Editor's Note:
In observance of Veterans Day, The Country School community gathered together and honored those who served our country. William E. Powers, then Interim Head of School, shared the following remarks with the TCS community:
Good Morning.
I thank all of you for being here this morning. It is always a special occasion when all the children and adults of The Country School gather together. This is also a special day in America - it is Veterans Day. As many of you know, a veteran is a soldier, someone who has served in the military - the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, or Coast Guard.Maybe one of your parents has served, or a brother or sister, aunt or uncle, cousin, or neighbor, or friend. There are people with us today who are veterans and we would like to acknowledge them.
A day set aside to honor veterans was first observed on November 11, 1919-exactly 85 years ago. And this wasn't some random date. The President of the United States did not just pick a date out of a hat and say, "Hmm . . . November 11 . . . I like that date. I think I'll call it Veterans Day." No. There is great significance to the date because on November 11, 1918 at 11:00 AM, the people fighting World War I declared a truce - they stopped fighting. So on the 11th day of the 11th month at 11:00 AM, World War I was effectively over. Although folks did not begin to beat their swords into plowshares, the fighting had ended.
Since that time, one way or another, by one name or another, our country has set aside a day NOT to glorify war or violence, NOT to say we should solve our differences by fighting or with our fists, BUT rather, it is a day to honor those men and women who have served in the armed services of the United States
Today we pay tribute and say "thank you" to those who have gone before us, and to those with us today-those Americans who fought and sacrificed so others might live in peace, free from fear of tyranny, aggression, and harm.
Today, let us accept, and reaffirm the personal responsibility each of us has to treat one another with respect, with understanding, and with kindness so that next year on the 11th day of the 11th month at the 11th hour we will not look back in anger, nor forward in fear, but rather we will be able to look all around us and see hope.1
Thank you.
1 James Thurber (paraphrase)
THIRD GRADES CELEBRATE DADS
Cindy Richar, Administrative Assistant, Head of School
As the TCS community honored those who have served the in armed forces of the United States in a Veterans Day ceremony around the flagpole, TCS 3rd Graders honored their Dads at a breakfast. Each and every 3rd Grade Dad attended this event, and was able to see first hand what happens on a daily basis when you are in 3rd Grade at TCS! Thanks to Mrs. McCurdy, Mrs. Meyer, and all our wonderful 3rd Graders for contributing to this memorable event for their Dads.
Veterans Day took on a special meaning for the 3rd Graders this year. The day began at 8:15 AM with the annual Dads' Breakfast. Third Graders and their dads spent some one-on-one time sharing special books made for dads, doing some math, and sharing many delicious breakfast treats. Dads and students took a short break for the Veterans Day ceremony at the flagpole where we discovered two of our own dads were veterans!
The day took on even greater meaning later that afternoon with a visit from David Philip Jones, Mrs. Richar's father, who served as a nose gunner on a B-24 Liberator bomber in World War II. Students were enthralled by his stories of parachuting to safety from his injured plane, his subsequent 14-month stay in the hospital, and his personal call from General Eisenhower's staff to perform several secret assignments.
It was, however, a more personal message that made an even greater impact on students. Mr. Jones told of his senior year in high school when a short classmate was to receive the title "class baby" in the final senior yearbook. Mr. Jones complained to the administration about the insulting nickname and it was subsequently removed. Mr. Jones told the students the young man went on to serve in the Pacific where, because of his small size, he was able to pull five shipmates from a burning turret, yet perished trying to save more. "He wasn't the class baby that day," he said, to which a 3rd Grader responded, "I think he should have been called the class saver."
Mr. Jones spoke eloquently, and tactfully answered students' questions, many of which were quite simple: "Were you sad when you got the letter that said you were going to war"; "Were you afraid of jumping out of the plane"; "Where did you sit in the plane," "Why was it so cold"; "Did you wear that uniform up in the plane"; "What do all those medals mean?" It was his overall message that students took home with them at the end of the day. "Whatever you do in life," Mr. Jones said, "be caring and loving."
ME-OLOGY PROGRAM
DEDICATED TO THE SOCIAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE WHOLE CHILD
Bob Borden, Teacher, Grade 4
The 4th Grade Me-ology program is dedicated to the social growth and development of the whole child. Through discussion and activities, the children learn decision-making skills; how to deal with peer pressure; a deeper appreciation for the diversity in us all; and a healthier image of who they are.
The subjects in the Great Body Shop, a part of our science curriculum, drive some of the discussions. A variety of issues are raised including conflict resolution, smoking, drugs, alcohol, and community awareness. Discussions, question and answer sessions, and role-playing are some of the ways we all try to understand these difficult subjects.
Several of the books we read aloud to the class deal with such complex issues as racism, homelessness, friendship, trust, and love. Many of the questions and discussions come directly from the children because Me-ology is a safe environment in which the children may air their feelings. Through sharing, the children continue to develop an awareness of our diverse world and further appreciate the quality of their own lives.
Me-ology is also dedicated to helping the children through many of the day-to- day problems encountered while a 4th Grader. Children feel free to raise concerns and speak openly and honestly with their peers should the need arise. The class, as a whole, feels better about who they are when they are more in touch with each other's feelings.
Ask any Middle School Student who has experienced Me-ology - they will tell you all you need to know.
YOU CAN ALWAYS COME HOME
LUCIA DEXTER VISITS TCS
Lucia Dexter, who taught French at TCS from 1980-1988, visited Michèle Schofield's 3rd Grade Class on October 5, 2004. Upon her arrival, she had a chance to chat with her old friend and co-worker, Bob McGee, about former faculty and the many changes on campus. Mrs. Dexter celebrated her 80th birthday this year and continues to teach a French class in her home after school one day each week.
FOURTH GRADE VISITS BUSHY HILL
STUDY OF CONNECTICUT NATIVES
TCS 4th Graders
The 4th Grade studies the Native Americans of Connecticut every fall. We learned about their housing and where they lived. The natives in this area lived in wigwams and larger families lived in long houses. We learned that they made fire by friction using two sticks called a bow drill. They usually settled around rivers or the Long Island Sound. They liked to live there for their food and for transportation.
We also learned how the natives made rope called cordage. They used yucca, dogbain, and milkweed to make this cordage. They could make cordage that was a half-inch wide that could hold up to 450 pounds! The Native Americans had great respect for the animals and the land. They would hunt deer for many things. They used every part of the animal for food, clothes, utensils, weapons, jewelry, and even the bladder for carrying water. They would boil water by taking rocks from the fire and submerging them into a bowl of water until it boiled. We also learned about the many tools that they made from rocks and wood, such as an axe and an awl. They used other rocks to grind down the rock in the axe and awl to make them sharper. They also used an addle-addle to extend the native's arm to make a spear go a faster speed when hunting. We learned that when they burned sage it took away any bad feelings that they had from the previous day. We also do that every day in 4th Grade!
The Native Americans did not have science to explain how things happened like how the earth was created and so they made up stories called creation stories to explain how those things happened. The study of Native Americans is one of the most interesting things you can learn about and we had lots of fun in the process.
Editor's Note:
Fourth Graders travel to the Bushy Hill Nature Center each year in conjunction with their study of Connecticut's Native American heritage.
FOURTH GRADE VISITS GRASS ISLAND
STUDYING LONG ISLAND SOUND AND THE CONNECTICUT ENVIRONMENT
On September 13, 2004 the 4th Grade classes visited Grass Island in Guilford. This annual field trip kicks off their study of the Long Island Sound and the Connecticut environment.
Grass Island is a beautiful spot on a rocky shore of the Long Island Sound and is teeming with sea life. The students split into groups of two and three to explore the tidal pools. They were fascinated by their discoveries - including mussels, oysters, clams, shrimp, different species of crabs, periwinkles, and a variety of shells and seaweed.
The children then brainstormed for adjectives describing the water and land, and used these words to compose haiku back in the classroom. In addition, the class has completed a small research report about an animal from the Long Island Sound and each class put together a Long Island Sound Calendar.
The children learned a great deal from this experience and will share it with their PreK Reading Buddies when we return to Grass Island with them in the spring
TCS PRESENTS
Congratulations to the cast, crew, and producers of the musical "Annie."
