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ba al f. a | | art, x3 ee) bd Vy 7 on Wa Whe.” ) « ee, ? Ae sf? o Shy Pe ~ fi! The Beaut ful Inkberry Tree A CHRISTMAS STORY FOR YOUNG VIRGIN ISLANDERS THE BEAUTIFUL bd N KBE R RY TREE oe * @ * A Story for Young Virgin Islanders PREPARED UNDER THE AUSPICES OF ESEA TITLE III DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION December 1969 Ruth Moolenaar, Written by: Project Coordinator- Project Introspection, ESEA Title III r 4 - NOTE: The Inkberry, a member of the Madder Family, (Rubiaceae) specifically, Randia aculeata L., is a deciduous shrub 5-10 feet high or small tree 20 feet tall, 3 inches in diameter with erect axis and thin crown of many nearly horizontal spiny branches which end with widely forking gray spines 1/4 - 3/4 inch long. The names arbol de navidad and christmas tree refer to the use of the tree as a christmas dec~ oration. A blue dye can be ob- tained from the berries, the source of the common names tin- tillo and inkberry. Fishing rods are made from the rigid stems. Range - Southern Florida, Ber- muda, throughout the West Indies from Bahamas to Cuba and Grenada, Barbodos, Trinidad and Tobago. Also in the thickets and open forests of the lower mountain range of Mexico, Central America, Colombia, Venezula, Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, St. Croix, St. John, Virgin Gorda and Anegada. REFERENCE: E.L. Little, Jr. and F. Wardsworth, Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Washington, D.C.: .U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1965), pp. 520-521. —— oe ane mets ea The "Beautiful Inkberry Tree" is designed primarily to present to the young Virgin Islander another reminder or phase of his heritage. Through a microscopic view of the past, refer- ence is made to a typical family in its preparations for the Christmas Season. A broader purpose may be the strengthening of the concept that people everywhere are products of their backgrounds, Keeping an-alert eye on its basic objective: to stimulate the Virgin Islands child to achieve self-actual- ization, Project Introspection, ESEA Title III strongly affirms that to understand others better we must first understand ourselves well, hopes that this story will help each student to appreciate his family life and accept himself as a creature of his ancestors and to finally realize his indebtedness to them. yi ———— —S sath Sf i ae Re ~ , S\ i es re 3/M@—ir r= rs 8 s\ “? “SL ‘~ > AY eo -« . a! Maa A, x. = { ps r&J fF \ Se = yf 1A @r Ft Wi aS Boo tty \ > am 4: at wh rt ot VE, \, Mb t1\\ AALS ht fe i} WE, \ | ie = AN Vin th tered Ta os — tahy rd ty igi = * \) Thy we, AE a ay pis GE ZS se , ta By My Lip, KEG ui ge "agg oy is AT ‘_ = fi TVS -_———— ee ——— = te ' — = su oN | \ ig “~ , ten y et ee “Aut 0p. 79 an * ar « NN i & s 19 * ' N lth “4 IS Ys 4) oy ~~ KX yar *A PN Vw i ‘ ‘ @-:- ° iad ee v Helen was all excited, and she had reasons to be. It was Christmas Eve and her Aunt Leah and Cousin Audrey, whom she had never seen were coming to spend the holidays at their house. Nestled at the foot of Denmark Hill, Helen's house shone from within; it had been so scrub- bed in readiness for the exciting days ahead. With her parents and three brothers, Helen lived in this cottage from birth. Mother had spent many evenings getting the house ready. Floors were scrubbed, furniture polished, new curtains were bought and hung in place. As Helen looked around she could hardly restrain herself from shouting with joy. What ten year old wouldn't with the sights and smells that were typical of Christmas being everywhere. She ran into the yard to ask mother about the fi Bs aah 1 ab Ve Y, Pe, Hy AB) oP) Lee j a. Moy 25 z 25 2> ) Aaa HP 5 aie eer th aFi y ft yh >4 ("eg a ' ‘\ NY \\ ( Barger, arat tadyt ru His \\ Ae pe \A waa | i\\ \\ \ A 1p is gic wenvalys yt¢ +f AA 6 MED aty w ‘ Wee 5 "y y (AH San A christmas tree but Mother just couldn't answer at the moment. She was too busy pushing the sweet breads around in the large dutch oven with the broad wooden paddle. Mother smiled as she pulled one of the sweet breads out - It was done and my, my, how good it looked - a rich brown round cake with prunes, cherries, citron and nuts peeping through the baked crust. Oh for a little taste! yearned Helen, but then she remembered Mother had given her the bowl and the wooden spoon to taste the batter =< Gee, but that DID taste good. Finally Mother put the wooden paddle to stand in a corner and headed for the house. Helen looked back at the paddle and smiled, It reminded her of a picture of a beaver's tail she had seen in her library book. The only difference was that the base of the paddle was wider. She hoped that this same paddle would still be around when she grew up. (And that she would also make delici- ous sweet breads as well as those her mother made). by 0 NY Somh Sh fe saeed \ P yt * Ag \ 1, Mey Diy ‘an % \ \\" nN ts gu SN)“ v) a Nie Seining Muther on the way t) che house, Helen asked, "Will we get the tree before Aunt Leah and my cousin get here?" Mother put her arms around her daughter's shoulders and said, “yes dear, as a matter of fact, Papa and the boys have already gone to Frenchman Hill to chop the tree - They should be here any minute”. Helen clapped her hands and ran ahead of her mother straight to a cardboard box that was partly hidden under her bed. She pulled it | out and removed the contents slowly and thought- fully. There were boxes of small Christmas candles about three inches long, each candle had the same ribbed design, but different colors of red, blue, pink, yellow, green and soft orange. Best of all were the glawe balls that looked like bubbles with frosting, while others were decorated with etched pictures. But there was nothing for the top of the tree: As she knelt near the box pondering over a star or an angel for the crown of the tree she heard papa's voice shouting to her eldest brother, r " ni ; {! tf “A \ we ‘ ht } ; ops ot es iy 4 ‘\ he tel” a 5h a> a reget A) Ss res ‘\) vii es "Leon, bring that kerosine tin over here"... .The pan, thought Ellen - The tree is here} Now the excitement began. How the family worked to- gether, The tree was brought into the house along with the tin which was about thirty-six inches high. Placing the tree in the tin, the boys next filled it up with rocks of different sizes to steady the pan. Then father stood off and looked at a job well done and mother looked too - She studied the shape ~- When everything seemed just xight, the kids set about trimming the tree, To finish the job, sheets of gayly colored gift wrapping paper were wound around the can starting high at the base to hide the rocks and this was kept in place by a wide band of red crepe paper which ended in a large bow at the front. One thing seemed missing - Or was it really missing? No gifts were placed under the tree. And again, as if by magic, by nightfall there were packages and more packages of different shapes and sizes all gayly wrap- ped, lying under the tree. ™, a en, AvA wat ~<a a AF Ls Sys, a Ve. 1» ) ! Oy e: 3 Any minute now Aunt Leah should be knock- ing on their door. What seemed like a rather long wait for Helen soon came to an end as a taxi horn honked long and loud outside their door, Mother quickly dried her hands from washing the dishes, straightened her hair as best as she could and opened the front door. Hugging, kissing and introductions followed. Her cousin Audrey, wearing heavy woolen clothes, looked almost identical to Helen - Her brown skin, however, was a lighter shade due to climatic conditions of a Northern city like New York. The girls liked each other from the start, and Audrey , who wanted to know about everything that seemed so strange, got ready answers from her cousin, Taking quick steps toward the tree, Audrey stopped suddenly and looked. She was puzzled and this was very plain to be seen. She pointed one finger to the tree and cried, "What's that!" Poor Helen —- she just couldn't understand her cousin's sur- prise. Even though she was hurt- she tried not i hic m* 5 iat ih) ye i eA . i il | li alt it an ‘ | ny to show it - She couldn't embarrass her visitir, Mother had taught her to be polite, and even more so, to visitors in the home. She replied slowly, "That's our Christmas Tree", Audrey threw back her head and laughed - "A Christmas Tree? ~ No its not. A pine tree is a Christmas tree; it grows straight and tall, bears needles and also grows cones instead of juicy fruits". Aunt Leah, being very tactful, put her arms around the two girls, drew them gently down on the floor with her and as they sat together, Aunt Leah told her daughter and her niece the true meaning of Christmas. As she spoke, the two girls listened, Then Aunt Lean continued by speaking directly to her daughter - "So you see Audrey, around the world, Christmas joys take many forms. In the United States, we believe in Santa Claus, while some have other figures representing the spirit of Christmas. In cold countries, trees wither and dry in the winter time, but since evergreens remain green all year, they are chosen as Christmas trees. e @ . eo & -. 8, @..i a &~ e aut Ait au a -% A 2 a2? { 4 D) dh oe. © te laa , Ls i VS iC, gy at IP. N — “) inh 24 Bi \\ aha ih In St. Thomas, St. Croix and St. John, this Inkberry tree, (pointing to the tree in the tin) is chosen as the christmas tree because of its straight axis, its shapely clustered branches and mostly because of the gray spines that serve so easily as candle holders. When it is decorated, it is just as beautiful as any pine tree. This is the most beautiful christ- mas tree I've seen in a long time". Aunt Leah continued by telling the girls what good times she had as a little girl when she did the same things that Helen and her family were doing. Very slowly Audrey leaned over and kissed her cousin on the cheek. She didn't mean to hurt her and she was sorry. Everyone laughed and got up off the floor. Audrey asked, "Can I help dress the christmas tree too? Is there anything I can do?" Then Audrey remembered there was nothing for the top of the tree and said so. rsa ws oa el 4 fs, oe % ete _ * Ars @4 Be F« wat ibs + \\ Ne ML tty +e . Ne % the Ag: jj ij] Ne e® e, if a, Sie e @, bd %, ve ‘' e * be ad AY As di \ i Y < o\ 4 th iy TAs a ~) \ ed vith RaW, i } ~ af Hi | i$ — By) Af i Aunt Leah went to her bags and brought - gome small packages into the room - The girls watched eagerly. Opening them, she revealed some shiny bright silver rope. Together she and the girls made a star for the top of the tree. Taking the tinsel that was left, the two girls wound it around the tree laughing together as they went around and around, for- ward and backward. Audrey began humming the tune of "Oh Christmas Tree" and Helen and Aunt Leah joined in. When that was finished, dinner was ready and everyone, even papa, sang as they gathered at the table "We wish you a Merry Christmas", Papa alone sang the last line as he poured guavaberry in each glass. His loud tenor echoing through the house in a solo, "And a Happy New Year". PROPERTY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION GOVERNMENT OF THE U.S, VIRGIN ISLANDS PREPARED py ESEA Titte_IIl PRoJecT INTROSPECTION: For Use IN ut PUBLIC AND Nonekor T PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN THE VIRGIN tS aitns THE BATTLE OF THE VOICES With Apologies to Clement C. Moore's A Visit From St. Niek Ttwae the night before Christmae when all through the house Not a ereature was stirring, not even Aunt Lote The sueet breads were placed on the dresser with care : In hopes that the Carolerse soon will be there The..ham wae all done, but tt was stiitl aisaling In cloves, other epices and rich cherry herring. Aunt Tillie in her kerchief and I in my nightte Juet had another nip of good guavaberry when around the bend came the sound of voices I aprang from my chair - spilling drink and tcee Away to the door, I flew like a flash Threw up the shutters, tore open the eash The moon and the stare in the Tropteal sky, Wae a breathtaking picture to the human eye When what to my ltietening ears did I hear But a band of Carolers, sounding very near With a leader whose voice rose higher than the clouds I knew in a moment thie MUST BE ALIC LLOYD More sweeter than angels their jubilant votces Resounded! Hosanna, the glad earth rejoices In spotless white and banners gleaming The Carolers marched but continued singing To the top of their voices, to the top of the htil And taking their places, I can hear them still. And then in a twinkling, I heard from afar Another group, I just knew was MISS ESTHER. As I stepped into the yard to listen closely Around the corner they came in rhythmia steps so lively Mise Esther, for the oecaston was eorrectly attired A straw hat, a whtte dress, By all she was loved and admired. Over her shoulders in the shape of an are Was a blue ribbon that read, MISS ESTHER MARKS She resembled a prima donna waiting for her cue To let go the voice that opened earth and heaven too. The group, they all waited, ttll Miss Esther nodded Then together they sang - votces exploded? As one after another, Carols they sang In a challenge or competition to Lloyd and his gang. From over the hill, the anewers came Solo, duets, chorus refratne, Hosannas, Hatlelujahe, again and again. Lioyd had accepted and supreme he reigned. 4e each carol faded, the votcee grew eweeter But morning was breaking and the contest was over. So as daylight dawned and the sun began to shine, The Carolers retreated to rest and dine But ae they returned to homes cosy and merry They sang "MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND ENJOY. YOUR GUAVABERRY", PREPARED UNDER THE AUSPICES OF ESEA TITLE Tit DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION December 1969 Written by: Ruth Moolenaar, Project Coordinator- Project Introspection, ESEA Title III