to the bottom of the high school. But even with new difficulties, I am excited for the learning and growing that comes with entering into high school. Im looking forward to a great year.

By Tejas Sekhar 17

Ah... another year at Priory, and so it begins.

N o l o n g e r a m I amongst the new fish in this large pond known as St. Louis Priory High School. This year is a chance for me to show my in te l lec t , understanding, and ability to my teachers and coaches. Increased expectations are not only limited to the academic field here, as they can also be found while out playing sports (or cross country). Just kidding, of course. The sophomore year

p r e p a r e s y o u f o r t h e challenges that lie ahead as you shape up your college a p p l i c a t i o n a n d s t a r t preparing for the PSAT, S A T a n d A C T . Responsibilities skyrocket as many students get their licenses and start driving themselves, becoming more and more independent of their parents. I have matured t h i s y e a r , a s I h a v e transitioned from being an out of place, awkward freshman into a prepared and confident sophomore.

I truly felt unready as I entered the high school on

my first day of freshman year. It was as if I was attempting to read Mandarin Chinese while unicycling in a tutu. Ok, that may be an exaggeration, but I did not know many of my teachers, or even most of the high school teachers in general. But, when this year came, I arrived at school already knowing who all of my teachers were. It's great being able to have that kind of comfortable start to the year. I've learned to take interest in my classes and make a sincere effort in whatever I am doing. I can

even say I feel excited to learn. (What a nerd, right)?!

Freshman year is a year of trial and error, learning not to make the same mistakes. But, sophomore year is a year for us to go, "Hey, I'm ready to take on the world." Good luck, freshmen, as you transition from the junior school lifestyle to the high school lifestyle. To my fellow sophomores, I wish you a great year!

4 NEWSA Sophomores View on Freshman Year

Only the Avatar, master of all four elements, could stop them.

A Juniors View on Sophomore Year

By Matt Travers 16

Reflecting back on last year, I have discovered t h a t , a s w i t h m a n y experiences, my opinion has changed after the year s completion. During the school year, there were many, many times when the individual workloads of seven classes would overlap and lead to stressful weeks, something to which many Priory students c a n a t t e s t . H o w e v e r , advancing from seventh grade, these stressful weeks become m o r e c o m m o n a n d manageable, and you begin to

appreciate the ever decreasing hours of sleep.

C o m i n g f r o m freshman year and entering into the second half of your Priory career, there are many changes for sophomores. You beg in a t t end ing co l l ege counseling meetings, and eventually take the PSAT and PLAN tests, foreshadowing the arrival of the SAT and ACT. Organization and time management become much more important this year. For your English class, you should read the books. Knowing what is happening in class makes

the papers much eas ier. During your winter term of U.S. History, you write an official term paper. Picking a topic you actually enjoy will make the process considerably l e s s mi se rab l e . A l so i n sophomore year, you get the option to take Chinese as a modern language and P.E. as a sport. For your math, science and theology classes, there are great teachers to make the y e a r m o r e e n j o y a b l e , including Mrs. Hall, Mr. Orlando, and Fr. Ambrose. And for classics, you get the option to, alas, drop the penultimate Latin class offered

at Priory and take Greek/Roman Culture or Classic Civilization.

T o g e t t h r o u g h sophomore year, talk to your teachers! If you are having trouble or need to reschedule a test, let them know; they are there to help you and are, in general, very understanding. In my experience, sophomore year has been my favorite so far. Make the most of this year because it only gets harder!

By Aris Sevastianos 15

Junior year was a little too hyped up and overrated, but it was still undoubtedly the hardest year at Priory Ive experienced. Fall term was definitely the hardest; winter and spring seemed to get a lot e a s i e r b e c a u s e : 1 ) y o u eventually get used to the hard work and 2) you become a better studentand yes, I mean it. This place is c o n s i d e r e d a c o l l e g e preparatory school for a reason. I hate to be frank, but I had to sacrifice a lot of r e l a x a t i o n t i m e ( c a s u a l extracurriculars, hobbies, going out with friends, etc.), especially during the first term. When you feel like you

dont have any time to kick up your feet, make time. Clear your mind and take brief, periodic breaks that dont involve staring at a screen. You can also dedicate an hour or two every weekend to kicking a soccer ball around with a friend, walking your dog, or something like that. Also, keep up with all of your work. If youre having any trouble with any of the work, talk to your teacher and work something outboth of you are on the same team, aren't you? I f you re do ing everything right, and you know it, thats all that matters. As my dad tells me, do your best, forget the rest. It was exciting to start contributing to the varsity programs here at Priory, and I

can certainly say that the Class of 2015 has a lot of talented athletes who brought a lot to the table and have worked their tails off to get where they are today. It was equally exciting to attend sporting events throughout the year, and cheer on our friends in whatever sport they were playing. Beginning the official college search was also a key part of the year. Making a few visits, going to college fairs, and whittling down the list I started to gather was definitely a long and en te r ta in ing process! Current juniors, dont be afraid to ask your college counselors a lot of questionstheyre here to help and they love to answer any questions you many have!

Now for senior year. This is the fun and exciting part. Leading the sports teams, having less classes to worry about, senior privileges, finding out where youre headed next year, and overall more time on your hands, feels like a huge reward after a cha l lenging jun ior year. However, glory always comes with a price. With college applications and a thesis hanging over your head, the f i r s t t w o t e r m s c a n b e seriously difficult. All in all, the year looks bright for the Class of 2015 and I think we can all agree that were ready to end our time at Priory with a bang. I cant wait to see what the future holds!

5 NEWSA Seniors View on Junior Year

By Robert E. Donnelly III 15 and Parker Ferguson 15

On one of the most temperate nights of the school year, the varsity football Rebels took the field for their second game of the season last Friday vs. Saint Marys. Coming off a tough loss to Soldan, the Rebels needed come out strong and compete, something they did with flying colors.

However, the victory did not come easi ly, as the opening kickoff came all the

way back for a touchdown. This certainly stung for the Rebels, but bad turned to worse when Saint Marys scored on their very next offensive play. 14 points in only 3 minutes.

The Rebels were quickly losing ground, but not giving up. Intensity skyrocketed from both the offense and defense after the draining first quarter, as senior tailback John Agnew punched in a touchdown early in the second quarter. With both teams fighting for every inch, fullback Alex Lennartz

took off up the middle late in the second quarter. As he drove the pile, the ball came loose, only to land in the hands of graceful offensive g u a r d , G e o rg e I a c h a s Jochens, who burst out of the scrum and stiff armed his way to a 38-yard touchdown for the ages. This had both teams heading to the locker room tied. The third quarter saw the Rebels defense playing its best football of the season, and the tie continued into the fourth quarter. Nearing the halfway point of the fourth quarter, the

Rebels were deep in the Saint Marys zone after a long offensive drive. From the five yard l ine, ta i lback John A g n e w f o l l o w e d t h e voluptuous rear ends of his offensive linemen directly into the end zone to give the Rebels the lead for good. The next game is this Saturday, 1:00P.M at Priory as the R e b e l s t a k e o n J o h n Burroughs.

But when the world needed him most, he vanished.

Football Update

6 PERIODICALSaint Louis SomebodiesScience, Periodically

By Connor Wright 16

"I got pregnant my senior year of high school. My boyfriend and I

were careful, but it still happened. I definitely don't regret my kids. They are my entire world. But I do regret

not furthering my education right after high school. I had applied and

been accepted, and went to the orientation and everything. But

raising my children alone, along with working two jobs to support me and

my kids and also my mom, while attempting to receive a college level education was too much to handle."

"Do you ever get treated differently because you don't have a college degree?"'Yes, and it breaks my heart. People judge me for not going to college. they don't realize

that I would have loved to, and that it was absolutely impossible given my situation at the time. They call me lazy. They call me dumb. But I'm going back soon. Really soon. And

someday, Ill prove those people who called me lazy and dumb wrong. Ill give them a shoutout in my State of the Union Address, and remind them what they called me. Oh, I

forgot to mention, I'm going to be President.

Remember that neuralyzer from MIB, that flashed and made people forget what t h e y s aw ? Tu r n s o u t technology has once again blurred the lines between science and science-fiction. This past week researchers found a way to use flashing light to alter the memories of rats. You may think this has n o i m p a c t o n m o r e intelligent beings, but rats have a highly developed Dentate Gyrus (which is the section of the brain devoted to episodic memory, and is grown very much the same way as in a human.) The researchers injected the DG and also the Basolateral Amygdala (where fear and pleasure originate) and then used lasers to turn neurons on and off like a computer. They found they could not only make a rat forget a traumatic experience, but g i ve i t fa l se p leasant memories occurring in places it should be afraid of. This technology isnt nearly developed enough for use on humans, but start carrying around a sharpie to mark your wrist because by the time it is, theyll probably already be using it on us.

A hundred years passed, and my brother and I discovered the new avatar: an airbender named Aang.

Michael Blogs: Fluff? I think not!By Ramzi Haddad 16

We live in 2014 and it is the age of the internet, and many esteemed news outlets are beginning to move there instead of a good, old-fashion newspaper. Priory, however, has not, and this is a good thing. Priory loves tradition, and I love all of my loyal subscribers. Sure, I constantly turn my articles in late, and my relationship with Tommy (Rosebrough) has suffered because of it, but I love to see those stats at the end of the day. A recent Priory Survey has concluded that 94% of the people subscribing to The Record do so because of my

esteemed, award winning, spectacular, satirical, and overall better pieces of work. I am not trying to brag, but it needs to be said that writing 300 word articles is very time consuming. There is somebody who has time for that, Sweet Brown, and that person is me. I spend my Wednesday nights slaving away on articles. Sometimes I wont s leep because I need to make sure the grammar in my articles good.

There have been severe allegations directed towards me that insinuate some sort of fluff piece propaganda. I am here to tell you that I use a lot of big words to sound serious,

and those allegations are false. The next time someone tells you that my articles are fluff pieces, punch em in the mouth and yell, How fluffy is it now expletives?! Yes, momma s a i d k n o c k y o u o u t . ( I understand Im a woman in that analogy, but I already made a cultural reference, so I think I ought to stick with the theme, just like my subscribers have stuck with me.) Thank you for your loyalty and patronage, and I hope to gain some more subscribers after this article is published.

To subscribe and see more M i c h a e l b l o g s v i s i t www.tommyumadbro?.gov

7ENTERTAINMENT

By Grant Dow

Crossword

Sudokus - Easy, Medium, Hard

ACROSS1. Flash6. Tight10. Gist14. Heathen15. Sea eagle16. Brother of Jacob17. Redress18. Anagram of "Ties"19. Vipers20. Proposal22. Prompts23. Slaloms24. Fast26. Kick30. Eastern newt31. Sweet potato32. Hodgepodge33. Sage35. Song of praise39. Insert41. Outflow43. Creator44. Sketched46. Nights before47. British rule in India49. An uncle50. A musical pause51. Skewer54. Bacterium56. Encircle57. Ephemeral

63. 62 in Roman numerals64. Sediment65. Confederate States66. Greek liqueur67. Largest continent68. Sporting venue69. Not closed70. Lunch or dinner71. DispatchesDOWN1. Resorts2. A Maori club3. All excited4. Telephoned5. Leg joints

6. Gave testimony7. Creative persons8. Pearly-shelled mussel9. Very small10. Mediator11. Put out12. Recorded13. Impudent girl21. Distorts25. Dad26. Verse

27. Forearm bone28. Notch29. Permissiveness34. Being the basic part36. Overhang37. How old we are38. Where a bird lives40. By mouth42. Decorative jugs45. Fine or

decorative clothing48. Flotsam51. Snow house52. Confusion53. Award55. King with a golden touch58. Ascend59. Rubber wheel60. Beasts of burden61. Peel62. Not nays

Somewhere in Mordor...

Although his airbending skills are great, he has a lot to learn before he is ready to save anyone.

8 ENTERTAINMENT

By Tripp Miller 16 A Sunny Day in Glasgow -Sea When Absent

The shoegaze revival might be one of the larger movements in contemporary independent music, and it's a puzzlingly mixed bag. Sure, My Bloody Valentine released their long awaited third album, a n d S l o w d i v e a r e b a c k together, but the vast majority of new groups seem to be regurgitating the same reverb-

s o a k e d m e s s t h a t l a c k s imagination or deviation.

Enter A Sunny Day in Glasgow, one of the most

imaginative and exiting groups the shoegaze and dream pop genres have seen in recent years. While many bands prefer to dwell on Slowdive-esque melancholy, A Sunny Day in Glasgow are bright, warm, and, most importantly, optimistic. (ASDIG is much more In Rainbows than Kid A)

Sea When Absent shows exactly how bright a shoegaze album can be; while album s tandou t In Love wi th Useless is as catchy as any Top 40 song, it's drenched in a

layer of noise and ambiance that swirls beautifully into an almost visual mess of sound. Most of the more upbeat tracks follow suit. The ballads on this album are surprisingly warm, and really display the bands ab i l i t y t o pu l l t oge the r ex t remely beau t i fu l and concise songs. The album is a great listen throughout, and showcases a fantastic side of the shoegaze movement that we haven't seen much of. Overall rating: 8.5/10

Music Review - Sea When Absent

But I believe Aang can save the world.

By Patrick Shanahan 17 Hello again! Long time, no

see. As many of you may remember, I went over my picks for what I predicted to be the best and worst of this years summer movie season. Well, this summer turned out to be even better than I expected. So I have decided to give you my four personal favorite movies of the summer, as well the worst movie of the summer. Lets get this road on the show! - Coach Rebello

Honorable Mentions: Edge of Tomorrow, 22 Jump Street, Gaurdians of the Galaxy

#3: X-Men: Days of Future Past (DOFP)

This movie could have very easily not worked at all. Negative press surrounded the film early on, regarding the overstuffed cast, bad character design (Quicksilver, anyone?), and a supposedly confusing

time travel element. But, I kept my hopes up, and I certainly was not disappointed. DOFP is the best comic book movie to come out this year, beating out the likes of Amazing Spider-Man 2, Edge of Tomorrow, and others. All doubts I had were immediately erased when I saw the first scene. The ensemble cast worked excellently, the time travel worked great on screen, and Quicksilver is one of the best characters to stem f r o m t h e X - M e n m o v i e f i l m o g r a p h y , r i v a l i n g Wolverine, Mystique, and M a g n e t o . S p e a k i n g o f Magneto, Michael Fassbender has a magnificent turn as the villain, even better than Ian McKellens original work. DOFP also reshaped the X-Men universe forever, making for one of the best plot twists in a while. Good work, Bryan Singer. Now bring on the Apocalypse.

#2: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

I dont know about you, but I LOVED Rise of the Planet of the Apes. It was the biggest surprise of 2011, for sure. So when I heard that there would be sequel, directed this time by the guy who made the excellent Cloverfield, I was very excited. The early press surrounding this movie was excel lent , ca l l ing i t the Empire Strikes Back to Rises A New Hope. And yet, the movie still managed to exceed expectations. Visually, it was the best film this year. The outstanding cinematography meshed perfectly with the gorgeous special effects, making for one beautiful movie. The acting was top-notch, as well. Gary Oldman, Jason Aaron, and Toby Kebbel e a c h t u r n i n b r i l l i a n t performances as deeply flawed, interesting characters. But the masterful Andy Serkis is a revelation here, bringing to life one of the most dynamic characters ever in his Oscar-worthy role as Caesar. He

continues to prove to be the best motion-capture artist to date, with his roles as Gollum, King Kong, and now, Caesar, making it even more exciting to hear he will be playing a mo-cap character in the upcoming Star Wars films. DotPotA is an excellent Sci-Fi movie, and deserves your attention.

#1: Snowpiercer

I know it may be a bit of a cop-out, but I am not going to tell you anything about this movie, other than that it is one of the best movies I have ever seen, and you need to watch it. The movie just works better if you dont know anything about it. I guarantee that you will love it, as it is sure to be recognized at the coming Oscars, particularly Tilda Swinton, who is my current pick for best supporting actress. Its currently in theatres, as well as On-Demand, so you dont have an excuse. It will not disappoint.

Summer Movie Reviews