Kidsand teachersgo 'Zany' in 'Brainy'Main Line store

by Christina Feehan staff writer

It makes you feel like a kid again. As you walk through the front doors, you are engulfed in a world of fun, toys and learning, all rolled into one. This is Zany Brainy, a store for children located on Lancaster Avenue in Wayne.

"It is a children's, multi-media toy super-store," Brigitte Cooperman, director of stores, said. She said Zany Brainy is an interactive, fun environment that caters to children, not adults.

Cooperman also said most of the chHdren do not even realize they are learning while they are playing with the toys.

According to Cooperman, Zany Brainy tries to be more than just a toy store. She said these stores are geared to one mission: a child's enhancement of imagination.

Laura Goldstein, an eight-year-old girl from Strafford, describes Zany Brainy as her "Home Sweet Home." She said she gets lost in a world of toys, when her mother takes her shopping Zany Brainy is also important for education majors, because it supplies them with a place for ideas for their future students.

Terri Carragher, a sophomore and early childhood/elementary education major, said she visits "Zany Brainy" a lot, to buy things for her fieldwork experience.

"I bought a puzzle of the United States, which helped me plan my learn- ing center for my students," Carragher said. "I also purchased a variety of stickers, which served as my positive reinforcement for the kids."

Michelle McKenna, a senior education major, said she usually goes to Zany Brainy to buy presents for her younger brother.

"It's a unique toy store that has a variety of products," McKenna said. "It has everything from computer games, to arts and crafts, to a huge science section."

McKenna said she has not used "Zany Brainy" for her teaching responsibilities, but it will be her first choice.

"There are many more interesting toys than your average 'Toys 'R Us' has," McKenna said.

Denise Tancredi, a fust-yearspecial education major, said she usually shops at Zany Brainy for her younger sister, Marie.

"She's four and just began nursery scliool, so I want to buy her fun but educational toys," Tancredi said.

Marianne Londino was visiting her niece at Cabrini, and she decided to find out what Zany Brainy was all about.

"Zany Brainy is the place where I am going to buy most of my grandchildrens' toys, from now on," Londino said. "I just wish they were around 20 years ago, when my kids were young."

"Zany Brainy is a store that can keep everyone young at heart," Carragher said. "I suggest that if you need to get away from the hectic life of college, visit this store. It's guaranteed to make you smile."

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Thanksgiving History

Gary White features, arts & entertainment editor

;ianksgiving is a day of celebrating family and being thankful for past, ~nt and future gifts. Thanksgiving ilOW celebrated on the fourth Thursof November, but this is not the way 1'ays was.

Some consider October, 1621, to be month in which the first Thanksgiv- took place. Governor John Bradford lymouth proclaimed the day, after g the abundance the Pilgrims' firstplanting produced.

Others believe the first Thanksgiving not until Nov. 29, 1623.

'I:le spring and summer of 1623 was dry, and most of the Pilgrims' crops : dying. Governor Bradford ordered of fasting and prayer. Soon after-

;;:s_ a long rain came and revived the

To celebrate, Bradford again proed a day of thanksgiving.

,om this time on, whenever a major t occurred in America, someone d declare a day of thanksgiving.

After the ratification of the U.S. Constitution in 1789, President George Washington named Nov. 26 a day to give thanks. Six years passed before Washington named another day of thanksgiving.

The next time a president declared a day of thanksgiving was in 1815. James Madison proclaimed a day of thanksgiving for peace.

From this time until the Civil War, an autumn day of thanksgiving and feasting was observed, mostly in the north.

At the end of the Civil War, Abraham• Lincoln declared the last Thursday in November Thanksgiving Day. The day was meant to be celebrated by the whole nation.

In 1939, Franklin Roosevelt, under pressure from big businessmen to make the Christmas selling season longe't, moved Thanksgiving from the last Thursday in November to the third Thursday in November.

Two years later, the day was changed to the fourth Thursday in November, because of complaints by the American people

Today, Thanksgiving is still the fourth Thursday of November. It is proclaimed each year by the president and governors of the 50 states. Thanksgiving is a legal holiday throughout the nation, in the canal zone, Guam, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

ThanksgivingTraditions

t-year stuWolen, &rst-year stu-=: c have a huge dinner. All .iatives come _ house. It is _ to see all my relatives, since we them on special holidays.

unn Szczurek, sophomore: e always go to my aunt's house for giving. My family is a mix ofltalian,

Polish and Irish. I know that is not too strange, but my aunt makes not only the turkey and traditional Thanksgiving fair, but also lasagna, rigatoni, soda bread and other things, so everyone gets his or her family favorite

Tricia Reilly, junior: My aunts, uncles and grandparents come to my house for the day. For dinner, all the adults sit in the dining room, and the children sit in the living room. The littlest person there says grace for the family.

Before the parade passes.by

The Cabrini Spirit

Committee wishes to thank the entire campus community for your euthusiastic support of Spirit Day 1993!

We are glad you came to "Lift Your Spirit " , • Spirit Day 1994 is set for Tuesday,November 15. Interested in joining the committee? Then come to the Library Conference room on December 3 at 10:00a.m.