Secret Staircase

By Alexa G. & Helena H.

On a chilly September day, in 1957, Oliver Wendell Holmes School was opened.
There were two known ways for the custodian to get into the basement: the north staircase, and the custodian’s elevator. But, there were rumors of another widely unknown way of getting to the basement. It’s a staircase, hence its name—the secret staircase. Most have heard rumors of infamous crawlspaces and trap doors, but we don’t know who is right. Only a few lucky students have been in on the secret--or so they say. No one really knew if there’s a secret staircase besides our custodian team. Mr. Helm explained to the editors of front page that there is a dual staircase other than the one on the north side of the school. A student’s only opportunity to go into the secret staircase is if there was a severe weather warning and the main basement area is full and so is the hallway. A teacher would then escort the students to the staircase for shelter and protection. All in all, do not try to find the secret staircase! Not only will you get in trouble, but also it is just not smart to go roaming in a mysterious basement! This is no longer a secret, and the staircase is no longer a rumor. It is there for all of our safety, and if the weather permits (or doesn’t permit), the ‘Secret Staircase’ will be there to shelter us.