AT THE SCHOOL

At the school the halls were still quiet except for the janitor who was putting the finishing touches on the conference room. The only other person in the building was Helen sitting at her desk thumbing through papers, but her mind was not on the work in front of her. She was trying to come up with something to address the recent complaints of a large majority of the teachers. There was to be a meeting in half an hour and as the principal she was expected to come up with a plan of action to lift the spirits of the school. With spring just around the corner the students had lost their enthusiasm for anything connected with school. Helen still had not come up with an idea. That is the moment I entered the room.

The radio had been on low, playing music, but when that station signed off a talk show took its place. Helen’s mind was so much on her problem that she did not notice. This was my opportunity. I had a caller call in and start discussing the Presidents request for contributing something to your community and slowly raised the volume on the radio. Helene reached over to switch off the radio and stopped when the words penetrated her mind and a kernel of an idea
took shape.

Helen remembered that on her way into work this morning the only other house on Oak street that had all its light on was ‘The Oaks", the assisted living home. It had reminded her of her own mother that had spent so many years in public facilities and the loneliness her mother had felt separated from the active world. Her main complaint had been the total lack of freedom. Now the residences were completely dependent on the occasional visiters. How many times Helen heard the words, "Nobody comes". Helene made a quick call to the CAREGIVER of ‘The Oaks" and asked her if her idea would be
accepted.

At the meeting that morning the teachers applauded as Helen told her the plan. Every Humanity class was to think up some type of entertainment lasting about thirty minutes to be performed by three students daily. By the end of the school year every student would have spent some time at the Oaks. Not only would it be enjoyed by the residences it would be a great community project for the students.

Helene was pleased to see that her idea had received a positive response. "Now, she said, "we must decide which classes will work on this so all the students will participate before the end of the school and how we will schedule them at the home. I will leave that to you teachers but the students are old enough to come up with their own ideas for the performances. It could be a great group project for all the classes. .

" What classes did you have in mind," asked Edna, the English teacher.

" Well I was first thinking of the music department and the drama department but the English department could have a poetry reading, and the history department could participate too." "They could do a history review, telling what was happening when these people were children." " Some of the residents are over 90 years old" . " The whole thing could be a great learning situation too."

I left the school and felt well satisfied. Another project was on the agenda for the near future and I had done it all in one day. I was feeling pretty proud of myself. When I returned to The Oaks it was afternoon and the silence was unbearable. Every inhabitant seemed to be suspended in their own lethargy. It was obvious that I had more work to do. Now I needed to think about afternoons!

THIS IS ALL THAT I WILL TAKE UP SPACE WITH AT YOUR WEBSITE. THANK YOU FOR THE ENCOURAGENEBT FROM INTERESTED READERS BUT THE AFTERNOON IS AS LONG AS THE MORNING AND THIS IS NOT THE PLACE FOR A NOVEL (SMILEY FACE). JANE