Bringing Back The Bell
Bigfork High starts the decorating phase off with a ring from the past
The original Bigfork school, now a tennis court, stood proudly with the Bigfork bell hanging
firmly a top its steeple.
BY TAYLOUR SELLERS
W
ith a new year comes a
plethora of new things;
new school, new students,
new staff, and of course, new
decorations, at least decor. Now
that Bigfork High School has
endured three long years of
reconstruction to modernize the
building, it must seek out the
worthiest pieces of Bigfork culture is over one hundred years old.
to complete the puzzle. Although Surprisingly, the crate beneath
A Muggle’s Guide to the
Hogwarts Houses
Senior Norse
Code reporter
Madigan
Kinslow
is pictured
dressed up as
a student from
Hogwarts.
Many people
know that
the mythical
school has four
houses, but
not everyone
knows what
said houses
mean.
T
BY MADIGAN KINSLOW
he mythical Harry Potter
world has contributed much work, patience, loyalty, and fair
to modern pop culture, including play. They believe strongly in
but not limited to the Hogwarts
Houses.
In the magical universe, young
witches and wizards receive their not strong, or intelligent or brave;
education at Hogwarts School
of Witchcraft and Wizardry. At
Hogwarts, students are divided
up into four houses: Gryffindor,
Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and
Slytherin. These houses have
become a key identification for
nerds and geeks alike, though
what these descriptions mean are Hufflepuffs proudly boast the
oftentimes less than clear.
“You might belong in Gryffindor, badger as their crest and Professor
where dwell the brave at heart,
their daring, nerve and chivalry
set Gryffindors apart.” The
most well known, and often
well-liked house is Gryffindor,
The house of the brave, loyal,
courageous, adventurous, daring is the least noticed of the four,
and chivalrous. Those who
stand up for others are typically members are off hiding in various
Gryffindors, as well as people
who are brave-hearted and have
the halls are characterized by
colored benches and flyers,
perhaps the most unique new
feature of BHS is the massive
bell in the center of the foyer.
This symbol of our town not only
decks the halls, but reminds us
of our history and who we once
were.
The bell originally sat a top
the very first Bigfork school, and
Top Shelf Book Review: The Darkest Minds
A review of The
Darkest Minds
written by
Alexandra Bracken
BY LILY PETERSON
T
he Darkest Minds by
Alexandra Bracken is a book
to be reckoned with. The story
begins with a bang and does not
slow down. It is a must-read for
anybody searching for a similar
vibe as The 5th Wave by Rick
The four houses of Hogwarts from the series Harry
Potter are widely know of, yet not understood
a lot of nerve. Gryffindors have
a multitude of qualities. Part of
its fame comes from housing
the golden trio, Harry Potter,
Hermione Granger, and Ron
Weasley. The Gryffindor crest is
a lion, and the head of house is
Professor Minerva McGonagall,
and the theme colors are red and
gold.
“You might belong in Hufflepuff,
where they are just and loyal,
those patient Hufflepuffs are
true and unafraid of toil.” Often
underestimated and overlooked
is Hufflepuff. Deemed  the “nice
house”, Hufflepuff values hard
sparing people’s feelings, and
being kind altogether. This does
not mean that Hufflepuff’s are
they simply enjoy making people
happy and have more patience
towards people. Although not
the home of famed Harry Potter,
Hufflepuff has produced its share
of great wizards, including Newt
Scamander, author of Fantastic
Beasts and Where to Find Them.
colors of yellow and black, with a
Pomona Sprout as their head of
house.
 “Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw
if you have a ready mind, where
those of wit and learning will
always find their kind.” Ravenclaw
perhaps because the Ravenclaw
libraries or their quiet dorms.
the bell is also over one hundred
years old. The bell has been
waiting in the bus barn for almost
thirty years after a previous
superintendent salvaged it from
the ruins of the first school, which
was torn down for safety hazards
and replaced by tennis courts, and
proceeded to donate it back to the
schools.
“I got complaints about the new
school lacking character and
color and I agreed. But it is not an
Yancey.
The novel has been chosen for
Bigfork High School’s quarterly
book club by librarian Scarlett
Sherman. The club will meet on
January 22 during lunch, and all
students who read The Darkest
Minds are welcome to attend.
The Darkest Minds is a story
about a future dystopia in which
a group of four supernatural
teenagers struggle to find their
way to the East River, a safe haven
for people like them. After an
inexplicable disease wipes out
Above all else, this house prizes
wit, learning, and wisdom. In
other words, they value brains
over brawn. They are known
for their wisdom, intelligence,
creativity, cleverness and
knowledge. Ravenclaws tend to
be quirky, and oftentimes know-
it-alls. Their house crest is a
blue and bronze seal framing a
sharp-eyed eagle. The wacky and
loveable Luna Lovegood is one of
this house’s famed alumni.
 “Or perhaps in Slytherin you
will make your real friends, those
cunning folk use any means to
achieve their ends.” Awarded
the most sinister perception is
Slytherin. Very fittingly, their
crest is emboldened with a
snake, and their theme colors
are green and black.  This
is the house of the cunning,
prideful, resourceful, ambitious,
intelligent, and determined.
Slytherin’s love to be in charge
and crave leadership. This
house is also very well-rounded,
they are loyal to those that are
loyal to them like Gryffindor,
and are intelligent like
Ravenclaw.  Slytherin has gained
the reputation of being the ‘evil
house’, as many  dark wizards,
such as Voldemort, came from
this house. That does not make
the whole house evil, in fact
many great wizards came from
this house too, such as Merlin.
Slytherins do, however, have
a tendency to be arrogant or
prideful.
easy task to find the right things
to decorate a 21st century high
school,” said Athletic Director
Matthew Porrovecchio.
Porrovecchio wanted the
school to represent not only the
students, but the culture and
history of Bigfork as well. The
bell has probably been the best
addition to BHS since the update,
and even though it is over one
hundred years old, its youth
shines through. Porrovecchio
wanted the students to be a part
of bringing back the bell as well
so he asked English teacher
Charlie Appleby to write a short
paragraph with the senior class
of 2019, which would be engraved
on a plaque and be placed on the
bell stand.
The paragraph, scribed by the
Senior Honors English class
titled, ‘A Silent Beckoning’, states,
“This bell rings a silent beckoning
to the Vikings and Valkyries
within all who dwell in the halls
of Bigfork Schools. Together we
unite through triumph and might.
There have been battles on the field,
the court, the classroom, within
minds; but we value victory along
with the self-respect gained with
a graceful loss. This bell resonates
our determination, our passion,
our thirst for achievement. We are
built from hard work and dreams,
a small town with big character, a
most of the youth, the world is
left segregated by colors: Red,
Orange, Yellow, Green, and Blue.
Main character Ruby Daly
is one of the few Oranges left,
and after breaking out of one
of the government’s corrupt
“rehabilitation camps” she knows
authorities will be after her, and
soon. Her life changes drastically
after meeting three other
children, who promise to help
her achieve her goal and offer her
something more: friendship.
MacKenna Sellers, freshman,
(Photo Credits to Julian Wasser of The LIFE Images Collection/
Getty Images).
A Historical
Look Back Into
MLK History
Martin Luther King
Day is celebrated
nationwide to
honor both the
man and his legacy.
BY CALLIE MARTINZ
O
n January 21st, the United
States celebrates Martin
Luther King Junior Day. Martin
Luther King Junior was an
American Baptist minister
and civil rights activist. King
represented equality between all
people no matter their race, and
had a pivotal role in ending legal
segregation. In Selma, Alabama
King participated in the Civil
Rights March with many other
African Americans in order
to bring racial injustice to the
attention of the American people.
Until 2014, King was the youngest
school backed by the support of an
incredible community. Though our
schools walls have been torn down
and rebuilt, the values we stand
for remain. Without each other we
cannot triumph. We stand to the call
of the bell. We are Bigfork.”
The bell will remain in the
foyer to be remembered by all
Bigforkians of the past, present,
and future.
The massive bell stands proudly
in the foyer of BHS. Its cultural
history and connection with the
students represents a new era
for all Bigforkians.
is hoping to attend the book club
meeting. Sellers remarks, “[The
Darkest Minds] is a very intense
and an edge of your seat thrill. It
is perfect for anybody looking for
action, adventure, or even just a
book that you cannot put down.”
The Darkest Minds is a novel
not to be missed. Recently
converted into a film, it is a story
that will keep readers begging for
more of in its second and third
books, Never Fade and In The
Afterlight.
person to be awarded the Nobel
Peace Prize which he received in
1964. King became the most vocal
spokesperson during the civil
rights movement in 1954. King
became a huge inspiration to his
people by standing up for what
he believed in no matter the risks
involved.
Horrifically, on April,1968, at
age 39, King was assassinated
by James Earl Ray during his
peaceful protest in Memphis,
Tennessee.
King played a huge role in the
way society functions today.
People of all ethnicities attend
school together, work together,
etc. Thanks to King, the majority
of the nation treats those of
different races with peace and
equality. King taught the world
that there is no difference
between races, besides the color
of their skin. As King once said,
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to
justice everywhere.”