Catamount Times
June, 2016
6th Graders Discover History While Greening Up
For Green Up Day this year, the 6th
-grade Trailblazers team went around
the town of St. Johnsbury in groups of
four or five students. We found many
items like paper and plastic and much
more. There was one object that
caught the group’s eye, though.
As we were walking, Jasmine M.
and I found something very interesting. They brought it to the rest of the
group, which included Imogyn C.,
Adriana L. and Ella B. We had no idea
what it was, so we asked our teachers
for some information.
We thought the item was most likely an old wagon wheel. To be certain,
we asked Peggy Pearl, director of the
St. Johnsbury History and Heritage
Center, to take a look at it. The entire
6th grade gathered together and
learned more about the wheel.
She said the wheel was probably
from a cart of some sort that was used
by the E & T Fairbanks Company, a
factory along the Sleepers River that
manufactured their famous platform
scales and included 40 buildings.
“It was way too small to be a wagon wheel, and I know that they had
carts of various sizes to push around
the multiple buildings that were there,”
said Peggy Pearl. “I would not be surprised if the wheel and all others were
made right there for whatever purpose
they were going to need. A pretty selfsufficient operation the E & T Fairbanks plant was!”
Catamount
Times
Volume 2, Number 5
Editors
Cybele Hantman
[email protected]
Tom Huntington
[email protected]
Jon Morris
[email protected]
The Catamount Times is produced by
the St. Johnsbury School newspaper
club. We accept submissions from all
students at the school.
Wheel Inspires
Questions about
Local History
6th-graders participating in school Green Up Day activities found an old wheel
near the Sleepers River, which is likely a wheel to a cart used at the
former E & T Fairbanks Company factory complex.
Left to right: Adriana L., Jasmine M., Imogyn C., Emma B. and Natalie E.
The artifact we found is just a small fraction
of some amazing things hidden in the river.
The wheel is now sitting on the
counter in Ms. Ingram’s classroom.
Over 200 students and approximately
20 faculty members participated in
outdoor green-up activities in St.
Johnsbury.
By Natalie E.
6th Grade
On Friday, May 6, when St.
Johnsbury School students went outside to green up the area for Green
Up Day, we found objects ranging
from bottles to old metal pipes. But by
far the most interesting item found
was an old wagon wheel.
The wheel is likely an artifact from
the E & T Fairbanks Company, an old
factory located on the other side of the
Sleepers River that was a very bustling part of our town. It appears to be
a wagon wheel, possibly from on old
cart of sorts.
When the factory burned down,
bricks and artifacts when down the
river bank into the river. Most of them
got buried in the sand or floated down
river, but many artifacts still remain in
the river. The artifact we found is just
a small fraction of some amazing
things hidden in the river.
By Hazel F.
6th Grade
Greening Up is Fun and Feels Good
Green Up Day is an annual event
in Vermont that happens on the first
Saturday in May, which this year was
May 7. Lime green bags are handed
out all over Vermont, and volunteers
dedicate their time to picking up trash.
I was not one of the 7th and 8th
graders that got to go green-upping,
unfortunately, but I made sure to go
with my family. You might wonder why
Parent Participation
Night on June 13
Connect with local educators and
listen to Tom Lovett, Headmaster of
St. Johnsbury Academy, and Dr.
Ranny Bledsoe, St. Johnsbury
School
District
Superintendent,
speak on making St. Johnsbury
School a better place through parent
involvement.
Come for dinner, discussion and
cupcakes while we brainstorm ways
for your child to have the most enjoyable and rewarding educational experience at the school.
Monday, June 13 from 6-8 p.m. at
the school’s Multi-Purpose Room.
Childcare (with pizza) and dinner
provided at no charge. RSVP by
June 8 to [email protected].
I thought collecting trash was so exciting. It felt good to do something good
for the planet, and it kind of felt like a
treasure hunt. “What will I find next?” I
thought.
You don’t have to go green-upping
only on Green Up Day – you can do it
any day of the year!
By Isidora D.
Catamount Staff Reporter
Principal’s Corner
The Countdown
Schools are always counting down
the days. I think this is because we
have a target: 175 school days. Also,
we just like to count!
We celebrate every year when we
get to 100 days. We rejoice not because we didn’t think we could make
it, but we pass the halfway mark.
Now, we are closing in on the final
days. We are actively reflecting on
how much we have discovered about
ourselves and our friends, how we
2
have grown together and what we
have learned.
Your children forever leave an
impression on our school community
and in our hearts.
We wish you all a safe and relaxing summer. We will be at the school
throughout the summer. Please do
not hesitate to contact us if we can
be of assistance.
See you on Aug. 25 at our Meet
and Greet!
With appreciation,
Jenna O’Farrell and Mike Redmon