January is a full month when it comes to the history of Native Americans. A lot of things happened in past Januarys. Going all the way back to 1689 when the Abenaki Indians attacked a settlement in Saco, Maine and killed nine settlers. In 1706, Spanish leaders, trying to improve relations, met with leaders from the nearby Pirtle Indian tribes. In 1830, Red Jacket (Sagoyewatha), the great Seneca leader dies. Born around 1779 he was known as a great speaker and for his refusal to adopt “white ways”. And in 1863, the Bear River massacre takes place in which hundreds of California volunteers attacked Northern Shoshone Indians and killed several hundred, possibly including women and children.

Mike Carrell has been performing school assemblies for Mobile ed for a long time. For many seasons he was resident on the East Coast, delivering wonderful presentations of our high-tech school show Lights Camera Action to grateful and happy schools in New York, New Jersey and other parts East.

A million years ago, back in the early Pleistocene era, when your humble writer first began working with this august, old lion of a company, Mobile Ed had only just begun venturing beyond school assemblies focused on science, and had entered the world of social studies. The first addition was a remarkable program on Huck Finn performed by a good friend of mine by the name of Wayne David Parker, but known to his friends simply as “Daba”. The second addition to this new field came in the form of a program about our illustrious sixteenth president performed by a tall, skinny (at least, he was back then) actor who, for reasons of modesty, shall remain nameless (yeah, it was me).

Recently we spent time in Illinois attending the annual Centre East school assembly performers showcase in Skokie. One of our performers, Dick Buchholz, was there all day sharing his knowledge and enthusiasm with school representatives from all over Northern Illinois.

I am sorry to be a bore, and I promise this will be the last one for awhile.... but you really must see this show! The reviews from Stronger than a Bully, Mobile Ed Productions’ newest show are glowing with praise for Dave Mitchell. 

The summer is winding down, and although we have not yet seen Labor Day, there are already schools starting classes in some states, and getting ready to start in others. Like a big sleepy bear coming out of hibernation, the world of education is stirring again, and with that awakening comes a realization in many places that the school assemblies have not been scheduled for the coming year yet.

Finding the right school assembly or enrichment program for your school can be tough. There are a lot of performers, acts and companies from which to choose. How do you know which is best for your needs? How do you know who is professional and who is not, who is talented and who is not, who will meet your needs and budget, and who will not?

Issues of Character have become an important part of the education of our children all over the country. Several years ago an initiative was launched to develop good character in children through the Inspector Iwannano program. This drive features the philosophy that there are different pillars of character such as Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Caring, Citizenship, and Fairness. Not a bad package of virtues, to be sure.

We have been back in the Chicago area this week with Sky Dome Planetarium, our portable planetarium school assembly, presented in schools there by the exceptional Rojo. He just appeared at a school in Joliet, Illinois, and judging by the reaction I think they liked him!