John Adams High School - Clipper Yearbook (Ozone Park, NY)

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ARK FEAR LANA KNOPFER THE Sl-IAKING wouldtit ceasu. Buds ot' perspimtion formud on his uhiii .md torc- hc.ul, .md his lunds were tightly mtwiiititl in mth other. lt's vcr' dark in thu room , . . wiv l . dark . . . why isnt there .my light . . . got to get Out, hc suruiiiit-tl stitldcnly. H: jumpcd out of the hed .mtl stimqiiiitfd tor help. Hu mn for thu door, hut ht-t'ot'e hc h.itl .1 tli.1iit'c to opuii it .1 young womm Ntcppt-tl in. lctting tht' light twin thc lixing room llootl thc tl.ii'l4 room, Hcll1.1l'lCS, wh.1t ix it, has it l1.lIWIWL'I1L'al .l31.lIl1f Ymi'ru tht- hom, Ch.1i'lw. hut this is hip' puiiiiilg loo olityiig l xxiah lot' litutiiis mlm lh.it yiuftl ww tht' ilot .,,. H llv iii1t'i'i'iipiul .llWl'llIWlll'. l..1lIl'.l, lm .tll iight, gust go lo ht-il .mtl ltptxt inc. 'Ilia' lwliiiiilt-li.iii-titl xxilt' ol' ckll.ll'lQi liiiiiul .lltlllllml .xml iiilktiil tliioiigli tht lix- iiilg iimiii. As il .iliiiusl on .iii iiiilwulsc, Shu llllllkll nlliiilxly .iiitl wl.1i'lul lo 5IWL'.llx hui Slut

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gait get 1-6l,7'U 'x Aff' ff Wi M572 KH 0 Y F, 09 sg From The Skipper Williziiii A. Clarke turbed to think that our boasted standard of living may have made us more than a little fat and soft and lazy in a world where other nations are intent upon becoming lean and hard and everlastingly industrious. It would be the path of folly in this situ- ation to seek comfort in recalling our past triumphs while those about us are busily engaged in preparing to dispute our su- premacy. Two world wars and a huge po- lice action with no fully satisfactory sequel have enlightened us at terrible cost, We rec- ognize higher education now as very serious business. No longer is it only at gatherings of teachers, administrators and college profes- sors that the prime importance of a sound college and university educational program is a topic of lively discussion. It has become a regularly recurring theme at meetings of business men, newspaper publishers, policy makers in government, men responsible for our national defense. our leaders in exery field. This widespread awareness of thc pressing need of our making more etfcttix e use of our educational resourtes at the higher levels should help bring an iinproxt- ment. Two specific matters are properly reteix- ing particular attention. First, we need to broaden opportunities for higher edutation to make it available to every intellettually qualified student, regardless of economit or social status. Our own state of New York has doubled its Regents scholarships in our tounty and both our state and our city hai e otherwise substantially increased opportuni- ties for higher edutation for those unable to secure it without finantial help. Colleges, industrial and fraternal organizations, labor unions and other groups are vying with one anotlier in providing tollege and proliesf sional stholarships. Never has higher edu- tation been more readily available to tliose properly clualilied. Of no less iinportante is the quality ol' edutation. We are no longer satislied with arrays ol' figures that essentially ineasure quantity alone, lt is the kind of leather, lawyer, doctor, engineer, researth stientist, clergyman and the like that inatters niost of all. We need the best possible person in each of these and similar fields. Thousands of half-trained engineers and ill-equipped research scientists will not help our national defense. Diverting our writers, creative art- ists and teachers from humanistic studies to those directly engaged in armament projects will destroy the very freedom we profess to prize so highly. Clearly, our task is to find and train for each area of higher study the persons best qualified by ability and enthusiastic interest for success in that field. We can then with better reason expect our educational product to be the best. For, nothing short of the best will serve us. For those in high school, the moral is plain. The times call for our very best effort day in and day out, for our own good and the defense of the ideals we cherish most highly. As the next college generation, we must show now by deeds, rather than by words, that for us education is most serious business. 5

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ehanged her minel anel we-nt into her room, Charles sighed deeply: Laura is wonder- ful, but she doesn't unelerstanel, and, l ean't tell her. The tall, dark-haire-el, good look- ing man tell down on his be-el anel slowly rolled over on his stomaeh. He was thinking baek, baek to his boyhooel days when the same fears tormented him. lt was always elarknessg he remembered he was always terrified of it. He remembereel onee when he was ten years old he had a terrible heaelaehe anel he was taken first to a eloetor and then he was tolel to go to an eye doetor. 'l'he doetor, a big burly man, took him into the dark room to examine his eyes. Charles became frightened and started sereaming anel soon beeame so hysterieal that he punebeel the eloetoi' and tried to nnel his way to the exit. He kept bumping into sharp instru- ments anel tripping on blunt obje-ets. He' knoekeel over a tray of red lieyuiel and be'- eame soaked with it, lle' tell twiee' and with his hysterieal se reaming he beeaine so hoarse' he eouleln't even talk. As he piekeel himself up from the- eolel lloor, he was suelelenly blinded with a bright stream of light, The doetor hael lin- ally opened the door. His mother anel elael eame' running in and took him outside and finally home, The examination was never completed and from that day on Charles Browning would never go to an eye doctor, or for that matter, ever stay in a dark room. He elidn't know the name for being afraid of darkness, but he did know that there was something terribly wrong with him. His headaches came every night and only when it was dark. He would always dream the same dream, night after night, that he was walking in a long dark hall with a blind mans stick as his only guide. ln back of him was a shaft of light-but he couldnt turn around to face it, he could only walk ahead into darkness. At the end of his dream, he would wake up yelling for help. but soon stop for the room was always well lit. Laura made sure of that. Tonight though, why hadnt the lights been on? Laura cer- tainly didn't forget, not after six years. Oh well, he said aloud, l'll t.1lk to her tomorrow, lle ltttlleel oyer on his baek and soon liell asleep. llie sleep was deep and l.IItellsttIt'laeel. As he opened his eyes to greet the new day he saw standing oyer him a man, the same' big burly eye eltjelelf who treated him llllllll' years ago. i'Hello. Mr, Browning. elo you remember ine! . he smiled thiekly, XWliat elo you want here, get outg leaxe me be. Now eome, Mr, Browning, l'm only an eye physieian. l eouldnt hurt you. Did you know that your loyely Xyile sent tor me, Mr. Browning! She- says that you hayer been haying migraine headaehes and nightmares about blindness anel slle' also states that you are- alraid ol darkness. lt you ask me, Mr, Browning, you need a pliysieiatrist, but maybe- your troubles ell! lie in your eyes, so Mr. llroxxning, let's haye a look. l.aura, what hayeg you eloneg eltb you know who this m.in is, what .iie you trying to elo to me! l3ai'ling, lie still, Ur, .Xlosse IA is only go' ing to elleeli your eyes, As the eloetor approaelieel him fharles eringeel away. Reealling the time in the dart: room, the' reel lieyuid, the blunt obieets, the eloetor's eolel hands. Charles started seream ing, His heaelaehe eame' baek, but now it wasn't dark. XVait f-it was getting dark but it was early morningfnever the less, it was growing darkerfelarker-and and then darkness forever. Mrs, Browning, your husband, hes to- tally blind, incredible but true. l don't be- lieve I've ever seen a man go blind before my eyes, but there you are. Charles, Laura screamed. Can yoa see ? Charles smiled, Mommy: daddy, take me home from here. The man is mean and I'm afraid of that dark room Charles, Laura cried now, XWhat are you saying-do you feel alright? Please take me home now. l'm afraid of this dark place. please take me home. ltis so very dark .... 7 .5 Yi' ,gin Xix 1 f1j:.,,,' T14 ' A 4 P 1