“Although the villagers had forgotten the ritual and lost the original black box, they still remembered to use stones.” Is there a more powerful sentence in all of American literature?
That line – and the final six words of that story – hit like an atomic bomb – “. . . and then they were upon her.”
Amazing what language can do isn’t it?
*****
First hour I get an email from one of our counselors actually asking me if one student, who missed at least 20 days first semester, could possible be given an incomplete in order to make up the work! Ha. Nice try. If I do that, what about the 5 kids who had perfect attendance? How would they feel?
I guess I had to play a bad guy. But then again, someone else has to play the bleeding heart.
*****
Smarter than a junior. Since my immense junior class didn’t really watch today’s video on the Salem witch trials as intently as I hoped, I gave a little quiz.
1. How old was the youngest girl accused? (four)
2. Why did she confess? (to be with her mother who was also accused)
3. What was Sarah Good’s curse against the judge who condemned her (he will choke on his own blood – and he did when died)
4. Why were no witches burned at the stake? (it was outlawed)
5. What were Giles Corey’s last words as he was ‘pressed’ to death (“More weight!”)
6. What happened to Tituba (she was sold back in to slavery to help pay court costs)
Bonus – here’s the scary part
A. What weighs more – a pound of gold or a pound of sand (sand – gold is weighed in Troy ounces and is less)
B. What state is Salem located in? (Massachusetts)
I cannot begin to tell you how many got that last bonus question wrong!!! So much for geography!
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