The  Linden Ledger 

Vol. 04/05 Issue 3 Nov. 11, 2004

     The delicate clatter of metal cut through the crisp autumn air and a large pyramid rolled onto Main Street. No, this was not the opening scene of some mediocre Broadway musical, but rather Linden Hall's entry into the Lititz Halloween Parade.

     For the past few years Linden Hall has made a tradition of entering this annual event, and usually coming out with first place honors. Last year the school walked away with first prize for our swashbuckling pirate float. It is the responsi

Curse of the Obelisk!

Lis Reed, ‘05

bility of Student Council to plan and assemble this float, which normally occurs only hours before it's due to ride through the streets of Lititz. This year Student Council decided that the theme for the float would be ancient Egypt.

     They immediately set about creating walls to the tomb complete with hieroglyphics. There was also a pyramid that opened to reveal Jess Murray, shrouded in hundreds of feet of toilet paper, who served as the float’s bonafide mummy.

     The float also included a myriad of different ancient elements, some of them being: thrones for the Pharaoh and Queen, a larger than life sarcophagus, a flowing and foaming Nile River that encompassed the perimeter, along with crocodiles and many Linden Hall students clad as dancing harem girls.

     The float began as nothing more than an empty truck bed at 3:00 and by 6:00 it was an ancient civilization, the crumbling and ancient being the most predominant element. By 6:30 the float was boarded by about 25 girls eager to charm all of Lititz. Our students charming ways must have paid off because Linden Hall once again won first place for the illustrious float.

 

Above: Students Build the Halloween Float

“LADIES, RECYCLE!”

Kelli Blauth, ‘05

     If I could convert myself into a tree, I would. After experiencing the environmental presentation a couple of weeks ago, I realized that every tiny piece of human being is destructive and permeates the world with poison. If this instillation of a feeling of worthlessness was the goal of the assembly, then the mission was successfully over-achieved.

     How many of us looked down at out shoes this past month and saw the murder of a tree, plucking of cotton, or overproduction of rubber soles? Perhaps, more importantly, is what actions we have taken and given up in order to improve the environmental anarchy that we've created? Following my purchase of a hermetically sealed, bubble-wrapped, packing-peanut submerged, electronic item, I began to wonder which national park suffered for this item? What oil reserve did I just steal from? And did I just decrease the life span of mankind on Earth by a whole minute?

     Surely enough, I didn't doubt my speculations, but then again, I didn't run home and perform a repentance animal sacrifice, either. Sadly, as the

whole presentation video replayed in my head, I finally admitted the truth to myself. Yes, I am one guilty buyer in a slew of consumers. But if I did not purchase certain items, my life would be horrible. If I were to abstain from "buying in bulk" and participate in those two-for-one sales, I would weep as others around me would flaunt their savvy Lacoste shirts in every color a Crayola box can offer. What if I didn't buy that new cell phone? Everyone else would go about with fancier toys, and I'd gradually succumb to my supposed calling, the Amish. If being respectful towards the Earth is voluntary, then most people will choose to live their lives as they are.

     Simply put, people will never choose to place themselves in a state of seclusion and ignorance. They won't gladly prance around on their Razor scooters, while watching everyone else speed by in their one-of-four cars, being numbed by billboards, just to know that that barrel of oil that could've been theirs was "saved," but in fact ended up being used by another. Individuality must be bought nowadays, and it's something this nihilistic society will never release from its grip.