Hopscotch articles from December 1996

Hopscotch archives from December 1996

We deliver. (an elementary school in New York creates its own student-run post office)
December 1, 1996... Ever get caught in school passing a note to your friend? Embarrassing, isn't it? This is especially true if the teacher reads the note out loud for the whole class to hear as they did back in the "old" days. Thank goodness, times are...

Mail train mascot. (the story of Owney, the post office's mail dog)
December 1, 1996... Dressed in a collar and purple jacket decorated with hundreds of tags, the small gray dog trotted onto the stage, gaily jingling his medals with every step. The audience burst into applause and cheers that swelled and grew as the dog wagged his...

Mail call.
December 1, 1996... If rain and snow and dark of night cannot delay the mails, Then tell me do our letters ride on great lethargic snails? Or do they go by sloth express? By turtle parcel post? Is that why letters take so long from those you like...

The oldest post office. (the history of the oldest post office in the United States)
December 1, 1996... If you were standing right in the middle of Main Street in Hinsdale, New Hampshire, (population 1700) facing south toward the Asheulot [pronounced Ash-wheel-lit) River, you would be looking at the oldest, continuously-operating post office in the...

The letter.
December 1, 1996... "Mama," said JoAnn, "I want to write a letter to someone I love very much." Mama smiled. She knew JoAnn wanted to write to Grandma who lived in a small town in a far-away state. "Okay," said Mama, "you will need a pencil, paper, envelope,...

Hoofbeats of history. (the story of Joe Nardone's modern ride on the old pony express trail)
December 1, 1996... Hoofbeats pounded across America. Daring young riders held tight to the reins. They carried mail between east and west faster than ever before, forging a vital link across a troubled nation. It was the early 1860s. They were the Pony Express. ...

Visions of gingerbread. (How to construct a gingerbread house; includes recipes)
December 1, 1996... Does your family have a special Christmas tradition? Do you look forward to a special activity with them each year? Many families of German heritage have a Christmas tradition of creating gingerbread houses. Remembering the story of Hansel...

Cathyrose's Christmas celebration. (a photo album of a cat's Christmas activities)
December 1, 1996... Cathyrose lives in a house that is warm and cozy. She is a playful cat and is Pamela's much-adored pet. It is nearing Christmas, a joyous and magical time of the year. All day long, Cathyrose watches as Pamela bakes some cookies. Pamela has...

Snowpants!
December 1, 1996... Why do I have to wear snowpants to school? None of the other kids do. I feel like some crazy weird-o That better belongs in the zoo. Why do I have to wear snowpants to school? I stick out like a sore thumb. I look like an inflated,...

The Christmas Eve luminaries.
December 1, 1996... "How beautiful Christmas Eve is," said Maria, her eyes shining with happiness. Maria loved Christmas Eve. She loved the freshly cut fir tree that filled the room with its faint fragrance. She loved the bright decorations that hung from its...

The sled ride.
December 1, 1996... There is one part of sledding That I'm always dreading. I don't mind the wind or the chill. It's just not any fun Once the sled ride is done To climb all the way back uphill!

The history of Christmas Seals. (brief history of how Emily Bissell raised money to fight tuberculosis)
December 1, 1996... The first Christmas Seal[R] was created by a young woman in 1907. Her name was Emily Bissell. She was trying to help raise money to save a hospital in Delaware that took care of people with tuberculosis. The hospital was in danger of closing due...

Grow a tangy sandwich. (how to grow mustard sprouts)
December 1, 1996... How long does it take to grow a vegetable garden? All summer? Here is a vegetable garden you can grow in about two weeks... and you can grow it anytime you like, even in the middle of winter! Have you ever tasted a mustard sprout sandwich?...

Girls learn from home-produced newspaper. (a neighborhood newspaper created by two sisters)
December 1, 1996... Producing a weekly newspaper has taught Emily Silla that some people have strange hobbies. While conducting a phone interview for a "Neighbor of the Week" column, Emily, nine, asked about her hobbies. Mrs. Black said, "gardening, sewing,...

Clay-dough heart necklace. (instructional guide)
December 1, 1996... Materials: * 4-5 slices white bread (with the crusts removed) * white school glue * measuring spoons * bowl * plastic wrap * red food coloring * round toothpicks * small (1 1/4") heart-shaped...

Zip codes. (brief history and explanation)
December 1, 1996... Five-digit ZIP (Zone Improvement Plan) Codes were introduced in 1964 to identify each postal delivery area in The United States. The smallest Zip Code (01001) in the United States belongs to Agawam, Massachusetts. The largest Zip Code (999501)...

R.F.D., U.S.A. (an explanation and brief history of the post office's Rural Free Delivery)
December 1, 1996... Mayberry R. F. D. may seem like an old television show, but the R. F. D. or Rural Free Delivery postal system is even older. This year it celebrates its 100th anniversary! First offered in the state of West Virginia in October 1896, R. F. D....

Fe-mail. (the history of famous women depicted on postage stamps)
December 1, 1996... The first glue-backed postage stamp in the world carried a picture of a woman. It was produced in Great Britain in 1840. It earned the nickname, "the black penny," because it cost one cent and because a picture of Queen Victoria was printed on...