Students in the cafeteria have long been used to the constant clatter of trays and the murmur of conversation surrounding them. Now, they must also grow accustomed din of music playing in the background during their lunch.

Recently, students have noticed and wondered about the music that has been filling the cafeteria as they chew their peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and slurp their Capri Suns. This music was not the initial intent of the staff; it was played at first just to test out the newly-installed sound system.

“We host a lot of events. We were just testing out the system,” said Assistant Director of Student Activities Betsy Fawcett.

However, this simple test resulted in an idea that was meant to give students enjoyment.  Assistant Principal Richard Griffin had the idea of playing tunes for the students during lunch. A student brought him a CD, and he decided to play it during his assigned lunch period.

“Each administrator has cafeteria duty,” said Griffin, “I like to do it on Friday.”

Griffin enjoys the music because he believes it is a means for students to loosen up during their highly-stressed school weeks. The music is an unusual part of lunch that is meant to be fun for the students to listen to as they catch up with their friends during lunchtime.

“I can dance with them. It’s a way to relax,” said Griffin.

Students’ opinions of the music being played are as diverse as the tunes themselves. Some students enjoy the new songs; they believe it gives a more fun and relieving atmosphere to spend time with friends in.

 “I like the music,” said sophomore Ashley Frost, “except it’s kind of ‘ghetto.’” Frost is one Spartan who enjoys the relaxing feeling the music brings with it. She especially likes it because it makes the cafeteria feel less like school.

Frost is not the only one who shares this particular critique of the music. Junior Bethany Davis also thinks that the music brings a rough, “ghetto” atmosphere with it.  However, she doesn’t think it needs to be stopped and does not mind the flow of tunes through the sound system.

“It makes our school seem more ‘ghetto,’ but they can play it if they want to,” said Davis.

Some students, however, strongly dislike the music and believe it is totally unnecessary. They find it interrupts their usual lunchtime activity and gets in the way of the conversations they enjoy sharing with their friends, causing them to find music as a nuisance rather than a treat.

“It serves no point while we’re eating,” said junior Danny Fraedrich. “Either you can’t hear the music, or you can’t hear the people.”