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Schoolhouse Rock I LbNA #23724

Owner:Traveln Turtle
Plant date:Jul 13, 2006
Location:
City:Glastonbury
County:Hartford
State:Connecticut
Boxes:3
Found by: Nutzaboutcamp (3)
Last found:May 24, 2021
Status:FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
Last edited:Sep 30, 2018

Schoolhouse Rock (part 1)
Glastonbury, CT

Every Saturday morning between 1973 and 1985, the ABC television network broadcasted a series of upbeat, catchy animated shorts focusing on academics. Squeezed between episodes of Scooby Doo and LaffOlympics and Hong Kong Fooey, School House Rock taught its viewers multiplication tables, the parts of speech, American history, science in terms kids could relate to. During its 13 year run, 41 cartoon shorts were produced. Each used a combination of goofy characters, catchy tunes and repetition to teach Fruity Pebbles consumers basic academic skills. Sponsored by General Foods, School House Rock premiered on January 6, 1973. The first cartoon shown was "Zero My Hero". Kids loved it, often unaware that they were actually learning something of substance. This series of letterboxes is dedicated to these short cartoons, whose messages still get into my head! Have fun and sing along if you'd like! Beware! Once you start, it's hard to stop!

Today's adventure is a short but scenic hike at the Kongscut Land Trust by Grindle Brook. Though unmarked, the trails are generally easy to walk, with some gentle hills here and there. Supposedly there are about 5 miles of trails here. I'll explore some more when I get the chance. I've included ink in the boxes, but bring markers if you'd like.

From the intersection of routes 2 and 17 in Glastonbury, drive south on route 17 past the Audubon Society. Continue straight as you pass the intersection for the ferry. Turn left onto Foote Road. Stay on this road for about 0.6 miles. Take the first right turn onto Fairview Terrace. From there, take the next right turn onto Grindle Brook Road. Follow it to the end. Park your car in the cul de sac.
Start by walking up the driveway for house #166 for about 10-15 yards. The trail veers off to the right near a small sign that informs you that you are on Kongscut Reserve. Step over a stone wall. Then turn right at the next junction. Walk downhill gradually. You will pass a trail on the right (where you can see water) followed by another fork. Take a right turn here. Walk downhill to the brook. Cross it on an old plank bridge. Immediately after crossing, turn right and walk along the brook. There is a faint path to guide you a bit. When you come to a stone wall, stop! Turn left and follow the wall for 28 steps (you will have to circle around a downed tree to get to the box). Hidden in the wall under a relatively flat stone near 2 slender birch trees is letterbox #1: "Conjunction Junction, What's Your Function?"

Conjunction Junction, what's your function?
Hooking up words and phrases and clauses.
Conjunction Junction, how's that function?
I've got three favorite cars that get most of my job done.

Conjunction Junction, what's their function?
I've got and, but, and or.
They'll get you pretty far.

And!
That's an additive, like this and that.
But!
That's sort of the opposite,
not this but that.
And then there's Or. O-R,
when you have a choice like this or that
And, but, and or get you pretty far!

Conjunction Junction, what's your function?
Hooking up two boxcars and making 'em run right.
Milk and honey, bread and butter, peas and rice,
(Hey that's nice)
Dirty but happy, digging and scratchin'.
Losing your shoe and a button or two,
He's poor but honest, sad but true,
Boo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo!

Conjunction Junction, what's your function?
Hooking up two cars to one
When you say something like this choice
Either now or later
Or no choice:
Neither now nor ever.
(Hey that's clever)
Eat this or that, Grow thin or fat
Never mind, I wouldn't do that
I'm fat enough now!

Conjunction Junction, what's your function?
Hookin' up phrases and clauses that balance, like:
Out of the frying pan and into the fire.
He cut loose the sandbags,
but the balloon wouldn't go any higher.
Let's go up to the mountains or down to the seas.
You should always say Thank you,
Or at least say Please!

Conjunction Junction, what's your function?
Hookin'-up words and phrases and clauses
in complex sentences like:
"In the mornings, when I am usually wide awake, I love
to take a walk through the gardens and down by the
lake, where I often see a duck and a drake, and I wonder
as I walk by what they'd say if they could speak,
although I know that's an absurd thought."

Conjunction Junction, what's your function?
Hookin'-up cars and making them function.
Conjunction Junction, how's that function?
I like tying up words and phrases and clauses.

Conjunction Junction, watch that function!
I'm going to get you there if you're very careful.
Conjunction Junction, what's your function?
I'm going to get you there if you're very careful

OK. The next place I 'm bringing you to is rather interesting. It is scenic and a good place to sit and soak your feet. After rehiding the first box, make your way back to the plank bridge. Cross the stream and take 10 steps up the trail you were on. Look for a faint trail at 80 degrees. Follow it for about 50 yards until you come to a campfire circle on the left. With your back to it, look at the largest rock in the brook. Make your way to it. From the highest point of that boulder look south/180 degrees for a pyramid shaped rock about 50 feet away. You may have to circle around to avoid moist areas, but go there. Behind the right side is letterbox #2: "I'm Just a Bill". Here is the script...

Boy: Woof! You sure gotta climb a lot of steps to get to this Capitol Building here in Washington. But I wonder who that sad little scrap of paper is?

I'm just a bill.
Yes, I'm only a bill.
And I'm sitting here on Capitol Hill.
Well, it's a long, long journey
To the capital city.
It's a long, long wait
While I'm sitting in committee,
But I know I'll be a law someday
At least I hope and pray that I will,
But today I am still just a bill.

Boy: Gee, Bill, you certainly have a lot of patience and courage.
Bill: Well I got this far. When I started, I wasn't even a bill, I was just an idea. Some folks back home decided they wanted a law passed, so they called their local Congressman and he said, "You're right, there oughta be a law." Then he sat down and wrote me out and introduced me to Congress. And I became a bill, and I'll remain a bill until they decide to make me a law.

I'm just a bill
Yes I'm only a bill,
And I got as far as Capitol Hill.
Well, now I'm stuck in committee
And I'll sit here and wait
While a few key Congressmen discuss and debate
Whether they should let me be a law.
How I hope and pray that they will,
But today I am still just a bill.

Boy: Listen to those congressmen arguing! Is all that discussion and debate about you?
Bill: Yeah, I'm one of the lucky ones. Most bills never even get this far. I hope they decide to report on me favourably, otherwise I may die.
Boy: Die?
Bill: Yeah, die in committee. Oooh, but it looks like I'm gonna live! Now I go to the House of Representatives, and they vote on me.
Boy: If they vote yes, what happens?
Bill: Then I go to the Senate and the whole thing starts all over again.
Boy: Oh no!
Bill: Oh yes!

I'm just a bill
Yes, I'm only a bill
And if they vote for me on Capitol Hill
Well, then I'm off to the White House
Where I'll wait in a line
With a lot of other bills
For the president to sign
And if he signs me, then I'll be a law.
How I hope and pray that he will,
But today I am still just a bill.

Boy: You mean even if the whole Congress says you should be a law, the president can still say no?
Bill: Yes, that's called a veto. If the President vetoes me, I have to go back to Congress and they vote on me again, and by that time you're so old...
Boy: By that time it's very unlikely that you'll become a law. It's not easy to become a law, is it?
Bill: No!

But how I hope and I pray that I will,
But today I am still just a bill.

Congressman: He signed you, Bill! Now you're a law!
Bill: Oh yes!!!

While you are here, enjoy Grindle Brook and the nearby cascade. When you are ready to move on, make your way back across the boulder, past the campfire circle to the trail by the plank bridge. (Don't cross the bridge again!) Turn right here back up the hill to the main trail. Turn left here. Walk past the trail entering from the left. Climb uphill a bit more. Then turn left at the next fork. Step through the familiar stone wall and...NO WAIT! Instead of stepping through, turn left and walk along the wall until you come to a 4 ft high stump. From there, take 13 more steps. (If the stump is down you will want to take 50 steps from the end of the wall.) Search the wall carefully for letterbox #3: "Unpack Your Adjectives". (It's the cartoon featuring the girl with the huge backpack who describes her adventures at camp. The lyrics are in the box.)

Once you have finished coloring, head back up to the trail and turn left. Pass through the wall. At the next junction, bear right. This will bring you back to your car.

Josef