May 8, 2008
To the Editor,
I just had two great days in Lawton. Over 900 Fourth graders from 19 Lawton area schools were bussed to the Professional Development Center. It is a rite of passage that when you are in 4th grade, you are old enough to come to the “String Man.” They really do look forward to it. Some of them have been studying the video so they will have a head start.
The Lawton Area Reading Council organized the programs which were held on May 7th and 8th. Each school helped by paying for the busses and some of the other costs. In some cases the children brought in money to help in the cost, in other cases the school paid the expenses. Each child received a colored nylon string and were taught some figures.
I give programs all over the United States and these were some of the best days that I have ever had. The students were polite, attentive and very focused. You could have heard a pin drop during the story and when they were concentrating on learning a new figure. They still had their natural excitement and were very reactive but appropriately so.
I was especially impressed with the teachers and librarians. They had to do extra paper work to set up the trip and take care of book orders for the children. They were very attentive and focused on the program. We all had a lot of fun. Lately, some of the teachers I run across sit in the back grading papers, writing and one the other day spent the time texting on her cell phone.
I was so proud of Lawton kids, teachers and librarians and want to thank them for the respect and attention they paid to me. I think I look forward to this time with the 4th graders as much as they look forward to it.
Sincerely,
David Titus
“The String Man”
Over 700 kids is almost too many to do in a day. It makes for very large groups to work with. They all had a good time and the teachers were most complimentary. The workshops were in the library and we did get everyone in. What a busy day. Cynthia Baim, the librarian was there last time I was there, about 6 years ago. She had things set up very well.
Dave
It was my third time in a row to be at their school. They look at it as a tradition to end up the year. Worked with PK through 8th grade and had a good time reminding the kids of some of the things they knew and teaching them some new ones.
Dave
Had a good day in spite of some trauma. Lesslie Roberts the librarian met me at the school. Almost immediately, she recieved work that her sister had passed away so she left to start making the plans she needed to make. The library clerk and I handled everything from there on out and it went fine.
John Lunn, the principal recognized me as being there his first year…8 years ago. He seems to be doing a great job and came in and learned some of the figures. We have decided I need to come back more often than every 8 years.
Dave
I haven’t been to Kirkland for about 10 years. The new librarian, Lesslie Roberts, had everything set up for me. I was in the library all day. She had these neat benches for the kids. Later she showed me that the backs fold up and they are also tables that can be put togther. All on wheels that can be folded up and moved around. Boy does that make a room flexible.
Wasn’t able to fit in the Kindergarden in the regular schedule but I had a few minutes to go to them and do a couple short stories and talk with the teacher about some activities for them. We also talked about the possibilities of “string buddies” for them from the older grades to teach them some more complicated things.
It was a beautiful day and we walked over to Schlotskys for a sandwich. It was nice to get out in the 85 degree weather. Spring is short in Oklahoma and it gets right into summer. Went back to the school for the first and second graders
I am back in the area tomorrow but got rid of most of the books I had with me so I drove home. Stopped by the office but Lynna was home with a sick dog and Randy went home sick. Visited with Gene, Randy’s dad and drove home.
Watered a bit then started supper. I had picked two red roses in the yard and was sitting at the table with a glass of wine signing books and looking at the roses. Can life get any better than this. Fun with kids during the day, listening to NPR on the way home and relaxing for the evening. WOW! God is so gracious.
Dave
What a fun day. I started it out with getting a crown replaced. Now that that is out of the way I can get to the fun stuff. Went to the office and dropped off money and went over what has happened while I was gone. Lots of things to cover… ideas to bounce off, notes to explain, etc.
We had an inquiry for an order from Spain for 15,000 strings that they want by the end of May. Do I treat that as an order, prank or what. We are corresponding with them to find out at this point.
Finished the newsletter and took it to a friend Doris Hyde to proof. She finds everything. She was my first clerk who retired when she reached 77. Now she works in the yard and her flowers are beautiful.
Took Randy (My Webmaster) and Lynna, his wife (My Office Manager) to “The Back Porch” for lunch. It was just a bunch of home cooking. Ribs for appitizer, chicken fried steak sandwiches, home cut potato fries, onion petals and we were too full for desert.
Had some lab work this afternoon and then picked up strings from Goodwill. They weld them and have them bagged by color and it is our jobs (Jim and mine) to count them in the bagged assortments. If that order goes through, we better get busy.
Spent some time in the yard. I have some tomatos growing in pots. They are starting to bloom. When you brush one with your hand it really smells like summer. I also have green beans, summer squash, beets, cucumbers and bell peppers up. Right now my Iris plants are blooming. The Azaleas are just finishing.
Well, off to have dinner and meet with friends.
Dave
Last night I gave a program for the First Baptist Church, Blackwell, OK. We had a number of senior adults and then the kids. A nice mix. There was lots of laughter as some of the seniors couldn’t get their hands to do what they had done 60 of 70 years ago. The kids learned some of the stories that I don’t tell in school. They can now share them. We had a good time.
I was at Blackwell Middle School today. We had a little confusion as to when I should start so I was way early for the day. They made it a special day for the 6th graders and I only saw them. The schedule was changed around for them and then the 7th and 8th grade teachers found out it would affect their class schedueling, so things were revised. It worked out fine and all the 6th graders had a very good time.
I am finally home from my round about trip to Alaska, Kansas and then Oklahoma.
Dave
Named after one of the mountains overlooking the school, the school is in the Matanuska Valley. I arrived just as State Police were closing the only highway to try to catch a carjacker. They got him but it really messed up travel plans for many, including the 4th grade that were going into the Museum in Anchorage.
I spend the day with Diony Tribble the librarian. We met in Fairbanks at the library convention in February and he had been wanting to get me for some time but just didn’t work it out. I am so glad we did. His kids were wonderful. A school of 420 I saw classes all day long.
The second grade had a play in the evening and there was an art show of kids’ work around the school as well as having the “String Man” return. Kids brought parents in to see the Swan, Porcupine, Whale and Fox and a few other favorites. Some of the parents joined in and remembered some of their childhood games. The kids also brought the parents in so they could get a book or DVD.
Between school and the evening program I went into Wasilla and had fresh halibut. There is nothing like it in the fish world. All in all, it was a great way to end up my Alaska trip. Drove home at 9:00 and the sun was still shining. Got gas and am ready to return the car and get on a plane in the morning.
Tomorrow I fly to Oklahoma City, OK and then drive to Wichita, KS for a retreat I go to each year. Will arrive there about 3 AM. I think I will sleep tonight.
Dave
Mornings take more time than in Oklahoma. I have a garage to park in there and it is warmer. Here I have to leave time to start the car and turn on the front and back window heaters. Then I have to scrape the windows. If I start driving too soon, before the heaters have warmed the windows, they just start to ice over again.
Amy dropped off some books at Chinook Elementary school for me that they needed and I went to my last Anchorage school. Tudor is a smaller school tucked away in a neighborhood. Ms. Leslie, Leslie McNeely is the librarian and had things set up in there for me. I even had a free period due to the way things worked out.
During that time, I had 5 sixth graders come in and I taught them the spider. They are now responsible for teaching the rest of the school. Since that figure takes more time to learn, I find it easier to teach a few and let them handle it.
The classes went smoothly and teachers were very involved. Ms. Leslie sent out for lunch at a Gyro place and it was wonderful. The olives were very salty and reminded me of Palestine. Ended the day with third graders because they had been on a field trip till then. They were great. Their teachers looked more tired than the kids…I wonder why?
Went back up to Bear Valley School to drop off some books and then came home to get some things packed. Amy and a friend and I are going out for dinner so I can have some fresh halibut. I’ll let you know how it was.
Dave
I stopped by Fairview and picked up the few books that Jeanne didn’t sell and the money, then drove a short distance to Abbot Loop Elementary. “Charlie” Polak the librarian, had arranged with the music teacher to trade areas so I was settled into the music room for the day. She had been selling strings since they arrived, a week ago. Do you think the kids were ready????????
“Charlie” had Googled my name last week to find some information to use for promotional material. The first “hit” under David Titus was a for an arrest warrent for someone in Seattle. I assured her it was not me. They had already figured it out, but we wonder who else ran across it and wondered. Google has its’ good points and bad.
This was a hyped up day since the 4th, 5th and 6th grades were going to a concert in downtown Anchcorage mid day. When they came back the 5th and 6th came directly off the busses to the music room for the string program. They were really full of energy and had not had time to expell it. I really had to “project” to keep them on task. They did a most admirable job of being present to the moment.
Many of the kids knew things since they had used the strings all week so they were quick to pick up new things. There was a great variety of ethnic backgrounds also to bring into this. We really had a good time. I am going back to the school at 6:45 for an evening program of stories and strings with the parents. I am just back at the house to refresh and regroup.
I went back to the school and we had a nice group of about 40 adults and children. A very comfortable group of people who were coming out to see what their kids were going on and on about. I taught one man “the eye of the needle” that looks likie magic. Then when anyone else wanted to know how to do it, I sent them to him. That is what it is all about. Each one, teach one. I did that with a couple of other figures and the place started humming.
I had some of the kids show what they could do, including a 5 year old who was good at making the most basic opening and another boy who could do a “Look at this” trick. I also talked about the value of storytelling in the home and told a couple of stories without strings and a couple with strings. This week is “Unplug the Screens” week at the school.
I left there and went to the Lucky Wishbone for a strawberrry shortcake made with hot biscuits. Yum. Home to rest.
Dave Titus