WORTHINGTON -- "This has been the longest winter!" This comment has been heard frequently, especially this February. This winter has seemed longer, especially the routine of shoveling snow off the sidewalks and the driveways.
One waits for "a change in the weather" and "a change in the scene," and we've had a change these past few days. The snow is finally melted away. The buds of the tree leaves will soon be here. The lawns will soon be green, but that calls for mowing.
All the signs of spring are here. Spring sports have begun; they are visible. The baseball diamonds are used every day, if the weather allows. The tennis courts are being used, and golfers are once again hitting the little ball. Track meets are taking place whenever possible. Mother Nature just made sure that winter still lingered, though, as weather reports predicted between 5 and 10 inches of snow last week (fortunately, Worthington was spared and got a much smaller amount).
To many, the calendar usually tells that spring is here after St. Patrick's Day, with the "wearing of the green." The calendar also stated that Easter was the earliest it could be this year, short one day. The Easter season this year wasn't really a good sign of spring.
The lawns at Fairview Estates were chemically treated on April 8, and weather reports predicted the snow and cold wave that came, but not as harshly as expected.
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To the Historical Society, the coming of spring is a big task. The signs of winter should be gone by the month of May, when Pioneer Village reopens for the season.
At Pioneer Village, the role of education is evident in the Gilomen School being moved to the Village from north of Brewster. In the Olden Days, education was different. Many of the first schools in the rural areas had all the grades in one room. The recitation bench in Gilomen School was in front of the teacher's desk for that grade. The rest of the grades took their turn when it was time. There is and was a stool in front of the class for someone "who broke the rules." They, he or she, sat with their back to the students. Recess was different, but there always was "recess time."
Coming to Pioneer Village was and is a learning situation. It is always in May. To children, it is the last month of the school year. To them the slogan, "No more pencils, no more books, no more teacher's dirty looks" applies at least 'til next September. A trip to Pioneer Village is usually the last event of the school year.
Al Swanson is president emeritus of the Nobles County Historical Society.
