August 18, 2024
Still coming out of my Olympics viewing overdose. It's only been a week since the women's marathon and closing ceremonies. A few but not many controversies, like the women's gymnastics bronze that was lost on a technicality, four seconds late on an appeal. Those appeals need to be written in advance with just a few words to add. The debate over whether the Algerian boxer was indeed a lady. We gotta admit there are plenty of women in the world who can kick our asses. It's really true. While hallucinating a bit I thought of my old high school in Dayton, Ohio. Belmont High.
Belmont High School ] The school is located in Dayton, Ohio, and serves approximately 1000 students. The school mascot is the bison. Belmont High School did not meet any of the 13 indicators for the 2016–2017 school year on the State of Ohio Dept. of Education Report Card, and therefore received an 'F' grade. In addition, the school received a 38.9% score with a grade of 'F' on the Performance Index section of the Report Card as well.[3] The school opened on September 10, 1956 for students in 8th through 11th grades.
I matriculated there in 1956. This school did produce one Olympian, Bill Hosket Jr. who was on the 1968 Olympic basketball team. His high school teammate Don May was also an All American and the two of them once rode the bench together for the New York Knicks in Walt Frazier's era, and later for the Buffalo NBA franchise while it was on the map.
I was trying to think if our school had a motto like the following academic institutions. You know, those Romanic Latin sayings that were probably stolen from the ancient Greeks?
Examples:
Harvard: Veritas which means Truth. You know like 'In Vino Veritas'?
It had previously been Christo et Ecclesiae for Christ and Church.
They sort of got away from that in the twentieth century.
Well, across the street at MIT it's Mens et Manus Sounds a bit misogynistic. But the translation is Mind and Hands ? I remember that one down home. Mama would say "Mind you wash yer hands before dinner".
If you went to Yale it gets more complex. Lux et Veritas. I from Belmont HS thought it had something to do with Lux Dish Soap. But it means Light and Truth. Damn, ole J.D. Vance practices that fer sure. He done went to school there.
How 'bout down the pike a bit at Princeton? Dei Subnumine Viget = Under God's Power She Flourishes. Now we're getting into woke and feminist theory. Bless you tigers.
I then checked on my old college the U. of Oklahoma. Civi et republicae for the citizen and the country Does that imply "Me first, then the country"? Possibly. I think the transfer portal in college athletics has more than proven this with 'veritas a plenty'.
Tennessee Tech? No motto, but they do have a mission statement.
Okay one last university Liberty U. no latin but their motto is Knowledge Aflame All I can think of with this motto is Book Burning which seems to be becoming quite popular these days.
One more, one more: Trump University Make America Grate
By now you are asking yourself, 'Why is this on a track and field blog'? All I can say is be patient.
Let me go back to my high school motto, if there ever was one. If not, it should have been:
Oh, Hell, I forgot
Let me give some examples of how this motto could have been used in history:
Obi wan Kenobi to Luke Skywalker: "Okay Luke, get out your light phaser and repel the enemy."
Luke Skywalker invokes the school motto: "Oh Hell, I forgot".
Scene Two: Obi wan Kenobi at Luke Skywalker's Funeral
Chief Grave Digger to his assistant: "Where did you put Skywalker's casket?"
Assistant to Chief Grave Digger: "Oh, Hell, I Forgot".
Now do you see how the motto can be used to get through life?
In German: Ach Scheisse, ich habe vergass. Goebbels to Hitler on Hitler's birthday.
In French: Cherie, j'ai l'oubliais. Guillotine operator to Marie Antoinette when she asked for a tissue.
Swahili Oh Kuzimu, nilisahau. Henry Morton Stanley when meeting Dr. Livingstone who asked if he had heard any good jokes lately.
Okay, we're finally down to track and field. Remember that men's 4x100 relay when Christian Coleman asked Kenny Bednarek why he didn't take off at the right time on the relay exchange? And the answer was...........
Suggestion came in from Bill Schnier: Men's 4x100: Fortier, Citius, Temperius (Stronger, Faster, Sooner)
I think this has a bit of an Okie ring to it. George
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