june 2012 open fields news

June 2012

Open FieldsNews

Jean K. Aull, 1941-2011by Janet Cobb

On November 13, 2011, Jean K. Aull, founder and long-time director of Open Fields School,

passed away after a period of failing health. Jean had retired in June 2011 after celebrating the graduation of 6 students and the 40th year of the school and her directorship. Since then Jean had been living quietly at her farm in Lyme, NH enjoying her animals, receiving many friends and former students, and reading voraciously.

In the wake of Jean’s death, our tears have flowed but our smiles have been wide as we share stories about Jean. Many who knew her have offered special remembrances, including the cashier at the local convenience store where Jean bought her newspapers and a neighbor whose daughter attended Open Fields in the early 1970s and particularly enjoyed participating in circus performances at the Thetford Grange.

Early in her teaching career, Jean envisioned a form of elementary education for children for whom the public school model, for whatever reason, was not a good fit. In her unassuming way, Jean described Open Fields as an alternative rather than a superior form of education. By dint of determination and hard work, through years of fluctuating enrollment and other challenges, she achieved her goal, rarely losing her trademark dry wit or sense of humor. She weathered a second wave of Star Wars mania with equanimity

knowing that fads might change but understanding children’s fundamental needs and ways of learning do not.

Jean accepted and supported the uniqueness of all the children she taught. She saw inherent value in each and worked unhurriedly to hone skills at a pace appropriate to the child while fostering a joy in learning. The routines she established—greeting each child upon arrival in the morning, holding a mid-day all-school Meeting as an time for all ages to share news and stories, signaling the start of lunch with a hearty, “Cheers!”—provided a comforting structure to the day. Jean was able to attract other teachers to the school who share her passion for educating youth, and countless staunch supporters, who are known to the students as “friends of the school.” Even the building speaks to Jean’s vision: nothing fancy but including a treasure trove of books, games, art supplies, and a large space for holding all the outdoor clothing needed for extended play outdoors.

Jean, while remaining a very private person, shared much with her students and families—her appreciation for animals and nature, her pleasure and exasperation with the Red Sox, her photographic skills, her love of music, theater arts and reading. Jean was an exemplar to all of us through her erect posture, legible penmanship, and eye contact during daily greetings and goodbyes

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Open Fields SchoolThetford Hill, Vermont 05074

[email protected]

Open Fields is a non-profit, private elementary school. Founded in 1971 by Jean K. Aull, it is open to all children, ages 4 through 12.

Director: Nellie Pennington

Board of Directors: Mary Helen Bentley, Ruth Cserr, Terry Garrison, Nate Hine, Peg Little, Meg McLean, and Nellie Pennington

Advisory Council: Allison Bush Kanoti, Dilys Evans, Jon Gilbert Fox, Michael O’Donnell, John Quimby, Linda Stein, Katrin Tchana, and Dean Whitlock

Staff: Mindy Barth, Leslie Berger, Karen Kreis, and Mary Layton

Great Goose Egg Auction

The biennial Great Goose Egg Auction moved to a new location (AVA Gallery and Art Center

in Lebanon, NH) and a new format (preview and auction on a Friday evening) this year, but the magic and eggcitement were still present, as were enthusiastic bidders. With 46 eggs up for auction, we raised nearly $14,000 in support of the school.

One highlight of the evening was Alma Chaney’s phenomenal Open Fields Treasure Chest, with its tower of nine assorted and delicately decorated eggs (from ostrich and emu to quail), its handmade chest with a collage of just about every egg

we’ve ever auctioned, along with pictures of Jean, Trina, Mary and Karen (and Annie Ruth!), and a full set of catalogs and programs from all the previous auctions. Thanks to matching bids and a consortium

of bidders in the room, we raised over $4,000 and purchased the Treasure Chest for the

Open Fields collection.We’re already starting to think about

2014, and thinking about a Retrospeggtive Eggshibition in advance of our 10th Great Goose Egg Auction. If you know of suitable gallery space, or if you’ve got a speggtacular egg you’d consider loaning

us, please let us know!

Year of the Water Dragon, by Grace Lin

JKA - continued from page 1that there is more to education than academics alone. Having her donkey, Annie Ruth, pen well-written notes offering thanks for post-Halloween pumpkins to snack on is just one example of how Jean managed to incorporate an important lesson in almost everything she did.

When Woody, her beloved Wheaton terrier who had attended Open Fields daily for years, underwent an amputation, she explained the situation to the children and then brought Woody back to school offering a lesson in how life inevitably includes challenges and disappointments.

In The Elements of Teaching, James Banner and Harold Cannon describe several vital elements effective teachers must have: learning, authority, ethics, order, imagination, compassion, patience, character and pleasure. Jean, a true educator, embodied all of these. She has left behind a vibrant community of learners and many friends who will miss her.

Below left: Jean, Abbey, and friends(on ladder, top to bottom: unidentified,Joey Meisel,Rob Hayden, Sally Dustin, Dean Whitlock, Julie Greenwood, Mark Lipman, Ann Swanson;under ladder: Rob Mermin, Jo Valens, unidentified),

Celebration of LifeA gathering of friends and family,

in memory of Jean K. Aull, will be held on

Saturday, July 7, 20122-5 p.m.

Open Fields SchoolThetford, Vermont

Through her 40 years at the school, Jean made a tremendous difference in the lives of innumerable students

and their families.

Bring your stories, photographs, school memorabilia, and memories,

and join us to celebrate Jean’s life and legacy.

For more information, call the school (802-785-2077) or email [email protected].

We look forward to seeing you, one and all.

Above: Graduation, 1999

Below: Graduation, 1992

Below right: Spring, 2010(photo by Jeffrey Jon Smith)July 4, 1977 (photo by Bill Thompson)

The Goats By Lily Barth

The goats I love are at my place. Even though they have a lot of space, They are limited from the wood. Oh I do wish they could, Come to more space. But they are just goats so they need to be protected. Then coyotes come unsuspected. The dog comes to guard. And his name is Jurard. Let me tell you one thing I do dare to say, Goats are fun to keep anyway! The goats I keep are beautiful they have a sparkling touch. There names are Enna and Tocara. I love them much more than a candelabra. I love them dearly, And when they go I am quite dreary. You have to feed them and water them and shelter them. That is why when you get a pet, don’t ever forget they are a part of you, and you are a part of them.

Aquarian Gladiator: Open Fields’ Very Own Gameby Dean Whitlock

Jean Aull once said, “I want to be remembered as the person who created Aquarian Gladiator.”

Every student and parent since 1992 knows what she meant, but for those who came before and those just learning about Open Fields, here is an explanation of our favorite game. Please feel free to teach it to one and all!

Aquarian Gladiator is a non-competitive, non-contact outdoor game for elementary and middle school students. It was developed by Jean as a warm-weather activity for all students at the school, plus teachers, parents, and anyone else who wants to join in. The game involves splashing other players with water and being splashed yourself. Equipment requirements are minimal and inexpensive.

Jean developed a number of new indoor games for her students, but was constantly on the lookout for a non-competitive, non-contact outdoor game that was appropriate for all of the grades. The small number of students and wide range of ages

made it difficult to make up evenly matched teams for the standard games. The clear winner, Aquarian Gladiator, was the result of many years of thought.

How to PlayThere are no teams. A Refill Zone is marked

off with cones at each end of the field. Four tubs of water are placed in each of the refill zones, in a line across the width of the field. The players then gather in the very center of the field, where the leader hands out small paper cups, one to each player. The leader can take a cup and join in, or leave the field after starting the game. All players remain in the center of the field until the leader gives the word. The leader starts the action by raising an arm and then dropping it, while calling out, “Let the games begin!”

At that point, all players run to the nearest tub of water, fill their cups, and run back out into the field to throw the water on another player. Each player chooses how they want to play: to throw water on any and everyone, or to focus on specific targets; to try to avoid getting wet, or to get as wet as they can. As one teacher said, “It is more courageous to face your opponents, but also very fun to sneak up from behind.”

The game continues until all the water is gone or the paper cups have all dissolved. Everyone wins. On a hot day, the wettest person wins the most!

Above: Jean distributes paper cups for Aquarian Gladiator, following graduation ceremonies in 1999.

Left: A game in full swing, following graduation 2010.

TransitionsBy Hyla Maddalena (in response to questions from Nellie, Neeta, Molly, Sam, and Jack A.)

I went to the Open Fields School for 7 years, all of which were fantastic. The most memorable

project I did was in Karen’s Friday class a few years ago, when we made laws, maps, flags and food, designing our own countries.

Was I ready to leave Open Fields? I felt awful. I never wanted to leave, and I kept wanting to stay later and later and never go away. Open Fields will always be my favorite school.

Now, I go to school at Thetford Academy, which is a fantastic school. I was most nervous about homework and tests, because I’d never done anything like it. I was also very excited for a different structure of school, because it’s interesting to see what the differences are.

It took me about a month to find friends and settle into the work routine, but now I find it easy! Although I constantly miss Open Fields (not least because of homework!) I feel very much at home there in the community. Everyone’s incredibly friendly, and all the teachers are understanding when I haven’t done something before, and I still do well in classes even though there’s a lot of new material. I have a big group of friends, 75% of whom I’d never met before. They’re all really nice and I’m so glad that I know them.

Over this school year, I have taken classes such as: gym (first thing every morning), math

3 (highest 7th grade level), science 7 (a very fun class with labs), intro to social studies (one of my favorite classes), English 7 (poetry and fiction writing), keyboarding (typing lessons), instrumental (definitely one of the best classes, with a fantastic teacher and different styles of music), study center (a break in regular classes to do homework or study for tests), health (a very interesting class) and musical theater (extremely fun and exciting, sometimes with classes on the weekends and set-building every Saturday).

I like getting out of school earlier. It means I have more time for homework before bed, and it also means that I have an hour to come down and visit all of you! On Mondays, they tend to give you less homework, because it’s coming back into the week. On Tuesdays, there’s usually a lot. On Wednesdays, they start to ease off, on Thursdays there’s not usually much, and on Fridays there’s usually a good amount, because you have three nights to do it rather than one. Usually, homework isn’t very much fun, but sometimes, you’ll have something that’s actually pretty interesting and exciting!

My advice for graduating Open Fields students? Believe in yourself! Even if you think that you won’t fit in, you will!

Yes, I want to support Open Fields School!

Name ________________________________________________________________________

Address ______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

Phone _____________________________________ Email _____________________________

Please make your check payable to Open Fields School and send to Open Fields, PO Box 53, Thetford, VT 05074. Open Fields is a non-profit, alternative elementary school and a 501(c)(3) organization and

all contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowable by law. Thank you for your support!

If you haven’t already done so, consider a tax-deductible gift to Open Fields.Or, consider a memorial donation or bequest. Support local education!

The children, teachers, and parents thank you.

Thanks. . .to our generous friends who have contributed to Open Fields: Gail & Kent Ancliffe, Nicolas Anzalone & Heather Alger, Elizabeth & Bruce Axelrod, Mary Helen Bentley, Peter Blodgett, Barnes Boffey, Sara Botsford, Margaret Bragg, Judith Bush, Louis & Patricia Carini, Martin & Rebecca Chaney, Ray & Mary Chin, John Churchill, Charles & Liz Ryan Cole, Alan & Janice Cook, Ruth Cserr, Mary Meredith Dobyns, Donald Downey, John Dunn, Anton & Eleanor Elbers, Kathleen Farrell, Allan & Nancy Feller, Florence Frucher, Kathryn Frucher, Milt & Carolyn Frye, Bob & Pat Garrison, Terry Garrison, Steve & Nora Kells Gordon, Rick Barrows & Marcia Groszek, Bertha Hine, Nate Hine & Nellie Pennington, Bill Hodkin, Lynne Kaplowitz, Ilana Katz, Joshua & Kimberly Kol, Susan Kowalsky, Karen Kreis, Mary Layton, Judith Lerner, Jackie Levin, Billie M. Levy, Peg Little, Jennifer Loros & Jay Dunlap, Lois Lowry, Evelyn McCarthy & Bill Cranston, Meg McLean, Neil Meglathery & Pauline Cole, Delo and Kathryn Mook, Rosamond Orford, Barbara Owens, Fran Peront & Bob Milanese, Kathryn Petuck, Mary Louise Pierson & James Wert, Ann & Fred Price, Leonard & Denise Reitsma, John & Elizabeth Riggs, Barbara Roby, Arrien Schiltkamp, Matt Senger, Anne Sheret, Emily Sloan, Linnea Spelman, Jonathan Stead, Brendan Stecchini, Margaret & John Stephens, Robert & Marilyn Stone, Lorraine Taft, Katrin Tchana, Gillian Tyler, William Tyson, Jane Francisco & Sam Van Dam, John & Catherine Vansant, Clyde Watson, Dean Whitlock & Sally Duston, Lilla Willey, Emily & Phil Wood; Toward a matching grant from the Byrne Foundation: Charles & Sarah Calley, James Fowle, Susan Hastings, Allison Kanoti, Margaret Little, Lumina Foundation, Meg McLean, Kate Pennington, Jane Quimby, John Quimby, Richard & Sallie Ramsden, Henry & Edythe Scheier, Jo Valens; In memory of Jean K. Aull: Richard Bentley, Deborah Downey, Joie Finley & Zac Morris, David Millstone & Sheila Moran, North Country Pony Club, Edward & Susan Oppenheimer, Susannah Richards, Martha Jane Rich, John & Sallie Shoemaker, Nora & Norman Stevens, Katharine Thompson; In memory of Trina Schart Hyman: Ann Wollock; In memory of, and appreciation for, Jean K. Aull and Trina Schart Hyman: Ashley Bryan, Steven Kellogg.

We couldn’t do what we do without you!

Open Fields SchoolThetford Hill, VT 05074802.785.2077

Return Service Requested

NON-PROFIT ORG.US POSTAGE PAID

THETFORD, VT 05074PERMIT NO. 4

Jean K. Aull Memorial GatheringSaturday, July 7, 2012

2-5 pm Open Fields School

Share stories & memoriesand play Aquarian Gladiator

Inside:Jean K. Aull, 1941-2011 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1Great Goose Egg Auction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Celebration of Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Aquarian Gladiator: Open Fields’ Very Own Game . . . . . . 5Transitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Thanks... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Oil painting by Trina Schart Hyman, ca. 2004

june 2012 open fields news

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