Cedar Falls seniors mark ‘Hell Week’ with release of animals, smoke bomb

By Cassy Lalan 2005

Each year during homecoming week at Cedar Falls, some senior class members take part in pranks and vandalism in what has come to be known at “Hell Week.” In past years, Hell Week has resulted in the vandalism of the school, students’ houses and also in the suspension of CFHS students.

This year, however, Hell Week has taken a slightly different turn. In addition to the usual vandalism, many of the pranks that occurred this Hell Week involved animals inside of the high school.

CFHS Principal Dean Dreyer said, “I’m disappointed that we would have these interruptions in our school. this isn’t what homecoming should be about. It’s a mark against our school and what we stand for.”

The pranks started out on Monday when student reported seeing a small goat in the band wing during the end of fourth hour. Senior Joslyn Siems said, “I was practicing for all-state choir, and we kept hearing this noise that sounded like a goat. After class I looked outside and the janitor was golding this cute little black goat. This goat looked really scared, and it was wearing a T-shirt. That janitor looked really mad.”

On Tuesday, a dead turkey was found in one of the urinals in the men’s restroom on the second floor of the high school. Senior Ashley Immerzeel said, “A bunch of girls and I heard about it, so we went into the guys’ bathroom during first hour. The turkey didn’t have a head, and it was just lying in the urinal.”

Wednesday of Hell Week, while students were going from the fourth to their fifth hour classes, students and staff in the English hallway were surprised to see three bobwhite quail flying overhead. “One of the quail flew into my fifth hour,” junior Kelsie McMahon said. “I helped Mr. Dreyer catch it.”

Dreyer said, “The Humane Society is involved immediately whenever animals are being endangered. To put birds in an environment that they are not used to will frighten both the birds and the people.”

Friday morning, a smoke bomb was set off in the second floor men’s restroom. Sophomore Blayne Jess said, “I was walking to my first hour class when I saw all the smoke coming from the guys’ bathroom. It smelled so bad.”

Also on Friday morning, crickets were found in the women’s restroom on the second floor.

Fourth hour Friday, some students reported seeing a pig outside of the school. “I saw the pig on Division Street,” senior Nic Lake said. “I thought it was a stupid prank because it wasn’t very creative. I didn’t think any of the pranks were this year.”

Also during fourth hour Friday, the fire alarm was set off. Dreyer said, “Students need to understand that we will prosecute people for doing stunts like that which put our students in danger.”

In addition to the fire alarm interruption, many classes throughout the end of the day Friday were interrupted when students discovered how to talk on the intercom over the school system. “I thought that it was a childish prink,” English teacher Michelle Rathe said. “It was also a disruption to class. A lot of my students were more shocked than amused.”

As of Friday, no students had been punished in correlation with the Hell Week pranks; however, Dreyer said the administration is still looking into it. “If and when we catch the students responsible, there will be sanctions,” Dreyer said. “It’s sad that a few students will ruin it for the rest of us. When these pranks disrupt the educational process, we have to draw the line.”

Dreyer also said that while there has been more disruptions inside the school this year, less students have reported having individual property damage than in past years. “I take pride in that fact, and I think parents and students do as well,” Dreyer said.

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.