The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-06-05
Six Thousand Five Hundred
Riddles Are Happy.
PROGRAMS IT ALL SCHOOLS
No More HOFatius and Spar
ticus OratiOns Now.
Summer Sessions Open Next
Week for More Study.

Pack away Tue UOOhSs AlOOA0os 0.A~A
bring out the balls and bats and the
bathing SUITS For it's Vacation Time
with a capital ". Six thousand, i've
hundred children marched soberly from
Topeka's "A school buildings to-day,
broke ranks with q shout and gaHoped
home to the tune OF happy neart'
chanting "Rah, rah, rah-Vacat1on!
The grades and the primaries have
closed for the summer months. The
teachers will HE themselves to the sea
and mountains. The youngsters Will
forget go, went, gone" and all the
other irregular verbs and the brow
wrinkling fractions.
Through June. July and August they
will live in a wonder-wonder land OF
scrub their hands, strap their books
and skip back to the brick buildings
that reopen September IA.
Once upon time grade school clos
ing exercises were dull and dreary and
characterized by stage fright. Times
have changed Speaking day. il an
elaborate AFFAIR with printed programs
and nicely poised little boys and girls.
who have been coached by elocution
teachers.
Long time ago the selections were
"Horatius at the Bridge "Sparticus to
the Gladiators," 1.-The Charge of the
Light Brigade"-given as murderously
as the attack itseIf-or, at best, reiter-
ated accounts of 1.-The Children's Hour"
dear Love Songs Of Childhood" or
Stevenson's matchless Garden of
Verses" recited The Poppy Lady" or
my Shadow in a sing-song tone.
It's Different Now.
All different now. Take Polk school,
for instance. where there is self govern
ment rule. A knickered boy may point
to a bigger knickered boy who is gig
Cling in ranks and say. step out Of line,
there, and report to the Office" There
| is president with his governors and
mayors.
The exercises are in the hands of
the children, not the teacher. Each
room is divided into two societies,
named for poets or authors. The
They announce. 1.-THE third number
on our program is The Water Melon
Stocking by Josephine WEAR The
guests refer to their neat programs
printed or typewriter, and tied with
the society colors. Josephine tells q
funny. brief little story in an enter
| tanning way.
Up-to-date Topics.
Glance over the programs "How
Cassie Saved the Spoons 1.-THE Bear
Story That Alex LIST Made Up His
| Ownself," Uncle Remus on the Elec-
trio Chair THAT Run Away Boy
They're moro interesting to young
America than "SpGrticus'' or "Hora-
tius''
There is even costuming Three OF
| the prettiest babies in town-first
graders-were roses in rufnes of pink
tissue paper. Little boys were dam
delions. in green and gold.
After the last piece" had been
spoken, the youngsters tore home to
| watch the manufacturing OF sand
| wiches, cakes and pies. Most of the
| schools closed the year with an after
noon picnic. Some rocked out OF
| town on hay wagons. Others linked. u
Summer school will open next week
| for the smart kiddies entitled to study
| and skip a grade, or tho one who
couldn't-or wou1dnt-study and
was dropped.
The children left school with elee
but they'll be back as soon as the
wide doors swing open. because.
said one small boy, school is sort OF
fun, after ALL