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Lower School celebrates 100th day of Darlington's year
Jan 27, 2005 8:00 AM
By Tannika King - Faculty
Proudly displaying Centennial T-shirts and birthday hats, Lower School students piled into a balloon-filled Tiger Hall on Jan. 26 to celebrate the 100th day of Darlington’s 100th year.
“It is remarkable to think that a school has withstood for 100 years,” said pre-kindergarten teacher Beth Smith ('87). “To think of all the history and heritage that is within the School is so neat. To sing the alma mater and see all the teachers that have gone to school here, and to think of the people in my family that are connected to Darlington is so precious. I think that will be so neat for my children to see that their mom and granddad and uncle are graduates of the same school as them.”
While it is an annual tradition for pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, pre-first and first grades to celebrate the 100th day of the school year, this day was even more special because the celebration was school-wide in honor of Darlington’s Centennial.
“This is a very special day for Darlington that we won’t be able to celebrate next year or the next,” said Principal Mark Tayloe before introducing special guests including Centennial Chairperson Betty Wright Ledbetter and Co-Chairperson Mai Mai Kelly (’72T).
In the days leading up to the celebration, fourth grade teacher Lola Bradshaw discussed the significance of the event with her students, and when the big day arrived, they were very impressed. “My students really liked the T-shirts, the party hats and the fact that the lunch boxes matched the shirts. They also liked the decorations and the food,” said Bradshaw.
Smith’s pre-k students were happy to see Darlington’s mascot in attendance. “They thought it was neat that the School had a 100th birthday; I’m sure they don’t know anyone who is 100,” she said. “They also enjoyed singing to Darlington and seeing the Tiger, who all of my kids thought turned 100 also.”
Kindergarten teacher Patricia Ayer said that although her students may not have quite understood the significance of the Centennial, they were more than happy to partake in the celebration of 100 days of school.
“My students were thrilled to all have matching shirts, and we were definitely in the party mode. They were especially thrilled that Mr. Tayloe and Mr. Daniels were also wearing the shirt,” said Ayer.
Festivities began at 11:30 a.m., and lunch was served birthday party-style, with each child receiving a white decorated box containing chicken fingers, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, fruit and chips. Dessert was birthday cupcakes, and "Happy Birthday” was sung by all. After the birthday song, fifth grade students, accompanied by Assistant Principal Diane Lumpkin, performed the Lower School alma mater.
“My students were very excited about the celebration, because they know that not many schools are 100 years old,” said Carol Mitchell, fifth grade teacher. “I had one child who didn’t feel well, but didn’t want to miss the party! [The students] liked the special lunch and the cupcakes, and the T-shirts were fun because they made us all part of the excitement. I feel it is an honor to work at such an established institution.”
Ayer agreed. “The profession of teaching can and does take place in various and unique places each day,” she said, “but to have the wonderful facilities, administrative encouragement and parental involvement that we share here on the Lower School campus keeps us fresh and vital for the task of teaching and guiding young minds.
“With our emphasis on brain-based learning, we are finding that some techniques that have been used for years have endured because they worked within the ‘new’ guidelines … Darlington, like those tried and true teaching methods, has endured and will continue to thrive as the traditional embraces the future, making our next 100 years even more exciting and rewarding.”
“It is remarkable to think that a school has withstood for 100 years,” said pre-kindergarten teacher Beth Smith ('87). “To think of all the history and heritage that is within the School is so neat. To sing the alma mater and see all the teachers that have gone to school here, and to think of the people in my family that are connected to Darlington is so precious. I think that will be so neat for my children to see that their mom and granddad and uncle are graduates of the same school as them.”
While it is an annual tradition for pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, pre-first and first grades to celebrate the 100th day of the school year, this day was even more special because the celebration was school-wide in honor of Darlington’s Centennial.
“This is a very special day for Darlington that we won’t be able to celebrate next year or the next,” said Principal Mark Tayloe before introducing special guests including Centennial Chairperson Betty Wright Ledbetter and Co-Chairperson Mai Mai Kelly (’72T).
In the days leading up to the celebration, fourth grade teacher Lola Bradshaw discussed the significance of the event with her students, and when the big day arrived, they were very impressed. “My students really liked the T-shirts, the party hats and the fact that the lunch boxes matched the shirts. They also liked the decorations and the food,” said Bradshaw.
Smith’s pre-k students were happy to see Darlington’s mascot in attendance. “They thought it was neat that the School had a 100th birthday; I’m sure they don’t know anyone who is 100,” she said. “They also enjoyed singing to Darlington and seeing the Tiger, who all of my kids thought turned 100 also.”
Kindergarten teacher Patricia Ayer said that although her students may not have quite understood the significance of the Centennial, they were more than happy to partake in the celebration of 100 days of school.
“My students were thrilled to all have matching shirts, and we were definitely in the party mode. They were especially thrilled that Mr. Tayloe and Mr. Daniels were also wearing the shirt,” said Ayer.
Festivities began at 11:30 a.m., and lunch was served birthday party-style, with each child receiving a white decorated box containing chicken fingers, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, fruit and chips. Dessert was birthday cupcakes, and "Happy Birthday” was sung by all. After the birthday song, fifth grade students, accompanied by Assistant Principal Diane Lumpkin, performed the Lower School alma mater.
“My students were very excited about the celebration, because they know that not many schools are 100 years old,” said Carol Mitchell, fifth grade teacher. “I had one child who didn’t feel well, but didn’t want to miss the party! [The students] liked the special lunch and the cupcakes, and the T-shirts were fun because they made us all part of the excitement. I feel it is an honor to work at such an established institution.”
Ayer agreed. “The profession of teaching can and does take place in various and unique places each day,” she said, “but to have the wonderful facilities, administrative encouragement and parental involvement that we share here on the Lower School campus keeps us fresh and vital for the task of teaching and guiding young minds.
“With our emphasis on brain-based learning, we are finding that some techniques that have been used for years have endured because they worked within the ‘new’ guidelines … Darlington, like those tried and true teaching methods, has endured and will continue to thrive as the traditional embraces the future, making our next 100 years even more exciting and rewarding.”
