by Hattie Dyck
In years gone by singing was an important part of school life as teachers attempted to give their students a rounded education in the many facets of learning. I well remember wanting so badly to be a “”bluebird’’, as that designation gave you a lead part especially the very Important Christmas concert which was the highlight of our performing year.
I remember Mrs. Harold O’Brien teaching at the lower Selmah school and putting special emphasis on singing. As I’ve gone back in time to do this column the old Nursery rhymes come to the forefront especially, “Little Jack Horner who sat in the corner, eating his Christmas pie.”
Hope you enjoy this glimpse into the past as we look back at the teachers who didn’t have the facilities available today but who made the best of all they had. These little rhymes can give us an insight into life before television, the internet and cell phones.
Little ditties:
Hickory dickory dock
The mouse ran up the clock
The clock struck one, the mouse ran down
Hickory dickory dock
Hey diddle diddle. The cat’s in the fiddle
And the cow jumped over the moon
The little dog laughed to see such sport
And the dish ran away with the spoon.
Twinkle twinkle little star
How i wonder what you are
Up above the world so high
Like a diamond in the sky
Twinkle twinkle little star.
Little Miss Muffett sat on a tuffet
Eating her curds and whey
Along came a spider and sat down beside her
And drove Miss Muffet away.
A diller – a dollar a 10 o’clock scholar
What makes you come so soon.
You used to come at 10 o’clock
But now you come at noon.
Pease porridge hot
Pease porridge cold
Pease porridge hot
Pease porridge cold
Pease porridge in the pot nine days old.
This old fun song is usually accompanied by hand clapping.
Little Jack Horner sat in the corner
Eating his Christmas pie
He put in his thumb and pulled out a plum
And said, “What a good boy am I.”
Thank you guest. I too grew up in a time when things were hard but I didn't know it. One of the good things about those days was we learned to take responsibility for life and appreciate what we did have.
hattie you always send me back to a time when maybe things were hard but i as a child never knew it because of rhymes and teachers we had