On October 31, a group of us went to see the North Canton Playhouse's performance of Snow White.
It was a wonderful performance played out by only 3 actors in several roles. A usual performance at North Canton Playhouse's daytime shows is quite crowded, but this particular performance had a pleasantly small audience. We were able to sit very near the front of the auditorium. The performers played their roles with enthusiasm and definitely seemed to enjoy themselves. True to a typical N. Canton Playhouse performance, the play was not restricted to the boundaries of the stage. We found ourselves as members of the cast, portraying parts of nature and a few children were chosen from the audience to be dwarves on stage.
After the performance, the children were invited to meet the cast and have photos taken with them.
It was very exciting and fun! Our kids had a great time, which is what I've come to expect from the North Canton Playhouse. A quality, fun and worthwhile trip.
The cost for tickets was $3.00 per seat, no matter the age, but all ages are welcome to attend. My little one enjoys herself as well as the older children.
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
"Wave Me Goodbye" at North Canton Playhouse
Today's review and information was graciously provided by Charlene, a member of our group from Medina. On Tuesday, members of our group went to see the play "Wave Me Goodbye" at the North Canton Playhouse. Charlene took her 2 teenage sons with her to view the performance and thoroughly enjoyed it. Thank you, Charlene!
Here is her review of the play:
The play was good and gave us information we never knew. Their were adults, teens, middle school and elementary school age children in it. It took place from 1940-1945 when Herbert Hoover brought over children from Britain to live with host families from the Hoover company during WWII so they could live without the bombs and horror of war.
The parents of the children portrayed their fears and uncertainty of allowing their children to go across the ocean to the U.S. They sent them not knowing if they would ever see them again or whether the ship they would be sailing on could be torpedoed by the Germans. The play shows the children coming to the U.S. (which took three weeks by ship and then by train to Canton, and at one point the ship was two days late and it was feared that it had been attacked), living with the families for five years and growing up and becoming "Americanized".
When the war ended the children returned home to their families uncertain of what awaited them there other than their families. Some returned to families who had had new children born to them that these children had never met. After returning to Britain, the children wrote to their American families and told them the differences between the U.S. and the Britain they had returned to and what they will miss about America.
At the end of the play, the gentleman who portrayed Herbert Hoover made a small speech and told the audience that before he was asked to play Herbert Hoover he also had never heard this story of the children coming to Canton even though he grew up in Canton. We were told how many of the children later returned to the U.S. to live.
Then we were introduced to a lady from the crowd who was one of the children brought to the U.S. and eight years later returned to the U.S. to live. I apologize I cannot remember her name but we were thrilled to listen to her. She came over the first time to live in Canton when she was small and came with 4 siblings, leaving one sibling at home who was only
four and too young to come. She said that her parents never really told them why they were leaving Britain, and she was very confused as to where they were going,and why her parents weren't coming with them. She answered many questions from the audience.
My boys and I really enjoyed it and I told them that now they know a historical fact that most adults have no knowledge of. Their grandmother was surprised by the story also and she was a young adult during WWII and she knows many historical facts.
Here is her review of the play:
The play was good and gave us information we never knew. Their were adults, teens, middle school and elementary school age children in it. It took place from 1940-1945 when Herbert Hoover brought over children from Britain to live with host families from the Hoover company during WWII so they could live without the bombs and horror of war.
The parents of the children portrayed their fears and uncertainty of allowing their children to go across the ocean to the U.S. They sent them not knowing if they would ever see them again or whether the ship they would be sailing on could be torpedoed by the Germans. The play shows the children coming to the U.S. (which took three weeks by ship and then by train to Canton, and at one point the ship was two days late and it was feared that it had been attacked), living with the families for five years and growing up and becoming "Americanized".
When the war ended the children returned home to their families uncertain of what awaited them there other than their families. Some returned to families who had had new children born to them that these children had never met. After returning to Britain, the children wrote to their American families and told them the differences between the U.S. and the Britain they had returned to and what they will miss about America.
At the end of the play, the gentleman who portrayed Herbert Hoover made a small speech and told the audience that before he was asked to play Herbert Hoover he also had never heard this story of the children coming to Canton even though he grew up in Canton. We were told how many of the children later returned to the U.S. to live.
Then we were introduced to a lady from the crowd who was one of the children brought to the U.S. and eight years later returned to the U.S. to live. I apologize I cannot remember her name but we were thrilled to listen to her. She came over the first time to live in Canton when she was small and came with 4 siblings, leaving one sibling at home who was only
four and too young to come. She said that her parents never really told them why they were leaving Britain, and she was very confused as to where they were going,and why her parents weren't coming with them. She answered many questions from the audience.
My boys and I really enjoyed it and I told them that now they know a historical fact that most adults have no knowledge of. Their grandmother was surprised by the story also and she was a young adult during WWII and she knows many historical facts.
Sunday, October 23, 2005
University of Akron Steel Drum Band
On Wednesday, October 19, we were treated to a wonderful concert by the University of Akron's Steel Drum Band with guest performer Liam Teague. Liam is known as the "Paganini of steel drums." He truly was talented, playing beautifully along with the band and performing one of his own pieces called "Raindrops." I never knew a steel drum, or pan, could sound like that.
The Steel Band was also amazing themselves. These are college students who I'm sure haven't been playing quite as long as Mr. Teague, but still held our attention and awe at the beautiful music they played. They were incredibly talented and their enjoyment of the music was evidenced by their dancing along while they played. Their music was interspersed with lessons about the history of the pan in Trinidad, including some video. Musical selections ranged from typical calypso styles to a portion of Mozart's "Requiem," which you haven't heard until you've heard it played by a steel drum orchestra. I was thrilled, and the girls enjoyed it as well.
The concert was hosted by the Children's Concert Society of Akron, who also sponsor other activities during the school year. Although they recommend the concert for 4th to 6th graders, they had no problem with the different ages involved in a home schooling group. They were very kind and welcoming to us. I would recommend any event they host as very professional and worthwhile. Also, if you can make it to any of the Steel Band's upcoming performances, don't miss it!
The concert was hosted by the Children's Concert Society of Akron, who also sponsor other activities during the school year. Although they recommend the concert for 4th to 6th graders, they had no problem with the different ages involved in a home schooling group. They were very kind and welcoming to us. I would recommend any event they host as very professional and worthwhile. Also, if you can make it to any of the Steel Band's upcoming performances, don't miss it!
Monday, October 03, 2005
US Army's Spirit of America
Another favorite of the day included the Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps, the only unit of its kind in the armed forces. This corps keeps alive the memory of our first troops from the Revolutionary War. I absolutely loved the music they played and their formations were almost as intricate as the drill team.
My daughter especially enjoyed the Backstage Army Broom Team, who had fun spoofing the Drill Team by using brooms instead of guns. They provided a fun, light-hearted way to end the show.
Other stand-outs of the performance included:
* A musical and dramatic re-enactment of American history, complete with real guns and real horses in the battle scenes. Everyone jumped when the first troops actually shot their guns. We weren't expecting it, but it was very cool!
* The US Army Marching Band, which included 4 vocalists. They played quite a bit of music, including a medley of war time melodies.
* A laser light show illustrating the Army's future in combat. A number of people left before this display, but it was worth waiting for. They had soldiers coming down from the ceiling, a simulated helicopter, and lasers all over the place.
For a free show, I couldn't have asked for more. If there had been a charge, it still would have been worth it. We almost didn't attend, due to weather and colds, but I am so glad I decided to go.
If they come around again, be sure to be there!
Monday, September 12, 2005
William G. Mather Steamship Museum
On Friday, we visited the William G. Mather Steamship Museum in Cleveland. We had a fairly large group attend and were split into smaller groups of around 10 to tour the ship. The ship is a wonderful example of Cleveland history.
Through every doorway, you are carried back to the days when the ship was in its heyday, and so was Cleveland. There is the bridge, where the children learned about how the ship was controlled and were given a chance to turn the wheel. We walked through the Captain's quarters, which were decorated in a 1920s style as were the guest's quarters. The number of antiques is intriguing. A visiting/living room has a 1970s feel, but with a few older pieces thrown in. The guest's dining room is especially elegant, a true surprise on such a rough and rugged vessel. It suggests a different time, a time when the dichotomy between the classes was accepted and expected. Next door, we went in the officer's dining room, which had been rebuilt after a fire in the mid-80s.
We seemed to have an all-access pass, although I know that with 618 feet of ship, we couldn't have seen everything. There were a lot of very steep staircases. My 2 year old climbed up them well, but required help going down. She is a bit adventurous, so I had to keep an eye on her around the railings. The other children seemed to enjoy the ship also. They were especially intrigued by a photo album explained to us by George Yaworsky, a steward who served on the Fitzgerald, other merchant ships, and possibly the Mather as well. (sorry, I missed that info) The views from the deck were amazing. We were blessed by beautiful weather.
The end of our tour came with a small demonstration of knot-tying. Many of the children watched and attempted to learn a new skill. Also, their website contains a good amount of educational material to accompany the visit.
The cost was $4.00 per person, which was quite economical, especially considering the care and personal attention I felt we were given. There is parking right on the dock in front of the ship. It costs $8.00, which is comparable to other lots in the area, and you can walk to other nearby attractions if you stay there.
Through every doorway, you are carried back to the days when the ship was in its heyday, and so was Cleveland. There is the bridge, where the children learned about how the ship was controlled and were given a chance to turn the wheel. We walked through the Captain's quarters, which were decorated in a 1920s style as were the guest's quarters. The number of antiques is intriguing. A visiting/living room has a 1970s feel, but with a few older pieces thrown in. The guest's dining room is especially elegant, a true surprise on such a rough and rugged vessel. It suggests a different time, a time when the dichotomy between the classes was accepted and expected. Next door, we went in the officer's dining room, which had been rebuilt after a fire in the mid-80s.
We seemed to have an all-access pass, although I know that with 618 feet of ship, we couldn't have seen everything. There were a lot of very steep staircases. My 2 year old climbed up them well, but required help going down. She is a bit adventurous, so I had to keep an eye on her around the railings. The other children seemed to enjoy the ship also. They were especially intrigued by a photo album explained to us by George Yaworsky, a steward who served on the Fitzgerald, other merchant ships, and possibly the Mather as well. (sorry, I missed that info) The views from the deck were amazing. We were blessed by beautiful weather.
The end of our tour came with a small demonstration of knot-tying. Many of the children watched and attempted to learn a new skill. Also, their website contains a good amount of educational material to accompany the visit.
The cost was $4.00 per person, which was quite economical, especially considering the care and personal attention I felt we were given. There is parking right on the dock in front of the ship. It costs $8.00, which is comparable to other lots in the area, and you can walk to other nearby attractions if you stay there.
Friday, September 02, 2005
100 Members and Still Growing!
Today, our email list gained its 100th family! Yay!!
The new mom's name is Heather Wallace. She lives near Warren and has 4 children, from 3 months old to 3rd grade. I plan to give her some fun prizes for her good timing. If you can imagine confetti falling from the ceiling, this is it!
Now might be time for a little history of this group. Take Off! Home Schooling Field Trips began a couple of years ago because I wanted my older daughter to have more opportunities to be with other children. Field trips seemed to be the perfect way to do that. I called a few of my friends who were home schoolers to join me, set up the first trip (which I believe was to Dussel Farm in Brimfield), and away we went! I did it all by snail mail and phone calls, because I didn't have internet access. The next year, our "membership" decreased a bit due to fees. In December 2004, I moved down to Holmes County and gained a computer (a Mac) with internet access. It wasn't until April 2005 that I decided to move Take Off! to the internet and email where there would be no copy or postal or long-distance costs and I could open the group up to anyone in NE Ohio. At that time, I had 6 active families in the group. So from 6 to 100 has taken only 5 months. At this rate, we're beginning to look like that old Coke commercial..."I'd like to give the world a Coke..." Everybody hold hands! "I'd like to take the world on a trip!"
We are growing all the time by leaps and bounds. I am extremely excited! While I want to include anyone who is willing to join, I will still try to keep the small group feeling as much as I can. I am planning to have two dates available for most upcoming tours, so that no one gets left out. For some tours, a large group can easily be split up to tour separately, and for others, arriving on different days will be best. There may still be times when attendance will be limited to a certain number, but I will strive to avoid this when possible.
You are all important to me and to this group. I don't want anyone to feel left out. Thank you so much for being a part of Take Off! Home Schooling Field Trips!
I can't wait to get to know you all. (Just be patient while I learn all of your names.)
This is me and my girls, and yes, these are Chuck E. Cheese pictures. When you find a good photographer, you have to go with it. *smiles*
Thanks,
Jen
The new mom's name is Heather Wallace. She lives near Warren and has 4 children, from 3 months old to 3rd grade. I plan to give her some fun prizes for her good timing. If you can imagine confetti falling from the ceiling, this is it!
Now might be time for a little history of this group. Take Off! Home Schooling Field Trips began a couple of years ago because I wanted my older daughter to have more opportunities to be with other children. Field trips seemed to be the perfect way to do that. I called a few of my friends who were home schoolers to join me, set up the first trip (which I believe was to Dussel Farm in Brimfield), and away we went! I did it all by snail mail and phone calls, because I didn't have internet access. The next year, our "membership" decreased a bit due to fees. In December 2004, I moved down to Holmes County and gained a computer (a Mac) with internet access. It wasn't until April 2005 that I decided to move Take Off! to the internet and email where there would be no copy or postal or long-distance costs and I could open the group up to anyone in NE Ohio. At that time, I had 6 active families in the group. So from 6 to 100 has taken only 5 months. At this rate, we're beginning to look like that old Coke commercial..."I'd like to give the world a Coke..." Everybody hold hands! "I'd like to take the world on a trip!"
We are growing all the time by leaps and bounds. I am extremely excited! While I want to include anyone who is willing to join, I will still try to keep the small group feeling as much as I can. I am planning to have two dates available for most upcoming tours, so that no one gets left out. For some tours, a large group can easily be split up to tour separately, and for others, arriving on different days will be best. There may still be times when attendance will be limited to a certain number, but I will strive to avoid this when possible.
You are all important to me and to this group. I don't want anyone to feel left out. Thank you so much for being a part of Take Off! Home Schooling Field Trips!
I can't wait to get to know you all. (Just be patient while I learn all of your names.)
This is me and my girls, and yes, these are Chuck E. Cheese pictures. When you find a good photographer, you have to go with it. *smiles*
Thanks,
Jen
Saturday, August 27, 2005
Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad
On Wednesday, we had a lovely field trip on the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad. We rode what is known as the Canal Summer Express. This means we boarded in Peninsula, rode up to the Canal Visitor Center and back to the Peninsula. It lasted about 2-1/2 hours.
At the Visitor Center, we viewed an actual demonstration of a working lock on the Ohio & Erie Canal. Talk about Ohio history! There is no guardrail or yellow CAUTION tape. There we stood looking over the edge of the lock down down down to the surface of the stagnant water. We kept a good eye on the 2 year old, to be sure. While we were being educated by a wonderful volunteer about the canal history, we watched the gates open (some of us helped), allowing water to fill the lock so our imaginary boat could continue its journey down the canal. Our guide reminded the students to listen to the sounds the water made in order to know when it was getting full. First, the lock emptied and then we filled it up again. It may not sound like much, but it was pretty cool.
The Visitor Center is a mini-museum dedicated to the canals, history and local animals. Inside was a tabletop version of the life-size canal lock outside. Many of the children enjoyed watching the re-enactment there as well. Outside, we were divided into 2 groups. I did a terrible job of dividing the groups equally. (Sorry) Personally, I think we could have stayed together and had just as much fun. At that time, we were introduced to a small version of bowling using wooden pins and balls that fit on a small board which our guides said "might have been used by children during the canal time period." We were also led in some races together.
After a few minutes to look around the Visitor Center, (where many of the books and information were well-priced), we were led back to the train. We ate our lunch on the train up and finished on the train back. We had also been provided with a Bingo game that listed many items we would see out the windows on the way.
The volunteer guides were wonderful, friendly, and very helpful. They enjoy what they do, and it showed.
All of our children behaved wonderfully. Thank you all for that! I especially enjoyed meeting so many new people. Our group totalled 43, most of whom I met that day. It was great!
The cost was $8.00/adults, $6.00/children 1 and over, and it had to be prepaid. There were other people on the train, but they traveled in a separate car from us, and didn't get the same rates.
We had a terrific time and would definitely like to go again.
At the Visitor Center, we viewed an actual demonstration of a working lock on the Ohio & Erie Canal. Talk about Ohio history! There is no guardrail or yellow CAUTION tape. There we stood looking over the edge of the lock down down down to the surface of the stagnant water. We kept a good eye on the 2 year old, to be sure. While we were being educated by a wonderful volunteer about the canal history, we watched the gates open (some of us helped), allowing water to fill the lock so our imaginary boat could continue its journey down the canal. Our guide reminded the students to listen to the sounds the water made in order to know when it was getting full. First, the lock emptied and then we filled it up again. It may not sound like much, but it was pretty cool.
The Visitor Center is a mini-museum dedicated to the canals, history and local animals. Inside was a tabletop version of the life-size canal lock outside. Many of the children enjoyed watching the re-enactment there as well. Outside, we were divided into 2 groups. I did a terrible job of dividing the groups equally. (Sorry) Personally, I think we could have stayed together and had just as much fun. At that time, we were introduced to a small version of bowling using wooden pins and balls that fit on a small board which our guides said "might have been used by children during the canal time period." We were also led in some races together.
After a few minutes to look around the Visitor Center, (where many of the books and information were well-priced), we were led back to the train. We ate our lunch on the train up and finished on the train back. We had also been provided with a Bingo game that listed many items we would see out the windows on the way.
The volunteer guides were wonderful, friendly, and very helpful. They enjoy what they do, and it showed.
All of our children behaved wonderfully. Thank you all for that! I especially enjoyed meeting so many new people. Our group totalled 43, most of whom I met that day. It was great!
The cost was $8.00/adults, $6.00/children 1 and over, and it had to be prepaid. There were other people on the train, but they traveled in a separate car from us, and didn't get the same rates.
We had a terrific time and would definitely like to go again.
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