William Blake A Robin Redbreast in a cage Puts all Heaven in a rage. A skylark wounded on the wing Doth make a cherub cease to sing. He who shall hurt the little wren Shall never be beloved by men. Chick and Duckling Fuzzy baby chicks, ducklings and bunnies are appealing and seem an appropriate part of the Spring season. However, they are NOT suitable Easter gifts for young children. At least 12 states and many cities now forbid their sale as toys or use as promotional gifts. There are two major reasons for this prohibition. First to attract public notice was the danger to the small animals themselves. Children can be unintentionally cruel, and the new pets suffered from over- handling, squeezing, or other mis- treatment. Those which survived grew out of cute fuzziness and were later neglected. And even with the best of care and intentions, it’s hard to fit a full-grown chicken, duck, or rabbit into a modern small house or apartment! plop In The Netherlands, children go from door to door during Holy Week, collecting Easter eggs. Young and old alike play games in- volving eggs on Easter Monday. oO Friends ... Three Things To Remember Warning The second reason, even more important, is the health menace to the child himself. Salmonellosis, a relatively unknown disease, has been increasing in recent years with major outbreaks being traced to Easter pet chicks and ducks. Small turtles are also a source of infection. Symptoms of the disease range from slight to extremely severe. Even after recovery, the child may remain a carrier for months after- ward, and other household pets may become infected. The danger is especially great with small children, who put almost everything into their mouths. : Germans color eggs green on “Green Thursday” —the Thursday before Easter — and carry theeggs all day for good luck. On Easter Monday the young people havean egg-rolling contest. In Bulgaria, on Easter Saturday, people exchange eggs and baked almond cakes. In Hungary, boys sprinkle girls with water on Easter Monday and received Easter eggs in reward. th IIS hy EITHER staple I This is an AMERICAN MADE TILE ! Many Patterns to choose from - - - - yre So € parind > up flanged tongue- and-groove Insulite tileboards . . . but first: SEE He's the man with the answers! He'll plan your beautiful Insulite ceiling for you. . Phone 674-8866 ...OR, use the unique Insulite Fastile system for easy, secure application. YOUR INSULITE DEALER! BEE NSULITE CEILINGS .and furnish everything you need! PRICES START AT 1 2° FT. (2x12) SHAVERTOWN LUMBER CO. 16 E. CENTER STREET, SHAVERTOWN For free pet care leaflets, write to the American Humane Association, P.O. Box 1266X, Denver, Colorado. One way to make Be Kind To Animals Week a year-round prac- tice is to give your child a pet and help him learn to care for it prop- erly. You'll have to supervise things, of course, but the whole family will benefit from the exper- ience. Choose your pet with care, with thought for the size, age, interests and activities of the family and the needs of the kind of animal you might choose. Then, whether it’s a goldfish, a Great Dane, or abirdin a gilded cage, learn together about its care. In selecting an animal, you may find just what youwantatthe SPCA Shelter, where a variety of pets are waiting for adoption. But whether large or small, pedi- greed or mongrel, your pet will become a valued member of the household and increase your understanding and interest in all animals. The Little Black Hen A. A. Milne Berryman and Baxter, Prettiboy and Penn And old Farmer Middleton Are five big men. . . And all of them were after The Little Black Hen. She ran quickly, They ran fast; Baxter was first, and Berryman was last. I sat and watched By the old plum-tree. . . She squawked through the hedge And she came to me The Little Black Hen Said “Oh, it’s you!” I said “Thank you, How do you do? And please will you tell me, Little Black Hen, What did they want, Those five big men?” The Little Black Hen She said to me: “They want me to lay them An egg for tea. If they were Emperors, If they were Kings, I’m much too busy To lay them things.” “I'm not a King And I haven’t a crown; I climb up trees, And I tumble down. I can shut one eye, I can count to ten, So lay me an egg, please, Little Black Hen.” Berryman and Baxter, Prettiboy and Penn, And Old Farmer Middleton Are five big men. All of them are wanting An egg for their tea, - But the Little Black Hen is much too busy, Handhgamaaolh Egyptian Rabbit? The Easter bunny may original- ly have been an Egyptian rabbit. In ancient Egypt the rabbit sym- bolized birth and new life, and some ancient peoples considered it a symbol of the moon. The date of Easter is determined by the moon, coming on the first Sunday after the first Monday following the vernal equinox. Easter Egg Customs When your children search for colored eggs this Easter, they’ll be renewing a custom far older than Christianity. Eggs represent the new life that returns to earth every spring — around the time of Easter. The custom of exchanging eggs as part of the celebration began in ancient times. The ancient Persians often dyed eggs in the colors of spring and gave them to their friends as gifts. Some early peoples believed that the earth had hatched from a giant egg. Early Christians of Asia ex- changed red dyed eggs at Easter. Elaborate decoration became the rule in some eastern European lands. Ukranians are famous for their beautifully decorated Easter eggs. Each village makes its own design — fir trees, horses, priests’ robes, flowers, bell towers, crosses, chapels, etc. Czechoslovakia, Po- land, Lithuania, and other lands also are known for their highly decorated Easter eggs. In England, friends often ex- changed eggs at Easter, although nowadays these usually are choco- late eggs. The Irish break the long Lenten fast by eating eggs at dawn on Easter. Customs vary from land to land, but colored eggs have been associ- ated with springtime sincethe dawn of history. The Little Black Hen said, “What will you pay, If I lay you an egg For Easter Day?” “I’ll give you a Please And a How-do-you-do, I’ll show you the Bear Who lives in the Zoo, I'll show you the nettle-place On my leg, If you'll lay me a great big Eastery egg.” The Little Black Hen Said “I don’t care For a How-do-you-do Or a Big-brown-bear, But I'll lay you a beautiful Eastery egg, If you’ll show me the nettle-place On your leg.” I showed her the place Where I had my sting. She touched it gently With one black wing “Nettles don’t hurt If you count to ten. And now for the egg,” Said the Little Black Hen. When I wake up On Easter Day, I shall see my egg She’s promised to lay. If I were Emperors. If I were Kings, It couldn’t be fuller Of wonderful things. 7 The Little Black Hen is much too busy, The Little Black Hen is MUCH too busy . . . She’s laying my egg for me!
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers