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John suddenly turned around to see his mother standing at his bedroom door, staring at him as he studied.
“John, are you studying for your history test or are you daydreaming again?” asked his mother.
“Uh ... gee, Mom,” John stammered. “History is so boring. Why do I even have to learn about colonists and stuff like that? It just doesn’t seem real. I mean, it happened so long ago that I don’t understand what knowing about the settlers and the past have to do with me and my life.”
John’s mother frowned. “For your information, your life would be very different now if it wasn’t for the people throughout history that fought for your freedom and your rights ... including the right to go to school!” |
| “Well, I wish I lived during the time when there was no school,” John answered. “That would be great to have no homework or tests.”
“All I know, is that you have a big history test tomorrow to study for. I’ll be back in one hour to check on you. Now get busy!”
John’s mother shut the door and left him alone in his quiet room. “How am I ever going to learn about the colonists?” John thought to himself.
Just then, outside of his window, John noticed a huge eagle gracefully glide by and land in a tree. John stood up and walked over to the window. John blinked his eyes in disbelief as the eagle looked at him and spoke.
“You are wrong about history, John. The past does affect you and everything you do. Plus, it is far more exciting than you would ever imagine.”
John swallowed hard. “Why are you here and what business do you have here with me?”
“I want to take you back in time so you can experience history for yourself and have it come alive for you,” said the eagle.
“Back in time?” questioned John. “But, how are you going to do that?”
“Come here, John, and touch my wing,” the eagle commanded.
He hesitantly reached his hand out to touch the eagle’s magical wing. Instantly, John felt himself floating above the clouds. When he was finally able to see people below him, he noticed that they did not look and act like anyone he knew, but rather they resembled the very colonists that he had been studying about. In the next instant, he felt his feet touch down in a small clearing.
“Now for a real history lesson,” said the eagle.
John was frightened. “What do you mean?” he asked the eagle.
“I must leave you now, but I will return for you at nightfall.”
Before John could answer, the eagle disappeared as quickly as he had appeared. John looked around, not knowing what he should do or where he should go. Suddenly a tall man came up to him.
“Say, son, why aren’t you over at the Scott’s place helping with their barn raising?” the man questioned. “By the way, I haven’t seen you around here before. What’s your name?”
John swallowed hard. “Uh, my name is John, sir, and uh--”
“We don’t have time to stand around. Just come with me because we sure could use your help. By the way, I’m Sam.”
The hours ticked away, and before John knew it, his arms ached from nailing wood. He had watched a film in history class on raising a barn but had never dreamed it was so much work. The sun was bright and it was quickly draining his energy. Just as he thought he couldn’t hammer one more nail, a warning shot rang out. John looked up and saw someone running toward them yelling, “Fire, fire!”
As soon as everyone heard the cry for help, they dropped what they were doing and rushed down to the river to form a bucket brigade. John saw water splashing everywhere as the buckets of water were passed down the line of men. Suddenly, he found himself in the middle of the brigade when someone looked at him and yelled, “Come on, son, we need you to move faster! This fire is gonna burn down the whole town!”
Little by little, they gained control of the fire. Although John was relieved when the fire had finally been put out, he couldn’t help but wonder what was in store for him next. All he could think about was that he had never worked so hard in his life. John excitedly spotted a shady area to rest a bit, but before he could make his way over to it, Sam grabbed him and said, “Come with me. It’s time to head over to the dock and unload the cod.”
John could hardly believe his ears. “Cod? What are you talking about?”
Sam let out a long, deep laugh. “You sure don’t seem to know very much. What century are you from?”’
John shook his head and thought to himself, “If you only knew. . .
They seemed to walk forever before they came to the wharf. The fishermen immediately put John to work unloading the cod from the boats and putting them into wagons. John felt fatigue set into his muscles. When he finally finished, he was exhausted and smelled of fish. He looked up in surprise when the men ordered him to take the fish to the smokehouse.
“You mean you want me to drive the wagon?” John questioned.
“Yep. And when you’re through unloading the fish, grab the ax from the shed and cut down a tree or two for firewood,” Sam replied.
John hesitated and then slowly climbed on top of the wagon.
“Just one thing, where’s the smokehouse?”
The men looked at each other and laughed. Then, with a quick flip of his hand, one of the men slapped the horse and yelled, “Get going, son, before darkness sets in!”
After the horse found its way, it seemed to take forever to unload the cod and chop the firewood. Since this was unlike anything he had ever done, John found himself overly exhausted. As he plunked down the firewood on the ground, John heard a panicked cry. The words “Indian attack” rang over and over again in his ears. John froze for a moment while he tried to decide what to do. He was afraid to run into the woods, because he didn’t know the trails... however, he was afraid of running into town for fear of the Indians.
When John thought all hope was gone, the eagle landed swiftly beside him,
“Do you still wish that you lived during a time when there was no school?” asked the eagle.
“Oh, no,” cried John. “I’ve never worked so hard in my entire life. I will gladly do my homework if I don’t have to go through the Indian attack or another day of chopping and lifting!”
The eagle looked at John. “Tell me, do you still think history is boring?”
“Not in the slightest bit,” John answered. “If anything, it was too adventurous.”
The eagle looked pleased that John had learned his lesson. “Then take my wing and I will guide you safely home,” promised the eagle.
Before John knew it, he was stretched out on his bed with his history book in front of him. He was startled when his mother opened his door and peered inside.
“Well? Are you ready for your history test?” she asked.
John winked at his mom and said, “You’ll just have to trust me that I know my facts as well as if I was actually a colonist that lived during that time period.”
And the next day John eagerly went to school and proved himself right by making an A on his history test... and John never said history was boring ever again! |
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ferrell Maguire of Orlando, Florida won 1st Place in the
Senior Division short story competition sponsored by the National Pre-teen Corporation for "The Wings of History." This talented 13-year-old has participated as a U.S. Delegate to the International Children's Summit in Paris, won a Delta Airlines Worldwide essay contest, is a National Jr. Honor Society member, as
well as having received numerous other high acedemic achievements. Add to her achievements the fine illustrations that accompanied her story (including the one published with her story) and this is one talented young lady!
She accepted her
award on-stage at the Nineteenth Annual Miss National Pre-teen and Pre-teen Petite Pageant in Orlando, Florida, on November 25th, 1999. Boys and girls from around the country are eligible to participate in this competition; check out
the National Pre-teen Corporation's web site and click on "Background" for details.
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EDITOR'S COMMENTS
YOUNG AUTHOR WRITES WINNING STORY
Ferrell Maguire wrote a short story incorporating the basic techniques that create a fast-moving and fun-to-follow story for readers of all ages. How did this 13-year-old succeed with what many adult writers still struggle to achieve? She stuck to a tight framework and built on a single theme. ESTABLISH THE PROBLEM
Ferrell opened with the story's problem. The reader knows within a few sentences what John's problem is in this story. This simple but direct opening works because she effectively uses dialogue to state the problem, create tension, and introduce the main characters. Dialogue is interesting to readers, pulling them a few sentences further into the story.DEADLINE AND NECESSITY
A problem in a character's life is only compelling to readers if it includes both a deadline and a compelling need for the character to solve that problem. Ferrell set that deadline through John's mother. It is compelling that he meet that deadline because Mom means business! Later, as John finds himself faced with working like the colonists, he has one deadline after another, each leading him deeper into the story.
COMPLICATIONS
Alas, an author cannot allow a main character to just decide on a solution and fix his or her problem. It would be "nice" if John simply decided knuckle down to his studies, but that would be a uninteresting story. The writer's task in plotting an exciting story is to complicate the hapless protagonist's efforts.
Complications can be created by an author through unfortunate circumstances, interference by other characters or even use of fantasy elements. Ferrell used the fantasy element when she had an eagle magically transport John to a previous time in our country's history. Note that she didn't just pick any magical method, but used an eagle--the very symbol of the United States as her courier of fantasy. FITTING ACTION
Action, action, action. This seems to be the easiest part for most writers. Yet often action wanders into unrelated fields as writers try to keep the story moving. This 13-year-old writer kept all her action tightly connected to her basic story premise. John experiences numerous aspects of the early colonists' hard lives. WRAP IT UP!
Nothing settles better with readers than an ending that satisfies. How does an author accomplish that? By keeping the original premise and problem in mind, writing complications that fit that problem, and then bringing the character around to make his or her own decision about the resolution. Notice how John is the one who comes to the conclusion, not his mother, the eagle, or some other character.
There is nothing simple about a tightly plotted, well-written story. It takes hard work and careful planning plus revisions to create a tight story. Sometimes the most important thing that writers need to learn is that keeping a tight rein on the basics of story-writing is what creates a good--and winning!-- story. That is one lesson that Ferrell Maguire has learned well. Nice job! -Sandra E. Haven, Editor, Bristol Services Intl. |
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