Take Advantage of Social Studies Tutor- Read These 8 Tips

Take Advantage of Social Studies Tutor- Read These 8 Tips 0SHARESShare Social Studies are a lively subject that covers the vast aspects of the happenings in the world around us. Learning History, Geography or Government needs proper motivation to know about the subject. It is in the hands of the online tutors to take you to the realm of the past, events of the present and prospects of the future. How to take advantage of these veterans to gain knowledge? Let us think a little. Ascertain whether the tutors are equipped with cartographer’s tools to read maps Make sure that the social studies tutor is able to put forth presentations and live videos in support of geographical landmarks or past historical events to kindle your avid curiosity, as enthusiasm to learn is the underlying motive in the study of social studies As the syllabus is wide in History or Geography, the online tutor should be able to produce exact substance for your query with substantial evidences Proper tech tools are essential for Social Studies tutoring like shared web browsing, sharing and storing of files, recordable sessions to replay and revise in future. The topics in Social Studies need updated versions and relativity with current events for which proper guidance from the tutor is mandatory Find out whether the tutor would strengthen your memory with flash cards while talking about the significant years and their related incidents. This   kind of flash cards would  enable enlisting the events in a sequence and that would prove good for your memorization Of course, it is not about memorizing a set of skills or facts, but collecting inferences from the experiences of the world. So, your virtual  tutor should elevate you to the level of a humanitarian with his tutoring knowledge and capabilities Check whether your tutor in Social Studies has great communication skills to explain what you demand in your homework or assignment. For, a free english tutor online and tutor in Social Studies are noted for the eloquence of their tongue to bring out the flow of thought in words If you are able to get an online tutor for free in Social Studies, you are gifted to utilize the maximum of aforesaid advantages. [starbox id=admin]

Where Can I Find a Sign Language Course

Where Can I Find a Sign Language Course How to Find Sign Language Courses ChaptersSign Language Classes in the UKLearn Sign Language in LondonLearn Sign Language in ManchesterLeeds Sign Language LearningSign Language in GlasgowUnlike German, French and Spanish or even Mandarin Chinese, the second languages of choice in our schools, sign language is a less obvious choice for becoming bilingual.Yes, you would be considered bilingual, with all of its advantages and benefits, if you learned sign language.Why do people learn sign language?The obvious answer is that they are deaf or hearing impaired or someone in their life is. Maybe they have a deaf child or want to work with deaf children. Or maybe they discovered the joys and benefits of a career as a sign language interpreter.Whatever reason you have for learning how to sign, we applaud you. Now, on to help you achieve your goal of learning sign language.First, you should be specific about which sign language you would like to learn. British sign language would be the clear choice; after all, you live in the UK, right?You might also be interested in French sign language; many of us like to hop the channel for a holiday in Provence or Brittany.American sign language is fairly popular; most of the online resources are for ASL, as it is called. You might focus on American signing if you have friends and family across the pond, or if you regularly communicate with deaf Americans in the course of your business.This article focuses on British sign language and where, in the UK, you can learn how to sign in that language.Our sources tell us that now is a good time to get into a sign language class. The year has just started and many of those courses are about to start, ready to tackle the basics before moving on to complex conversations.What are we waiting for? Let’s get to it! CalumDrama School Entrance Teacher 5.00 (15) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ToriSpanish Teacher 5.00 (1) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors OliviaSchool support Teacher 5.00 (2) £21/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarkESOL (English) Teacher 4.76 (17) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YuweiChinese Teacher 4.33 (6) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JenniferMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LouiseAutoCAD Teacher 5.00 (3) £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RickyPercussion Teacher 5.00 (7) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicolasGuitar Teacher 5.00 (2) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MyriamOrganic chemistry Teacher 5.00 (13) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JonathanEconomics Teacher 5.00 (9) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Oluwakemi imoleMaths Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AlexPhysics Teacher 5.00 (1) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AdamSinging Teacher 5.00 (14) £48/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ValentiniMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (2) £50/h1st lesson free!Disco ver all our tutors MilenaMaths Teacher 5.00 (5) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RashmiEconomics Teacher 5.00 (1) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsSign Language Classes in the UKBefore we can lay out any courses, we have to make clear that, even though sign language is largely grouped into British, American, French, Mandarin… and so on for every spoken language of the world, there is no ‘one sign fits all’ in sign language.That is because signing grew out of the deaf community itself.Contrary to popular thought, it is not a language devised by hearing people so that the deaf can communicate with them. There are no universal signs save for perhaps general ones such as waving, nodding one’s head and ‘thumbs up’, indicating ‘good’.In British sign language, ‘good’ can be signed either by showing one thumb up, two thumbs up or by rotating the palms upward, similar to how a hearing person might gesture when saying ‘what?’.The word ‘hung ry’ can be signed in several different ways in BSL! Sign languages grew regionally, out of a need to communicate Image by StockSnap from PixabayEach sign is fairly homegrown and may even be region-specific. So, with few unifying factors â€" other than the consensus that that signing is a visual language and is very expressive, you might think it difficult to find class offerings at the national level.Still, there are a couple, and Signature is such an enterprise.Formerly known as the Council for the Advancement of Communication with Deaf People or CACDP, this organisation was founded in 1980 and became a registered charity in 1982 to promote the role of the deaf or hard of hearing in society.In 2009, CACDP became Signature, one of the few awarding bodies of deaf language services in the UK.They provide education and certification in the areas of:British Sign Language (Levels 1 through 6)International Sign LanguageSign language interpretingNational Vocational Qualifications or NVQ (now Regulated Qualifications Framework)Deaf Awareness and CommunicationsCommunication with deaf peoplecommunication with Deaf-blind peopleFacilitating communication with deaf people â€" lipspeaking skillsthey also provide Level 3 certification in note-takingLevel 3 certificates for Language Service Professionals in lipspeaking and note-takingSignature has training centres all over the UK; you only need to find their web page to find the location closest to you.The only other national training service we found that teaches British sign language, that offers online courses as well as other resources such as a signing dictionary and fingerspelling challenges is British Sign.We featured them in our companion article that lists resources for learning sign language.Now, let’s look at individual cities and what sign language courses they have to offer. You don't need to attend a school for the deaf to understand this sign! Image by PublicDomainPictures from PixabayLearn Sign Language in LondonAs you might suspect, our capital city hosts a wealth of classes intended to teach the deaf and anyone who wishes to learn how to communicate visually.Merton College and Richmond and Hillcroft Adult Community College both offer 5-week introductory courses while, in Stepney, at Sign Say, you might take a night course or an intensive-study course in sign language.In North London, in Camden, you’ll find the Frank Barnes School. It is a campus for deaf children but they also offer accredited BSL courses, including NVQ certification all the way to Level 6.Remark!, in central London, promotes their services by offering a free taster course after which you may continue your studies, ultimately earning your Level 6 certificate. As for making a career out of sign language, you may go on to take their interpreter courses…City Lit (Covent Garden) off ers the mother-lode of all BSL courses!From fingerspelling to receptive skills workshops, you can gain all of the practice and instruction you need in these intensive, one-day courses. If you are looking for something more durable, you may check out their full BSL curriculum, from Level 1 through Level 6.The only downside to City Lit’s classes is that they tend toward the pricey; you might consider free offerings if you are not sure whether pursuing full certification in signing is right for you.Manchester College and the other at the University of Manchester, the latter being open only to university students.However, The Manchester College offerings are open to the public and you needn’t have any experience with sign language to take their part-time course. It is recommended that you start with Level 1; additionally, they offer a Level 2 course to expand your knowledge of signing.If you’d rather not attend college, you might enjoy BSL classes at the Manchester Deaf Centre.Loc ated in Crawford House on Booth Street, they offer deaf awareness training as well as sign language courses up to Level 3. All of their classes are taught by a qualified BSL teacher with more than a decade of teaching experience.You'll surely pick up some tips for learning sign language there!Leeds Sign Language Learning Your second language, signing, includes a universal sign that means 'good' Image by Niek Verlaan from PixabayLoiners have nearly as many choices for learning to sign as Londoners do!You may, for example, drop in on the courses at Swarthmore College. There, you will learn about deaf culture and become deaf-aware, learn basic sign vocabulary, body language and facial expressions.As you might expect from such a friendly, inclusive city as Leeds, there is a long-standing society for deaf and blind people; they offer courses in sign language as well.Under the rather clever name they’ve adopted, CoHearentVision, you can find introductory, Level 1 and Level 2 classes in sign language, as well as other classes, including deaf-blind awareness classes and tactics for communicating with deaf and hard of hearing people.These are long-term offerings; for example, the Level 2 BSL class lasts for 25 weeks. Oh, the things you’ll learn!Deaf culture, often overlooked by the hearing, is a very pert inent aspect of learning sign language. These courses will delve deeply into the deaf experience, ensuring you will come out with a more refined, more positive attitude towards deaf people and being deaf.If you don’t have quite that much time, you might be interested in Signability’s short course offerings.You cannot learn how to sign in a day but you can gain an awareness of the challenges facing the deaf community in a hearing world, take part in their BSL Bootcamp and take a taster course in signing.You may even get an introduction to the deaf community in Leeds, where you could learn more about the advantages of knowing how to sign.As we mentioned before, there are plenty of BSL classes on offer in Leeds and throughout West Yorkshire; you only need to look a little to find the course you want.Sign Language in GlasgowLike other great cities, Glesga has more than one venue for learning how to sign.Especially if you were approaching sign language as a future career prospect, yo u would benefit from taking BSL classes at Deaf Perspective. They teach signing to levels 1, 2 and 3; also up to Level 6 NVQ.If you are only just starting to learn how to sign, you might go for classes at Glasgow Clyde College. They offer both weekend and night classes; each course is eight weeks long and, if we daresay, very reasonably priced.Naturally, once you get a bit of experience signing, you will want to join the Sign Language Society at Glasgow University. This is an informal group who gets together every so often to talk together and sharpen receptive skills.They also have BSL Level 1 classes available… or maybe you would join them when they visit with hearing dogs.There are so many great people and agencies that teach sign language in the UK!If we’ve not mentioned the resources for learning sign language in your city, please list them in the comments section; doing so will help others near you who wish that they too could sign.

A Summer Checklist for Incoming College Freshmen

A Summer Checklist for Incoming College Freshmen Congratulations on your college acceptance, and on choosing your home for the next few years! By now, the pressure you feel has probably eased a bit, and theres time to relax. However, the transition from high school to college is a significant one, and preparation is key when it comes to a successful first semester as a college freshman. You may be wondering where to begin when it comes to preparing for this new chapter. When writing a summer checklist as an incoming college freshman, prioritize tasks like signing up for orientation, registering for classes, searching for extracurriculars, and exploring the school as a whole. Here is a sample summer checklist for incoming college freshmen: Summer checklist item #1: Sign up for orientation Register for an early orientation to (hopefully) get the classes you want, as well as to familiarize yourself with the campus and to see your official dorm and cafeteria options firsthand. Orientation is also the first real chance youll have to make new friends, so be open to introductions and dont be afraid to start a conversation during campus tours. Summer checklist item #2: Consider your options Maybe youre the person whos wanted to be a teacher since the age of three, or maybe youre still not sure about what to study. Spend a few hours looking through the course catalog to see what majors are available, and keep in mind that you can start as an undeclared student. [RELATED: What I Wish I Knew About Picking a College Major] Summer checklist item #3: Explore online While youre perusing the course catalog, you should also navigate the schools website. See what it offers, and ask yourself a few questions: What kind of resources does this college have for students? What is the online learning system like? Where can I find school policies on dorm life, academic integrity, and student rights? When are the major sporting events? This is also a great opportunity to look at the school calendar and to note holidays, midterm and final schedules, and other important dates. Summer checklist item #4: Register for classes Waiting until the last minute to register for courses might leave you stuck with that 8:00 a.m. English class on the other side of campus. Make sure you know when the first day of freshman registration is, and have your classes picked out beforehand so you can be confident in creating your first college schedule. You can knock out some of the introductory courses for your potential major or try a couple of classes from different disciplines in-between general requirements. Be ready with a list of first and second choices on registration day, especially at a large school with lots of students. [RELATED: How to Create Your First College Schedule] Summer checklist item #5: Choose at least one extracurricular The first year of college can be a little intimidating and even occasionally lonely. One way to combat the discomfort of this major transition is to choose a club or activity to join right away. Take some time during the summer to see whats available in terms of intramural sports, student clubs, volunteer work, or even popular campus jobs, and figure out how to work an interest of yours into your schedule. Summer checklist item #6: Buy textbooks Once youre registered for classes, youre going to need school supplies. Textbooks can be a major expense, so see if you can find used copies in local bookstores or online for less than theyll cost in the campus bookstore. If you dont have a computer, youll also likely need one of those. Summer checklist item #7: Friend your roommate Sometime during the summer youll be notified who your roommate is; get in touch over social media or email, and get to know them! You may hit it off, or at the very least you can coordinate whos bringing the mini-fridge and other dorm room must-haves. You can also talk about preferences for having visitors, sleep schedules, and other roommate issues. Summer checklist item #8: Take a look at your finances This is a great time to learn a little about finances, and to make sure that youre set up for success. Youll probably want to open a bank account. Make sure youve filled out all of your financial paperwork for scholarships, grants, and/or student loans, and build yourself a budget for covering tuition, books, living expenses, and spending money. Summer checklist item #9: Speak with your parents or guardians Make sure you communicate clearly with your parents or guardians about things like finances, expectations for how often youll call or come to visit, and other pieces of your relationship that might change now that youre off on your own. If you build a plan together, it can help prevent future conflict. Summer checklist item #10: Get check-ups Finally, get check-ups for yourself, any pets youre taking with you, and your mode of transportation. There may be mandatory vaccinations that youll need before moving into a college dorm. If youre moving far away, youll want to guarantee your car or bike is reliable and in good working condition. Your first semester will be full of new experiences, people, and situations, but you can easily set yourself up for success (and a lot of fun) with this summer checklist for incoming college freshmen. Any topics you want to know more about? Let us know! The Varsity Tutors Blog editors love hearing your feedback and opinions. Feel free to email us at blog@varsitytutors.com.

Simplify Radical Expression

Simplify Radical Expression Radical expression is a mathematical expression which can consists of radicals, variables and numbers. The meaning for the word radical is root. Radicals are very much used in almost every topic of mathematics. There are different mathematical operations that can be used to simplify and solve questions related to radicals expressions. Two radicals can be added or subtracted if they have the same number or expression in the root, this makes them similar radicals to carry mathematical operations. Example 1: Simplify and find the answer for the given radical expression 2 3 x + 5 3 x 3 x? Solution: The given question is on adding and subtracting radicals. This question contains the adding and subtracting the similar radical 3. The first step of the question is solving for 23 x + 53 x = 73 x. Now subtract 3 from the earlier answer 73 x = 6 3 Therefore simplifying the radicals gives 2 3 x + 5 3 x 3 x = 6 3 x. Hence solution = 6 3 x. Example 2: Simplify find the answer for the given question 5 x + 45 x 25 x? Solution: The given question is on adding and subtracting radicals. This question contains the adding and subtracting the similar radical 5 The first step of the question is solving for 5 x + 4 5 x = 5 5 x Now subtract 25 x from the earlier answer 5 5 = 3 5 Therefore simplifying the radicals gives 5 x + 45 x 25 x = 35 x Hence solution = 35 x.

10 Extremely Influential Guitarists Who Were Not Technically Great

10 Extremely Influential Guitarists Who Were Not Technically Great Megan L. You dont have to be a virtuoso guitarist to touch peoples hearts with your music! Guitar teacher  Samuel B.  shares a few of his favorite great-but-not-that-great famous guitar players Towards the end of Johnny Cashs autobiography, youll find the following paragraph: As to my musical future, my prospects look good. I can whack on a guitar as incompetently as I could a year ago, probably more so. I can sing just as well, or as badly, as I ever could. And Ive got more songs trying to go through me than ever; Ive written three in the last three weeks. Despite his technical limitations,  Johnny Cash remains an iconic musician, and likely will for decades to come. It is a mistake, I think, to automatically link great music  with technical perfection. Vaughan, Hendrix, and Clapton aside, the majority of my guitar heroes were not superb musicians. Their influence is based on innovation and expression to a much greater extent than it is on fluid musicianship. Cash is just one example. Here are nine others: Bob Dylan Guitar-wise, the best Ive heard of Dylan are the tracks on his first album for Columbia: Bob Dylan (1962). With two exceptions, its 14 tracks are traditional songs or material by other artists which Dylan adapted to a fast-paced “high and lonesome” style involving intense strumming and (in some cases) intricate fingerpicking. Despite these energetic musical highlights, none of his other albums boast remarkable guitar moments. While Dylan has proven himself an exceptional and highly influential lyricist, his musicianship is considered average at best. Tom Petty Just listen to the opening chords of “Free Fallin.” They are about as simple as they come. The song itself has no chorus or bridge. Very few figures in rock create anthems as memorable as Pettys. Theyre not based on intricacy â€" just gut and tone. Pettys music  is raw and exuberant. Any listener can relate to it. Richie Havens A former doo-wop and gospel singer, Havens maintained a career of playing an alternate tuning with his thumb over the neck. The sound of his strumming and his voice was unmistakable â€" a powerful yet warm and soothing balm. At times, he described his guitar as more of a tool than an instrument. Havens contribution to music history was not based so much on musical excellence as it was on his ability to use his artistic gifts and his grandfatherly wisdom to inspire the best in others. BB King Footage from the 1988 documentary Rattle and Hum includes a collaboration between U2 and King. During the rehearsal, King twice indicates how poorly he plays chords. Kings calling card was his vibrato which (like Havens thumb chords) was his alone. Who can forget his childlike face after telling Lucille to talk to him and closing his eyes? Kurt Cobain Even on Nirvanas intimate MTV unplugged album, no guitar highlights are apparent. In most respects, Cobain was an innovative songwriter and bandleader. He should be credited as having been one of the key players that brought alternative music to the mainstream. Few bands had a sound as full-bodied and expressive as Nirvanas. Joni Mitchell Mitchells diverse use of open tunings is not well-known. Shes used more of them than any recognizable guitarist I can think of. The sound of her lower strings has been compared to that of a snare drum. The sound of her higher ones to that of a cool jazz horn section. Shes even taken to having her electric “VG-8” guitar tuned offstage as each song on her set list is in a different tuning. Still, she is not a technically brilliant guitarist. Dave “The Edge” Evans I  once saw  Evans provide a televised tour of his onstage lineup of pedals and related electronic tools during U2s Zoo TV tour in the early 90s. Among the guitarists whove honed a recognizable niche in alternative music, hes a chief innovator. The haunting opening lines of “With Or Without You” should be considered a revolutionary piece of musical history in of itself â€" a single sustained note over multiple measure of the bass line (not an easy feat actually). The strumming later in the song comes close to imitating the sound of a train. As with Cobain, credit is due as praise for the sound itself â€" not for how fast and flashy he has played it. Amy Ray and Emily Saliers When it comes to attitude and energy (not to mention lyrical brilliance and enough stage presence to convert an entire arena of avid concertgoers into instant fans), nobody compares to Amy and Emily (The Indigo Girls). Theyve penned what I consider to be some of the most memorable songs of the last two (nearly three) decades (ie “Closer To Fine”, “Joking”, “Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee”, “Least Complicated”). As is true with many of the others mentioned, unforgettable guitar licks are few (if any) on their albums and in their live shows. Theyve given us a beautiful tapestry of poetry and emotion thats easy for most of us to appreciate and understand. What did you think of this list? Are there any famous guitar players youd like to add? Let us know in the comments below! Samuel B. teaches beginner  guitar lessons in Austin, TX. He teaches lessons face-to-face without sheet music, which is his adaptation of Japanese instruction (involving a call-and-response method). Learn more about Samuel here! Photo by Mathias Miranda Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher

Happy Pi Day! Enjoy Heart Math Tutorings p Chart!

Happy Pi Day! Enjoy Heart Math Tutorings p Chart! Happy Pi Day! 3 Ways To Find p Happy Pi Day! 3 Ways To Find p March 13, 2015 For years, math fans around the world have celebrated Pi Day on March 14. You can find videos, songs and T-shirts to mark the occasion. Many also count it as a day to eat lots of pie. Why is the number Pi, denoted by the Greek letter p and pronounced “pie,” worthy of so much praise? Pi   is one of the most common constants in all of mathematics. It is the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter or approximately 3.1415926. This year, the day is even more special since it’s 3-14-15. According to PiDay.org, Pi has been calculated to over one trillion digits beyond its decimal point. As an irrational and transcendental number, it will continue infinitely without repetition or pattern. While only a handful of digits are needed for typical calculations, Pi’s infinite nature makes it a fun challenge to memorize, and to computationally calculate more and more digits. Here are some ways to find p if you don’t have a pie or calculator:

PTA Fundraising with Tutorfair

PTA Fundraising with Tutorfair 40% of students in London have a private tutor, and Tutorfair.com is where you can find the best tutors in your local area. We have hundreds of vetted and trained tutors covering subjects from Maths and English to Admissions and Music. We also promise that for every student who pays, Tutorfair gives free tutoring to a child who can’t afford it. Not only is Tutorfair the socially responsible way to find tutors but your PTA can earn ~ £60 per student through recommending Tutorfair.  All parents need to do is sign up to Tutorfair via your PTA fundraising  link. On average parents spend £1,200 on tutoring. As a website Tutorfair can afford to take less commission than a traditional agency  and tutors get to give back through the one-for-one mission, which is why so many great tutors are on Tutorfair. “Their 'child for child' promise ensures that tuition is not just for 'the privileged few' and replaces the X-Factor (X for eXpensive) with the Feel Good Factor. It's helicopter parenting with a conscience; the educational equivalent of off-setting your (naughty) air miles.” -  SchoolGuide.co.uk Plus, PTA fundraising is quick and easy to set up: We create a unique link including your code  e.g.tutorfair.com?regcode=your_reference. You share it with parents, friends, groups on email, Facebook, blogs, school website etc. When a new student books a tutor we pay you commission. A few more details: For now, Tutorfair is only in London and surrounding areas. Payments are made monthly in arrears. On average, parents spend £1,200 on private tuition and your PTA earns ~ £60 (5%) of everything spent on tutoring over a year. Percentages are calculated from pre-social, pre-VAT hourly rates. Client must sign up via the PTA’s link for the commission to be tracked. For example: If a tutor costs £30/hr and a parent booked 40 lessons over 4 months the school PTA would receive £15/month for four months. This is a great way for your PTA to raise funds for your school, whilst helping those children who can’t afford a tutor.   Tutorfair's free tutoring had helped over 2,500 children by 2015. If your PTA would like to sign up please fill in this form.  If you have any more questions please email Breanna at breanna@tutorfair.com.

I Do Not Like Halloween!

I Do Not Like Halloween! Halloween is coming. Quick turn off the porch light, draw the shades and turn down the TV. The children are coming! The children are coming! Pretty soon they will be banging on the front door with outstretched hands holding large bags for us to fill with treats, shouting and screaming, no demanding Trick or Treat!   But no more fruits or loose treats please, only pre wrapped candies that can be x-rayed at the local hospital for life threatening surprises. When did that happen? When we were kids we just got what we got and brought the stash home that we didn’t eat on the way. We didn’t need to have our goodies x-rayed back then. Is this because mankind is getting crazier? Or is it because we were just naive back then? OK, maybe it’s not all that bad but hey, I don’t like Halloween. I suppose if our grandchildren lived here I would feel different. We’re just an older couple that wants to be left alone. Well Alright, maybe my wife doesn’t feel that way; in fact she enjoys the kids. She loves to see the little ones all dressed up in costumes. She rather enjoys the whole thing, like most Americans do these days. So why do we do this?   What the f@$*# is this all about? Well I’m glad you asked. It seems that Halloween or the precursor to it actually started in prehistoric times by the Celts. No surprise there. I’m from Scotland and all my brothers agree that our mother is some kind of a witch. When we were kids she always seemed to know when we were up to no good. We couldn’t get away with anything, almost. She always seemed to be one step ahead of us. Oh well that’s a story for another day. So the Druids built large bonfires and wore costumes for their celebrations and asked for protection against the upcoming winter. By 43 AD the Romans had moved into much of what is now the British Isles and added their own bent to the party with the celebration of the dead at the end of October. Eventually with the emergence of Christianity into Roman society they moved the date to November 2 and called it all saints day. Here they were sort of throwing everybody and anybody who was no longer around into the party. Another name for all saints day was All-hollows. Are you beginning to see the connection yet? When the immigrants started moving to America, They brought their holidays with them including what is now known as Halloween. Because of the puritan type of immigrants it was not so wide spread. Remember those puritans were always looking for someone to burn at the stake. But the second movement of immigrants from Ireland after the potato famine helped to make Halloween a full fledged holiday, with costume’s and all. Always the party guys those Celts! In the 1920’s and 1930’s Halloween became more of a community centered holiday complete with parades and block parties. Along with these festivities it became more about tricks than treats in those days. Vandalism became a frequent activity then. Picture the 1950’s; “Rebel without a cause” in costume? It is said that most of what we now experience as Halloween traditions comes straight out of the All Saints Day holiday in England. On that holiday people would leave food at their door step for the poor. Eventually the poor would go door to door begging for food and the families would give them a pastry called soul cakes. In exchange the beggars would promise to pray for the families dead relatives. It is believed that the church came up with the soul cakes deal in order to get rid of a tradition where families were leaving food and wine out for the spirits. Just pray and send your money to the church. That hasn’t change much. So you can see it was a short jump from beggars getting food to children trick or treating right?   What started as an end of summer Celtic festival of superstition to becoming a scene of hyped up children running around in need of Ritalin because of their sugar rush? It all makes sense now doesn’t it. Well its getting dark, the kids will be coming to the door soon, and theres a football game on tonight. I don’t like Halloween. I Do Not Like Halloween! Halloween is coming. Quick turn off the porch light, draw the shades and turn down the TV. The children are coming! The children are coming! Pretty soon they will be banging on the front door with outstretched hands holding large bags for us to fill with treats, shouting and screaming, no demanding Trick or Treat!   But no more fruits or loose treats please, only pre wrapped candies that can be x-rayed at the local hospital for life threatening surprises. When did that happen? When we were kids we just got what we got and brought the stash home that we didn’t eat on the way. We didn’t need to have our goodies x-rayed back then. Is this because mankind is getting crazier? Or is it because we were just naive back then? OK, maybe it’s not all that bad but hey, I don’t like Halloween. I suppose if our grandchildren lived here I would feel different. We’re just an older couple that wants to be left alone. Well Alright, maybe my wife doesn’t feel that way; in fact she enjoys the kids. She loves to see the little ones all dressed up in costumes. She rather enjoys the whole thing, like most Americans do these days. So why do we do this?   What the f@$*# is this all about? Well I’m glad you asked. It seems that Halloween or the precursor to it actually started in prehistoric times by the Celts. No surprise there. I’m from Scotland and all my brothers agree that our mother is some kind of a witch. When we were kids she always seemed to know when we were up to no good. We couldn’t get away with anything, almost. She always seemed to be one step ahead of us. Oh well that’s a story for another day. So the Druids built large bonfires and wore costumes for their celebrations and asked for protection against the upcoming winter. By 43 AD the Romans had moved into much of what is now the British Isles and added their own bent to the party with the celebration of the dead at the end of October. Eventually with the emergence of Christianity into Roman society they moved the date to November 2 and called it all saints day. Here they were sort of throwing everybody and anybody who was no longer around into the party. Another name for all saints day was All-hollows. Are you beginning to see the connection yet? When the immigrants started moving to America, They brought their holidays with them including what is now known as Halloween. Because of the puritan type of immigrants it was not so wide spread. Remember those puritans were always looking for someone to burn at the stake. But the second movement of immigrants from Ireland after the potato famine helped to make Halloween a full fledged holiday, with costume’s and all. Always the party guys those Celts! In the 1920’s and 1930’s Halloween became more of a community centered holiday complete with parades and block parties. Along with these festivities it became more about tricks than treats in those days. Vandalism became a frequent activity then. Picture the 1950’s; “Rebel without a cause” in costume? It is said that most of what we now experience as Halloween traditions comes straight out of the All Saints Day holiday in England. On that holiday people would leave food at their door step for the poor. Eventually the poor would go door to door begging for food and the families would give them a pastry called soul cakes. In exchange the beggars would promise to pray for the families dead relatives. It is believed that the church came up with the soul cakes deal in order to get rid of a tradition where families were leaving food and wine out for the spirits. Just pray and send your money to the church. That hasn’t change much. So you can see it was a short jump from beggars getting food to children trick or treating right?   What started as an end of summer Celtic festival of superstition to becoming a scene of hyped up children running around in need of Ritalin because of their sugar rush? It all makes sense now doesn’t it. Well its getting dark, the kids will be coming to the door soon, and theres a football game on tonight. I don’t like Halloween.