Edited by Frank R. Shaw, FSA Scot, Dawsonville, GA, USA
Email: jurascot@earthlink.net

A few weeks ago an article was posted on Robert Burns Lives! about three Ukrainians and their outstanding work on Robert Burns. This week I want to tell you a bit more about one of them, Hanna Dyka, and a Burns event she and her students put on in honor of Burns’ 255th birthday celebration. Today a treat awaits you as we look at some youngsters from the school in Kiev which, interestingly, is a twin city of Edinburgh in gymnasia 56 (high school). These students do not come from one class but come from many grades and are naturally of different ages. Hanna, quite a Burns enthusiast, is a relatively new friend of mine, and she recently wrote in an email that “in 2012 our Junior Robert Burns Club was enrolled into membership of the Robert Burns World Federation (N 2097).” Hanna goes on to say that “the youngest children are in the 3rd grade and the rest are from the 5th, 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th grades.” I think that is quite an accomplishment for this group of youngsters to be a registered member of the Burns Federation. There are many Burns Clubs in America that are not members even though it’s so easy to become a member and so worthwhile not only to the clubs but to the federation itself. To paraphrase, let the little children lead them!

All of these children are beautiful, well dressed, appear charming, and are a credit to both their school and their teacher Hanna. This is the sort of article that is different, heart warming, and gives the children some worldwide recognition. We all ask for Burns Clubs to seek out a younger membership as we have done in my own club in Atlanta. Hanna is not only seeking young children, she is actually leading and instructing them as well. We should all write Hanna at naticlife@ukr.net to thank her for the great work she is doing with the youngsters.

The children sang songs and watched some video. At this point I cannot help but tell you of my experience this past weekend. I delivered the Immortal Memory to the Savannah St. Andrew’s Society, the longest continuing St. Andrews Society in America. It was my second time to speak to that membership and one thing that stood out to me more than anything was not the haggis which I loved since Gil fixes some of the best I have ever eaten. Nor was it the beautiful and tasty meal that was served or the open bar which I stayed away from since I was speaking. What stood out to me was the singing. Twice during the program, Murray Marshall led the group in singing songs of Burns. It was an exciting part of the program and actually thrilled me. Few members looked at the song sheets provided at each plate. Note the songs in the article below these youngsters sang. I bet they rivaled the membership of the Savannah St. Andrew’s Society! (FRS: 1.30.14)

Robert Burns 255th Anniversary
By Robert Burns Kiev Junior Club

Pic.1 Maria Oleksienko, Maria Petrykovetz', me ( Hanna Dyka) , Ivan Shabaev, Yulian Tolkachev, Michael Sydorovsky, Fedir Dovgan', Katiy Kevlych

Pic.2 Andriy Mazur, Anastasia Gordion,  Nazariy Shapoval, Emilia Maslova, Michael Sydorovsky, Valeria Komarevych, Anastasia Zhybak, Katia Galukh, Evhen Savchuk,  Fedir Dovgan'.

Dear Frank                   

Cordial greetings on Robert Burns birthday from   ROBERT BURNS KYIV JUNIOR CLUB ( SCHOOL N56)

Grant me, indulgent Heaven, that I may live, 
To see the miscreants feel the pains they give; 
Deal Freedom's sacred treasures free as air, 
Till Slave and Despot be but things that were.

Best wishes,

Members of the Club

Yesterday, on 24th of January, we had a Burns sitting ( I can't call it a party yet). Our students delivered short speeches, recited poems, sang and watched videos. I am sending three pictures and still more are to follow.

Happy Burns Day,

Kind regards,

Hanna 

Frank,

Thank you for complementing our modest event! 

The programme:

At Whigham's Inn, Sanquhar

 Robert Burns as a personality by Andrij Mazur, 8th grade

To the Lassies!  by Evhen Savchuk,9th grade

From the Lassies  by Nastya Zhybak, 10th grade

They sang the following songs:

A Red, Red Rose

For The Sake O' Somebody

The Young Highland Rover

O Wert Thou In The Cauld Blast

To A Mouse, On Turning Her Up In Her Nest With The Plough

The Wounded Hare

On a Dog of Lord Eglinton's

On Hearing It Asserted Falsehood

The Lazy Mist

John Barleycorn: A Ballad

A Man's A Man For A' That

Lines Inscribed In A Lady's Pocket Almanac

Auld Lang Syne