Pioneer Day

Once each year, I pull on the long dress - the one that I particularly dislike wearing, as it hangs like a sack on me - and walk down the hall to my classroom. It's amazing to hear the older students' comments when they see me. You'd think they were well into their golden age: "Oh, it must be Pioneer Day! I remember that(wistfully). It was so much fun! School was so easy back then..."
It's funny what they remember. I think that for them, what sticks out is the fun they had mixing up corn bread, shaking cream to make butter ("Oh, it took soooooo long to make!), eating them together ("Oooh, gross! Do I have to try it? Mmmmm, can I have some more?"), making cornhusk dolls, and playing games like marbles and pickup sticks. Oh, and of course, they got to dress up for school.
What do I remember? Well, it might be the chaos of 48 grade three students in one room, full of adrenaline and excitement. And their very loudest voices. Could be the constant chorus of "Can you help me tie the knot?" as we make the cornhusk dolls. Possibly it's simultaneously managing both the 48 children and the 15 mums who are helping and need instructions and can't find 8 mixing bowls, and is there any more baking powder?
Today after Pioneer Day, I was exhausted. Could it have been more tiring than all the other Pioneer Days? I'm so glad it's over for another year! But the memory that I'm left with this time, even more than that of the madding crowd, is my happy children taking turns to mix up the corn bread, experiencing something new, simple, and rather exciting. For that, I guess I can wear the dress again.