Artist in Residence impresses importance of folklore, culture

DECATUR A circle of children sat enthralled as writer Dan Keding told them an old tale of a soldier and the recipe for nail soup.

The soldier told the villagers to boil water for a delicious soup, but then he kept suggesting additions, such as potatoes and onions and meat, and every time they asked if it was time to put in the nails, hed say Not yet! Of course, they never put the nails in at all. Keding said his grandmother told him the story.

Keding is the Artist in Residence at South Shores School this week, thanks to a grant from the Decatur Public Schools Foundation, secured by instructional specialist Debbie Roberts. His final day is today and will wind up with an all-school assembly, where students he worked with individually will get a chance to tell their own stories to the student body.

What I really want them to get out of this is that storytelling is part of the culture, Keding said. Its part of everything we do. We talk in story, and I want them to understand that and cherish that. Its really an important thing.

He has found that when he goes into schools and tells stories about characters like Daniel Boone or Jim Bowie both real people as well as heroes of fantastic tales the kids dont know who hes talking about.

Kids are learning to pass tests now, he said. Theyre not learning culture, and theyre not learning folklore and history.

Thats one of the reasons Principal Sarah Oakes wanted Keding to come to South Shores. Students often lack basic acquaintance with traditions and ideas, she said.

Theres more, too.

Any time you can trick kids into thinking theyre just having fun, when theyre really learning, you should do it, Oakes said with a chuckle.

Lisa Landacre, second-grade teacher, said she hopes the kids learn the power of oral tradition.

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Artist in Residence impresses importance of folklore, culture