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Kids to perform at St. Louis
Storytelling Festival

Thousands of area kids will be at this year's St. Louis Storytelling Festival to hear folk tales by adult storytellers. But, not all kids are there to listen. Some will be performers.

Eleven-year-old Mallory Krueger will be one of those kid storytellers. She's among a group of young kids who have been practicing folk storytelling. Selected kids will put on a two-hour storytelling "concert" Saturday, May 3.

Their "kids only" event will be held from 10 a.m. to noon in the museum under the Gateway Arch. The 24th annual St. Louis Storytelling Festival is actually a four-day event April 30-May 3.

(For more information about the entire festival, see below.)

Mallory is a veteran storyteller. Last year, she was at the festival with a comedy story, "Giraffes Can't Dance." This year, she's planning to tell a spooky story, "The Golden Arm."

That's a story about a woman who has an artificial arm made of gold. She gets her husband to promise that, if she dies, her golden arm will be buried with her. Then, after she dies, he reneges and steals the gold.

But, the wife has the last word. She comes back as a ghost to haunt him. Mallory tells the story complete with an "old lady" voice and creaking door sounds.

Mallory is a fifth grader at Hagemann Elementary School and has appeared in lots of dramatic plays. She wants to be an actor. She said, "I like to tell mysteries and comedies . But, I like scary stories too."

She won her spot on the festival storytelling team by winning first in a school district competition held last month at Oakville High School.

The competition was directed by Sue Hinkel, a teacher at Beasley Elementary School. In addition to picking kid storytellers, she'll be one of the adult storytellers at the festival.

Four of the kids in her group will be telling stories made famous by the old radio comedy team of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello.

Fifth-graders Jennifer Friebel and Maggie Ruchenbrod will tell the baseball story of "Who's on First?"

Maggie said she first heard that comedy routine when she was in kindergarten. Jennifer said they polished their act by studying a movie, "The Best of Abbott and Costello."

But, Jennifer said they "messed up" their delivery during a school talent show. But, one hallmark of Abbott-Costello stories is chaos so the audience didn't notice, she said.

Fifth-graders Almedina Veletanlic and Rocky Lochhaas said they decided to try an Abbot and Costello routine after hearing Jennifer and Maggie. Their tale is an argument between Abbott and Costello about dying.

The misunderstanding comes when Abbott talks about getting a suit dyed at the cleaners. Costello thinks he's talking about being dead.

Almedina was asked about the decision to tell another Abbott and Costello story. She said, "We thought the audience would be more excited if they could hear two different stories."

Rocky said she got into storytelling because "I always wanted to tell stories when I was a kid." She said she often practices at home in front of the family. She said she gets good help from her 16-year-old sister, Theresa, who has done lots of plays in school.

Eleven-year-old Curtis Luebbering is another of the kid storytellers who is using an old-time story. It's called "The Babe and I."

It tells the story of a kid growing up in the 1930s Great Depression. He earns money by selling newspapers outside Yankee Stadium where Babe Ruth plays. But, the story is more about a kid growing closer to his dad when both are doing odd jobs to earn money.

Curtis said the librarian at his school, Rogers Elementary School, suggested the story .

Marilyn Kinsella is a former children's librarian from Fairview Heights, Ill. She recently retired so that she can become a full-time professional storyteller. She said the "kids only" session at the Festival is an effort by older storytellers to train a new generation in the art of folk tale telling.

She said area adult storytellers agree to mentor kids. One reward for the kids is to be able to tell stories at the April festival. This will be the third year for the kids storytelling "concert" at the festival.

Last year, over 24,000 people attended the storytelling event. Over 17,000 of them were kids. A big turnout is guaranteed this year. On the first day of registration, 11,000 kids registered to attend.

If you and your family would like to attend, you can get festival information and details by logging on to www.umsl.edu/~conted/storyfes.

 

2003 St. Louis Storytelling Festival schedule

The 24th annual St. Louis Storytelling Festival is a big, four-day event that's ideal for kids and families. Dozens of storytellers will appear in places all over town from April 30-May 3.

Over 24,000 people attended last year's fair and advance registrations indicate large attendance again this year. Over 17,000 of those who attended last year were kids.

The festival will feature a number of national storytellers as well as over 70 adult regional storytellers. Many of the storytellers make a living with full-time storytelling across the country.

(For a complete schedule of storytellers and where they will appear, visit the festival website at www.umsl.edu/~conted/storyfes. Or you can call (314) 516-5948.)

Storytelling is the oldest form of human communication. This was the way many cultures passed on their heritage information before there was any written record.

Many of the major events of the festival will be at the Gateway Arch and the Old Courthouse downtown. But, there are venues all over town where storytellers will perform.

Be sure to check out the schedule of events. There's something for everyone with most of the emphasis on storytelling for kids and families.

 

Lifestyle

St. Dominic Savio School wasn't satisfied with results of last year's "Penny Cup Challenge" charity fund drive. So, this year, the school let three eighth graders plan and carry it out.

The results are in. Last month, the kids turned over $1,560 to Our Lady's Inn, a shelter for homeless, abused and pregnant women. That total was six times the 2002 total.

And it amounted to more than $7 for each of the 217 students at the school.

Thirteen-year-old Caitlin Neri was one of the girls who planned this year's school-wide fund drive. She said, "When kids do something without adults, sometimes it works better."

Fourteen-year-old Susie Hark said, "Once all the kids knew the goals, it worked."

And 14-year-old Stephanie Nilica added, "We made the fund drive like a contest. Each class set its own goal." She added, "If someone talks about something and challenges you, you'll meet the goal."

The three girls are members of the Service and Spirit Committee of the school's Student Council. In February, it was their turn to organize a school project. They did it in a big way.

First, they got students in each class to set financial goals. Then, they worked with the classes to plan how they were going to raise the money. And, all during February, the three made repeated trips to each class to see how they were doing and to cheer them on.

Two of the more successful projects were the third graders' Tag Sale and the three bake sales by eighth graders. Fifth graders also sponsored a raffle.

But, there were lots of individual donors. One kid donated a 50-dollar bill that he'd earned by work around his house.

The three organizers seemed to be everywhere during the campaign.

The school has a TV program and all three appeared on the morning news. They also made posters to pin up throughout the school. And the three were a team that appeared repeatedly in the individual classes.

Caitlin Neri said the three visited each classroom three or four times during the month-long campaign.

Principal Susan Hooker said the girls' enthusiasm "empowered all students." In a school newsletter report, she said, "Awesome job, SDS."

The third graders' Tag Sale involved kids donating items from home and selling them to their classmates. Among the items were books, puzzles and stuffed animals.

Stephanie Nilica said, "They opened up like a store for a one-day sale." The Tag Sale netted over $300.

The fifth graders' Raffle involved items the kids had at home and didn't want anymore.

The eighth graders started with one bake sale. But, they ended up with three.

First, they donated cakes that had been bought at area bakeries. The school has a policy against using home-baked foods.

Then, after a Boy Scout bake sale, the eighth graders sold leftover cakes. And finally they also sold leftover pastries from a Grandparents Bake Sale. All items were sold for a quarter.

The three bake sales netted $285.

But, the heart of the Penny Cup Challenge was the large jars that were in each classroom throughout February. Kids were urged to contribute whatever they could when they came to school in the mornings.

These individual donations made up about half of the total $1,560.

The three eighth graders presented the money to officials at Our Lad's Inn on March 6. The kids were accompanied by Principal Hooker and other school administrators.

The fund drive activities didn't keep the three girls from their school work. All are good students. They all pick social studies as their favorite class. They like the history portion the best.

Stephanie and Susie haven't decided on their future careers. But, Caitlin said she hopes to be a professional chef like her dad.

 

Science

Early spring is science fair time in the St. Louis metro area. But, kids in Jefferson County have a unique distinction with their fair.

The Mastodon Art/Science Regional Fair of Jefferson County is the largest competition for kids in the country that mixes science and art entries.

In awards announced last month, 13-year-olds John Petrovic and Sarah Summers were among winners in the art competition. Twelve-year-old David Pottgen and 10-year-old Megan Wamser were winners in the science competition.

The fair gets its name from the Mastodon State Historic Site at Imperial, Mo. That site was established after archeologists discovered remains of pre-historic mastodons there. Mastodons were huge predecessors of today's elephants.

The first fair was held in 1979 at the Mastodon Park Museum. The fair was tiny then, with only a couple dozen entries.

But, it has grown over the years to where there are now 2,500 entries each year. That makes it the largest kids fair competition that includes both science and art. Entries are from kids, kindergarten through high school.

The fair entries covered a wide variety of both subjects.

John Petrovic is a 7th grader at St. Joseph Catholic School in Imperial. His award-winning entry in the art competition was a chrome-painted "junk sculpture." Parts included such diverse things as a sardine can and an Andy Benes bobble-head doll.

When asked if his artwork will help with his future career, John said, "I don't think so."

Rather, he has plans to become a professional chef. He already does some of the cooking for his family. His favorite recipe is for Buckeyes. That's a dessert that includes peanut butter and a rich dipped chocolate coating.

John's entry got in the regional fair in a round-about way. He entered the sculpture in his local school's competition. But, his dad was a judge at the local fair and didn't feel it would be right if he awarded his own son a blue ribbon.

However, the school principal suggested John's mother submit the piece directly to the regional fair. Several of the winning entries in the Jefferson County fair were submitted directly, without going through local school competitions.

Twelve-year-old David Pottgen said his science project will have some future career value. His project tested the weight-bearing capacity of suspension and rigid-frame bridges. He made his bridges out of K'nex pieces.

The suspension bridge was able to carry the most weight without breaking.

The Fox Junior High student said his fair project helps in studies to become an architect.

He's already picked his college, Kansas State University. That's because of its good architect school and the unusual agreement with the University of Missouri.

KSU has an architecture school that serves both states so Mizzou doesn't have to have a similar school. Missouri residents get to attend KSU but pay only in-state tuition.

"It'll be cheaper for me than what my dad pays to go to Saint Louis University," David said. His father is a policeman and is taking advance classes in criminal justice at SLU.

Thirteen-year-old Sara Summers is a home-school student from High Ridge. She entered a chalk and oil pastel painting depicting hills and flowers.

She said her artwork will be useful as she tries to be an art teacher. But, she plans to teach art only part-time and also find another career that's more financially rewarding.

The 8th-grader said she has experimented with different forms of art. She's done ceramics, leather-work and string projects in addition to the drawing and painting.

She said she's kept all of her earlier work. "I have it in my room or my mother displays it around the house," she said.

Ten-year-old Megan Wamser is a 5th grader at Seckman Elementary School in Imperial. Her project grew out of an idea her sister, 12-year-old Elizabeth, tried two years ago.

Elizabeth tried to test how mold grew on different types of moistened breads. But, Megan said, "She couldn't get the mold to grow on her bread."

Megan's experiment went in a different direction. She decided to test the ability of calcium propionate to retard spoilage in breads. She said her older sister's advice on how to conduct an experiment and record data helped her succeed with her project.

For Jefferson County fair results, you can log on to www.masrf.org. For information about the Mastodon State Historic Site, visit www.mostateparks.com/mastodon.htm.

 

Books

This month's book reviews

A dog hero with the powers of Superman
and the instincts of a common pooch

McGrowl is his name. He's the unusual dog that chased a cat into a power plant and experienced thirty million volts of electricity. The jolt equipped him with bionic superpowers. He is now the smartest, fastest, and strongest dog in the world. He is also a dog with an obsessive hatred of cats and a preoccupation with food of any kind, but especially with cake. The combination of McGrowl's superpowers and his ordinary dog-like tendencies is the basis for some really hilarious incidents in this story.

Thomas Wiggins was the boy who "owned" this unusual dog. He and McGrowl shared a telepathic connection that enabled each of them to know each other's thoughts. Only Thomas' friend, Violet, knew of the boy's and the dog's special abilities. No one else knew. Certainly, Mr. Wiggins, Thomas' father, didn't know. He thought McGrowl was just a big, dumb dog, and he was scared to death of any dog. And that posed a problem. Thomas was afraid his father would make him get rid of McGrowl. And who would want to get rid of a pet with the powers of Superman?

You get the idea. This book combines lots of laughs with a plot about an evil guy and his girlfriend who are out to take over Thomas' hometown. When the bad guy figures out that Thomas knows about his evil intentions, the real action begins. Can McGrowl leave cats and cake alone long enough to save the town of Cedar 'Springs? That what "It's a Dog's Life" is all about.

 

Sometimes you can't play your best baseball
if something is bothering you

Sandy Comstock was a really good baseball player. He was a power hitter and his favorite position was center field. Because of his fighting with some troublemakers, he was unjustly accused of shop lifting at a convenience store and connected to the burning down of a storage shed. He was sentenced to do some community service. His record was cleared when he completed a number of hours helping to coach some even younger players in a baseball league.

Sandy's parents moved to a neighboring town and, of course, Sandy moved with them. He joined a team in that new town. However, he was placed at third base, a position he did not want to play. In addition, Perry Warden, the kid from his old hometown who had gotten Sandy in trouble with the police showed up at some of the games. Sandy was angry over not getting to play in his best position. He was also afraid that Perry Warden would tell the coach and the other boys about Sandy's past mistake.

Sandy's anger and resentment caused him to have problems with his coach and team members. Could he find a way to control his anger? Could he tell his friends about his past without being taken off the team? You need to read the book to find out. You will also be reading about some exciting baseball action.

 

Fifth graders find out that sometimes
they can change things

This story starts out in Mrs. Hanson's fifth grade classroom. Jenny, the main character in the story, is a pretty normal fifth grader. She's not too good at math and her little brother is a pest, but aside from that, things seem fairly normal. That is until Elsie shows up as a new student in the classroom. Elsie was described as having eyes that were "squished above cheek bubbles of fat" and chins that "rippled down her neck." She had no waist except "where her stomach bulged out below her chest." Her legs were described as like "two bed pillows with the ends stuffed in shoes." The whole class agreed Elsie was "gross."

Jenny and the rest of the class were grossed out even more when they saw how much Elsie could eat. When lunch money disappeared and Elsie showed up the next day with candy, Jenny and some of the rest of the class suspected Elsie was a thief also. But then Jenny began to discover that Elsie was just an unhappy fifth grade girl with other problems in her life that very likely were contributing to her eating and weight problems. On the plus side, Elsie was smart and good at math. She was able to help Jenny in math when the teacher and Jenny's parents couldn't help her.

The story goes on to tell how Jenny and the rest of the class came to understand Elsie and come together to keep her at their school. Her problems were pretty complicated, but fifth graders were able to help Elsie turn her life around and become accepted as part of the group.

 

If you think you are a computer "techie" and
a space travel fan, this is the book for you

"Outernet: Time Out" by Steve Barlow and Steve Skidmore is a hard book to describe. The main characters are Jack Armstrong, a fourteen-year-old from England, along with two American teen-agers, Merle Stone and Lothar (Loaf) Gelt. The three of them are traveling around different locations in the Galaxy. They are accompanied by two friendly shape-changing aliens, Blitz, disguised as a dog and Googie, disguised as a cat. The human kids have in their possession a device called "The Server", which is a communication device and teleportation portal. The Server can take them anywhere and make it possible for them to communicate with any space creatures they might encounter. The trouble is the FOE's, or Forces of Evil, also are after The Server and want to use it to control and oppress the people of the Galaxy.

You have to be alert to the hidden humor distributed throughout the story. For example, a book that plays a part in the story is "A Short History of Time" by Seething Hawkthing. Some of the honored celebrities of that era are Leaf Ericson, the explorer, as well as Holly Wood, the TV star, and Forest Grump, a local hero.

Naturally, this kind of a setting has all kinds of trouble for the kids to get into. In one instance, because of a temper tantrum Merle has, she becomes separated from the rest of the group by a time warp. With so many different kinds of space creatures, it is almost impossible to tell which ones are friendly and which ones are dangerous members of FOE. As a reader, you never know what's going to happen next.

Actually, "Outernet: Time Out"is the fourth book in a series of four paperbacks. In addition, the authors maintain a website for fans of the books. The address is www.go2outer.net.

 

Health

Kids learn: Good posture now,
healthy backs later

Eleven-year-old Madison McCormack says she can't always have good posture when working on her home computer. That's because her dog likes to be in her lap while she's on the Internet.

The fifth grader at Westchester Elementary School said, "When he's on my lap, I have to slump over to reach the mouse."

She made the remark after a health lecture on the importance of taking good care of your back. Exercise therapist Ray Vollmer from the AIMS program at Saint Louis University made the talk.

He said good posture is a very important part of making sure your back doesn't give you trouble later in life.

Vollmer has had over 15 years of therapy experience. He works with adults to rehabilitate their backs after injuries and surgeries.

But, he now also gives his "Back Visions" talks to young kids. He told the Westchester Elementary School fifth graders, "It makes more sense to give the information early before your backs are hurt."

"Good posture now can help prevent back problems before they start," he told the kids.

He said two of the biggest causes of poor posture in kids are computers or TV watching. But, he added lack of exercise and poor diet also are bad.

Even cigarette smoking can contribute to future back trouble. Vollmer said, "Cigarettes can dry out the disks in your back." He said disks are the "cushions" that keep the bones of the back from hitting each other.

Eleven-year-old Claire Gresham said, "My dad bugs me about my posture when I'm sitting at the dinner table or watching TV."

Eleven-year-old Shauntele Branom admits she slouches while watching TV. But, she added, "I do get up and stretch from time to time."

Vollmer told the kids, "People start damaging their backs at your age."

He said the back is "one of the most important body parts you have." He pointed out that all other parts of the body are controlled by nerves that all go through the spinal chord.

"You need to take care of your spine," Vollmer said.

Eleven-year-old Tony Reyes said, "I use computers a lot and play games." He said the most important thing he learned from Vollmer's talk was "not to slouch."

The kids were impressed by Vollmer's bare-bones model of the back. He said there are 24 separate bones in the back with "shock absorber" discs between. The back model also showed how the nerves come out of the back.

"If you don't have correct posture, you can pinch those nerves. That can hurt your hips, your legs and even your fingers," he said.

Eleven-year-old Damani Chandler said he tends to sit slumped "when I get bored."

He added, "I didn't think smoking would have an effect on the back but now I do."

Both Damani and Shauntele said they had hurt their backs. He said he got hurt playing football and she fell when she slid on ice. But, neither of them had to see a doctor.

Shauntele said, "My back hurt for about two weeks but I stretched it out."

Vollmer pointed out that "standing up straight" is actually a misnomer. Correct posture actually makes sure the back curves in the right places. He said the spine isn't actually straight but has three natural curves.

The first is an inward curve in the neck area. Then, the spine naturally curves out in the area behind your chest. Finally, there's another inward curve in the small of your back.

He said poor posture makes the back curve in the wrong places.

One of the kids asked about posture when you're sleeping. She said she liked to curl up in a ball when she sleeps.

He said posture when you're sleeping isn't as important because you are lying down. That means your back isn't carrying as much weight as when you are standing erect.

He also said swimming is an ideal exercise because it keeps the muscles limber and puts very little weight on the back.

"When you're in water, you hardly weigh anything," he said.

 

Sports

Kids seek 4th straight trip to AAU finals

The St. Louis Gateway 13-and-under boys basketball team will try this month to qualify for the AAU national finals. For some of the players, that would be their fourth consecutive trip to the nationals. .

The Gateway team will be one of the favorites in the Missouri state tournament. That tournament is scheduled for April at Fort Zumwalt High School.

Thirteen-year-old Drew Hanlen is one players who's been the national finals three times. He was on the 10-and-under, 11-and-under and 12-and-under St. Louis Gateway teams.

He said he's confident this year's team can qualify again. "We're fast, we can shoot and we've got size," he said. Hanlen attends Hixson Middle School in Webster Groves.

Hanlen is a point guard on the team. He's part of the speed and shooting portion of the team. For size, the team has two 6'4" players and another who is 6'3".

Coach Henry Rosehill and his assistant have recruited players from across the St. Louis metro area. He has players from Illinois, St. Charles and St. Louis counties as well as the City of St. Louis.

The select team also has plenty of game experience. Gateway St. Louis has played more than 60 games so far this season.

But, the players don't pay much attention to their won-lost record.

Thirteen-year-old John Simon said simply, "We win some and lose some. We don't pay attention to records. Stats are for losers," he said. John attends Chaminade College Prep.

A shooting guard, Simon is another of the Gateway players who have been to three consecutive national finals.

He's been playing basketball since he was in third grade. He said his best experience in basketball was with the Gateway 11-and-under team. That's the one that finished 17th among the 50 or more teams in the national tournament.

"We all shot well that year. It was our best year," he said.

The players and coach were disappointed in their 20th place finish last year.

Coach Rosehill attributes last year's finish to a lack of concentration. He said, "Too many players thought it was a vacation."

Drew Hanlen said he enjoyed last year's nationals. But, that experience had more to do with meeting one of his competitors. "We plays against a rapper, Lil Romeo," he said.

All three of the last national finals were played in cities with Atlantic Ocean beaches.

This year's national tournament won't be anywhere close to the ocean. It is scheduled for Memphis, Tenn. "The players will be a lot more focused," Coach Rosehill said.

One of the Gateway St. Louis players is the coach's son. Thirteen-year-old Chris Rosehill is also a shooting guard. He attends Crestview Middle School in the Rockwood district.

He said the team likes to fastbreak and uses a 1-3-1 zone defense. Asked about defending against shots from the corner, Chris said, "The wing players drop down in coverage."

Chris also said the national tournament when he was a 5th grader was his best experience. His worst? That's when his team lost in the Missouri finals when he was in third grade.

That's the last time the St. Louis Gateway team missed advancing to the national finals.

For both Hanlen and Simon, low points in their basketball careers involve broken bones.

Hanlen said he broke an arm which kept him from playing in a state tournament.

Simon said, "I broke my arm just before the nationals when I was in 4th grade."

He's suffered a broken arm and a broken hand this season. But, he added both are healed and he's ready for this year's state tournament.

All three of the guards hope to play basketball in high school and also in college. All would like to play professional basketball. But, all have other career plans too.

Hanlen would like to be a lawyer "if pro ball doesn't work out." Simon said he'd consider a career as a U.S. marine while Rosehill has his eye on being a stockbroker.

But, this month, their common goal is qualifying for the fourth consecutive time to go to the AAU nationals basketball team.

 

Money

Ten-year-old Mark Griggs admits he used to be a "big spender." But, after suggestions from a local banker, he said, "I'm saving my money more than spending it."

He and other fourth graders at Marvin Elementary School have been getting money tips through a program called "Dollar$ and $ense." That's sponsored by the Missouri State Treasurer's office.

Pam Lueker of St. John's Bank and Trust Co. has been helping. She's an assistant vice president at the nearby bank. The kids will end their lessons this month with a bank tour. Their class teacher is Rhonda Donaldson.

One class goal is to show kids that there's more to money than just spending it.

Ten-year-old Krista Daniel says she used to spend money freely. But, she said, "I didn't spend my own money. I spent my Mom's." Now that she's a saver, her Mom gets to save more of her money, Krista said.

Some of the kids said they had savings accounts even before "Dollar$ and $ense" classes.

Nine-year-old Kaysone Keopine said she's always had a savings account. "I save all my money," she said.

She said the most important thing she learned from the classes was "not to spend all my money on any one thing." She said she likes to spend her money on "something precious, like glass dolls."

Nine-year-old Laurel Reese admits she used to spend all of her money. But, after awhile, she said she started to wonder if what she bought was worth it.

"Now, I think it over before I spend to see if I really want that," she added.

Her most valuable school lesson about money was, "when you get money, you're not supposed to spend it all," she said. "You should save some for the future," she said.

Many of fourth graders said they earn money by doing chores around the house.

Nine-year-old Nikolas Fischer said he used to get an allowance. But, now, he said, "I have to do really big work before I get paid." Those jobs include helping his Dad with painting and with construction of a rock garden at his home.

Laurel Reese said she earns money by doing work around the house and at her aunt's house. "Sometimes I clean under the sofa and find money there," she added.

Ten-year-old Xavier Gomez said he's gotten a chance to earn money recently because of a fire in his friend's house. "They live in a hotel now but are going to move in May. I earn money helping them pack for the move," he said.

Ten-year-old Tapley Rasch earns money is by selling things to his friends. Or sometimes he uses bartering. That's when people exchange things with others without using money.

Tapley said he likes to barter yong-oh cards, which are similar to pokemon cards.

Several of the kids said they enjoyed the class lessons about barter.

Nikolas Fischer said, to be a successful barter, you have to understand what your item is worth to another person. Then, you need to think of what their item is worth to you.

Several of the kids have saved considerable amounts of money. Some of them even have more than one savings account.

Krista Daniel said she had a bank savings account even before taking the classes. "When the banker talked about savings accounts, I started another," she said.

Some of the kids are saving for things they plan to buy in the months ahead.

Mark Griggs wants to buy a big fish tank. "I had a tank but my fish died and my Mom gave away my old tank," he said. "But, I've still got two pet fish at my Grandma's house," he said.

Nikolas Fischer said he's saving to buy a big cage for "a really big lizard." He said he has a bearded dragon lizard named Oscar but he wants a bigger one. "I don't know the name of it but it's real rare and expensive," he said.

But, Tapley Rasch's goal is much longer-term. So far, he's got $590 in his savings account. But, he knows he'll need much more to reach his goal. That's because he's saving his money so he can be the owner of a roller coaster park when he grows up.

Asked if he is a big spender now, he said, "Yes and no. I spent a lot but I still always save some."

 

News

Second in a series

Recycling to make Earth Day music

What do an old shoe box, used aluminum pie plate and piece of PVC pipe have in common? If you know how to do it, all can be made into working musical instruments.

City Museum staff members will show kids those recycling skills on two Saturdays during April. The museum is one of a dozen organizations sponsoring Earth Day Around Town events in April.

These events and activities lead up to the 2003 St. Louis Earth Day. That annual family event will be held in Forest Park on Sunday, April 27.

(For a complete schedules for Earth Day Around Town events and the April 27 Earth Day in Forest park, you can visit www.stlouisearthday.org. Also, for last month's YSL.com preview story about the 2003 St. Louis Earth Day, click here.)

Linda Horsley is City Museum's coordinator of events and exhibits. She said the museum's "Recycled Rhythms" activity fit right into the 2003 Earth Day theme, "Passport to a Healthy Planet."

She said, "We'll help kids use objects that normally are thrown away to make a musical instrument they can use."

Marion Nichols is the director of the museum's Art City. That's a part of the museum where kids get to make all sorts of things from recycled products. The museum has set up "Recycled Rhythms" instrument making in the afternoons of Saturday, March 19 and 26.

Ms. Nichols said an old shoe box can be made into a shoe box guitar. A clean used pie plate can be made into a tambourine. And a length of PVC pipe can have holes drilled in it to make a flute.

She said the museum will have lots of recycled materials available so kids can make their own musical instrument. Other possible items include wind chimes, drums and maracas.

The museum gets contributions of all sorts of unused materials. But, she added she is always on the lookout for more aluminum pie plates. And, she'll need more heavy rubber bands for use in making guitars.

"Kids can bring their own materials. But they also can bring their own ideas for the type of musical instruments they want to make," she said.

Kids will make their recycled musical instruments in the museum's second floor Art City area. If the weather is clear, some instrument making will be done on the adjacent outdoor deck. Harvey McNaughton is another Art City staff member who will assist kids.

The museum plans to have a Drum Circle and organized performances after the recycled musical instruments are completed.

Another feature of Earth Day Around Town is that kids can earn credits to prizes for taking part in events. .

Be sure to get your Passport to a Healthy Planet booklet. Then, when you take part in Earth Day Around Town events, be sure to ask for passport stamps. Then, you can earn prizes from some of the Around Town organizations.

Also, you'll be able to enter in three grand prize drawings at the Sunday, April 27, Earth Day celebration.

Besides the museum, other organizations holding Earth Day Around Town events are:

• St. Louis Community Air Project, a bookmark design contest (Entries by April 16).
• Saint Louis Zoo, a Missouri wildlife scavenger hunt, all April weekends.
• Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, the Show-Me mobile aquarium, Saturday and Sunday, April 12 and 13.
• Gateway Center for Resource Efficiency, a tour of the EarthWays Home on Open House day, Friday, April 18, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Missouri Botanical Garden, visit demonstrations and displays by Earth Share of Missouri organizations, Saturday, April 26, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• 12th Annual Tree, Earth and Arbor Day at Chesterfield's Central Park, Saturday, April 26, 9 a.m. to noon.
• Grace Hill Americorps Trail Rangers Project on the Bicycle the Riverfront Trail, Saturday April 26, starting at 10 a.m.
• Piwacket Theatre's Enchanted Forest Carnival in Tilles Park in Ladue, Saturday, April 26 at 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• St. Louis Teachers Recycle Center Inc., pick up recycled materials during April for making a boat for the Earth Day regatta.
• Missouri Department of Natural Resources, visit one of St. Louis' area state parks. They include Scott Joplin House State Historic Site, First Missouri State Capitol State Historic Site, Castlewood State Park and Dr. Edmund A. Babler Memorial State Park.

You can get directions and details by clicking on the www.stlouisearthday.org website.

 

Ball Kids

YSL.com ball kids work two thrillers

Young Saint Louis.com ball kids, Tony Mazzuca and Jim Malle, got to work two thrilling games last month. Both of their games at the Missouri Valley Conference men's tournament were decided by one point.

The fifth graders from St. Gabriel School were right on the floor during the games. In one, Illinois State beat Drake, 63-62. In the other, Indiana State beat Northern Iowa, 61-60.

Both Tony and Jim said the best play was what Jim called the "buzzer beater" at the end of the second game. That involved tip-in by Indiana State's Brian Giesen off a missed shot by teammate Lamar Grimes.

But, both boys said the best part of their ball kid experience was working at keeping the floor dry for the players. Jim said, "It was cool to wipe sweat off the floor."

Tony seconded that. He added, "I also liked to sit on the floor right next to the action."

Missouri Valley Conference officials reserved two ball kids spots for readers of YSL.com.

For the second year, the YSL.com has had a sign-up and drawing to select two ball kids to work at the MVC conference tournament.

Tony and Jim wanted to work the first round games on Friday, March 7. That's because they had basketball games of their own to play on both Saturday and Sunday.

When asked if he learned anything from the college players to help his game, Tony said, "Yeah, to dribble low." Tony was interested in the dribbling because he plays point guard on his fifth grade team.

Tony and Jim saw a little bit of everything at their games. For one thing, a Drake University player was injured and had to be helped from the floor.

Then, there were the close games.

In the first game, Illinois State just survived a closing rush by Drake. And, in the second game, Northern Iowa missed four free throws near the end that allowed Giesen's tip in to decide the game.

Asked about what they'll remember about their experience, Jim said, "Everything." Tony said, he'd remember "getting to be right on the floor."

He said his Dad got them front-row tickets at a Saint Louis University game. But, being right on the floor was better.

Both boys said the players looked bigger and the floor looks smaller when they were right under the basket.

Of course, another thing the boys liked were the souvenir T-shirts. And they got free snacks in the MVC media break room during intermissions.

YSL.com hopes to be able to offer readers an opportunity for other participation activities in future months.

 

St. Louis History

Dred Scott case started here in 1846

On April 6, 1846, Dred Scott and his wife, Harriet, started their legal battle in St. Louis to become free people. Their unsuccessful 11-year effort against slavery is considered important in leading to the Civil War.

The Scotts' battle went through two different trials. First, they were freed by the local Missouri court. But, that decision was overturned by the Missouri Supreme Court.

Then, lawyers for the Scotts appealed to the federal courts. The case finally ended up in the U.S. Supreme Court.

Chief Justice Roger B. Taney wrote in the majority opinion that found the Scotts must remain slaves. The decision was 7-2. Taney also wrote that, since the Scotts were slaves, they weren't U.S. citizens so couldn't sue for their freedom in the federal courts.

This harsh decision was opposed by many American citizens, both black and white. The controversy spilled over into presidential politics. The new Republican Party had been formed earlier to fight against slavery.

In the election of 1860, the Republican candidate, Abraham Lincoln, was elected. Also, South Carolina seceded from the country.

After the Supreme Court decision, the Scotts' owner, Irene Emerson, remarried and her new husband, Calvin Chaffee, was very opposed to slavery. Irene Emerson gave the Scotts to a St. Louis couple who had befriended them.

They freed the Scotts in May, 1857. That was just a month before Dred Scott died.

You can get more information about the Dred Scott case and slavery in Missouri on two websites. (Note: Both of these addresses are long so make sure you type them correctly.)

The National Park Service address is www.nps.gov/jeff/ocv-dsscottd.htm. The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) address is www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p2932.html.

 

Dred Scott courtroom now a historic site

The Dred Scott case was heard in what is now called the Old Courthouse in downtown St. Louis. That building and the Gateway Arch make up the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial.

The Jefferson Memorial is one of several Missouri sites under supervision of the federal National Park Service. The Arch and the Old Courthouse offer interesting tours for kids and their families.

Another NPS historic site that's fun to tour is Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site across from Grant's Farm in south St. Louis.

You can learn more about the National Park Service sites in Missouri by logging on to: data2.itc.nps.gov/parksearch/state/state.cfm?statevar=mo.

 

St. Louis history highlights on
Earth Day and basketball

The St. Louis Earth Day celebrations are a local highlight for kids and adults during April. Local Earth Day events started here back in 1970, with a "Litter and Survival" march in Forest Park.

Each year, college basketball teams closes out the season with the NCAA Final Four in early April. But, for St. Louis, April was the city's high point in pro basketball. The St. Louis Hawks beat the Boston Celtics to win the 1958 NBA championship.

April also is the anniversary of St. Louis' first public school, which opened in 1838.

These are just a few of the highlights on St. Louis history to be found in the book, "St. Louis 365." Local historian Joe Sonderman has compiled thousands of notes about St. Louis' colorful history.

He includes 151 different historical citations for April alone.

(If you'd like to have a copy of Sonderman's book, it's on sale at all major St. Louis book stores. You also can purchase it on line at www.booksonline.com.)

Here are a sample of April anniversaries from Sonderman's book:

April 2, 1838: The first public school in St. Louis opened. The Missouri Legislature had organized a school board and set in motion plans for two school houses in 1837. The first one to open was the Laclede Primary School at Fourth and Spruce. While the first school was public, it was not free.

April 5, 1904: The city police chief ordered his officers to strictly enforce an eight-mile-per-hour speed limit on city streets and a six-mile-per-hour limit in the parks. He said the spring weather would bring out automobiles of the latest types, and drivers would be using the boulevards and parks as raceways.

April 5, 1916: The St. Louis Zoo got its first elephant. School children raised $2,300 in pennies to purchase the pachyderm, which was to be named in honor of school board president James Harper. The elephant turned out to be a female, so she was dubbed "Miss Jim."

April 8, 1904: The latest figures from the Census Bureau showed that St. Louis was the fourth largest city in the country. The population of the city was put at 612,279. That ranked behind only New York, Philadelphia and Boston.

April 12, 1958: The Hawks won the NBA championship, defeating the Boston Celtics four games to two. In the final game, Hawks hero Bob Petit scored 50 points. He broke the NBA record for points in a regulation playoff game.

April 14, 1924: Maya Angelou was born as Marguerite Johnson in St. Louis. She first rose to critical acclaim in 1970 when her story of her childhood in segregated rural Arkansas, "I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings." Angelou today is one of the leading African-American literary figures.

April 19, 1878: The telephone came to St. Louis. George Freeland Durant opened the first exchange at 417 Olive. He had 12 subscribers. They paid $300 for a three-year-contract. By the time the first directory was issued later that year, there were 60 subscribers and 72 phones in St. Louis.

April 22, 1970: Teach-ins and seminars at area colleges marked the first "Earth Day" observances in St. Louis. St. Louis University and Washington University students joined in a "Litter and Survival" march in Forest Park.

 

Things to Do

Places to go, things to do

A host of fun activities for April

April is the start of spring in St. Louis. The month also is full of fun activities for participation by metro-area kids and families.

In this month's Young Saint Louis.com edition, we've included full feature stories on two of the events. Those are the St. Louis Storytelling Festival and the St. Louis Earth Day activities.

Be sure to check out those stories and linked websites for a complete listing of activities. .

Another upcoming April event was featured in the February, 2003, edition of YSL.com. That was the Family Fitness Weekend April 4-6, which includes the USA Women's Marathon Championship and the Spirit of St. Louis Marathon.

In February, our featured article was about the Read/Right/Run Marathon program. That enlisted kids for a 26-week program of running, reading and doing good deeds.

Kids in that program will finish their running as a part of the St. Louis Marathon. (For a look at that earlier Read/Right/Run story, click here.)

For a complete look at the marathon weekend's activities, you can log on to the St. Louis Marathon's website at www.stlouismarathon.com.

 

Wildflower hikes in conservation areas

With the snow gone and the spring rains started, can wildflowers be far behind?

In April, two local state conservation areas have scheduled several wildflower hikes for kids and their families.

At the Rockwoods Reservation in extreme west St. Louis County, four hikes will be held for families. They will be on Saturday, April 19; Wednesday, April 23; Saturday, April 26, and Sunday, April 27.

For directions and reservations, call (636) 458-2236.

At the Busch Memorial Conservation Area in St. Charles County, three hikes are planned. One is for kids only, another for adults only and the third for families.

The kids-only hike will be Friday, April 11, from 10 to 11 a.m.

The family hike is scheduled for Thursday, April 24, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Call for directions and reservations to (636) 441-4554.

 

April schedule at Museum of the Dog

The American Kennel Club's Museum of the Dog schedules Dog of the Week programs just about every Sunday. Three different breeds will be featured during April.

Kids attended get an up-close look at the featured dogs. The museum also has a fine collection of artwork featuring dogs of all kinds.

The Sunday programs begin at 1:30 p.m. There is an admission charge of $3 for adults and $1 for children 5-14 years.

The April schedule is:

Sunday, April 6: Greyhounds.
Sunday, April 13: Tibetan Spaniel
Sunday, April 20: Closed for Easter
Sunday, April 27: Bouvier des Flanders

The Museum of the Dog is located on the east edge of Queeny Park in west St. Louis County. The address is 1721 S. Mason Road. You can get there from Highway 40 by exiting at the Mason Rd. exit and going south. Also, you can take Manchester west from I-270 and go north on Mason.

For additional information, call (314) 821-3647.

 

Grant's Farm opens for 2003 season

One of St. Louis' favorite destinations--Grant's Farm--opens for the season on Sunday, April 13.

During the winter, the tours of the farm are halted. That's what makes the spring opening such a much-awaited event.

Admission is free but there is a $4 parking lot fee.

The hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday through Friday; 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, and 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Sunday.

For information, call (314) 843-1700.

 

Math Puzzler

Lets see if Mr. Math Puzzler
will be tougher in April

A lot of our Young Saint Louis.com viewers seem to be catching on to Mr. Math Puzzler. Let's see if his April Puzzlers will be more of a challenge.

There were 10 viewers who answered all of Mr. Math Puzzler's questions correct in the March fun competition.

Last month, Mr. Puzzler used a lot of illustrations. This month, he hasn't used any. However, there is one question where you can answer with either words or an illustration.

In March, we also had a number of first-time entrants and several did very well. We're always looking for new contestants who want to have some fun with math. Why don't you suggest to your friends that they join you in entering.

If you are a new entrant, we always suggest you check past Puzzlers questions to see how Mr. Math Puzzler thinks. Mr. Math Puzzler is Wayne Hesse, a math teacher at Green Park Lutheran School in south St. Louis County.

His Puzzlers have been on the YSL.com website since September, 2001. That means you can use our Past Stories tab on the home page to check all the past questions and answers.

Just pick any month since the start and call up the Math Puzzler stories.

After checking one month's questions, click on the next month for the answers. By studying both questions and answers, you'll understand how Mr. Math Puzzler thinks.

(For a listing of winners and answers to the March competition, click here.)

Young Saint Louis.com likes it when kids who enter the Math Puzzler competition get the correct answers. We get to list the winners the following month. We also give out up to three $10 Borders gift certificates as an extra bonus.

Now, you should be ready for the April contest.

A reminder: These Math Puzzlers can be quite challenging, especially for younger kids. Remember, we don't mind if you get help from a parent or older brother or sister. In fact, you might want to make this a family activity.

Here's how to enter:

1. Print out the following entry form.
2. Fill out your name, address and telephone number.
3. Give your answers to the six Math Puzzlers.
4. Put your completed entry into a stamped envelope.
5. Mail your entry to:
   
   Math Puzzler Contest
   Young Saint Louis.com
   231 So. Bemiston Ave., Suite 800
   Clayton, MO 63105
   
   
6. All entries must be postmarked by the 15th of the month to be eligible.

-------------Clip here to make entry-------------

Entry for April, 2003, Math Puzzler Contest:

Name: ________________________________ Age: ______

Address: _________________ School: _________________

City:_____________________, State:______ ZIP_________

Contact phone no.(____)____________________

The Math Puzzlers
(April, 2003)

1. Sue and Jim were practicing free throws and each made 75 out of 100. After a little break, Jim tried again and hit 37 out of 50 shots. Sue did not do any more shooting. Who had the better percentage for the day?

Answer:_______________

 

2. A solid white cube that measures four inches on all sides is painted black on all six faces. The cube is then cut up into smaller cubes measuring one inch on all sides. Some of the smaller cubes have three black faces, some will have two, some will have one and some are completely white. How many of each kind of smaller cube will there be?

Answer:_____________

 

3. A bull frog and a green frog have a race from a starting line to a point 12 feet away and back to the starting line. Both frogs travel at the same rate of one foot in four seconds. However, the bull frog can jump in only 10-inch leaps and the green frog can jump only in 6-inch leaps. Which frog wins the race and by how much?

Answer:_____________

 

4. You have two candles, one of which is eight inches tall and can burn for four hours before it is all gone. The other is shorter and fatter. It is six inches tall and can burn for five hours. If both candles are lit at the same time, how long will they have to burn until both have the same length?

Answer: _____________

 

5. How can you make four equilateral triangles by using six toothpicks? (This answer can be an illustration or a word description.)

Answer: _____________

 

6. Suppose a typical license plate is composed of three letters followed by three numbers. How many license plates can be made if no letters or numbers can be duplicated on the same plate?

Answer:______________

 

 

March Puzzlers don't puzzle YSL.com viewers

Mr. Math Puzzler's March questions had a lot of illustrations. But, a bunch of you saw right through them and found correct answers.

Ten YSL.com viewers answered all six of the Math Puzzlers correctly. The winners included a number who hadn't entered before. That's good. We want the Puzzlers to provide fun for kids throughout the St. Louis metro area.

The ten who answered all of the questions correctly were:

Clayton Vance of Mason Ridge Elementary, Courtney Lauer of Green Park Lutheran, Drew Fendler of Sperreng Middle and Phillip Hsu of Wild Horse Elementary plus three winners from Immaculate Conception at Old Monroe and three from St. Gabriel Catholic.

The Immaculate Conception winners were Tim Hekenewerth, Steven Price and Leah Vandiver.

Winners from St. Gabriel were Amy Lange, Lauren Kloeppinger and one girl who didn't want her name listed.

Since we had so many winners, we had a drawing to see which kids won the $10 Borders book certificates. When there are more than three winners, we put the winning entries in a hat and draw out three names to get the awards.

The certificate winners were Clayton Vance, Drew Fendler and Phillip Hsu.

Congratulations to all those who answered the six March Puzzlers correctly.

Remember, all kids ages 8 to 13 in the St. Louis metro area can enter this Math Puzzler competition.

Although you wouldn't know it from the number of winners this month, the Puzzlers can be difficult. That's especially true for the younger kids.

But, YSL.com doesn't mind if you get some help from your parents or older brothers and sisters. You might like to make this a family activity each month. Or you could get some friends together, figure the answers and then each submit an entry.

To enter the April competition, just click here for the new Puzzlers.

Answers for March Math Puzzlers

1. The five numbers within each circle represent a mathematical relationship. This same relationship is displayed in each of the four circles. Following this relationship, what number does the question mark in Circle 4 represent?

Answer: 3

Explanation: The common relationship of the circles is that if the product of the vertical numbers is divided by the product of the horizontal numbers, the answer will be the number in the little circle. Thus, in the fourth circle, 2 x 6 = 12 and is divided by 4 (1 x 4) to get 3.

 

2. After dinner, cookies were served for dessert. Ann took one fourth of the cookies. Betty took one third of what remained. Calvin took one half of what was left. And Dillon received the remaining six cookies. How many cookies did each child get? (Hint: We've done a Puzzler similar to this before.)

Answer: 6 cookies each

Explanation: Ann gets 1/4th of the cookies; Betty gets 1/3rd of the remainder (which turns out to be 1/4th of all the cookies). Calvin gets 1/2 of what's left (which turns out to be 1/4th of the total also.) Then Dillon gets six cookies.

The formula:

     1/4C + 1/4C + 1/4C + 6 = C
                   3/4C + 6 = C
                  -3/4C     = -3/4C
                      -------------
                       4(6) = 4(1/4C)

                         24 = C

     with each getting 6 cookies.

 

3. Using the dart board below, how could you get exactly 100 points using just five darts?

Answer: Two 23s, one each 9, 17 and 28

Explanation: This answer needs to be found with educated guessing. You needed to try different combinations until you find the five numbers that add up to 100.

 

4. A student lives in each home marked A, B, C and D. Each student goes to a different school. The student in House A goes to School A, House B to School B, etc. Find a path for each student to give his/her own school without crossing the paths of any of the other students.

Answer: Use lines on the illustration

Diagrammed explanation: Those who answered this question correctly found a number of different paths to the schools that didn't cross any other paths.

 

5. A worker left two planks leaning against each other between two buildings as show below. One plant is 8 feet long and the other is 6 feet long. The buildings are 10 feet apart. How high is Point A above the ground?

Answer: 4.8 feet

Explanation: This is a multi-stage problem. The key to this answer is proving that one of the angles in the triangle is a 90 degree angle. That can be done by using the Pythagorean Theorem to find enough information. If one of those angles hadn't been a right-angle, there wouldn't be enough information given.

First, you need to find the area of the large triangle with the formula of

            Base x Height
     Area = -------------
                 2

            6 x 8
        A = -----
              2

         A = 24

Knowing the area of the triangle is 24, we can use the 10-foot leg as the base and work backwards to find the height.

          A = B x H
              -----
                2

         24 = 10H

              2(10H)
      2(24) = ------
                 2

         48   10H
         -- = ---
         10   10

        4.8 = H

 

6. As I approached an elevator in an office building. I noticed a sign on the wall. It said the capacity of the elevator was 2,160 pounds. It continued to say that meant either 9 women or 6 men, or 6 women and 8 men. What weight was presumed for each woman and each man?

Answer: women, 120 lbs; men 180 lbs.

Explanation: The answer comes by using the system of linear equations. You need two equations. One is: 9W + 6M = 2,160 pounds; the other is 6W + 8M = 2,160 pounds

Next, we need to get rid of the women to focus the attention on the weight of the men (You also could work the formula to get rid of the men and get the women's weight first):

 -2(9W + 6M = 2,160) -->  -18W - 12M = -4,320
  3(6W + 8M = 2,160) -->   18W + 24M =  6,480
                          -------------------
                                 12M =  2,160

                                   M =  180

Then, using one of the ratios in the question, 8 men would weigh or 1,440 pounds. Then, the six women would weight the difference between 2,160 and 1,440 or 720 pounds. Then, each woman weights 120 pounds.

 

Fun & Games

Fun & Games

Trivia

(When you're done, click here for the answers.)

On April 12th of 1861 the American Civil War began with the South's bombardment of Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor. Here are some trivia questions to see if you know some basic facts about the Civil War.

1. Who was the President of the United States during the Civil War?
2. Who was the President of the Confederate States of America during the Civil War?
3. Who was the soldier from Virginia who became the highly venerated leader of the Confederate Army?
4. What Union general who lived part of his life in Missouri led the Northern Army to victory over the South?
5. What Union general, buried in a St. Louis cemetery, led the Northern army's "March though Georgia" near the end of the Civil War?
6. What famous battlefield in Pennsylvania is considered the site of the Civil War battle that turned the tide of the war in favor of the Northern forces?
7. What is the name of the most famous speech ever given by an American President as that President dedicated a Pennsylvania battleground as a memorial to those who fought there?
8. What was the name of the youngest Union general in the Civil War who years later went on to make a "last stand" at the Little Big Horn?
9. What document coming out during the Civil War laid the groundwork for the elimination of slavery in America?
10. What is the name of the site where the surrender papers ending the Civil War were signed?

 

Crossword Puzzles

Note that the words used in Young Saint Louis.com crossword puzzles are all taken from the articles appearing in this month's issue. When you have completed the puzzles, you can click here to find the answers!

Young Saint Louis.com #1

Across	Down
3. special qualities 4. offers treatment 5. close attention 7. rivals 9. sure of oneself 10. picked for team	1. one after another 2. restore body health 6. incorrect label 8. slump over

 

Young Saint Louis.com #2

Across	Down
1. wreck body 4. give to a cause 9. job related 10. flexible	2. a manager 3. to go with 5. offer support 6. position of body 7. dealing with money 8. seek support

 

Young Saint Louis.com #3

Across	Down
1. right next to 6. used to make music 7. money given to kids 8. household jobs 9. string instrument 10. highly valued	2. notable 3. shake for music 4. yearly 5. trading

 

Baseball

Across	Down
3. infield position 5. four base hit 8. horsehide sphere 10. swipe 12. official 13. three base hit 14. base hit 15. baseball stations	1. four RBI's on one hit 2. hit wide of baseline 4. two base hit 6. part of battery 7. aid in catching ball 8. club wielder 9. swing and miss 11. scores 13. nine players

 

Jokes

(Remember, if you think can do better, send your joke or jokes to us on Your Turn)

Why do golfers wear two pants?
      Because they might get a hole in one!

(Thank you Kathryn N., a fifth grader at Wild Horse Elementary School, Rockwood)

I can't blame anybody else for these!

How do hens encourage their favorite sports teams?
      They egg them on!

How does a physicist exercise?
      By pumping ion! (To get this one you need to know a little about atoms.)

How did the basketball court get wet?
      The players dribbled all over it!

More riddles - read 'em carefully...

Where did Abraham Lincoln live?
      I'm not sure, but I have his Gettysburg Address right here!

How do you make a Venetian blind?
      By poking him in the eye!

Where does Saddam Hussain keep his CD's?
      In a rack!

How can you go several days without sleep and not be tired?
      Sleep at night!

How do you make notes of stone?
      Rearrange the letters!

How many acorns grow on the average Pine tree?
      None, Pine trees don't have acorns!

What can you hold in your left hand but not in your right?
      Your right elbow!

What do they do with a tree when they chop it down?
      They chop it up!

What is plowed but never planted?
      Snow!

And our usual knock knocks

Knock. Knock.
      Who's there?
Major.
      Major who?
Major answer, didn't I?

Knock. Knock.
      Who's there?
Minerva.
      Minerva who?
Minerva(s) wreck from all these questions!

 

Answers to Fun & Games

Trivia Answers

1. Abraham Lincoln
2. Jefferson Davis
3. Robert E. Lee
4. Ulysses S. Grant
5. William T. Sherman
6. Gettysburg
7. The Gettysburg Address
8. George Armstrong Custer
9. The Emancipation Proclamation
10. Appomattox

 

Crossword Puzzles

Note that the words used in Young Saint Louis.com crossword puzzles are all taken from the articles appearing in this months issue.

 

Young Saint Louis.com #1

Across	Down
3. special qualities 4. offers treatment 5. close attention 7. rivals 9. sure of oneself 10. picked for team	1. one after another 2. restore body health 6. incorrect label 8. slump over

 

Young Saint Louis.com #2

Across	Down
1. wreck body 4. give to a cause 9. job related 10. flexible	2. a manager 3. to go with 5. offer support 6. position of body 7. dealing with money 8. seek support

 

Young Saint Louis.com #3

Across	Down
1. right next to 6. used to make music 7. money given to kids 8. household jobs 9. string instrument 10. highly valued	2. notable 3. shake for music 4. yearly 5. trading

 

Baseball

Across	Down
3. infield position 5. four base hit 8. horsehide sphere 10. swipe 12. official 13. three base hit 14. base hit 15. baseball stations	1. four RBI's on one hit 2. hit wide of baseline 4. two base hit 6. part of battery 7. aid in catching ball 8. club wielder 9. swing and miss 11. scores 13. nine players