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March Possibilities

MARTINA GARDNER

HEY were carefully noted in Miss May's note-book - the possibilities of the Easter month. To make them realities-that meant after school hours of planning to adapt them to her grade. It meant days of enthusiastic work. Above all, it meant the inward serenity and joy and laughter which comes only when one's spirit is attuned to catch the melody of the brook's waking song; of the first bird note and of the glad rush of the March winds.

We may read Miss May's plans, but they can never become realities in our school-rooms unless we are so in sympathy with the children and with the month that we can really enjoy a frolic out on a meadow with a big kite, a strong wind and a very live small boy. When it becomes necessary to pursue the kite vigorously over rods of uneven meadow, then if our chief concern is for falling hair pins, we had better close the page. It would be far wiser to plan for prosaic dull work than to take the spontaneity out of the Easter time when all nature and the soul of man are awakening to new life.

Third Week

Twilight of mad March evening

Wee Robert was snug in bed. "And what has the wind been doing?" To mamma he sleepily said.

The pine trees outside were singing, She heard their wild lullaby. "The wind has been busy since morning," She said, "when we heard it pass by.

"It turned every wind mill it came to, It speeded the boats on the sea,

It fluttered the clothes on the clothesline Until they were dry as could be.

"It caught a man's hat and whirled it
Away down the long white street.
And everyone laughed and wondered
If man or March wind would beat.
"It came where some boys were flying
Their kites of every hue

And carried one up to cloud land.
Did that kite belong to you?

"It turned the proud vane on the steeple. It tossed roaring waves on the shore; Then gently it sang at twilight

For my babe when the day was o'er."

Trees and buds.

Study twigs. Force sprigs of lilac, cherry, willow, beech, and horse chestnut by placing in fresh water in the sunshine. Maple trees; sap; sugar. How trees are tapped; how sap is carried to sugar house; sap making in olden time.

Make brush drawings of twigs. Cut barn from dark red paper. Take the silver gray pussies from the twigs and paste in position about barn as if a whole family of kittens were at play there. Add heads and tails with pencils.

În connection with study of maple sugar, cut sap buckets, sugar house, boiling kettle and pans.

GRANDPA'S STORY

Every spring we used to make quantities of sugar. There were seven of us boys at home. During the day we were all busy in the sugar bush, a mile from the house. Father and the older boys had made a rough log hut. In this was the big boiling kettle and several smaller ones. One or two boys were always needed in the hut. Some of the others were kept busy emptying the sap and carrying it to the barrels on the big sleigh. To drive the oxen was deemed the greatest privilege of all.

What fun it was at sugaring off time! After the syrup had been boiled until it was exactly thick enough and had been stirred until it was exactly right, it was poured out to cool. Some went into big pans. These cakes would be sold or carefully put away for summer use. Many a weary mile have I trudged over the hot road to town, with a heavy cake of sugar in a bag! And many the pound of tea I have brought home in return!

Then there were smaller cakes. To our eyes every one meant big Indian puddings, pumpkin pies and other goodies which mother would bake in the old stone oven.

But best of all were the little round cakes which were to be all our own. For weeks we had been saving egg shells and they made the very nicest molds for the brown sugar.

All of this was during the day time. At night the big kettle was filled full of fresh sap and two of the boys were chosen to boil it carefully all night.

It happened, one cold starlit night, that I remained with

March 1910

my ten-year-old brother Robert. About nine o'clock he curled down in the corner and went to sleep. The kettle was boiling merrily when suddenly I heard the wild cry of an animal far away in the forest. Again I heard it still nearer. Then there came a wail from almost over our heads that wakened Robert and sent him to me, crying and white with fear. The next minute I had to hold him, for he wanted to run straight out of the door and through the dark forest path, home to mother. I knew that would mean death, for there was a panther in the overhanging tree. Nowadays the only panthers we see are in strong cages, but this one was free and ready to leap, if he should leave the protection of the cabin and of the fire.

"It's just a panther," I told Robert to quiet him. "He would spring for you if he should find you alone in the woods, but he is a coward. Just listen!"

I took a stick from the fire. One end was blazing brightly. Going to the door I flung it far up in the tree. How he did shriek to be sure!

Until long past midnight he stayed, while I kept the fire dancing and roaring. Then we heard his cries growing fainter and fainter, until they died out in the far forest.

Father and the boys would hardly believe us when we told of our night's adventure. Looking around they found the tracks in the snow. A hunt was organized but all that was found was a farm where he had killed a sheep. That was the last panther that ever came to the old sugar bush.

Fourth Week

Easter.

Stories of Easter observances in other lands.

Lead the children to see that Easter means the awakening of nature. Show this awakening by using for illustrations, buds, cocoons, and flowers that have come from bulbs. If possible, show the connection between eggs and Easter by bringing some newly hatched chickens to the school-room.

Observe Easter Monday as flower day. Let the children bring flowers and their Easter toys. If any are at home ill, send some of the flowers to the shut-in.

For occupation work, cut and color Easter eggs. Paint chicken from life.

Miscellaneous work for March.

Begin to interest children in school gardens. Study catalogues and send for seeds. For busy work distribute large squares of cardboard, old catalogues, scissors and paste. Call the squares gardens. The children fill them by cutting out the pictures of the fruits and vegetables and pasting them in position. Pay especial attention to the grouping of the plants chosen.

Have an "egg hunt" after the fashion of the German children to create interest in the sight words. Write these words on egg-shaped pieces of bright paper, hide, and let the children hunt for them. No child can take any word which he cannot name correctly.

Procure Easter seals from Dennison's. Put these upon the papers which show conscientious effort.

When some boy becomes the proud possessor of one of the Japanese kites which lure so enticingly from the shop windows, review the lesson on Japan. Through the children's interest in the Japanese boy's "Festival of Kites" it will be easy to arouse enthusiasm for other queer customs in the Sunrise Land.

March 1910

North Wind and Sun

Boy is North Wind; Girl is Sun; Boy is Traveller. North Wind (strutting about) I can make all things bow down before me. See how, with the frosts I bring, the flowers fade and fall. See the leaves scatter before me. See how I make the birds go shivering away to the South and the green hills grow brown.

Sun Humph! It is poor sport, I think, to make everybody uncomfortable. Why do you grumble and growl and shriek all day long? Why not be pleasant and agreeable?

North Wind Oh! ho! I hold icebergs in my hand. I chain the rivers and the brooks. I cannot stop to be pleasant. Sun Pooh, I like better to melt icebergs. I like better to unchain the waters and send them laughing on their way. I will do it too.

North Wind (shakes his fist at Sun) Do it if you dare! I will chain them all up again.

Sun (smiling, but determined) North Wind, I will go wherever you go, and whatever you do I will undo.

North Wind Pooh! I am stronger than

that traveller on the road?

Sun Yes, I see him.

you, do you see

North Wind Do you see how I toss his cloak about and pinch his ears? See how he bows his head as my blasts whistle by him.

Sun Do you see how I warm and cheer him? See how be lifts his head and smiles at my coming.

North Wind But I can strip his cloak from his shoulders. See me do it now, one, two, three!

Traveller Ugh! what a cold wind! (Draws his cloak about him.) Colder and colder it grows and so rude it seems to be wrenching my cloak away from me. (Holds cloak closer; pulls up collar; pulls down hat.) Well, old Wind, you shall not pull my cloak away. I will put another over it. (Puts on another cloak. Holds both down and hurries on his way.)

Wind I will bite your ears till you let go your cloak to hold them. Whew! whew!

Traveller (holds cloak with one hand and tries to tie a mantle about his ears) Oh you mean to bite my fingers now, do you? (Draws on fur mittens.) My feet are freezing (Stamps hard, but goes on his way holding his cloak.)

Sun Ha! ha! Wind, you will never pull that cloak from him, rude as you are, though you bluster all day. I can take it from his shoulders in no time, if you will keep quiet. Wind Let us see you do it.

Traveller Whew! it is growing warmer. The wind is gone. (Unties mantle about his ears.) Dear! dear! how hot these mittens are! (He puts them in his pocket) Whew! (Takes off his hat and wipes his forehead.) Dear! dear! how heavy those cloaks are! I will take one off. Whew! I cannot wear any coat! How hot the sun is! How glad I am that cold wind is gone! Now I can travel in comfort. Sunbeams (come in, they dance around Sun) Good! good! old King Sun. We knew you could do it, and your sunbeams. We will run away now and weave a spring garland for you. Hurrah! hurrah! kind ways are the best; are they not, North Wind?

(North Wind sulks, but says nothing.)

A Patchwork Fairy Tale

A dialogue for three children, "Jane" (aged eight), “Bob” (aged six) and "Dot" (four).

Jane

How dark it is, and how it rains;

We can't go out to-day;

I wish we'd some new book to read, Or nice new game to play.

The king, he knocked and shouted, And poor Princess Polly cried, When, all at once, a handsome prince Was standing by her side!

He said, "Don't cry, dear princess, I'll send him off again,"

Now, Bob; tell how 'twas done.

He got the golden train,

And packed it full of goblins, And gave them each a gun,

And steamed it down the line.

Oh, Bob! go on, what fun!