Plains' Chisholm takes on role of "Scrooge" for school project

If Ebenezer Scrooge had been as nice a guy as the one who assumed the character in the seventh grade English classes at Plains Schools last week, Tiny Tim could have thrown away his crutches and Bob Cratchit’s life would have been much better.

In this case, Scrooge was played by Plains Superintendent Thom Chisholm and was part of an innovative assignment by English teacher Evelyn Laws to encourage students to read the Charles Dickens Christmas classic, and also learn about life in 18th century Victorian society.

As part of the assignment, students each picked a charitable organization to which they would like to donate, then presented their case to Scrooge for the notorious penny-pincher to select a winning charity.

One by one the students presented their cases to Scrooge, who was clad in authentic bedtime attire much like the clothes worn by the “real” Scrooge. The costume was put together in short order by Nichole Cockrell, the school’s Family Consumer Science (formerly known as Home Economics) teacher.

Chisholm added a battery-powered, period-true candle and a Victorian era night cap to complete the ensemble.

“I asked Nichole if should could help with a costume,” Chisholm said prior to his performance last Thursday. “I told her I needed a miracle and she came up with the gown just like that.”

Prior to hearing the students’ cases, Scrooge/Chisholm read from a 1966 school library copy of “A Christmas Carol,” a book he has checked out many times over the years.

“I love this book and this story,” he said. “I actually have it in my contract with the district that when I leave I get to take this book.”

With that, Scrooge began reading from the book as the third and fourth period classes sat nervously awaiting their presentation turn.

True to the high-tech nature of today’s school classrooms, the students came to the front of the class one by one where they used big screen, on-line technology to assist in their cause. All presenters had spent the past week-and-a-half researching a worthy charity, with video evidence for Scrooge to consider.

Those causes included the World Wildlife Foundation, a clean water advocacy group, St. Jude’s Hospital for Children and other noteworthy charitable organizations.

Without a single “bah humbug” Scrooge took notes of each cause, then in very non-Scrooge form offered praise and constructive suggestions to the presenters.

“The theme was all about giving,” Laws said. “The students read “A Christmas Carol” then made their arguments. Along the way they learned about life in Victorian times, about the issues of child labor, prisons and working conditions in factories and businesses during the mid-18th century”.

Now in her third year of teaching English at Plains, Laws was clearly pleased and impressed with the effort put forth by her students and that of the superintendent.

“The seventh graders asked Mr. Chisholm to help,” Laws said. “This is the second time he has done this. And for the students it was not just learning about historical things, it helped bring home the lesson of charity. The kids really loved the whole idea.”

So too, did Mr. Scrooge.