The Adams School
P.O. Box 29
27 School Street
Castine, Maine 04421
326-8608
www.adamsschool.com
Lions and Tigers
and…Peacocks?—Oh My!
It’s a
jungle out there in off-neck Castine—a cryptozoological wonderland. You just never know what new critters, unseen
mythological critters, and heretofore unknown but real critters will be
showing
up in the backyard, when the backyard is affectionately known as The
Square.
At this
time of year, we can count on numerous intriguing wildlife reports in
each
morning meeting. We will hear about skunks, moose, porcupines, deer
(single and
herd), bear, owls, coyotes, numerous migratory bird species, snakes,
tiger
fish, and insects of all kinds. Even a wolf! And let’s not forget our
favorite
weasel, Dinsdale, who seems to have grown fat and content way off-neck
in
To some, he
is known as The Legend of Mr. Peacock. To Elizabeth Ballou, on the
phone just
after sunset, he was simply “that peacock yelling at me from in front
of my
house.” So we sent our reporter through the woods to investigate, since
it
seemed like a potential cryptozoology breakthrough-discovery in the
making.
Even from a
few hundred yards away, Mr. Peacock’s plaintive song was fiercely
audible, nay,
cloyingly emphatic as our man made his way through the alders and muck.
Step by
step, he closed in on the caterwauling bird badgering the Ballous,
recording as
he went. Though photographic evidence eluded him due to darkness, the
sound
file substantiates the peripatetic peacock’s existence, though other
ear-witness accounts have also been streaming in. Sunday morning he
awakened
Dr. Read, who heard it coming from the direction of the Cyrs. It is
enough for
a doctoral thesis-worth of speculation and analysis that will take its
place
alongside the search for the great Ivory-Billed Woodpecker.
We’re
already embarked on research. Adams Schoolers have had some recent
experience
with the academic side of cryptozoology. At the annual Maine Book
Awards
gathering for
How about
Baggy? The famed C-serpent of the Bagaduce, reported in ancient
drawings by
native peoples. Nowadays, Baggy likes to lurk in the eddies of The
Narrows
snacking on unwary seagulls and metropolitan pleasure boaters, or crab
rolls
from the Bagaduce Lunch. But in former days, apparently, her range
extended
much farther downstream. The Penobscot Expedition, contrary to popular
academic
theories, was demolished not by
The
We should
not be surprised by these curious local encounters. Cryptids are more
common
than the popular press would have us believe. This makes Chamber’s
Dictionary of the Unexplained an important volume in our
research, providing helpful corollary episodes from the annals of
cryptozoology. One of the most interesting chapters must surely be that
of the
The Cornish Owlman, the first sighting of whom took place on 17th
of
April, 1972, “when two young sisters, June and Vicky Melling,
holidaying in
Cornwall, England with their parents, claimed to have seen a sizeable
‘bird-man’ hovering in the air near the church tower. They likened the
creature
to a big owl covered in grey feathers, with pointed ears, red eyes, and
an
owl-like face and pincer-like feet with black claws.” Or was it an
escaped
European eagle owl—“the world’s largest species of owl, standing almost
4 feet
tall with a 6 foot wingspan.” He may have been spotted out in the
square by one
of our field observers. Perhaps he was in search of the Great Off-Neck
Castine
Peacock? You are hereby deputized as members of the Adams Department of
Cryptozoology. Get your cameras ready. Who knows what we’ll find next.
Sasquatch meets Mr. Peacock?
—Todd
Lost and found: Watch
the outdoors clothesline for familiar items…. There are still ice
skates and
snow pants that need claiming, as well as many nice sweatshirts! The
leftovers
will be donated to Goodwill…soon!
Golf Opportunity for Adams School duffers: On three upcoming Sundays, May 25th, June 1 and
June 8th
(Maine Junior Golf Day), Bob Flanders will offer golf clinics to
Weslandia!
We’re in
the two-week zone! Performance is Two Weeks away. Play rehearsals next
week
will be as follows:
Tuesdays: Act I scene 2; Act II,
scenes 2,4; Act III (Dudes, Wes, Ariel, Bob, Palindromio, Stage
Manager, CWG,
Mailman, Weslandians).
Wednesdays: Act I, scenes 1,3,4;
Act II: scenes 1,3. (Wes, Ariel, Eve, Bob, Mailman, Mrs. Stevens, Mr.
Mayo,
Stage Manager, Weslandians).
Thursdays: All actors grades 4-8
Rehearsals are in Emerson Hall from
Younger students…On May 29 and June
3, we’ll add in any students in K-3 who would like to be in the play
for big
“chorus” scenes. They should come to Emerson Hall at
Props wish list: We
need the following for Weslandia props… baseball bases,
stretcher (this
can be made with poles and fabric- it will not carry anyone: it's just
for
looks), lab coat and doctor bag and a small narrow table that would
work for a
kitchen counter. Thanks! —The
Producers.
Snacks for Play rehearsals….It would help our actors to have a little food
before the
start of rehearsals! Please send them with some extra calories for the
end of
the day.
Final P-T Conferences:
If you would like an end-of-year conference with teachers, we will be
scheduling them for the afternoons of June 17, 18, 19 from
Spring
Concert—and
Art Show! Once again, we will feature our performing and fine arts
departments at the spring concert in Emerson Hall on June 12th,
at
SMORGS III:
Our
final smorgs day of the year is Friday, June 13, from
Field Day
Cometh:
We’ll need the help of parents for Field Day activities at school and
on the
common…June 17th. Any new ideas for fun events? Sue Goodson
is
organizing.
Summer Arts
Camp at
Have a good
Memorial
Day Weekend….See you Tuesday.
******************************************************************************
Monday – NO SCHOOL (Memorial Day holiday)
Tuesday – Pancakes, Sausage, Juice, Yogurt, Orange Slices, Milk
Weds. – Hot Dogs in Buns, Smiley Fries, Cucumber Slices, Cookie, Milk
Thursday – BBQ Chicken, Mashed Potato, Cornbread, Green Beans, Pudding, Milk
Friday – Ham Italians, Chips, Baby Carrots, Popsicle, Brownie, Milk
Calendar
Update:
May
26 Memorial
Day
28 Early
Release Day: Dismissal at
June
2 Step-Up
Day for new Kindergarteners.
4
Dress Rehearsals for School Play....in
5
Performance of "Weslandia,"
9
5-6th graders to
10-11 8th
graders to
12 Spring
Concert in Emerson Hall,
13 Third
Trimester Ends
13 Earth Day
activities in morning; Smorgs in
afternoon.
16 8th Grade
graduation...
17 Field
Day/ P-T Conferences,
18 Holbrook
Island Trip (K-4) Rain date: 19th.
P-T conferences.
18 French
trip students speak to Castine Men's
Club,
19 P-T
conferences…2:15-4:45.
20 Last Student Day: backshore picnic
23 Inservice
day
24 Inservice
Day
Hydration: I also want to just remind everyone about the
importance of
staying well-hydrated during the hotter days to come. Make sure the
kids have
water bottles on the field trips, when exerting more energy
outside, etc.
Don't forget to take the Epipens on the field-trips and hikes as well.
The
teachers may want to review the Health Alert list for those students
with known
asthma conditions and bee allergies to make sure they have their
inhalers and
Epipens for these outings as well. If anyone has any questions/concerns
about
any of these conditions, recommendations, etc., please don't hesitate
to
contact me. Debbie Candage.