A Peek in the Past

In around 1774, education was quite different from what it is today. Young girls spent most of their days learning how to become proper women. Their mothers taught them how to direct slaves and servants. Girls learned how to cook meals, dry herbs for cooking and medicine, preserve meat, and to make and mend clothes. Young women were also taught how to plant a proper garden with herbs near the kitchen and flowers near the front of the house. What a lot of work!

Colonial girls were also expected to learn the art of being a lady. Teachers taught girls how to write elegantly and how to create samplers out of fancy stitchery. Girls also practiced singing and playing musical instruments. Girls would never have played the violin or trumpet. Colonial folk thought it was ungraceful for a young lady to bend her neck or pucker her lips!

Above all, girls learned how to dance. In the southern colonies, dance lessons were a very important part of a young lady's education. From the age of eight, girls took as many as nine hours of dance classes a week! Dancing was supposed to help girls with their posture and grace while moving. The proper way to curtsy and difficult routines were just the beginning!

In the northern colonies, this would have been considered shocking. There, many people thought dancing was wicked like drinking or playing cards! Soon, though, dancing was excepted in all of the colonies. What a lot of work it must have been to become a lady back then!

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Protecting Your Pearly Whites

Brushing your teeth is an essential way to stay healthy and prevent cavities. If you brush twice a day, seven days a week, you will protect your teeth from plaque. Plaque is a sticky film left on your teeth. Brushing and flossing are easy ways to remove plaque, keeping your teeth in top condition. If, however, you do not remove plaque, it will harden into tartar. Tartar is harder to scrub off. It will make your teeth yellow, and is sticky.

Did you know that if you keep all this in mind, put it to use and benefit, your teeth would be cleaner than George Washington's? He didn't brush. So you see, if you keep your teeth white and dazzling, you will achieve something George Washington failed to do!

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The Weird Field Trip

26^th October 2010

The Wheels were black and spattered with mud. Inside, the old leather seats sat torn and high. As Annebelle climbed on and took a seat by the aisle, the engine roared to life. She was a short girl with cream colored skin and hair as black as a mussel. Whenever she looked down, her curly bangs covered her forehead. Being in third grade, she went on many field trips with her class. She enjoyed many, but wondered if this one would be as much fun.

The bright yellow school bus slowly creaked to a stop. The old Barrix stood before them. As they were getting off the bus, suddenly, Annebelle heard a cry from behind her.

Miss Regrego shrieked as Joycelyn, Annabelle's best friend, sank into the sodden ground. Annebelle gapped at the hole as it slowly began to fade. She knew she had to help Jocelyn. Danny, a boy in her class who is always ready for adventure, jumped in with his friend Todd. Taking a deep breath, Annebelle jumped as well. Darkness covered her like a blanket.

Annebelle opened her eyes to meet a soldier wearing a faded uniform from the 18th century. He grinned at her with a twinkle in his eye.

"Ya'll comin' to help me?" he asked.
Todd, surprisingly calm, replied, "No Sir, we fell into a hole. Please direct us back up."

The soldier looked confused at first. Then he smiled.
"Sure! What year?".

What year? What was this crazy soldier talking about?

"2010 Please.", Joycelyn replied.
"Alright, ya'll. I'll get ya out".

He pushed them into a small capsule with a glass door, big enough for them to fit in. The air suddenly whizzed by.

"Joycelyn! Todd! Danny! Annebelle! You're alright!!" Miss Regrego exclaimed. They were greeted with hugs.

"Nobody knows when an adventure will turn up", thought Annebelle.

Every kid thought the same, this field trip was outstanding! "By far, the best", murmured Annabelle.

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Ria Goes To School

Ria was in bed at night. “I do not want to go to school!” she said. Then she went to bed. The next morning she woke up and got out of bed. Then she went to the bathroom to brush her teeth. “Should I go to school?” she asks her cat. “Meow,” the cat says.

Then she went down to eat breakfast. “I don’t want to go to school,” she said to her parents. “Oh it’s okay, you’ll find friends,” they said. “But I don’t have any.” “You’ll make some,” said her Mother. Then she didn’t complain anymore, but when she walked out the door, she slammed it extra hard. “Goodbye,” her Mother said. “Goodbye!” she yelled back.

When she got on the bus, she sat next to this girl named Leah. “Hi,” she said. “What is your name?” asked Ria. “Leah,” she said. “Do you want to play rock paper scissors?” Leah said, “Sure.” They played a couple of games. Sometimes Leah won and sometimes Ria won.

Then it came to school and Leah asked Ria if she wanted to be her friend. “Sure,” answered Ria.

Leah and Ria were in the same class. They were really happy! It was raining outside, so they had indoor recess, and the girls played more rock, paper, and scissors. Then at lunch they sat next to each other. When it was time to go, they sat with each other on the bus again. When Leah and Ria got home, they both told their parents that they had a great time in school and made new friends.

Later that day, in the evening, they had a play date. Then Leah asked her mom if she could stay for the night. It was a yes! All night they played games with each other. Then in the day they went back to school and had the same lunch, pizza. Then on the bus ride home, they played more hand games and had another play date that night. “I told you, you would make friends,” Ria’s Mom said to her when she came home. “I know you did,” said Ria. She gave her Mom a big hug. Then night came, and Ria slept with her cat. “I love school!” she said.

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What Memorial Day Means To Me

When I think of Memorial Day, I think of laughter and parties, but also of those who risked their lives for our freedom. Memorial Day isn't just for fun and games, but to honor those brave veterans who gave up their lives for their country. Many people go to parades for food and a good time, but the real reason is to remember those who protected us.

To me, after a war is like having a broken wheel. It is broken because parts of the wheel have come off and gotten rusty. Though on Memorial Day, you don't think of the broken wheel, but you think of it and remember it when it was new and shiny. Before a war, the wheel is complete. During the war, we fight, and lose some parts of our wheel. After the war, our wheel is broken and dirty. On Memorial Day, I always think of the wheel when it was not broken. The parts that have been broken are all those brave soldiers who gave up their lives in various wars. The rusty parts are those who have fought in the war and survived. When we honor all these parts of the wheel, we remember what they did for us and that is what Memorial Day is to me.

All the parts of the wheel make a big difference. The spokes of the wheel are us. The outer part is the people keeping us safe from harm. We are also an important part of the wheel. Ester DeBert Reed collected money for soldiers. Mary Ludwig Hays, also known as Molly Pitcher, was a young woman during the Revolutionary War. She brought soldiers water at the Battle of Monmouth, and manned her husband's cannon when he was shot. We can also make a difference, as the spokes of the wheel. During many wars, various spokes are taken out. On Memorial Day, we also honor the spokes of the wheel, for they are as important as the outer rim.

During Memorial Day, we eat lots of food and hold parties to celebrate the lives of those who have fallen in battle. Most of them lost their lives trying to protect us. It shows how much they cared about their country, and that is why they thought it was worth dying for their country. It isn't an easy choice to make, considering all of the things that can happen to you. We are so lucky, to have soldiers that protect us from all the horrid things that can happen. That is why I always respect them, because if they didn't fight, I might not be here.

To me, Memorial Day is when we still have a broken, tattered wheel, but we are proud of it. We remember those who died, and honor them. That is what Memorial Day really means to me.

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