Who built the school? the research continues...

At morning meeting this morning Toniann revisited the documentation from where the research question emerged - the debate over whether it was trucks and workers together or separately and the research team's visit to Marley's office. Toniann announced that Gini, The Rector, would be visiting the classroom later on in the morning and asked if there were any other questions that they can think of to ask her.

Austin:   Why did someone make a window?
Lisa:   ​  A specific window?
Austin:     Windows.
Toniann:     So, there were no trucks when St John's was built. How did they build it? We learned from Marley that there were no trucks when it was built so long ago.
Austin:    The workers are tough making it. They can hold bricks. They can climb the houses with ropes so they can't fall down.
Lisa:​     What's the school made of? That's a good question.

Then Gini visited us while we are at snack.

​Gini sat down with the children at the snack table and Toniann filled her in with where we are in our research with the documentation gathered to this point. 

Austin:      Who built the school?
Gini:      Books are where I go to when I ask big questions. This book was in my office, The Changing Face of St. John's. This book is the story of how St. John's started. It might tell you how it was built. Here is something. They made drawings first.
Austin:      Do you know who?
Gini:    I found something so interesting here. A letter to the governing board from William Thornton. William Thornton was the architect. He is also the same architect who built the Capital building. Some of your parents might work there or near Capital Hill. The letter goes on and see this. Do you notice anything? What is missing? (Gini shows a picture of his drawings and a later image of St John's.)
Austin:     Where's the bell?
​Gini:    The whole bell tower is not in the drawing. The letter explains that he wanted them to decide that part.
Toniann:      How did they build it? If they didn't have trucks how did they build it?
Gini:      When the church was built they had wagons and horses.They did not have trucks. They had wagons and workers carried the bricks.
Toniann:      Is there a bell in the tower? A real bell?
Gini:      Yes, I have some ideas about the bell, but I know someone that has lots and lots of stories. He is the church historian.
Austin:      Why?
​Gini:      Everyone is curious. Do you know how you keep notes? Mr Al Laporta, the church historian has some old pictures and drawings and the notes about the school. For people to learn about it. Just the way your teachers take notes to learn. They didn't have cameras when they built the church. They had to make drawings.

We thanked Gini and gave her a message from the Brown Room.

What a great day!