^ Herald - Lantern - Dispatch 19 )une '85

Senior Week They Came to Drink and 'Relate'

WILDWOOD - Seniors come here to party. Period. End of subject. That's the way most local people look at senior weeks. The 1985 graduates agree. They do come to drink. But drinking is not their only motive, and a belly of beer is not all they take home with them at the end of their stay. "It's not just the drinking. it's the girls too," according to Joe Gleason. a graduate of William Penn Charter. Philadelphia. He and his friends said that they like the feeling and atmosphere of the week because everyone can relate "I'll be down here for senior week for the next three years," Gleason said \ His friends said they ' were aware of the image the senior weeks have earned as wild party weeks. "I think it's all overblown," said George Nocito. a graduate of St. Joseph's Prep,,, Philadelphia. The seniors also said they have heard about the strict measures the city planned to enforce, but they weren't worried about their supply of the liquor. "Somehow you can get

» it,'' said Nocito. "Wherever there's a buck to be made," he added Valerie Cholet and Liz Brennan, from St. Basil's Academy, Philadelphia, said they came to senior week because it is the thing to do. • IT S SORT OF GIVEN." said Cholet, "you graduate and you come here for a week." One of her goals for the week was to get a good tan Both girls believe that the Catholic schools' senior week is wilder than the fAiblic schools' week which follows They think Catholic students are stifled more during the school year. Therefore, when it comes time to let loose, they go a little more crazy. Brennan said a major reason she enjoyed senior week is because this was her last time to spend some good times with her friends. St. Basil Academy is a small school and the class j 93) was close knit. 'Tib never going to see people again," she explained. Academy graduates also feel that the seniors would have no problem getting alcohol. They say many students bring it themselves and fake ID's are handy.

Cholet views the whole experience as a test of responsibility; seniors must budget money for food, gifts, snacks and souveniors. "It gives you an idea of what college will be without your parents around," she said. ' Joseph Hickey, a Cardinal O'Hara graduate, said that his purpose for the week was to celebrate freedom. If that celebration involved, drinking that is what he would be doing and so would the rest of the crew that occupied the four-apartment building for the week. "SENIOR WEEK is bet ter than I thought it would be," he smiled as he took a sip of Miller's. Hickey said police know the seniors drink and are understanding but firm. The seniors understand that by drinking in public they are fair bait for a police pickup. It took some doing, but his group managed to produce one person who did not come to Wildwood with • drinking in mind. Lori Kapril, a Gateway High School graduate from Pittsburg, Pa., does not drink. She and a friend stumbled into senior week when they came for summer vacation.

#<4 «* gjMte Hoi,-; mate ^ -rfcrkb W " ' tl ' <*" ML ■ - . _ Dorit Ward SNACKING SENIORS — Annette Hart of Springfield Delaware County, Pa., and Maria Garnett from nearby Drexel Hill, share lunch and smiles on Wiidwood's Boardwalk during Senior Week.

City Tried Offering Sober Activities

WILDWOOD - Last week it began. Catholic and private school classes were over and seniors rushed to the shore to celebrate their I new freedom. This week began senior week part two. as graduates from most Philadelphia, some Lancaster, and some Pittsburg area schools book ed down the turnpikes to celebrate their week in Wildwood, The masses, about 35,000 per week, poured into the city. But it was ready for

them. Along with sprucedup security, the city had a new plan — something unheard of by the seniors in the past — sober activities. "The first things we realized. ( in planning ) was that students enjoy the beach," said Jackie Fortino. director of tiie Wildwood tourism "We went to where they were " The city has offered aerobic workouts on the beach in the mornings, volleyball games with the lifeguards, sand sculpture contests, and

tugs-of-war with the police and firemen. Police and the lifeguards, who interacted with the seniors during the weeks' activities, did so on their free time. "The police were so excited they offered to do sports events on the beach all summer." she said. Fortino is happy with the turnout of graduates at the planned beach activities, although she would have liked to have seen more involvement

"THE REAL PHYSICAL things, like volleyball and tug-of-war, seem to go over," she noticed. She said the city "absolutely" plans to continue offering the same activities in senior weeks to come The city publicized the eveqts with announcements on the Boardwalk and others posted at senioroccupied hotels. However, many seniors knew nothing of the entertainment efforts. Many said they might have tried the activities if they had known about them Some said they would have liked to have had a party on the beach at night They agreed that it would have to he non-alcoholic, but recommended a bonfire and a picnic — a beach concert was also mentioned ) "Even if they charged for it it would be worthwhile." said one senior. "The kids

would have packed in if they would have had the Hooters here." he predicted. , Some from his group enjoyed volleyball on the beach. The game was more than fun to one Hanover senior. "It was lifeguards!" sighed Amy Slick. Pfc. Axelsson At Pendleton CAPE MAY — Marine Pfc. Robert A. Axelsson, son of Richard G and Mary V. Axelsson of 810 Wilson St., recently reported for duty with 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. CA. A 1984 graduate of Lower Cape May Regional High School, Erma. Axelsson ■ joined the Marine Corps in September 1984.

erf i 1 ' : ' . ; i \ 1 .. i.Tr r,. Cjfi.-ftn-tes? »*• - nn J s. - ' ' HOLDING THE LINE - Headed by Officer Carlos Ortiz. Wildwood police pull their weight against high school grads in a beachfront tug of war during Senior Week.

Mayor Faults Absent Landlords WILDWOOD - Mayor Victor DiSylvester said he went on every call with the police Tuesday of last week's senior week. Because of what he saw with the police, he maintains his position that absentee landlords are the root of most problems. He said he would like the public to see what he was. "I want people to see who's bringing this on the city .. . our taxpayers are paying for this." He and police are keeping detailed repflrts on establishments with the most trouble, and plan to use them to prosecute the absentee landlords. "Our day is going to come," he vowed. The mayor believes his crackdown measures are going well and that there has been an improvement in police action. "People are seeing a lot of action," he said. "I think the message is out already." The major said that future image improvement will come from more business reform within the city. "The businesses that border on being unethical are the minority," he said. "They are the ones that give us a bad reputation." Most establishments, he added, discuss success or failure of a summer season. He would like to see them change their discussion to business cycles and long range success or failure. "We're here for more than a summer," he said. "Tourism is our business here and shame on us if we do anything to jeopardize the long range success of the community." These accounts of senior week written by Becky Bernstein who was a high school senior two years ago.

Schools: ' Serious Reservations'

WILDWOOD - Unless a dutiful landlord steps in to establish some order, seniors must fend for themselves during their week. "I often wonder where their parents are," said Mayor Victor Di Sylvester. "I ought to invite their mothers down here." Many schools, from which the first week's group of seniors were graduated, echo the mayor's feeling. "We do try to teach them values," said Sister Carla, vice-principal of St. Basil Acadamy in Philadelphia. But she felt parents should be responsible for the graduates now. "Once they leave, they have to practice what they . have learned here," she explained. If she were a parent, she said, she would

not allow her child to make the senior week venture because of what you see and what you hear." According to Ernest Koschineg, vice-president of Northeast (Philadelphia) Catholic School for Boys, it is the policy of the archdiocese that "no encouragement" is given for the senior event. He said that during religion classes in March and April, when students may be organizing their trips, discouragement is given toward wild plans for the summer week. Daniel Brennan. principal of St. Joseph's Prep, on Philadelphia's Main Line, said the school sends » a letter to parents expressing "serious reservations toward senior week." THE LETTER advised

parents not to give in to the tradition without serious discussion. Brennan termed senior week a "very dangerous tradition with dubious values at best. " "We are very proud of our graduates and care about them very much. That is why we are taking a more public stand on the issue," he said. "We do not sponsor it — we do not approve of it," stressed the vice-principal of Philadelphia's Little Flower Catholic High School. In all cases, school officials agreed that, though they try to stress good behavior before seniors leave, after graduation schools can no longer be responsible for them. It is up to parents and the minors themselves to keep actions under control.