THE RECORD

December 13, 1995

BACK TO THE EGG

Suzanne Trevis

My five year old came in the other day, all excited because she was going to get to go on stage and sing with her class in the Christmas Concert. Her sister wanders around with her friend practicing their "mice" lines and giggling as only nine year old girls do, and I am thinking, "Finally!" It seems these days only some of the classes take part in events at Christmas time and only twice have I had the pleasure (?) of going to see my daughter "perform."

It's a shame. Some of my best school memories are of concerts, although I might not have been as thrilled at the time! In grade two I can still remember my mother dying some old curtains blue to make a "Madonna" costume. It was perfect and lasted I don't know how many Christmas shows.

In grade four we held a concert in the spring, with Mrs. Skinner. Our class did a Maypole thing with all these ribbons, etc. to the song "Circle Game." I was taking guitar lessons at the time and did an extremely nervous rendition of "Down in the Valley." Bob Coulter did a piece on the accordion (I'm sure he will love me for reminding everyone). Adele Lawrence did a modern dance to "Mr. Bo Jangles" and Floyd Conn dressed up in this huge paper machè concoction as the "Rubber Ducky" complete with flipper feet. He was definitely the hit of the show.

By grade five Mrs. Hernandez was our music teacher, and while she and I had a slight difference of opinion in homeroom, (to say we did not get along would be an understatement), she was a great music teacher. Over the next three years we did square dances, stick dances, sword dances, hula dances. If there was a dance, we did it, and we were always putting on performances to show our talents off to whoever was brave enough to come and watch.

We did a big production with songs from "Jesus Christ, Superstar," and in grade six our class, with Miss. Davies, (yes she is the same one we still have now!) enacted the song "One Tin Soldier" and did a tableau of a troika (a Russian sleigh) for Christmas. We must have spent weeks building half the props and stuff, but Mr. Manchester was the art teacher back then and if Mrs. Hernandez was good at music, he was twice as good at art.

We had Mr. Manchester for homeroom in grade seven and were dragged into helping with all kinds of projects like banners for the fire department, and "building" a cow for the drama club. There was never a dull moment. We probably did not appreciate it half as much at the time as we should have (who does), but it means that now I have some wonderful things to look back on. I will be going to watch my kids and all their friends on December 20th. I hope they are storing up some great memories as well.