Sunday, March 11, 2018

School Assembly


My favorite part of school was the monthly assembly where all types of outside presenters would put on a show for the students. These presenters evidently traveled a circuit. Wondering if this is still done, checked Google and found this.


So happy to see it continues.

I attended nine different schools, some twice, 1st grade to high school. These were rural schools, one with just nine students. Not every school had assemblies. Some that I remember.

Patsy Montana and her husband doing trick roping.

A man demonstrating liquid nitrogen.

Archers, including a talk on the use of archers in the Korean War. What today would be called special ops.

A weight lifting demonstration. While of great interest to us wrestlers, he geared his presentation to both sexes. That was appreciated by several future Olympic skiers, this being in Ski Town USA.

A man putting on a Tesla demonstration.

There were many others. In an era when the internet was called Encyclopedia, we students were exposed to things we probably would never know. Isn’t that the purpose of education?

A kid one year behind me became a rocket scientist. He built, as a junior, a three stage rocket. His senior year his parents were able to take him to White Sands, N.M. where he was able to fly it. It worked. While I never asked, I’m sure the assemblies had something to do with his interests.

Surely the programs have evolved over the years and been infected with SJW crap but I’m happy to see them continue.

9 comments:

Ami said...

I have never forgotten a performer by the name of Francisco Reynders.
He showed up at our high school in Eastern Oregon (graduating class of 31 kids) one morning. I was arriving late at school, so I saw him in the parking lot. A plain looking guy driving a brown Toyota and wearing a leather coat, he paid no attention to me and went directly into the school's office.

We were called to a surprise assembly about an hour later, where we were treated to a performance from a mime. He was really amazing.

I just looked him up on Google...https://www.pdxmonthly.com/articles/2016/3/29/inside-the-hobbit-house-built-by-oregons-most-famous-mime

And learned a bunch more. I'd like to know how he ended up in our little town for that morning. Huh. Thanks for the trip down the dirt track that passes for my memory lane. ;)

Well Seasoned Fool said...

Thanks for the trip down the dirt track that passes for my memory lane. ; Hahaha

You are welcome.

LL said...

I haven't thought about that sort of thing for a long time. I'm with you in that it was very interesting to have different people doing the circuit. I recall one where a modern dance troupe toured and showed up at the high school. There was a black male dancing in a pajama outfit with a white girl (which I found odd). At one point his anaconda unlimbered and he was twirling with the limp 12 incher spinning out of his clothing along with him. Back then it was scandalous.

Well Seasoned Fool said...

Broadened a few horizons?

Momma Fargo said...

WE had great assemblies, too. The Globe Trotters, exotic animals, motivational speakers, science stuff. Very cool. I think it is a great additional to curriculum.

LL said...

Today it would be "progressive".

Well Seasoned Fool said...

Yep.

Well Seasoned Fool said...

Especially for hicks in the sticks.

Old NFO said...

That is a great program, especially the STEM ones that are slanted to science!