Michaelmas 2014
Happy Michaelmas! This was Asher’s first year to experience our school’s amazing Michaelmas festival, which took place last Friday. It’s an enormous pageant, with second through twelfth grades participating. We were lucky this year because it was a beautiful, cool day instead of a scorcher.
The seventh graders did their part by reciting a portion of the verse. But they weren’t center-stage, and frankly, that suited my son Lucas just fine. 😉
Asher’s second-grade class dressed in St. George tunics and carried their wooden swords, which they have spent the last several weeks sanding and polishing. All this time, they’ve been learning their part in this festival, and also learning a long and wondrous Michaelmas play too, which was preformed on Friday evening for parents and grandparents.
As I have said before, these sweet children are breathtakingly lovely to me. I take lots of photos in the hopes of sharing them with other parents who didn’t bring their cameras.
The dragon was MIGHTY and FEARSOME and WONDERFUL! It was full of sixth graders, who created it along with their intrepid parents.
The senior class and the second graders joined their indubitable, indefatigable prowess together to defeat the foe.
Inspired by Archangel Michael, innocence, courage, justice, and wisdom prevailed, making a shining example for all the assembled students, teachers, parents, grandparents, and community.
(I use this terrific photo with my friend Melissa’s permission. I’m so glad she caught them all together like this!)
Later that same night—as if the morning festival weren’t precious enough—we were treated to an intimate second-grade play, the story of George and the Dragon. The children memorized many, many verses to recite and several songs. Asher was thrilled to be a knight who attempted to rid the land of the dragon but failed. He loved it because he got to actually wave his sword around. George came along afterward and succeeded against the (so-adorable) manxome beast (of whom I never got a good photo, darn it).
We don’t know this class or their parents as well as our older son’s class, but jeepers they are cute!
The boys were especially happy after the performance because they got to run (WILDLY) and then take their swords home.
So, a lovely community Michaelmas festival was had by all, I believe.
I am deeply grateful that we get to experience these festivals as a part of this Sacramento Waldorf School community. That they are similar year to year makes them comforting. That they are ever new because of new families, new children, and new art makes them an opportunity for renewal, for buckling on our metaphorical swords and remembering that there are dragons to slay, and so much worthwhile, honorable work on this beautiful earth that needs doing.
October 1, 2014 at 10:39 am
Look at how lovely your boys are! Lucas is in 7th grade! Oh my! I teach Middle School now and just love how gangly and weird middle school boys are 🙂 I’m jealous of your lovely Michaelmas festival. Thank you for sharing!
October 2, 2014 at 3:10 pm
Hi Alyss! It’s been a long time! So nice to hear from you. It is a pretty fantastic pageant, I must say. We are a big Waldorf school. I hope you are well and will read up on your blog. -Sara