THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, December 30, 1994 TAG: 9412280203
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 4P EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY GARY EDWARDS, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 85 lines
Natalie Ross spent her final school day before the holidays as a rich girl during the Victorian period.
She certainly looked the part in her white lace blouse, green velvet skirt and black shoes with bows.
Likewise, classmate Chris Reynolds was ``Fred,'' a character in Charles Dickens' ``A Christmas Carol.''
He tried to persuade his wife's uncle, Ebenezer Scrooge, to come to a Christmas party.
``I liked the character of Fred in the book,'' said Reynolds. ``He tried to be nice and courteous to Scrooge and get him to come to the party.''
Reynolds real-life father, Keith, arrived at the party as Scrooge soon after it began.
The fifth-grade students of Kyle Williams and their classmates at Princess Anne Elementary School took part in the Charles Dickens Victorian party Dec. 22, culminating a monthlong study of the holiday classic.
``We started reading the book on Dec. 1,'' said Williams. ``We were able to study Victorian literature and history through the book, and the party gives the class an idea of what Christmas was like during that era.''
The class made a field trip to the Hunter House in Norfolk and toured Freemason Street, an area where architecture of the Victorian time predominates.
The students dressed in period costumes for the party. Many of the boys wore black stovepipe hats. Although Williams' class meets in a thoroughly modern portable trailer, the room took on a long-ago look for the ``greening tea.'' The bulletin board was covered with characters from the book, made of dough. The Christmas tree was decorated with period ornaments.
The tea was called the greening tea because it was served while the Victorians decorated with greenery.
``We're having lemon bars, gingerbread scones and sausage balls - food that the people of Dickens' time ate,'' said Williams, appropriately attired in long black skirt and high-collared white blouse.
``Mothers in Victorian times arranged children's Christmas presents to look like a cobweb in their rooms,'' she told the class.
``They attached presents to the ends of yarn, one end of which was held to the wall of the room.''
To illustrate, Williams had fashioned a cobweb of her own next to the bulletin board.
Gifts for the class hung from green and red strands of yarn and lay on the floor. As his or her name was called, each student went to the wall and followed a piece of yarn to a book covered in brown wrapping paper.
After unwrapping their presents and eating, the students pushed the chairs and desks out of the way and danced the waltz, the favorite step of 19th century Britons.
The students enjoyed the party and learned what life was like for the people of England, especially children, during the 1800s.
``They had orphanages and workhouses for the kids,'' said Audrey Richardson. ``We have homeless kids now, but at least we don't have any workhouses.''
Ross has seen lots of versions of ``A Christmas Carol'' on television, but she insists it's not like reading the book.
``The book tells you more, and it's more accurate,'' she said. ILLUSTRATION: Photos by PETER D. SUNDBERG
Student Mariellen Carnes, right, peeks over teacher Kyle Williams'
shoulder as she announces the names of dance partners for the
party.
Jay Gaylord follows the yarn in a cobweb to find his gift during the
Victorian-theme party at Princess Anne Elementary School.
Mariellen Carnes, left, and Audrey Richardson compare the books they
received as presents at the Victorian-style celebration. The party
was designed to acquaint students with Christmas traditions
prevalent during author Charles Dickens' lifetime.
A bulletin board was covered with characters from " A Christmas
Carol".
by CNB