Bloomington High School South, The Gothic, 1977, Page 159

Description:	Due dateAnita LarimerOnce in every teachers lifetime, apilgrimage is made to the first officially recognized Institute of Learning(alias school). The teachers are in aweover the accomplishments of theirancient forefathers. They raise theirheads with pride when they think ofthe vast improvements made in thefield of education. Basically, suchpride is justified. Many wondrousaccomplishments have been madesince those first homework assignments of many years ago.However, one improvement(among many) has yet to be made. Inevery class there are those who complete their assignments on the veryday theyre given. Then there arethose who wait until the last minute oftheir moment of doom, to write downall their useless thoughts; and thenthey hand in their finished projects—pieces of vile, illegible trash.Its no doubt obvious that I am oneof those last-minute types; but really,its not as if I dont try to get done,because I do. Actually Im working onthose long-term assignments fromabout the time theyre given up to theday theyre due. Its just that . . .well, uhmmm . . . Surely people canfind it in their hearts to have pity onone who loses (at the moment it ismost needed) her creativity. Isnt iteasy to be understanding towardssomeone whose deep well of imagination has run dry? Has there everbeen a sight as heartbreaking aswatching everyday students lose theirminds attempting to come up withideas like those of geniuses?If one has ever listened to the constant babblings of the student whostares blankly at the wall to conceivesome vague inspiration, a fraction ofa brainstorm, anything, one wouldjust have to feel the greatest compassion for the poor, wretched creature.I, for one, have felt the humility ofbeing able to think of a topic andeven going to the point of coming upwith the most glorious beginning andend but, alas, no in-between.For those like me, there is only onesolution—that is, if theyre tired ofstaying up until dawn every Sundaynight. For us there is no cure. We mustlive with what we have, or else leaveon a weeks vacation, once everyweek, from August to June. I think thelatter is by far the better solution.Think of all the adventures to writeabout when the vacations over.Theyre off!Brien JonesTwo years, two years! It seemed as if they were goingto be on forever.Theyre finally coming off. No more pain aftertheyre tightened. No more names like tinsel teeth ormetal mouth.It seemed as if I was in that waiting room for hourswhen finally: Dr. Coghlan will see you now. I was sohappy. Finally I could run my tongue across my teeth.The doctor will be with you in a minute. Well, as ithappened many times, it was closer to an hour. And inthat time, my mind wandered. I thought about how myfriends would react. But then I noticed all the equipmentand started to play around with the fancy watersquirter. He finally came in.So, youre getting your braces off today.Yeah. Will it hurt?Hurt? No.Well, as usual, it hurt. But they were off.I thought about it all the way home. I couldnt wait toshow my friends my straight white teeth.What a disappointment. They didnt notice. But I stilllike having them off even if Im the only one who knows.Mitch CraigCreativity 159wm^m—m
Source:	http://cdm17129.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/hs-bloomsouth/id/994
Collection:	Bloomington High School South

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