TARGET: New Year's symbols names, meanings

["Joanne E. Ladewig" <shatz@LIGHTSIDE.COM>]

Hi Netters:

This week I'm using a "New Year's" theme instead of a story for my primary
students. I bought an ornament from Hallmark with the old man of 1999
(numbering on a sash) holding a New Year baby with 2000 on its chest to
share with them. The old man is also holding an hourglass. I've been
explaining the concept of the old man representing the year ending (having
"grown old") and the baby representing a fresh new, "young" year. The
hourglass, of course, symbolizing the passing or measuring of time.

My question is: Do either of these characters have an "official" name? "Old
Man Time" or "New Year's Baby?" for example? And why does the old man often
appear with a scythe in his hand?

In addition to these symbols, I also brought in newspaper pictures of the
Rose Parade floats (most of our students watch the parade on T.V., quite a
few go in person, and some even helped work on the floats!). I also talked
about day, months, years, decades, centuries, and the "Big M Word" -
millennium, as well as this year being a "Leap" year.

I also shared a newspaper page featuring "Farewell, Snoopy" and why Mr.
Schultz was retiring.

Lastly, I talked about New Year's Resolutions and together we discussed
some good "Library Resolutions" - keeping books clean, using shelfmarkers,
etc. If there was time I also touched on how old books can become IF we
take good care of them - 50 years, 100 years, etc. (I also showed them some
ancient text & scrolls from the Eyewitness book "BOOK") and briefly
mentioned that some books (Dead Sea Scrolls, etc.) are about TWO
MILLENNIUMS (oops - what's the plural of millennium - millenni?) old.

Perhaps some of you might want to use the "New Year's Library Resolutions"
ideas to review your library rules at this time. Happy New Year all!

Joanne Ladewig
Information Center Director
Fairgrove Academy - a K-8 public school focusing on
   the Visual and Performing Arts, and Technology
La Puente, CA
jladewig@ns700-1.enet.hlpusd.k12.ca.us
home email: shatz@lightside.com

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