Harrington news

Summer reading ends

Emma Aldrich organized the youngsters into the reading circle and began a story about Super-Hero Firemen. Bridget Rohner brought ample supplies for the 17 young super heroes to create costumes during their craft period. Masks for their eyes were colored and worn for most of the session. Rolls of foil were dispensed freely and the children used it to make protective helmets, capes for swift flight, claws for the ends of their fingers and weapons. One young lad used foil to fashion a swift sword, but found others making their swords of tongue depressors, glued together to provide an adequate length.

Several placed the end of a long string into the center of a piece of foil, and continued adding foil until it was about the size of a softball. This became another weapon of sorts, for tossing the ball at another and pulling on the string to retrieve it. To prevent the session from getting out of control, Rohner suggested that each bring their "weapons" out to display on the table, and the group was quickly involved in their next session of super hero activities.

They were divided into three groups, and each group was taught aspects of a super hero. One group started by responding to questions posed by Rohner, much as in a knowledge bowl, about the super hero strength of mind and character. If a child answered correctly, he or she was instructed to take a step forward on squares that resembled a checker board on the floor. The second group was focused on physical exercise, an obstacle course, push-ups and climbing up a step. The third group was involved in what looked like agility activities, but were called nose aerobics.

At the conclusion of these exercises, the groups reunited and were allowed to choose their gifts from collections of super-hero key chains, pencils and books. With all the excitement it was a fete for the adults to get the children to pose for a group photo. Some were more interested in showing off their capes, swords or costumes than forming up for a still photo. The children enjoyed an ice cream sandwich as they left the program.

More than 40 library books were checked out at the end of the session. By the time Rohner, E. and J. Aldrich and Rice finished packing out their supplies, the library was restored to its original condition. Even the pictures the children made the first day mysteriously disappeared. Inquiring as to their new location, Rohner admitted that she took them for a display at her booth at the Lincoln County Fair this year.