Maynard High School - Screech Owl Yearbook (Maynard, MA)

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Yes,” answered the nurse. There’s no other way out. If you want to live you’ll have to give up your hands. With your permission the operation will be performed tomorrow m orning at 10 o ' clock. As Gail listened, she realized just what the nurse meant. She’d never be able to play the piano again. All her hopes and dreams were fading out of sight. The only thing she ever really wanted and she couldn’t have it. Gail then grew hysterical. Between sobs she screamed at the top of her lungs. She yelled about how she hated the world and all the people in it, and most of all how she hated the person who had done this terrible thing to her. The nurse gave her some hypodermics to quiet her nerves and finally Gail dozed off. The next morning Gail woke early. She was rather woozy, but she was clear on one thing. She would go through with the operation but afterwards she would be very bitter about it and her new pastime would be to make life just as miserable as she could for every- one. The operation was successfully performed at 10 that morning and both of Gail’s hands were ampu- tated. Gail completely recovered consciousness at about 7:30 that evening. All she could think of was where she would be and what she would be doing that evening if nothing had happened. But no, she had to be in a hospital bed with nothing but stubs for hands. Her one consolation was that everyone who had planned to attend her debut would be feel- ing sorry for her. The next day Gail was allowed to receive visitors. Her mother and father came, but Gail made such bit- ter remarks to her mother that she went away in tears. For the next week she was allowed to walk around the hospital and hospital grounds for an hour a day. Once Gail went down to the main lounge. One of the nurses was in there playing a piece which Gail, too, had played. Just the sound of the instrument made her shiver and shake and she hastily left the room before she was noticed. In two weeks time, she received her new hands. The physical therapist fastened them on Gail and showed her how to do some exercises which Gail reluctantly practiced. Every morning the physical therapist showed her how to do something new, such as picking up a spoon, or holding a glass of water. But Gail didn’t try very hard. Her heart was like lead ; she was very melancholy. She wanted no part of these ugly claws which had disrupted her life. But the hands were so easy to operate that Gail couldn’t help learning. At the end of two months’ time, hav- ing learned everything the therapist could possibly teach her, Gail was discharged from the hospital. When she went home she felt useless. She longed to play the piano and sometimes she sat in front of it for hdurs crying. One day when no one was at home Gail sat down and started to pick out the scale with one finger. Her so-called claws got tangled up, but now she knew something. She still wanted to be a concert pianist. And now, conquering the piano with her new hands would be her ultimate goal. She practiced faithfully every day. At first with only one finger, then with one hand, and finally at the end of six months of hard work, Gail could play simple tunes with two hands. It was hard going, and sometimes Gail con- tinued to practice. She went from simple, to easy, to hard, and finally after three years of steady work she went into advanced music. She practiced for an- other year and a half and in November, 1949, she made an appointment to see if she could make her debut in 1950. Gail went to Symphony Hall, Boston, on Novem- ber 9th. The manager listened to her play. All through her audition wild thoughts rushed through Gail’s head. What if she didn’t make it? What would she do then ? What if he wouldn’t let her play because of her hands? When she had finished, she knew she had played well. But had it been well enough ? Soon she would know. The grey-haired man began to speak. First of all, he complimented Gail on her playing, and told her she had played bet- ter than he ever thought anyone with artificial hands could. He also said that he would be most happy and proud to have her make her debut in Symphony Hall. He set the date for Wednesday evening, May 21, 1951, at 8 o’clock, just five years after she had been originally scheduled to perform. The time passed quickly and soon May 21 arrived. Symphony Hall was packed and when Gail came out on the stage, the crowd went wild. They clapped and applauded until Gail herself silenced them. Gail then played her program and she was an astonishing suc- cess. The crowd whistled, shouted and threw flowers to the talented young pianist — a girl who hadn’t let a major thing like losing both hands stop her from attaining her ultimate goal. ( 24 ) Janice Morgan, ’52

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The hands on the clock read five past the hour, Just forty-five minutes to take a shower, Also brush my teeth, find somethmg to wear, Get dressed, then do something with my hair. Now for the shower — fifteen minutes anyway, Thank goodness, that’s over with for today. What next? Now ' s the problem. What to wear! Let me see. The blue skirt ? No, that has a tear. The plaid skirt? But what blouse will I wear with it? No, not that. Better get something that will fit. I know ! I ' ll wear the dress with the green trimming, At least in that I won’t seem to be swimming. Okay, that’s settled. It must be late. Am I seeing things ? Not five of eight ? I’ll swallow my breakfast quick as a Hash, Now for the daily hundred-yard dash. I grab my books, run down the street. Believe it or not, I just made my seat; Right in time to hear the bell ; It s eight o’clock and all’s well ! Margaret Sweeney, ’54 The Orchid As John St. Clair, eminent and world famed ex- plorer-horticulturist rolled out of his cot on this long- awaited day one could easily see the look of anticipa- tion in his eyes. As usual he was covered from head to foot with grime, sweat, and mosquito bites. It was all because of his fanatical search for the black orchid.” For twenty-seven years he had gone through every jungle accessible to man. Now he was going to traipse through a completely unexplored region sit- uated on the Panama peninsula. All this he was going to do merely because a half civilized native had said he knew where such an orchid could be found. St. Clair called together his bearers and told them that the region they were going into had never be- fore been entered. His loyal and trustworthy bearers immediately set out. For many days and nights they hacked their way through underbrush that seemed to grow up behind them as fast as they cut it down. At night the cries of cockatoos, the roar of the jaguar, and screams of the red howler was too deafening to let one think. During the day the dank, musty, moisture-laden air almost suffocated them. The black orchid,” St. Clair’s life long goal, was at last found. Not just one, however, but a large field of them. Their scent was so sweet as to be sickening. St. Clair put some in a preservative and returned to civilization. He was acclaimed the world’s greatest explorer- horticulturist since Shamus Lee, the Irish explorer. John St. Clair did not bask long in this glory, though, for the orchids had turned pure white be- cause of the preservative. And as white orchids were common his tame soon turned to obscurity. His rise to glory lasted no longer than his orchids. William J. Pierce, ’52 The Reward Gail Conley was a pretty girl of 24. Her ambition was, and always had been, to be a great concert pianist. And now her goal was almost achieved. She had been studying for 16 years, 10 years with a piano teacher back home and 6 years at the Conservatory. Her first concert was to be in three days, Wednesday evening, May 21, 1945 at 8 o’clock. Tomorrow Gail was going into Boston. She was going to buy her shoes and dress for the great event, and she was also going to run up to Symphony Hall and go through her program for the last time. After she had finished her shopping tour and her practice session, she boarded the train for home. Gail was tired, but she was so happy, the weariness just didn’t seem to matter. She could hardly wait for Wednesday. How she had worked and longed for that day! How she had dreamed of it! All of a sudden the train began to sway back and forth and the next thing Gail knew she was in a bed. As she looked around she saw that she was in a hospital room. But since she experienced no pain, she didn’t have the slightest idea why. Just then a nurse bustled into the room. When she saw that Gail was conscious, she told her the story of what had happened. The train engineer had some- how lost control of the engine and they had crashed. Just about everyone aboard had been injured and taken to the hospital. Gail, it seems, had been found lying on the floor with her hands pinned under iron rods which had fallen amidst the confusion. She was injured on no other part of the body except for a few minor scratches on her forehead and chin. This was too much for Gail. She started to sob violently while the nurse was speaking. The nurse had expected this, and not knowing who Gail was, thought she was consoling her by saying, But just think, after the amputation, you’ll be able to do everything again.” Amputation!” screamed Gail. ( 23 )

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The Mistake There was great excitement in the Brown ' s house- hold, because finally the long-awaited day had come, the day that Marie, the only child was to be married. Amid the tooting of horns, ringing of the tele- phone, and all the excitement, Mrs. Brown sat think- ing of all she had done to make this day the happiest one in her daughter’s life, and of the many hours she had spent shopping and preparing for this big occasion. Finally, when she couldn ' t wait any longer, she went up to her daughter’s room, expecting to see her dressed in her beautiful gown, but instead, as she entered the room, Marie was crying bitterly. Mrs. Brown tried to comfort her daughter, but it was useless, and amid her sobs she told her mother that on the way home from the hairdressers, she had seen Bob, her future husband, in a jewelry store with Helen, carefully placing a string of pearls about Helen’s neck. As Mrs. Brown was trying to explain to Marie that it must have been some kind of a mistake, the doorbell rang. It was the delivery boy with a pack- age for Marie. As she opened it a little card fell from the package which said, A string of precious gems to a more precious girl. With Love — Bob.” As she read this, tears came to her eyes, for she realized how foolish she had been in doubting Bob’s love for her. And as she walked down the aisle of the church, with her father, she glanced down at the beautiful string of pearls which hung about her neck and with much love in her heart joined Bob at the altar. Barbara Prosper, ’52 Problem of the Year Tis a nignt before midyears such as you’ve never seen— My desk is all cluttered, my complexion turned green. I’ve studied and crammed as never before, I can barely see, my eyes are so sore. Time is just flying, faster than ever, If I capture a C” I’ll think myself clever. It is already midnight, Mom is in bed. But me, I am studying. Oh ! My poor head ! ! Latin’s before me, my most dreaded test, B ut all I can do is to try my best. English is cinchy! (Or at least that’s my hope) . But to get through with Algebra I’ll have to take dope. ( Science frightens me, for I’ll never know What makes Mr. Lerer’s favorite bacteria grow. Or care about lenses, short, thick, or thin — (Don’t know which way I’m going or where I have been) . I’ve waited and waited till the very last moment, And now look, I’m in complete mental torment. Well! One o’clock! May as well turn in, Myself, plus my pencils, my books, and my pen. Otherwise tomorrow I’ll sleep through each test I take — Then I can imagine what a high mark I’d make! Sandra Stammers, ’54 Initiation The Brooks High School freshmen had tradition- ally been initiated ever since the days their parents had been students there. It was the first day of school and you know what that meant for fourteen year old Will Black, a fresh- man ! Every other morning Will had hurried through breakfast, so he’d get to school on time. This morn- ing, however, although he was just as late as ever, but a little more nervous, he ate so slowly that his mother almost called the doctor, fearing he was sick. After convincing his mother he was not sick, he ran upstairs to his room where he put on a disguise. He made a cute girl ! For once he appreciated his sister Judy. She had given him a dress and wig so he could go to school incognito, and avoid initiation! This disguise would have been perfect if he had only remembered to roll up his pants legs. They hung 21 2 inches below the dress. He ran to school feeling sure his identity was care- fully concealed, but he became very uneasy when the seniors snickered as he passed ! When he reached school he went in through the girls’ door, slipped through the corridor almost un- noticed, and managed to hide his disguise before any- one saw him at his locker. The fear of being recognized overcame him early in the morning, for he knew what they did to the timid, here at Brooks H. S. ! Will got home without the disguise, or should I say almost got home! When he reached his front walk. Red, the senior football hero, gave him a big smile and handed him the evening paper. Right on the front page of The News” was his picture! It was taken, evidently, just as he was entering school in 25 )