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Lewis
and Clark
First in a
series
2
Lewis and Clark centers are open
This year, you'll
be hearing plenty about Meriwether Lewis and William Clark.
A couple brand-new historical centers now are open for neat
tours to explain their epic exploration 200 years ago.
One is the Lewis
and Clark State Historic Site at Hartford, Ill. That's just
north of I-270 on Illinois Rte 3 on the east side of the Mississippi
River.
Then, there's
the Lewis and Clark Boathouse and Nature Center in downtown
St. Charles. This is on the Missouri River.
Fall is a perfect
time of the year for a weekend visit to the centers. By using
I-270, you could explore both of them in one day.
Last month, Young
Saint Louis.com visited both centers. This article will
review highlights of the centers.
Before you and
your family take a trip, you should to call ahead for directions.
Also, you could review the centers' websites.
To contact the
Illinois center, call (618) 251-5811 or send an
e-mail to clark@campdubois.com.
The center's website is at www.campdubois.com.
For the St. Charles
center, call (636) 947-3199. That center's website
is at www.lewisandclark.net.
This website also gives lots of information about the reenactment
tour that is underway from the east coast to St. Louis.
You'll want to
visit that website on a regular basis to check the trip's
progress. Three St. Louis area teachers are key figures in
the reenactment. One has the part of Captain Lewis. To learn
more about that trip, you can click
here for a past YSL.com story.
The Illinois site
has a unique historical significance. It is located just across
from where the Missouri River empties into the Mississippi.
This is the site of Camp Dubois. That's the camp where Lewis
and Clark wintered before starting the Journey of Discovery
in 1804.
One exhibit in
the Illinois center is a replica of a full-sized replica of
Lewis and Clark's keelboat. The neat thing is that it's
just half a boat.
When you enter
the exhibit area, you see what looks like a complete boat.
But, when you go on the other side, you see the model has
been cut away lengthwise. That means you can see what the
boat looked like inside.
Beneath where
the crew sat, there is lots of storage spaces for supplies
and equipment.
It seems like
a lot of space. But, you must remember they had to take along
supplies for a two-year trip. And, in those days, there wasn't
a corner McDonald's or a Wal-Mart to buy more stuff.
You'll want to
view a 15-minute video at the center's theater. It gives a
view of what the area was like 200 years ago.
Also, outside
the center, log cabins being built look just like the Camp
Dubois originals.
The St. Charles
center has been open only for a couple months. However, the
center is run by a local historical group that's been working
on Lewis and Clark history for many years.
In fact, local
artist Evangeline Groth has been designing museum exhibits
since 1985.
That's when local
homebuilder Glen Bishop built his first replica of a Lewis
and Clark keelboat in his backyard. Lewis and Clark turned
out to be a lifelong hobby.
The St. Charles
center has a unique design. It's a two-story building with
an open ground floor. That's used for boat storage but was
left open-sided for when the nearby Missouri River is in flood
stage.
The finished second
floor includes historical exhibits, a trading post and a classroom.
The classroom schedule already is full for this semester.
But, if your class is interested, you can make a reservation
for next semester.
A feature of the
exhibit area is a timeline that shows how the Journey of Discovery
developed. It started with President Thomas Jefferson setting
up a team to explore the new Louisiana Purchase territory.
At that time,
St. Louis on the east edge that huge territory that ran to
the Pacific Ocean.
You get to know
more about Sacagawea. She's the Shoshone Indian who joined
the group after it left St. Louis. She was the squaw of a
French trader who was hired as a scout.
From the exhibit
area you can look out giant picture windows to see the Missouri
River.
(Watch
each month for Lewis and Clark articles during 2003-2004 school
year.)
Unique
gun powder kegs
One way to save storage space was to use things that
had more than one purpose. For instance, these gun powder
kegs were made of lead. The containers kept the powder
dry. Then, the continer was melted to make the shot that
was fired with the powder. |
Entertainment
Local
kids form family dance troupe
Four years ago,
Martha Amezcua and two older sisters formed their KidsMex
dance group This month, the troupe will be featured at the
three-day International Folkfest at Queeny Park.
All but one of
the 9-member troupe are from the same extended family. Members
range in age from 5 1/2-year old Alberto Alcantar to 15-year-old
Martha.
Martha is now
a 9th grader at Cleveland High School in the City of St. Louis.
"We formed
the dance group in 1999. We first performed in the Our Lady
of Guadeloupe Festival that year," Martha said.
This will be the
second year that KidsMex has performed in the International
Folkfest. The folkfest runs Friday through Sunday, Oct. 17-19.
KidsMex will perform
on Saturday. They are one of a number of all-kid groups in
the fest.
The folkfest features
dozens adult and kid groups performing entertainment from
their native countries. If you like ethnic entertainment,
there'll be something for you at folkfest.
In addition, there
are ethnic food and storytelling booths. There's a children's
area with mask- and puppet-making. Also, there's a Cultural
Discovery Room with cooking demonstrations and dancing lessons.
For complete information
about the 2003 International Folkfest, go to the International
Institute's website at www.intlinst.org.
Martha said KidsMex
do both folk and modern Latin dances. There's even a belly
dancer.
All the dancer
choreography is done by Martha and her sisters. The dances
are without musical accompaniment. They keep time and rhythm
with their feet.
The kids get together
twice a month for practice sessions. In warm weather, they
practice their dance numbers in the backyard of Martha's home
in south St. Louis.
"When it
gets colder, we practice indoors at a nearby church or school,"
she added.
The group performs
at least once every other month. With all its different population
groups, St. Louis has many opportunities for ethnic entertainment.
Martha said the
KidsMex kids come from a long line of dancers. "My grandmother,
mother and older sisters all danced," she said.
One thing the
KidsMex needs is more boys. Only three of the nine members
are boys.
Martha said dance
numbers go better when they danced with a boy and girl as
partners.
One of the problems
with recruiting boys is they get involved in sports. For instance,
14-year-old Luis Godina said, "I like sports better than
dancing." He said he's involved in football, soccer,
basketball and baseball.
The other boys,
besides Luis, are Alberto Alcantar and 9-year-old Daniel Godina.
Other girls, besides
Martha, are 7-year-old Areli Godida, 10-year-old Diana Guzman,
11-year-old Alejandra Godina, 12-year-old Gisela Guzman and
12-year-old Brenda Hernandez.
All but Alberto
were born in Mexico. All of the kids are bilingual. In talking
with each other, they often use a mixture of English and Spanish.
Although she speaks
English well, Martha said writing English is easier for her.
She said, "I need to work to build up my speaking vocabulary."
"I don't
want to lose either my English or my Spanish," she added.
Martha said she
wants to be a lawyer when she grows up. "I want to help
Hispanic Latins when they come here," she said.
Luis said he's
interested in a career in computers.
He said speaking
English is easier for him than writing. Several kids are enrolled
in English as a Second Language (ESL) to improve both their
writing and speaking of English.
Asked about living
in St. Louis, Luis said he likes California better, because
of warmer weather. "You have to stay indoors too much
here in cold weather," he said.
Twelve-year-old
Gisela Guzman said she enjoys the dancing because it helps
to keep the family together. She's one of the group that has
to travel all the way from Hazelwood in north St. Louis County
to take part in practices.
Sports
Dropout
rate for kid athletes is very high
Seventy per cent
of young athletes will quit playing sports by the time they
are just 15 years old. Many of them start dropping out by
age 11.
Dr. Jay Noffsinger
of St. Louis said many kids quit because "sports aren't
fun anymore." He added the effects of sports injuries
can determine whether a kid is still having "fun."
Noffsinger is
a pediatrics sports medicine expert. He's the director of
the Pediatric Center for Sports Medicine at Cardinal Glennon
Children's Hospital.
In that position,
he gives lots of advice to both kids and parents about health
problems in sports. He urges kids not to put too much early
stress on their still-growing bodies.
Noffsinger, who
lettered in four different sports in high school, also encourages
kids to play more than one sport.
He said one reason
the joy goes out of sports is that kids specialize on a single
sport too soon. "Doing the same thing over and over can
take the fun out of sports," he said.
Each year, 3.2
million kids 15 and under suffer sports injuries. That's one
in 10 every year from among the 30 million young athletes.
Also, 775,000 kids are hurt bad enough to require a trip to
hospital emergency rooms.
The national study
also said that about half of those injuries could be prevented.
Noffsinger said
it's important that kids to plan their conditioning carefully.
He urges kids to contact their coaches well before the season
starts to find out about practices.
He said young
athlete need to start conditioning before formal practice
starts. And you should build your conditioning gradually to
work and intensity levels of formal practices.
"You don't
want to go to the first day of practice and have it be a surprise,"
he said.
For instance,
kid might begin pre-conditioning for cross country with a
series of 9 minute miles. But, when practice starts, he finds
the coach expects them to run 7.5 minute miles.
Another part of
conditioning is getting use to hot weather. Young athletes
"have increased propensity to heat-related illnesses,"
he said.
"That's because
they have little hearts, little lungs, little sweat glands
that aren't as efficient as those in adults," Noffsinger
said.
Noffsinger said
conditioning rules are the same for boys and girls.
When it comes
to injuries, he said there are two types. One is an "acute
injury" like a broken leg that happens all at once. The
other is the "chronic injury" that comes from "wear
and tear" of a series of small injuries.
Acute injuries
happen often in "collision" sports such as football,
martial arts and wrestling. Chronic injuries can happen in
a wide variety of sports.
But, Noffsinger
said injuries don't happen too often among football players
10 and under. "They are covered with equipment and, at
that age, they don't hit very hard," he said. .
But, he added,
football injuries often peak in middle school grades when
players are bigger and more aggressive but their bodies aren't
fully developed.
Severe injuries
can occur if a player is struck in joints when the bones are
still growing. "At that time, the muscles, ligaments
and tendons are stronger than the bones," he said.
An injury that
occurs at a soft bone "growth center" near a joint
can cause lasting damage.
Noffsinger mentioned
former University of Missouri and pro all-star Kellen Winslow
as an example of the benefit of starting football late. Winslow's
father didn't let Kellen go out for football until he was
in high school, after his body matured.
Noffsinger describes
swimming as an "excellent" sport. For one thing,
there aren't any collisions. Also, buoyancy of the water relieves
strain on the body.
But, he said even
swimmers can suffer over-use injuries. A common one is sore
shoulders, especially in those who concentrate on one stroke,
such as free-style. The muscles can be over-developed and
squeeze the still developing shoulder structure, he said.
Noffsinger said
it's important for all young athletes need to "listen
to their bodies." When an area hurts, the kid should
rest and give the body time to heal, he said.
For a swimmer
with sore shoulders, the rest might be as simple as concentrating
on other strokes for awhile, he said.
Noffsinger said
many young athletes are involved with team sports. But, he
said, for most, individual sports such as running, golf, swimming
and tennis are likely to be of most use in later life.
Outdoors
First-time
fishing in lake in City park
Ten-year-old
Danelle Hamilton last month went fishing for the first time
in her life. It took her just 10 minutes to catch her first
fish.
Although the fish
was small, it was quite a thrill. And she got to go fishing
just a few blocks from her home on the northside of the City
of St. Louis.
Danelle and others
were taking part in a Back to School fishing party. It was
sponsored by 21st Ward Alderwoman Bennice Jones King. Another
fishing party was held on the same Saturday at nearby Hyde
Park.
Both events got
assistance from the Missouri Department of Conservation. That
group has an active urban fishing program for city residents.
The lake where
Danelle was fishing was in O'Fallon Park, just off I-70 in
north St. Louis. That's one of the city lakes stocked with
fish so local residents can fish close to home.
The MDC recently
has restocked lakes in Forest Park, which were renovated.
That renovation by the Forest Park Forever organization has
linked all the lakes together so there is a current running
through them.
With a current
running through, water will be fresher than when a pond is
stationary.
Another aspect
of the urban fishing program is winter-time stocking of rainbow
trout. Trout can't live in shallow ponds during hot Missouri
weather. But, when the water is cold, trout can flourish and
offer an unusual fishing opportunity for city residents.
(For more about
this year's trout stocking program in area lakes, see sidebar
below.)
Danelle and others
not only got to fish, they got to use MDC rods and reels.
Conservation workers were on hand for fishing instruction.
But, for Danelle,
the most valuable help was in putting bait on her hook. Danelle
isn't much for handling worms. "But, I like it when I
catch a fish," she added.
She also liked
it that she caught her first fish before her mother, Veronica
Starks. Her mother was fishing for the first time but caught
her first fish after Danelle did.
But, Veronica
said they were going to come back to fish again. That was
made easier because the MDC let them take their "loaner"
rods and reels home to use another day.
Five MDC employees
provided one-on-one instruction. There were also "goodie
bags," which included fishing booklets and additional
fishing gear.
Sisters Alexis
Wilbon and Cierra Neil also were on hand for the fishing party.
Thirteen-year-old
Alexis and 12-year-old Cierra both had been fishing before.
They had been on a school field trip, which included hunting
for turtles, canoeing and other outdoor activities.
Alexis is an 8th
grader and Cierra a 7th grader at Cross Keys Middle School.
Alexis said her
favorite part of fishing was casting the bait into the water.
Cierra said, "I like to see the amazing fish I haven't
seen before."
Six-year-old Antooi
Perkins was another first-time fisherman. He caught two fish
right away in the morning.
But, one of his
best experiences was when the MDC helper showed him how he
could hold his fish. He found that he could hold the fish
by its lower lip without getting bitten.
The Back to School
event at O'Fallon Park was more than fishing.
There was music
playing and, at noon, there was a cookout with food for all.
Then, Alderwoman
King had a stage show for the entertainment of the kids and
their families.
Dick Turner works
for the MDC in its outreach and education efforts. He works
from the MDC office in Soulard, which coordinates lots of
activities in the City of St. Louis.
He said groups
wanting assistance in planning outdoor activities should call
the Soulard office at (314) 231-3803.
For information
about MDC activities in metro St. Louis, you can call the
regional office at the Busch Wildlife Area at (636) 441-4554.
A
winter treat: rainbow trout fishing
Usually, urban
kids have no chance to fish for rainbow trout in shallow urban
lakes. The lake water is too warm for trout to survive year-around.
But, starting
in November, trout are coming to 16 St. Louis area lakes.
The Missouri Department of Conservation will stock a total
of 36,000 rainbow trout in the lakes.
The periodic stocking
runs through February.
To give all anglers
a fair chance at a catch, the MDC doesn't announce the stocking
schedule in advance. They don't want people camping out near
the lakes, waiting for the hatchery trucks to arrive.
Once the stocking
is completed, you can get up-to-date information from a Fish
Stocking Hot Line at (636) 300-9651.
You should plan
for your trout fishing trips in advance. Pick up a St. Louis
Area Winter Trout Program brochure or call (636) 441-4554.
The brochure gives
location of the trout-stocked lakes and rules for fishing.
Kids under 16 don't have to have state fishing licenses. However,
all anglers who want to keep the trout need a trout permit.
The winter rainbow
stocking program has been operating since 1989.
Lakes in the 2003-2004
trout program in St. Louis are:
- Lakes 21,
22, 23, 24 and 28 at the Busch Conservation Area in St.
Charles Co.
- Lakes 1, 2
and 3 at Suson Park in south St. Louis County.
- Tilles Park
Lake in St. Louis County.
- Walker Lake
in the City of Kirkwood.
- Vlasis Park
Lake in the City of Ballwin.
- O'Fallon Park
Lake in St. Louis City.
- Boathouse
Lake in Carondelet Park in St. Louis City.
- Jefferson
Lake in Forest Park in St. Louis City.
- January-Wabash
Lake in the City of Ferguson.
- Wild Acres
Park Lake in City of Overland.
Books
This
month's book reviews
How
a teen-age Indian girl becomes
a key part of the Lewis and Clark Expedition
Increasing attention
in the St. Louis area will be focused on the Lewis and Clark
Expedition during this next year. Schools, libraries, and
museums are all participating in the two hundred-year anniversary
of the expedition. "Streams to the River; River to the
Sea" is author Scott O'Dell's story of Sacagawea, the
Indian woman who traveled with Lewis and Clark.
As a young girl,
Sacagawea, or "Bird Woman," had been captured from
her Shoshone tribe, and brought by her captors to live in
a camp close to the Missouri River. While in her teen-age
years, she caught the eye of a half-Indian and half-French
fur-trader named Charbonneau. Even though Sacagawea had been
promised in marriage to an Indian brave, Charbonneau won the
girl in a game of chance played with the tribal leader. Sacagawea
was forced to marry the fur-trapper. Shortly after their marriage,
Charbonneau went off to trade for furs and Sacagawea was left
behind to wait for his return. While he was away, Sacagawea
gave birth to their son.
Early in their
trip, Captain Lewis and Captain Clark landed near the Indian
village where Sacagawea lived. They were interested in hiring
Charbonneau as a guide to take them deep into the Rocky Mountain
area, a place where the fur trader had traveled before. They
were even more interested when they found out that the fur-trader's
Indian wife had come from the Shoshone tribe and spoke the
language of the Indians in the Rocky Mountain region.
Sacagawea was
happy to join the expedition. She could carry her new son
in a special carrier on her back. She had come to admire Captain
Clark, especially, and looked forward to the possibility of
seeing her real family members among the Shoshone. Soon after
they set out she was surprised to find that Lewis and Clark
had been more interested in her joining their expedition than
in hiring Charbonneu.
The reader experiences
many of the adventures of the famous journey of exploration,
but events are described in the words of Sacagawea, a lonely
Indian girl who had quickly matured into womanhood.
A
young Indian boy wants a horse of his
own - not just any horse but a special one
This story takes
place in what was then the Blackfoot Indian country of the
1770's. Running Crane, who is only twelve-years-old and not
a very good horseback rider, is surprised when Wolf Eagle,
a great warrior, picks him to go on a raid with other warriors.
Running Crane had spent his early years with a different group
of the Blackfoot tribe and had not learned to ride as well
as the young boys in his new village. The older boys, especially
Weasel Rider, made fun of him for his poor riding skills.
Weasel Rider begins
to bully Running Crane even more because he wanted his own
brother to go on the horse stealing raid rather than the younger
Running Crane. Weasel Rider kept up his bullying behavior
during the journey and right up to the time the warriors slipped
into the camp of their enemies, the Snake tribe. During the
chaotic raid, Running Crane is separated from the rest of
his companions. He barely escapes with his life as Snake warriors
try to hunt him down.
As he is eluding
his pursuers, Running Crane comes across the beautiful stallion
that the Snake Indians had held captive in their camp. The
stallion, considered a Spirit Horse, had escaped during the
raid. Luckily, Running Crane manages to trap the Spirit Horse
in a canyon without an outlet. Only after many days of carefully
studying the horse and earning his trust, is Running Crane
able to get to the place where he can ride the stallion.
With his new self-confidence
at being able to survive on his own after the chaotic raid
and then to capture and train the beautiful Spirit Horse to
be his mount, Running Crane goes on to other great accomplishments.
He has to deal with the treachery of Weasel Rider once again
before he can finally return home as a true hero and recognition
as a warrior.
As
his father flies a bomber in
World War II, a boy's family goes
to live on the New England coast
"The Art
of Keeping Cool" isn't a title that seems to fit this
book. It's a serious story about Robert Saunders, a twelve-year-old,
who, early in World War II, has to move from his Ohio farm
home to live with his father's family on the Rhode Island
coast. His mother and little sister move with him and they
live in a small house close to his grandfather's larger home.
The grandfather is the town doctor and he rules his family
with an iron hand. Robert is pretty independent and he resents
his grandfather's criticism and harsh rules. He doesn't understand
why his father, a bomber pilot in Europe, is never spoken
of in his grandfather's house.
Robert is surprised
when his finds out that his mother has not written to his
dad to tell him that the family in now living in his old hometown
with his family. Robert tries to understand his cousin, Elliot,
who is about the same age as Robert, and seems not to react
at all to his bullying grandfather's treatment. Elliot, who
is an exceptionally good artist, ignores the family problems
and seems to go off and live in his own private world.
As we read about
the strange family interactions with each other, we are provided
with an understanding of how Americans felt early in World
Was II. Especially, people who lived close to the ocean felt
insecure and thought they could be in danger from German commandos
or gunfire from German submarines or warships. So the story
unfolds in a wartime atmosphere of fear and anxiety.
If you are interested
in acquiring a better understanding of this period of history
- how Americans lived in the 1940's during World War II -
this is an excellent book for you to pick up and read. Our
lives today are very different because of changes that occurred
during that period.
Ten-year-old
girl travels back in time and
meets her great-great-great grandmother
Rosemary Rita
looked forward to receiving postcards from her grandmother.
Her grandmother was named Rosemary Regina, but Rosemary just
called her Mimi. They even wrote the messages in a secret
code on their cards. On her tenth birthday, Rosemary was disappointed
when there was no postcard from Mimi in the mail. There was
a notice from the post office, however, that said a package
was waiting for her to pick up at the post office.
What Rosemary
found at the post office were ten boxes, all numbered from
one to ten. The boxes were filled with old post cards and
old fashioned girl's clothing. A note told her not to open
the box numbered 10 until her grandmother was there with her.
Naturally, Rosemary was so curious she had to just peek in
the last box. An hourglass was inside. As she looked at it,
she turned it over. Instantly, she was transported back in
time.
Rosemary found
out that she had been taken back over a hundred years to 1870.
She was in a strange city where people were speaking a language
different from English. The first person she met was a young
girl named Rosemarie, who asked her if she was lost. The girl
looked strangely familiar and even though she was speaking
German, Rosemary could converse with her. Before opening box
number 10, Rosemary had put on one of the old dresses Mimi
had sent her. So she did not seem out of place. She also thought
fast enough to make up a story about having been separated
from her family and being lost in this strange city.
You can already
guess that Rosemarie turned out to be Rosemary's great-great-great
grandmother. Rosemary went on to meet her ancestors as she
and Rosemarie enjoyed some adventures together. How did Rosemary
keep her German relatives from knowing that she was from the
future? How did Rosemary get back home? You need to read the
book to find out. And if you really like the book, you will
be pleased to find out that it's just one in a series of time
travel adventures for Rosemary.
Music
Teen
learns to write own music
Thirteen-year-old
Kate Nolan has been playing musical instruments for nearly
half her life. But, her best musical experience happened just
last summer.
That's when she
attended a unique music camp at the Webster University's Community
Music School. The 10-day camp was called Kids Alive Summer
Composition Initiative.
This was the first
year for this new style camp. However, the music school has
a wide range of year-round music programs for kids and adults.
Of the Initiative
camp, Kate said, "It was fun. I learned a lot of stuff
about music I didn't know before."
The camp involved
more than just playing music. She worked on reading and writing
music. Then there was "ear training" and finally
composing her own original music.
Of the composing,
Kate said, "It was kind of tough to write in the different
clefs. The hardest was writing it all out in score form. We
did it in pencil in case we made mistakes."
In the end, she
got to play her own compositions in a camp-ending concert.
She said the performance "was the best part."
Kate is a seventh
grader at Sperreng Middle School. She's been taking piano
lessons since she was in second grade. She also started violin
lessons when she was in fourth grade.
She played the
piano when she was at the Webster summer camp. The kids were
divided up into ensemble groups. Kate's was in a quintet.
In addition to
her piano, other instruments in the ensemble were a flute,
guitar, saxophone and cello. There were four girls and one
boy in her group. In all, there were four ensembles at her
camp.
Kate found that
she was the only student from the Lindbergh School District
at the camp. So, she got a chance to work with kids from other
parts of the St. Louis metro area.
Each kid at the
camp composed her own piece. In the closing concert, that
meant Kate's group played five original compositions.
And, before the
concert, the kids got to record their music. She's got a souvenir
recording of all the 18 pieces played at the concert.
During the recording,
she said ensembles got a chance to start over if they made
a mistake. "But, I don't think we did have to do that,"
she said.
Kate isn't thinking
about being a composer. But, she said the camp experience
helped her understand music better. "It made me feel
more comfortable with my music," she said.
Most of the work
at the camp was in the classical music. When asked about her
musical style, Kate said, "I like to play fast."
But, she also
plays more than classical music.
For instance,
she's a member of The Fiddlers music group at her school.
That's a group of violin players who tour to play more country-style
tunes.
Last month, the
Sperreng Fiddlers traveled to West Lafayette, Ind., for a
"Feast of the Hunter's Moon" festival performance.
Kate takes her
music pretty seriously. She takes a private piano lesson once
a week at the Webster Music School. She also practices 30
minutes five days a week at home.
Then, with the
violin, she has daily classes at Sperreng. She's also expected
to practice at home for 30 minutes a day on that instrument.
Kate said she
likes music best when she's playing. "It's more fun to
play it than to just listen," she said.
Music isn't Kate's
only activity.
"I think
I'm going to work on the school newspaper this year,"
she said. Also, she participates in the school's Science Olympiad
program. She hopes to enter district and state science competitions
this school year. She's active in Girl Scouts.
And she's proud
of being a 4.0 student in school. "I like every class,"
she said.
Kate said she
"isn't exactly sure as yet" about college or a career.
But, she is sure she had a very fine musical experience last
summer.
To learn more
about the Webster Community Music School, you can call Julie
Walbridge at (314) 961-2660, Ext. x4448. Or log
on: www.webster.edu/depts/finearts/cms.
Lifestyle
Kid
gets new chance in deer hunt
Twelve-year-old
Forrest Ahrens again has won a spot in a youth-only deer hunt
in October. He hopes he's learned from the mistakes that cost
him a deer last year.
The St. Peters
seventh grader said he wasn't well prepared when he spotted
a deer in last year's hunt. He was among over 100 kids who
took part in last year's youth-only hunt.
"Last year,
our blind was too high. I had to stand up to see over it.
Also, there was a stick in the way when I aimed," Forrest
said.
By the time he
was ready to fire, the deer had smelled him and fled.
Forrest said,
"If I don't get anything on a hunting trip, I try to
learn from my mistakes."
He applied for
and was picked again for this year's Missouri Department of
Conservation youth-only deer hunt. The two-day event is October
25-26. The winners have to attend a pre-hunt clinic on October
11.
The kids get to
pick an adult to accompany them. As last year, Forrest plans
to go with his dad again.
But, he's going
to change the place where he hunts.
Last year, he
hunted on the Busch Conservation Area land. The area is located
on flat land with lakes, fields and many access roads. "You
drive in and park," he said.
This year, he's
going to try his luck in nearby Weldon Springs Conservation
Area. That's more hilly as well as more completely wooded.
"There, you park and hike in," he said.
Forrest said he
and his dad used a blind last year.
"Sometimes,
we just sit next to a tree. But, we might make a stick blind
again this year," he said. For that, they put sticks
into the ground and then drape special camouflage cloth over
the sticks.
Of course, he'll
be wearing special camouflage coveralls and face mask. He
also has hunting boots. He wears an orange vest and hat, which
are required of hunters in the woods.
Forrest said he's
been hunting since he was 6 or 7. The first time, he went
hunting with his dad for black-tail deer when the family lived
in Washington State.
Forrest said his
only game taken in a hunt so far has been a squirrel. He's
got the squirrel's tail hanging from one of the rack of deer
antlers in the family's living room. The antlers from deer
his father bagged are on plaques and hanging on the wall.
Last year, Forrest
hunted both in the youth-only deer hunt and again in the regular
deer season. He plans to do that again this year.
The MDC sponsors
youth-only hunts so younger hunters can have the fields and
forests to themselves for some of their first hunting trips.
For information
about youth-only hunts, you can log on to the MDC website
at www.mdc.mo.gov.
You can get special information about lots of outdoor activities
in the St. Louis area by clicking on the St. Louis region
in a map on the website.
Forrest has his
own 20-gauge shotgun. But, for last year's youth-only hunt,
he borrowed a .243 rifle from the MDC. Then, he used his own
20-gauge, with slug ammunition, for his regular season hunting
trip.
The MDC often
lends kids outdoor equipment when they're taking part in special
youth-only seasons or just starting outdoor practice sessions.
Although he hasn't
bagged anything but a squirrel, Forrest said he's eaten venison
and wild turkey. He said the wild turkey was especially good.
"We got a
whole turkey breast from a neighbor. It was marinated in Italian
dressing," he said.
But, he said his
experience with trying to eat his own squirrel wasn't too
good. After bagging the squirrel, he helped his dad clean
it before cooking.
But, Forrest said,
"It was too bony."
He said he actually
likes fishing better than hunting. He has his own fishing
tackle. Asked about his fishing skill, he said, "I'm
not good-good, but I'm okay."
He said he usually
fishes for bass or catfish. Most of the time he fishes in
lakes at the Busch Conservation Area. He doesn't live too
far from that area, with its many lakes.
Asked about a
future goal, he said, "My dream is to be entered in the
Bassmaster Classic fishing tournament."
Profile
Fifth in a
series
She
is studying French for a possible career
Ten-year-old
Julia Epplin-Zapf began studying French in kindergarten. Now,
she's starting to think the foreign language might help her
with a career as a diplomat.
Julia attends
Kennard Classical Jr. Academy, a magnet school in the City
of St. Louis. She is among an increasing number local kids
getting a chance at foreign languages in elementary school.
Until recently,
the fourth grader had planned to be a teacher when she grew
up.
"But, now
I'm thinking about becoming a foreign diplomat. French is
the language of diplomacy," she said.
Last spring, her
personal resume got a big boost when she was named a 2003
St. Louis Young Achiever of the Year. That award goes to four
elementary, four middle and four high school students for
accomplishments in school and community.
(Young Saint
Louis.com announced the 2003 Achievers in the May, 2003,
edition. This is the fifth in a series of profiles of the
four elementary and four middle school winners.
(To read the
May announcement story, click
here. For the June profile of Kristen Delia, click
here. For the July profile of Meghan Biotnott, click
here. The August profile of Alexander Ecklund, click
here, and the September profile of Mack Council, click
here.)
Julia has set
a number of personal goals for the new 2003-2004 school year.
She wants to increase her participation in Kennard's student
council. She has a seat on the council through fifth grade.
The council kids
help in many fund-raising projects. They include a Math-a-thon
to aid St. Jude Children's Hospital in Memphis and jumping
rope to aid the American Heart Assn.
Last year, the
council members helped re-decorate the school's teacher lounge.
But, she's got
personal goals also.
She wants to improve
her chess game. Her dad, Joseph Epplin, is coach of her school's
chess club. Her brother, Tom, is an assistant coach.
Julia was in a
summer chess club at Richmond Heights to improve her skills.
She also plays regularly with her dad and brother. The family
is going to at national chess tournament in the fall, where
her brother will compete.
However, she does
have a problem with some of her competitive efforts. If she
wins, she always feels sorry for the kid she beats, especially
if it's a friend.
"It doesn't
bother me as much when I don't know the other person,"
she said.
Julia also has
sports goals.
She wants to become
a member of the Synchro-Seals synchronized swimming team.
That's at the Kingshighway branch of the YWCA. She made the
team in late September.
Then, she wants
to advance to Level 4 in gymnastics. At Level 4, she'll be
able to join the YWCA's gymnastics team, rather than just
take lessons.
She's also going
to be working to advance in Girl Scouts and goes to religion
classes on Monday nights. She will continue taking weekly
piano lessons.
Teacher Matthew
Brazelton at Kennard school last year nominated Julia for
the Achiever award. He said Julia was not only a hard worker
with excellent grades but "helps motivate other students
to do better."
Sometimes, her
activities center in her southside neighborhood. She and two
of her neighborhood friends helped to collect books and made
things to sell at a Relay for Life event in August.
"We made
goodie bags with little toys, coloring books and pencil. We've
done that for three years," she said. Proceeds go to
aid in the fight against cancer.
Concerning her
new interest in diplomacy, Julia has been to Europe twice.
Her family went for more than six months when dad's job took
him there. Then, during the last spring break, the family
was in England for a week.
This year, Julia
will have 50-minute French classes twice a week.
"Mostly,
we speak French. But, I can write some short sentences,"
she said.
If she pursues
a career in diplomacy, she wants to attend either Georgetown
University of American University in Washington, D.C.
Then, she'll be
able to put her years of French to work.
Things
to do
Places to go,
Things to do
In
October, there's Halloween and much more
You can add a
touch of history to your Halloween this year. That's because
the St. Louis County Parks have three different "Halloween
happenings" at historic sites.
The Thornhill
mansion at Faust Park will feature "historical haunting"
events on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 24-25. The mansion will
take on a mysterious glow with candlelight illumination of
the 6-10 p.m. event.
The tour of the
Frederick Bates mansion will include a walk in the family
cemetery. There'll also be storytelling and live animals shows.
Of course, there
will be talks about the origins of Halloween and kids can
even make Old World jack-o-lanterns.
Advance registration
is recommended. Admission is $8.
Ghost stories
by storytellers will be the Halloween feature at the Bissell
House and Jefferson Barracks Park. The Jefferson Barracks
Park event is Friday, Oct. 17. The Bissell House event will
be the next night, Saturday, Oct. 18.
The setting for
the two events will be the windswept bluffs overlooking the
Mississippi River. Both events are from 7-9 p.m. Admission
is $7.
Advance registration
is required by Oct. 10.
The Fort Belle
Fontaine grounds will be the setting for the Haunted Hike
Along the Missouri River. There will be three different hikes
on Saturday, Oct. 25. They start at one-hour intervals, at
6, 7 and 8 p.m.
As you walk along
the rugged trail, you will encounter storytellers and "other
things that go bump in the night." At the end, there
is a campfire for roasting hot dogs.
Admission is $8.
Advance registration will be required by Oct. 17.
For County Park
events, call the activity hotline at (314) 615-7275.
Fall
colors are at their peak also
October is a great
time to experience the great fall colors in Missouri.
And the County
Parks has scheduled all-day Fall Color Canoe Floats
along the Meramec River. Those are to be held on Friday and
Saturday, Oct. 17-18. The event is from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each
day.
The St. Louis
County Park Rangers accompany the floaters on a nine-mile
trip on the Meramec. The canoers will experience the fall
color on steep hillsides, lowlands and towering bluffs.
Bring a lunch
and enjoy the fall outdoors on the river.
The fee is $15.
Also, advanced registration is required. Call (314) 416-4374.
There
are also fun October activities indoors
* Teen Read
Week is October 19-25. But, this year, the St. Louis County
Library is actually starting its activities on Monday, Oct.
13.
The events, which
are all free, will be held throughout the whole library system.
The events and
activities will involve more than reading. There are a series
of art workshops as well as other fun activities. For instance,
at the Prairie Commons Branch, kids will learn how to make
a working clock from a CD.
There will be
a Teen Trivia Night, a jewelry making workshop and a Pizza
and Poetry party.
Check out the
entire schedule on the library's website at
www.slcl.org.
* The Missouri
Community Forestry Council is inviting all fifth graders to
enter the National Arbor Day Foundation's poster contest.
The theme this
year is "Trees are Terrific...in Cities and Towns."
Packets with poster
contest rules and details have been mailed to all Missouri
fifth grade teachers, in both public and private schools.
Check with your
teachers on how you might participate. The Missouri contest
coordinator is Donna Baldwin, at PO Box 180, Jefferson City
65102. Or you can contact her at baldwd@mdc.state.mo.us.
* October is also
the start of the Fall Learning Lab classes of the Gifted
Resource Council.
The six-week schedule
of Saturday classes starts on October 11 and extends into
November. The classes are held at Wydown Middle School in
Clayton.
There are both
morning and afternoon classes available.
The enrichment
classes cover a wide variety of subjects, from "Legends
and Lore with Lewis and Clark" to "Computer Graphics."
For information,
call the Gifted Resource Council office at (314) 962-5920.
St.
Louis History
This
month in St. Louis History
From Missouri
Historical Museum
Famous
October dates from St. Louis' past
In past St. Louis-area
Octobers, a music great was born, a newspaper giant died and
one of the fastest growing counties was founded.
* The rock-and-roll
legend Chuck Berry was born on Oct. 18, 1926, in The Ville
neighborhood north of downtown St. Louis.
* Famed newspaper
publisher Joseph Pulitzer died Oct. 29, 1911. Born in Hungary
in 1847, he migrated to the U.S. in 1864. He began his St.
Louis newspaper career in 1868.
* The origins
of St. Charles County date back to October, 1812. But, county's
geographic size has changed dramatically in the last 191 years.
These are just
a few of the October historic landmarks in St. Louis history.
Information for this article has been provided by the Missouri
History Museum. You can find out all sorts of neat stuff by
visiting exhibits or events at the Museum in Forest Park.
Governor William
Clark established the District of St. Charles on Oct. 1, 1812.
That was about six years after he and Meriwether Lewis returned
from their famous Corps of Discovery exploration.
At the time the
District was huge. Clark set the boundaries from the Missouri
River north to Canada and from the Mississippi River west
to the Pacific Ocean.
Obviously, since
then the territory that's now St. Charles County has become
smaller.
That original
territory has been cut up into the whole states of Iowa and
Minnesota. The district also included major portions of what
are now Idaho, Missouri, Montana, North and South Dakota,
Washington and Oregon.
Famed pioneer
Daniel Boone was an early settler in the St. Charles area.
He moved here from Kentucky in 1795 and lived in the county
until his death in 1820. The Lewis and Clark exploration trip
departed from St. Charles in 1804.
Also, St. Charles
served as the state's first capitol. The original capitol
building has been restored and is popular with tourists on
the city's historic Main Street.
For more information,
you could get a copy of The History of St. Charles County,
Missouri (1765-1885).
Rock and roller
Chuck Berry is now 77 years old. But, he's still performing.
He's a regular at the Blueberry Hill cafe in University City.
He also has a star on that city's Walk of Fame.
Berry was the
third of six children born to Henry and Martha Berry. His
mother was a school teacher and his father, a contractor.
Henry also was a deacon at the Antioch Baptist Church, which
was close to the family home.
The family's home
was in The Ville neighborhood. That was one place in St. Louis
where blacks could own property. In the 1920s and 1930s, The
Ville was known as the home of the city's prosperous African-Americans.
Chuck Berry was
singing in his church at age 6.
Berry had a lot
of different jobs and experiences before he turned to music
professionally. Not all experiences were good ones. He was
once sentenced to 10 years for armed robbery.
In 1952, Berry
began playing professionally at different St. Louis clubs.
His first recording was of a hillbilly song titled "Maybellene."
It ended up No. 1 on the rhythm and blues charts. It also
sold over one million copies.
For more about
Chuck Berry, you can go to www.history-of-rock.com/berry.htm.
In St. Louis,
Joseph Pulitzer's name has been tied closely to local newspapers.
In 1868, he started working at the local German-language newspaper,
the Westliche Post. He bought that paper in 1872 for $3,000.
Six years later,
he purchased the St. Louis Dispatch for $2,700. From that
merger has come the present-day St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
But, his wider
reputation is tied mostly to his New York paper ownership
and his Pulitzer Prizes. His New York circulation wars with
fellow publisher William Randolph Hearst featured sensational
reporting.
The most spirited
competition coverage came during the Spanish-American War
in Cuba. The derogatory term "yellow journalism"
was used to describe such news coverage.
The first Pulitzer
Prizes for journalism were awarded in 1917. They also continue
today.
From "St.
Louis 365"
Many
firsts for St. Louis in October
There were all
sorts of notable St. Louis anniversaries in Octobers past.
Included were the only all-St. Louis World Series, the first
iron-clad boat built and the first controlled directional
air flight.
There was also
a fateful decision in 1876 that has influenced life in St.
Louis ever since. That was when the City of St. Louis and
St. Louis County set firm boundaries dividing the two political
entities.
These are among
the 156 items of St. Louis history that were listed in the
October chapter of "St. Louis 365." That's a book
of historical tidbits by local historian Joe Sonderman.
(The book is
available in local book stories or at www.booksonline.com.
Sonderman has given Young Saint Louis.com permission
to quote from his book.)
Here are 10 of
the historical entries selected from "St. Louis 365":
October 1,
1944: The city was assured of the only all-St. Louis World
Series ever. The Browns clinched the pennant with a 5-2 win
over the Yankees. A crowd of 37,815 packed Sportsman's Park--the
first sellout of a Browns game in 20 years. Oscar Grimes flied
out to George McGuinn for the final out.
October 2,
1960: The Giants beat the football Cardinals, 35-14, in
their debut at old Busch Stadium. A crowd of 26,089 paid to
see the game. It marked the first NFL game played in St. Louis
in 26 years.
October 4,
1911: Walter Brookins carried the first air mail in the
City of St. Louis, and only the second in the United States.
He flew the mail from Kinloch Field to Fairgrounds Park at
a top speed of 60 miles per hour.
October 5,
1782: Nobody knows for sure exactly when Florissant was
founded. But, on this date, Francois Dunegant received a tract
of land from the Spanish to establish a government house and
organize a village along Coldwater Creek. The Spanish called
the village San Fernando, but the locals called it by the
French name, "Florissant." The French had declared
the area, "Un vale Fluerissant" or "Valley
of the Flowers."
October 8,
1925: Ground was broken for the studios and transmitter
for "The Voice of St. Louis" Corporation's new radio
station near Geyer and Manchester. The station tentatively
assigned the call sign "KVSL." The corporation wanted
"KMO." It turned out those call letters were already
assigned, so an "X" was tacked on the end.
October 12,
1861: James B. Eads launched his first ironclad warship
at Carondelet. Eads had a contract from the government for
seven ships like the "St. Louis," to be built in
just 64 days. Because of bureaucratic entanglements, it took
100 days--still an impressive achievement. The "St. Louis'
was the first ironclad in the world to engage a naval force.
October 22,
1876: This may be one of the most important dates in St.
Louis history. In what seemed like a good move at the time,
St. Louis City and County were officially separated. The city
boundaries were fixed permanently. The "Great Divorce"
is now blamed for many of the city's problems, as the population
spread far beyond the city limits. In 1876, city residents
were tired of paying for services in rural St. Louis County.
October 28,
1965: A landmark day in St. Louis history, as the Gateway
Arch was completed. The heat caused the south leg to sag a
bit, threatening placement of the final section. But, the
fire department called in three pumpers to spray water to
cool the steel down. As thousands watched, the 142nd and final
piece was lifted into place. The Arch revitalized the downtown
area. It has become a symbol of the city, known throughout
the world.
October 30,
1900: The entire University of Missouri football team
resigned, "rather than disgrace the university by continual
failure." Players were upset over a restriction that
only full-time students with an average of 75 or higher were
eligible to play football.
October 31,
1904: St. Louisan Ray Knabenshue made what is believed
to have been the first controlled directional flight. He attached
a small motor to his balloon and rose above a crowd of thousands
in Forest Park. Knabenshue took 37 minutes to cover the seven-mile
course.
Math
Puzzler
A
new batch of Math Puzzlers for October
Sometimes, playing
with numbers without having to worry about good math grades
can be fun. That's what Young Saint Louis.com's Math
Puzzlers are all about.
Like the whole
YSL.com website, the Math Puzzlers are designed to
help you acquire information in an interesting way.
Mr. Math Puzzler
is a math teacher. Wayne Hesse teaches eighth grade made at
Green Park Lutheran School in south St. Louis County.
The Puzzlers are
the kind of math questions Mr. Hesse gives to his students
after they have finished their regular assignments. In that
case, he gives the kids extra credit for the ones they answer
correctly.
Maybe you can
ask your math teacher to let you enter the Math Puzzler competition
for extra credit. In the past, some teachers have collected
the entries and sent them in as a class effort.
Of course, YSL.com
also likes to throw in a little competition.
That's why we
add an entry blank to each group of six Puzzlers published
each month. You can fill out the entry, answer the questions
and then send in the completed form.
If you get them
all right, we publish your names in next month's edition.
Also, as an added
incentive, we put all entries with six right answers into
a hat. Then, we draw out up to three and award $10 Border's
book certificates to them.
If you are a first
time entrant, you might like to review past questions and
answers to find out how Mr. Math Puzzler thinks.
Using the Past
Stories tab on the home page, pick as many past issues
of YSL.com as you want since September, 2001. That
way, you can use past stories to review previous questions
and answers. The answers to one month's questions are included
in the next month's edition.
(For example,
to see the September, 2003, questions and answers, click
here.)
When you think
you're ready, come back to this October edition and try your
luck.
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:
- Print out
the following entry form.
- Fill out your
name, address and telephone number.
- Give your
answers to the six Math Puzzlers.
- Put your completed
entry into a stamped envelope.
- Mail your
entry to:
Math Puzzler Contest
Young Saint Louis.com
231 So. Bemiston Ave., Suite 800
Clayton, MO 63105
- All entries
must be postmarked by the 15th of the month
to be eligible.
-------------Clip
here to make entry-------------
Entry
for October, 2003, Math Puzzler Contest:
Name: __________________________________
Age: _____
Address: ____________________
School: _______________
City:____________________,
State:______ ZIP__________
Contact phone
no.(____)____________________
The
Math Puzzlers
(October, 2003)
1. Two towns are
linked by a railroad. Every hour on the hour a train leaves
each town for the other town. The trains all go at the same
speed and every trip from one town to the other takes five
hours. How many trains are met by one train during a one-way
trip?
Answer:
_______________
2. Timothy spent
all his money in five stores. In each store, he spent $1 more
than half of what he had when he came in. How much did Timothy
have when he entered the first store?
Answer: _____________
3. How many ways
can you read POP off the diagram below? Letters must touch
each other horizontally, vertically or diagonally. Any P can
be both the first and letter of a single POP? (Hint: Remember,
you can spell backwards as well as use some back-and-forth
spelling.)
P
P O P
P O P O P
P O P
P
Answer:
____________
4. Which three
digits are represented by X, Y and Z in this sum?
XXXX
YYYY
ZZZZ
-----
YXXXZ
Answer: ____________
5. Consider all
the whole numbers from zero through one billion. What is the
sum of all the digits needed to write down these numbers?
Answer: ____________
6. In a stable
there are men and horses. In all, there are 22 heads and 72
feet. How many men and how many horses are in the stable?
Answer: _____________
The
Hsu brothers have the Puzzlers mastered
Brothers Eric
and Phillip Hsu of Chesterfield seems to have the Math Puzzlers
figured out. Both are past winners and they also got the six
September Puzzlers correct.
And that's even
after Mr. Math Puzzler worked on some new and unique math
propositions for the start of the third year of the competition.
The Hsus were
the only entrants to get all six answers correct. So, both
of them win $10 Borders book certificates.
Under Math Puzzler
rules, up to three winners get a chance to get book certificates.
If more than three get all the answers, the entries are put
into a hat and three are selected for the book certificate
bonus.
If you want to
try your hand at answering the Math Puzzlers, you might like
to review past questions and answers to find out how Mr. Math
Puzzler thinks.
Using the Past
Stories tab on the home page, pick any past issue of YSL.com
since September, 2001. That way, you can use past stories
to review previous questions and answers. The answers to one
month's questions are included in the next month's edition.
When you think
you're ready, come back to this October entry and try your
luck.
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.
The
September, 2003, Puzzler answers
1. Adam and Betty
Brown and Charles and Dolores White were having dinner at
a restaurant. During dinner, they discussed their weights.
Adam said, "I weigh 60 pounds more than Betty."
Charles said, "I weigh 40 pounds more than Dolores."
Then Adam said, "Together, Betty and I weigh 40 pounds
more than you and Dolores." Together the Browns and Whites
weight 720 pounds. How much does each person weigh?
Answer: A=220, B=160, C=190, D=150
The explanation:
You start with Adam being 60 lbs. heavier than Betty (a =
b + 60) and Charlie being 40 lbs. heavier than Dolores (c
= d + 40) Then proceed with the following equations that involve
collecting like terms:
First equation:
b
+ 60 + b = d + 40 + d + 40
2b + 60 = 2d + 80
-2d
-2d
--- ---
2b + 60 -2d = 80
-60 -60
--- ---
2b - 2d =
20
Second equation:
b
+ 60 + b + d + 40 + d = 720
2b + 100 + 2d =
720
- 100
-100
----- ----
2b +
2d =
620
Then:
2b
- 2d = 20
plus 2b + 2d = 620
------- ---
4b
= 640
(4b)/4 = (640)/4
(Betty)b = 160
Once you find
Betty's weight, the others can be computed easily.
2. There are 10
bags of silver coins. Each bag contains a different number
of coins of 15 or more. One of the bags contains all counterfeit
coins which look exactly like the others but each one weighs
1 gram less than the real ones. Each real coin weighs 10 grams.
Using a scale only once can you determine which bag contains
the counterfeit coins?
Answer: See explanation
The explanation:
If each real coin weighs 10 grams, then each counterfeit coin
would be 9 grams. Now, number the bags. Take one coin from
Bag 1, two coins from Bag 2, three from Bag 3, until you've
taken 10 coins from Bag 10. Then, put those coins on the scale
and weigh them. If the total weight of the coins is one gram
less than the total number times 10, it means the counterfeit
coins are in Bag 1. If the total weight of coins is five grams
less, it means the counterfeit coins are in Bag 5. By this
method you can determine which bag as the all counterfeit
coins.
3. While talking
at a barber shop the other day, several old-timers were discussing
how tough things were in the Depression days of the 1930s.
In the early days of the motion picture industry, to stimulate
business during the Depression, tickets for adult admissions
were 25 cents and children's tickets were only a dime. With
each children's ticket, a free lollipop was given to each
child. On one particular evening, the ticket seller reports
that he sold exactly 300 tickets and took in $55.65. How many
free lollipops were given out that night?
Answer: 129
The explanation:
Again, use equations with "a" for adult tickets
and "c" for kids:
a
+ c =300
-4 (.25a + .1c) =55.65 |
a
+ c = 300
-a - .4c = 222.6
-------- -----
.6c = 77.4
--- ----
.6 .6
c = 129
|
There were
129 children's tickets sold, thus 129 lollipops given out.
4. Assume that
the earth is a perfect sphere and that you have a long belt
stretched tightly around the equator which is 24,900 miles
long. How much length would you have to add to the belt to
raise it one foot away from the surface of the earth all the
way around?
Answer: 6.28 feet
The explanation:
Circumference is "c" and diameter is "d".
c
= (pi)d
c = 3.14(d+2)
c = 3.14d + 6.28
The answer is 6.28 feet.
5. George now
has $1,066.41 in an account at his bank at 8% annual interest
rate compounded quarterly. How much money did he have six
months ago?
Answer: $1,025
The explanation:
If you want to back off the interest, you can do it by dividing
the total by 1.02% since the money earned 2 percentage points
for each quarter. Thus, subtracting one quarter would be $1,066.41
divided by 1.02 or $1,045.5. You want to go back two quarters,
so you divided again by 1.02 and get $1,025.
6. Divide this
polygon in four smaller polygons of equal size and shape.
Answer: See explanation figure
The explanation:
Fun
& Games
Fun
& Games
Trivia - Famous
Food and Food Combinations
When you're
done, click here for the answers.
- Dr. Suess
wrote about green ______ and ham in one of his famous books?
- Take me out
to the ballgame and buy me some peanuts and ______?
- A popular
quick snack sandwich is peanut butter and ______?
- To keep your
categories straight, don't mix apples and ______?
- In the Deep
South they don't think they've had breakfast without _____?
- William Tell
was forced to shoot an _____ off his young son's head?
- While overweight
Wimpy craved hamburgers, Popeye tossed down whole cans of
______ to build up his muscles?
- Little kids'
first venture into business often is to set up a Koolaid
or ______ stand?
- In the old
folksong, what did "Jimmy crack and I don't care?"
- Can you name
the cereal that is "the Breakfast of Champions"
and another that goes "Snap, Crackle, and Pop?"
Crossword Puzzles
When you have
completed the puzzles, you can click
here to find the answers!
Young
Saint Louis.com #1
| Across |
Down |
1.
advance booking
3. recreate past event
6. copy of an original
9. goal is to win |
2.
fine-tuned, adjusted
4. put up for an office
5. change for better
6. live within an area
7. represents a nation
8. lists qualifications |
Young
Saint Louis.com #2
| Across |
Down |
1.
wind instrument
5. a memento
6. stringed instrument
8. physical preparation
9. write music |
2.
tendency to act
3. recurring condition
4. group competition
7. musical group
8. fix food outdoors |
Young
Saint Louis.com #3
| Across |
Down |
2.
support with music
6. supply of words
8. a performing group
9. racial or cultural |
1.
deer meat
3. blend in, disguise
4. hold muscle to bone
5. prize, trophy
7. sign up new members |
Trick
or Treat Time
| Across |
Down |
3.
good thing to carry
5. not welcome
6. facial disguise
7. out in numbers
9. carved to scare
10. special clothing |
1.
trick or treat time
2. next major holiday
4. usually candy
8. often corny jokes |
October - jokes
with a Halloween flavor
Why was the boy
unhappy to win first prize for the best costume at the Halloween
party?
Because he had just stopped
by to pick up his sister!
A boy went to
a Halloween party with a sheet over his head.
"Are you a ghost?"
asked a friend.
"No, I'm an unmade bed!" the boy replied.
What happened
when the girl dressed as a spoon left the Halloween party?
No one moved since they couldn't
stir without her!
Some scary
books for Halloween reading
- "The Bad
Tempered Werewolf" by Claudia Armoff
- "Ghost
Stories" by I. M. Scared
- "When
a Vampire Knocks at the Door" by Wade Aminit
- "Monsters
I Have Known" by O. Penjaw
- "I Met
a Vampire" by Pierce Nex
- "Black
Magic" by Sue Pernatural
- "I Swallowed
a Magic Potion" by Iris Keverthing
- "How to
Keep Monsters from Your House" by Dora Steele
- "A Wizard's
Autobiography" by Eli D. Constantly
More scary
jokes
Why are graveyards
so noisy?
Because of all the coffin!
Why were Egyptian
children so confused?
Because their daddies were mummies!
What do ghosts
do when they're in the hospital?
They talk about their apparitions!
Who writes jokes
for ghosts?
Crypt writers!
What did the
ghost teacher say to her class?
"Watch the board and I'll
go through it again!"
What kind of
jewels do ghosts give their girlfriends?
Tombstones!
What do you have
to take to become a coroner?
A stiff exam!
Our usual
knock knock ending
Knock knock.
Who's there?
Halibut.
Halibut who?
Halibut letting me in on the secret?
Knock knock.
Who's there?
House.
House who?
Oh, Hugh's fine, thank you!
Answers
to Fun & Games
Trivia - Famous
Food and Food Combinations
- eggs
- Crackerjack
- jelly
- oranges
- grits
- apple
- spinach
- .lemonade
- corn (popcorn)
- Wheaties and
Rice Krispies
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 |
1.
advance booking
3. recreate past event
6. copy of an original
9. goal is to win |
2.
fine-tuned, adjusted
4. put up for an office
5. change for better
6. live within an area
7. represents a nation
8. lists qualifications |
Young
Saint Louis.com #2
| Across |
Down |
1.
wind instrument
5. a memento
6. stringed instrument
8. physical preparation
9. write music |
2.
tendency to act
3. recurring condition
4. group competition
7. musical group
8. fix food outdoors |
Young
Saint Louis.com #3
| Across |
Down |
2.
support with music
6. supply of words
8. a performing group
9. racial or cultural |
1.
deer meat
3. blend in, disguise
4. hold muscle to bone
5. prize, trophy
7. sign up new members |
Trick
or Treat Time
| Across |
Down |
3.
good thing to carry
5. not welcome
6. facial disguise
7. out in numbers
9. carved to scare
10. special clothing |
1.
trick or treat time
2. next major holiday
4. usually candy
8. often corny jokes |
