Rogers Hall School - Splinters Yearbook (Lowell, MA)

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Ecstasy Ecstasy is defined as an overpowering emotion or exaltation, a sudden access of intense feeling, or the frenzy of poetic inspiration. Ecstasy may be felt and expressed in many ways. A small child, taking his first halting step, ,expresses his ecstasy in the quick smile that crosses his face before he loses his balance and topples into his mothers arms. Little children experience ecstasy the first time they ride a tricycle, get up in the morning of their first day at school, go to a zoo, or blow out the candles on their birthday cakes. As these children grow, both in mind and body, the ways in which they experi- ence ecstasy also change. A girl may experience this feeling as she proudly carries her first home-made cake to the table, totters along on her first pair of heels, goes out on her first date, receives her first kiss. A boy experiences ecstasy when he finishes his first model airplane, hits his first home run, first feels the power of a car under his control, and finally receives his driver's license. Parents experience ecstasy when they first see the child they have created, when they see this child rake his first step and hear him speak his first word. Ecstasy may be expressed when anything occurs for the first time. It is the novelty of the act that creates the feeling of rapture. What a wonderful feeling it is when one's heart beats a little faster, when one's skin quivers with intense excite- ment, when one experiences the overpowering exaltation of ecstasy. IUDITH G. ANDERSON '64 The Coming Stop not and rest When you hear the singing bird, For there is an even more beautiful song In the distance. CORNELIA BRYER '64 The Prisoner Behind the brick wall The little boy Contemplates the coming years Of life. LAURIE CANEY '66

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November The leafless trees like dark graceful fingers Are stark against the soft gray sky. Although a trace of autumn still lingers, The icy winds are blowing nigh. Each day earlier, the long blue shadows Lengthen over the silent land. Across the frosty-whitened meadows They glide, a reaching icy hand. The birds have long since made their southward flights, And now the snow falls mutely, Pinked by the purple twilight. Such is November's haunting beauty. LINDA SCANNELL '65 ff 3 as C XJT' A 5 SX xy ll QJL6-1 l , fn X T li l i trawl

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YW' l I l . I Saba , Like a huge willful geyser, Saba protrudes up out of the glorious blue Caribbean defying all those who dare to approach it. We sailed up to it from the South and were forced by the extremely rough seas to sail on around to the Northern side in search of a more accommodating anchorage. From the water, the two and a half square mile island seemed phantasmal in its height as it rose 2,980 feet from the sea. No inhabitation was visible and we tended to wonder if anyone could survive on the desolate rock so alienated from all other forms of life. Although the winds were somewhat more moderate in the lee of the island, the bottom was covered with what has the appearance of huge pebble-like rocks whose smooth, flat surface made it impossible to get the anchor securely set. Despite our seemingly inhospitable welcome from the elements guarding Saba, we were determined that this particular island should not go unexplored as our Guide to Sailors of the Caribbean book specifically stated that it was one of the most difh cult places to get to and adamantly advised sailors to avoid it. VVe decided to draw lots to see which one of us would be chosen to remain on board and to sail the boat up and down until the island could be penetrated and thus our curiosity satisfied. VV e, the more fortunate four, climbed down into the tiny dinghy and fended off from the boat. Rowing with my back to the shore, I watched the gold lettering of the name Sequro printed on the stern become more worn and more faint. I looked, over my shoulder at the ominous island and the shore with the waves beating unmercifully against the same huge pebbles with which we'd battled moments before. As the waves rushed up, the pebbles made a wobbling sound and then as they receded the same sound penetrated through the sea. I turned again just as the gold lettering on the boat was becoming invisible and the boat was assuming a phantom-like appearance. Three lone helmsmen gave a farewell shout which we answered in unison almost as though he was gone forever and lost in eternity. Or was it we who were to be lost? The pebbles on the shore were as hostile as they had been before, however the dinghy was easily lifted to the higher ground. Once we'd secured our only means of return to the Sequrc-, we congregated to decide which was the best possible way to climb up the side of the volcanic island. After exploring up and down the shore, someone spotted some decrepit steps leading upward in a spiral manner. As we climbed higher and higher, I couldn't help feeling I was climbing Jacobs' ladder or. the like. Looking far below us we could see the infinitesimal outline of the Sequro as it sailed back and forth im- patiently awaiting our return. The steps seemed to become bigger the higher we climbed. Eventually we came upon a couple of small huts precariously perched on little dug out platforms. VVe shouted out but nobody answered. Higher still we went in search of some form of life. With a last surge of energy I ran ahead but was abruptly stopped when a big red ball hit me. As I picked it up, I noticed the Made in japan label. I felt a slight twang of disappointmentg we weren't the first after all. Two small children dressed up in starched Sunday clothes appeared up ahead of me. At first they seemed spellbound but as I raised my arm to throw back the ball, they fled screaming. My companions, hearing the screams, quickly caught up with me. As I showed them the ball, I could see the same disappointment I had felt moments ago darken their red faces. One by one we dropped down where we stood unable to face more steps without some relief. A cold drink revived us and once again we persevered upward. Now we could see houses and people standing at the top of the steps. Two of the men had uniforms on and all the rest were dressed in their Sunday best. Suddenly and somewhat guiltily I remembered that it was Easter Sunday. The men tipped their hats to us as we approached, and the two uniformed officials brusquely demanded we ac- company them to the Customs Office. We were introduced to the chief of police, who very cordially questioned us about our boat which he'd apparently been watching as we approached the island. We were gixen innumerable papers to sign declaring the weight, strength, type of boat and also our individual ranks on board. We were politely informed that we were presently in the town of Bottom which was really at the top of the volcano Saba or rather inside of the volcano Saba, that we might Hnd VVindward, the town up over the hill, more pleasant for usg that we were welcome but must remember that it was Easter Sunday and that everyone was in church. The chief hastily added that he would be there alsog that he had summoned up our arrival but would return momentarily. He asked if we would please try to preserve the peace and serenity of Saba. We bid him goodbye somewhat reluctantly as we realized individually we'd have to walk up to the other town of Windward if we hoped to see it, for the entire population of the island was in church. After assuring ourselves nothing could be so bad as the ladder we'd just climbed, we started off. I entered a trance-like state as the sun poured down on me, and the persons singing in the various churches seemed to melt together. When we reached the brow of the hill, which was in reality the side of the volcano, I looked down at Bottom just as the doors of several of the Churches were being Hung Qpen, The People burst Out into the sunlight. I WHS amazed at their