Dueling Clubs

Picture this: a serene day in the library, the sound of aluminum knitting needles clicking in a disorganized rhythm, some small talk, some laughter. Perfect after school harmony relaxing the souls of the overworked, stressed out students. Suddenly, this ruptures. The room floods with chess boards and card games and what have you. The peace is broken. Needles drop to the floor. Brows are creased deeper than the core of the earth and the temperate atmosphere of the library bursts into flames.

 

Strategy Club walks in.

 

Now, given that most of us in Knitting Club are generally good natured and peace loving souls (not all of us) and we don’t mind to share our library and we don’t mind the Strategy Club. We love the Strategy Club. Sometimes.

 

The Knitting Club was established by yours truly in 2013. It is entirely student run, save our lovely sponsors Ms. Renker and Ms. Wright/Crabtree. We came up with our own ideas; we teach our own craft; we make our own money for funding. We’ve worked hard from the very birth of our club.

 

We’ve especially worked hard for members. This is where the frustration is born.

 

The 2014-2015 Student Handbook for Lenoir City High School (hard copies distributed in homeroom, web copy on www.lenoircityschool.com) clearly states under the Club Section (pg. 40) that, “A meeting will be arranged so that each club has the opportunity to meet on a regular basis. Conflicts are to be kept to a minimum to allow you to participate in as many clubs as you like”.

 

There it is. As clear as daylight.

Knitting Club always has strived to schedule their meetings with minimal interferences with

other clubs. We have scheduled around Japanese Club, Skills USA, and anything and everything LCHS Band related. We are mindful of the clubs around us and respectful of their meeting times.

 

With this point, we expect other LCHS clubs to have respect for us.

 

The Strategy Club has scheduled their meetings on the exact day that Knitting Club meets for the Fall Semester. The exact time as well.

 

Knitting Club meets on Mondays from 3:30-4:30–always ending at 4:30 due to the fact that the library closes at 4:30.

Strategy Club meets on Mondays from 3:30 beyond 4:30.

 

They are large in number. They are loud. As one could imagine, it’s quite hectic to hold two club meetings in our small library.

 

The most heinous offence the Strategy Club has committed is the stealing of our members.

 

It’s a painful thing really. Many of our members are suffering due to this disruption and civil war they have been unwillingly signed up for. They’re torn between good fun and strategy and good fun and yarn.

 

It even breaks my heart even. I would actually love to be a member of Strategy Club, and many members of Strategy Club would love to be members of Knitting Club.

 

Why they have imposed this upon us? I do not know.

 

What I do know is that the culprit of this crime is none other than English teacher Mr. Joshua Johnston. Was this a miscommunication, a misunderstanding, a failure to read the handbook, or a direct offense toward the Knitting Club?

 

Mr. Johnston was extended the opportunity to enlighten us on this situation, but he shrugged it off.

Coincidence? I think not.