Seniors Participate in Chivalry Month; Plan Epic Battle

   Throughout November, seniors taking Masterpieces with Allison Ramsaroop or English IV with Greg Wagener participated in Chivalry Month, an extra credit opportunity to bring medieval behavior to present-day Parkway North. 
             Chivalry Month is an extension of the actual literary curriculum in Masterpieces, and it was the invention of retired English teacher Tom Wehling.  Ramsaroop and Wagener continue the tradition with their English classes every year, when the class begins to read the 12^th century works of Geoffrey Chaucer.
             “The purpose [of Chivalry Month] is to understand the genre of medieval romance in literature.  Informal senior service allows kids to engage in a little ‘Tom foolery’ while learning about Chaucer,” said Ramsaroop.
             Throughout Chivalry Month, students performed various acts of kindness: writing secret love letters, reciting poems for teachers, presenting tokens of gratitude to faculty members, and more.  Other activities were more foolish and fun, but still gave students a chance to have medieval behavior. Girls pretended to “faint” into the arms of male students and dressed like princesses; boys had to write sermons and hear confessions.
             “Chivalry month is fantastic in every conceivable way.  It allows you to let out your inner knight, or priest, or wizard.  Take your pick,” said senior Chris Camie. 
             At the end of Chivalry Month, the seniors are holding an “epic battle” with foam weapons on the North football field to celebrate the whole month of medieval fun.  Students have been staying after school this week to build the weapons and shields.
             “If you can think of something that was a deadly weapon in the 12^th century, I can probably make it out of foam,” said Camie. 
             The date for the battle is subject to change, but it is currently set on Dec. 8.

By Renee Fleddermann