Favorite book, movie characters come to life in school’s elementary classrooms
Diffendoofer Day originally came to Mountain Lake Christian (MLC) Elementary classrooms through the auspices of Rachel Knutson, Acacia (grades one and two) teacher.
As Miss Knutson tells it, “I was searching, I was looking and seeking for ways I could celebrate the wonderful gift of reading.” She learned of a book based on verses and sketches created by Dr. Seuss (Theodore Seuss Geisel). This book was completed after Suess’s death, by writer Jack Prelutsky and illustrator Lane Smith. With a title that was lively, merry and full of play, the book was entitled “Hooray for Diffendoofer Day.”
The story surrounds a school – Diffendoofer School – that is well liked by its students – most notably because of its many eccentric teachers, especially the unsinkable Miss Bonkers. However, the students must prove that the quirky school has taught them how to think by earning good grades on a standardized test (which turns out in the end to be a revising test on multiple subjects they regularly learn) lest they be sent to an adjacent school in dreary Flobbertown that requires uniforms to be worn and is incredibly dull.
Now that word – Diffendoofer – was an interesting one for Miss Knutson to hear. That word – Diffendoofer – sounded good to her ear. It was then at Miss Knutson knew, “What a name that would be for a day filled with fun, full of reading and books. Not boring and dull at all.”
That’s how it all began.
And so, on this Friday, March 18, students came to school ready to read their favorite books. They donned costumes of favorite book characters, making everyone look. Why, even the teachers got in on the act.
Following are some photographs from the special event: