Rogers Hall School - Splinters Yearbook (Lowell, MA)

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ff? I N- ' A It 4 ' l l ll if Q tipky' t 1 I J' f' 'gat' .v'- 4' 1 - 5 - 'L f 41 bf vi x ' ,ix -'qui 'f , . '46 W , ff., I 31 f f MQ 97,21 'Q ' A' I rn .ix ,il I Q 2 . -25.91 ..2Pfa'2-..r Ja.. f - f . ,. Fl ff'f ,. Inf-f ' 'ff R-,'I5Sf,' f 'l Six f ' 'I 17' Q. V - if 35. lg, L fig , ' . J - 1 'lux I 4 ' ,J f- 3 , 3. .' n -lfl ' ',j' e ' 4 - 'I 5 'f..- ,,, Z 1, .' if .--XJ ' 1 - - 4gg,,.,, . fl' , ' 7. ff.-. ' ke '2- 1 6 .:. ,,v T' Vol. 75 Literary, 1967 No. 1 Editorial When Americans converse, we usually stand at a regulated distance from each other. Without any trouble, we speakers can extend our arms so that the index fingers will neatly Ht into the listeners' ears. ln conversation, we maintain the proper arm's distance to talk at one another. Symbolically, American conversation is merely a physical extension of our thoughts that we poke into any conveniently distanced ears, which ironically cannot hear, for they are well-plugged. It seems, then, that we can hear only ourselves while we talk at everyone else. The intimate French conversations greatly contrast with the typical exchange system that we have adopted. Instead of isolating the interest of a few with our news, we manage to arrange a vast number of people in perfect spacial relationship, then, we poke our ideas and convictions into their deafened ears. Our image of the popular Party-person is the artful conversationalist who simply resembles a bicycle wheel that rotates his body about a group and consecutively extends his arms as spokes into the perfectly orientated ears. Or, taking another commonplace example, we walk toward each other on a street, we halt when our fingers can tightly plug ears, we poke hello, thank you, and how are you, then we walk on wondering who it was we greeted. We talk on and on with outstretched fingers, and for all our talk, We hear only ourselves. Italians do not poke and plug, they talk with their hands so people of all sizes can hear, question, answer, and then understand. We, on the other hand, try to poke someone who is just half our size. With the advantage of a longer arm we can stuff all that we want without fear of encountering a question. Shorter arms cannot poke back. lf an unconventional attempt to speak is made, we simply remind our listener that we must never shout at people out of ear-poking distance. We can turn from our small victim and let him pick from his ears the message, he, in turn, can poke words of love, freedom, justice, and Freud into some still smaller plugged ears. This poking-plugging tradition is so much a part of our conversational habits that it is instinctive for a small babe to fondle stuffed animals by poking deaf ears. Americans could move a considerable step back or a friendly step closer to talk at the targets of our conversation. We could put down the coffee cups and cigarette butts. We could unplug our victims' ears and set free our hands. And with close attention to international conversing habits we might learn the meaning of our talking, unplugged people will hear and will react. We might learn the truth of our meaning, unplugged people will question and will teach. We might even learn the art of talking to, not at, our fellow ears. PRUDENCE ALLEN '67

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Viet-Commercial There is fear, perhaps distaste, in your heart. You have a desire to be some- where else catching the sun's rays in your mouth, as you run until you drop from exhaustion. You visualize the large, brown eyes of Vietnamese children, looking for night and day upon your face, as they hide in the shadows. You are the protector of the buildings that house them and the dispenser of warmth and security. It makes a man out of you when you have no desire to be a man and play father. Your eye must be capable of distinction between purity and filth and your mind prepared to absorb lead and reward. You must feel a sense of accomplishment whether you clothe a naked child or repair a weapon to be used later to kill your enemy. Smile as though you were warm inside even if you bitterly oppose your superior. Don't let your face be hardened into a frown from which the mass observes your dejection. You are a minute part of the mass Ca regiment of peopleD made poor through expulsion of morals, faith and love. V Be realistic in conception of war. Have no fantasy of victory or disillusion- ment in defeat. You know what you are seeking and possibly you are being sent to find it, although your vision is obscured by the density of the jungle and your desire is dampened as you trudge through marsh to avoid the undergrowth. You are a pillar to remain standing until war takes the ouch out of the Curad band-aid covering the hole in your chest, through which your enemy gazes into the future. SHERI Wroxwuus '67