1975: Dear Mr. Barber and Ms. Priest,Turns out, I learn best by doing

Dear Mr. Barber and Mrs. Priest,

Riding horseback to spend the night in Anasazi cliff dwellings, hosted by Hope Native families to learn about their way of life while making traditional blue corn recipes and tasting the wonder of a Prickly pear cactus fruit.  

Building scale models of historic places, enduring a mock several week process of moving from page to knighthood including design of your moto crest and shield.  

Anyone lucky enough to be a 5th or 6th grader at Graland Country Day School must remember the remarkable tradition of your class trips aimed at placing our young imaginations in the footsteps of culture and history.  For me, no chapter of a book, film or guest speaker could possibly compare to the gift of these experiences. They left an indelible certainty that my brain works better, retains more and really learns by experiencing, listening and doing than traditional study.  It was a great help to me for the rest of my school days and beyond to accept this truth and go with it.  

Thank you teaching me in a way I can best be taught,

Ann Simonds

Aka Annie Hoagland

Grayland Student between 1971-77 (approximately)

aka Annie Hoagland