Once upon a time in a land not so far away in a
school called McCord there lived a beautiful young school teacher with hair
as red as a sunset. She was conscientious and dedicated to a goal of
educating her young students. “Oh dear!
Oh my!” The distressed lady was distraught. “My students aren’t learning to
read. I’m so worried and I’m frightened, too. Whatever will we do? There
won’t be any more: doctors, nurses, lawyers, school teachers, mechanics,
builders of cars, or carpenters. How sad the world will become We must have
these people to make our life as genteel and sweet as it is now."
What shall I do? Whatever can I do?”
That night before she went to bed there was
pacing while a solution would not come to her. In the morning, while
brushing her teeth, a worried look with a frown between her eyebrows could
be seen in the mirror.
“I must, simply must, think of a way for my
students to read.”
Suddenly, as she drove to school, just out of
the blue sky an idea came to her like a lightening bolt.
“I know, I know! I’ve hit on an idea. I know
what we can do! There must be a challenge made. My students and I will
demand of ourselves a race with the principal. This is what we will do. If
we have a contest to set a goal for so many books read, then we can demand
Mr. Principal meet our requests.
That morning the bright eyed redhead put the
thought to her students.
“Children I would like to challenge Mr.
Principal. What say you, if we have a contest of reading so many books, so
that, we can demand he meet our requests?”
There was laughter and much discussion until
she had to quiet the room. “Well, what do you think? What shall we ask him
to do?”
Every situation was discussed. What would be
the most demanding thing they could ask? Finally, one quiet student to the
rear of the room spoke.
“I know! We can ask him to dress up like Mrs.
Frazel? Well now, Mrs. Frazel was the most outrageously dressed characters
in their books. Her hair alone was enough for great discussion.
After the teacher mediated with Mr. Braden
and had his agreement the children were on their way to becoming doctors,
lawyers, mechanics, and so on and so forth.. And that is the story of how
Mrs.Frazel and Mr. Principal became better acquainted, and how, so many
learned to read in such a fine manner. |