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Show Free Press - Wednesday, December 11, 1985 - Page 3 Training School prepares annual 'Christmas Follies' "Christmas Follies" can be seen reindeer so they would have a good time at Christmas too. Children from around the world Dec. 17, 18 and 19 as residents of the school invite the community to their were also invited to come. Dance groups show what Santa annual Christmas production Performances begin at 7 p.m. does by stringing popcorn, putting each evening , in the school lights on the trees, making toys, etc. auditorium. Highlights of the program will to see the include the wishing Christmas tree Anyone "Follies" is urged to come early to made entirely out of Poinsetta's, and assure getting a seat in the 450 seat the count down of the of Christmas auditorium. Sesame Street by 'The Christmas production is characters. The event is being performed always popular with the community and if you don't arrive early, you're through the joint efforts of the liable not to get a seat," said Randy Training School staff and the staff of the school's Education Department, Blackburn, director. The play will also be performed now under the Alpine Schooi during the day for grade school District. Blackburn wrote the play, and is students of the area. "Schools book months in advance to make sure directing it. He has also painted the background sets. Allen Pulley is they get in," Blackburn said. technical director of the production, Sandra Twenty students from nearby and Warnick, stage Barratt Elementary School's sixth manager. Students from Barratt Elemengrade are assisting training school residents with the performance. tary School who are taking part in "These students know most of the the production say it is fun to work parts, lead our students through the with the training school residents. dances and serve as role models for "It was real scary at first because them to follow," Blackburn said. I hadn't been around them before. He said the play is written around Now I think it's fun to work with how Santa Claus decided to put on a them - especially the little ones," Christmas follies for his elves and said one youth. at the Utah State Training School 40-fo- District sets policy for public's right to know Members of the Alpine School District Board of Education have relations adopted community policies assuring the public's "right to know." The policies were adopted at the November business meeting of the board held at the district offices in American Fork. y All of the policies stress good communications between the board and the public, board members said. Under the policies, the following is included: News coverage - "Representatives of the news media are invited to attend all public meetings of the Board of Education. and "Meeting announcements agendas for each meeting, and other related supporting documents, may be furnished newspapers and other news media. "Ih its'ffealings with the press, the school system .will, be frank and open, recognizing the right of the press to publish accurate information about all aspects of the district. "Representatives of the media, as two-wa- as all other persons not specifically asked to attend, are exclused from closed sessions, as provided by law." well - Recognizing and the public's "right to supporting know," the district encourages representatives of the media to "cover and investigate district events and operations" and also "maintains a public information office" to disseminate news and information "in a professional and objective manner." In addition, this policy says, "no employee of the Alpine School District is prohibited from dealing with the press. In fact, employees are encouraged to release news or otherwise support the press in their areas of responsibility and at their level of authority." Regarding open board meetings, ! the third policy states "The regular ' and special meetings of the board are open to the public and representatives of the press except that part of any meeting which may be designated as a closed session as provided by law." News Release Sixth graders taking part in the play have to be in the top part of their school class and have to make up work they miss during the two weeks they are practicing for the performances. Blackburn said the students spend about two hours a day for two weeks before the performance at the training school. Kathy Smith and Trent Savage, students at Barratt Elementary School, help training school residents with upcoming Christmas production. ' lllrr" Q1 y -- si" mn 'Mm ill, I'm a sucker for kids without money I'm a sucker for kids without money. I just can't stand to watch them suffer. Show me a child without enough money to buy his bubblegum after he's walked four blocks with his little brother to get some, and I'll fork over the dime. Stand me next to the kid in line at the show and I'll pay his way when he realizes he lost his money. Put me behind some baby-face- d youngster who thought 25 cents was enough for a candy bar and I'll start reaching for my purse. And it isn't because I have any money. It just seems to me that kids are in a pretty tough situation. No income and high prices. Nowadays it takes a dime to buy a penny candy and $5 to buy a $1 gift. Babysitting doesn't pay a whole lot and people are blowing off their own snow. Lawnmowing is seasonal work. I don't know what kids can do. One day years ago, when my oldest son was just a tot, my mother happened to drop some pennies from her purse. They were bright, new copper pennies that shown on the carpet where they fell. My son was just three but he was r tidbits Copyright 1985 Sharon Morrey Hv SHARON MOKKKY there in a flash, scooping pennies into his small fists, scrambling across the rug to gather all he could before they disappeared. My mother was shocked. This was the first she'd seen this apparently greedy side of her grandson and she sharply informed him he needed to give the pennies back. They were hers. He could not just grab them. His little face crumpled. he cried, "But, groma!" "Christmas is just 'bout here and my mommy needs a present. I don't have some money!" She told me later he confessed he had been worrying for weeks about how to get "some money" and when he saw the pennies falling "from the sky" he thought that was the answer. Here was a child of three worrying over finances - wondering how he was going to get a gift for the mommy he loved. I think about that incident every Christmas season and inbetween wondering and worrying where I'm going to get "some money" for presents, I wonder and worry about small children. Small children who know their parents are struggling to get them lots of gifts and small children who are aching to repay that I make a special effort to sit down with my own kids and detail the kinds of gifts I hope they'll give to me; hugs, kisses, smiles on a rainy day. I remind them of the presents that mean the most to me, the presents that came without a price tag. I want them to know I treasure the boy paper purse my d made me one year to hold all my things. I saved the crayon wrapping paper folded around the plaster hand from my daughter. I value the simple watercolor my son gave to me for my birthday. I show them the kleenex roses I still have from Mother's Day and the hangers that fill my closet. When my baby girl brought me a dead bumblebee -- 1 was touched. I try to make them see that they don't need "some money" or any money to give a gift to me. I tell them mommies (and daddies) are peculiar creatures. They like presents that have a scribble on them, presents that are still gooey with extra glue, even presents that broke on the way home from preschool. Mommys and daddys remember the Dixie cup tree ornament long after they've forgotten the perfume that's sold in the store. They wouldn't sell that antique tinfoil vase for any amount of money. Forget the furs, the diamonds and the microwave. I'll take a dead bee from a chubby fist over those any day, with a warm hug. yarn-woun- Families Continued from front page to know who and how to help. This is an opportunity for children to give a gift to their secret friend of about the same age. We invite all of our readers to give anything they feel would make any member of these families happier this Christmas," he says. Contributions for these "Christmas Families" will be taken at the American Fork newspaper office, 59 W. Main, until Friday, Dec. 20. Other programs and local LDS wards will be notified, so their reosurces can go to help other needy families. "Lastly, we want to thank our readers for their great generosity in eyars past. We have been the fortunate ones in being able to witness the joy and appreciation expressed by the families that are helped each year. It has always been more than they ever imagined," says Bezzant. mi Christmas of Days will come to life, for the first time, on the front lawn of American Fork Hospital ram? Friday, Dec. 13, thru Tuesday, Dec. 24 Drive by and visit "Santa Land" Musical performances nightly at 6:00 p.m. Christmas sale in the gift shop Adoption papers and birth certificates for dolls will be given away in the Women's Center fj)k)iiMI Saturday, Dec. 14 o CJDiTcZ "Breakfast with Santa" a.m. - $1 children, $1.50 adults. Call 756-600extention 440 for reservations Pictures will be available with Santa for $1.00 11:00 a.m.-l:0- 0 p.m. - Visit wjjh Santa in his sleigh on the front lawn 9:00-11:0- Onh - 11 0 1, Come catch the spirit of Christmas ' I ;'. ii mni " ' ' ciistomeis lot VM AMERICAN FORK HOSPITAL An w. Main, Am. Fork at 170 North 1100 East Intermountain Health Care Facility 756-328- 1 4 |