THE THIRD GRADE RENDEZVOUS
One of the treasured events of the Georgia Nelson years was Pioneer Day. Rosemary Fetter writing about the Third Grade Rendezvous thought it could be a distant cousin of Pioneer Day.
To culminate the third-grade studies of Colorado history, the TGR has become a hallowed tradition in Lower School, one to rival the rodeo and the Biography Tea.
When Ms. Fetter interviewed Stephanie Pfeifer, a former third-grade teacher, Stephanie summarized well the event: “ A period actor in a mountain man costume comes to the school to talk to third graders about the early pioneer days. He even brings muskets and shows them how mountain men made bullets. During the second day, which is the old-time Rendezvous itself, the children dress as traders and trappers or as Native Americans. They make a tent outdoors, and the mountain man shows them how to make fire with flint and stone. He even cooks a stew over the fire and a cherry cobbler. The children all sit around the fire while the mountain man tells stories, just like a real Rendezvous. At the end of the day, we have a trading session (with faux rabbit pelts) and eat our campfire meal.”
Stephanie’s words were published in Climb Every Mountain in 2002. School history would love to hear from current and past third grade teachers. What do you remember about this event? How has the event changed? Of course, we welcome memories from alumni about either Pioneer Day or the Third Grade Rendezvous.
Graland Country Day School
Graland Country Day School is a private school in Denver, Colorado, serving students in preschool, kindergarten, elementary, and middle school. Founded in Denver in 1927, Graland incorporates a rich, experiential learning approach in a traditional classroom setting, emphasizing the development of globally and socially conscious leaders who excel academically.
