where the spirit has been like, ‘OK, we
have a quick message for you.’”
Finding Their Stories
Emma G helps teens discover these
messages through sharing their
own stories—but unlocking those
instincts can be a delicate balance.

“The kids [I work with] know that I’m
there with knowledge to impart, but
quite often, they don’t recognize the
knowledge that they have to impart,”
she says. “And that’s why songwrit-
ing is so beautiful and so key to this
journey that I take them on. It’s about
helping them to recognize the power
of their voice, the importance of their
voice and the validity of what they
have to share.”
Part of that involves collaborat-
ing with them as an equal, she says,
“especially with teenagers and young
people because… they’re trying to
find how they fit in; they’re trying
to figure out a space for themselves, and if
they’re being told, ‘I’m the adult. I’m the
boss. You listen to what I say,’ they’re going
to fight back.”
“When you give those kids the space
between those four walls—and it’s a safe
space—it’s OK to let your spirit self emerge
at least for five seconds. You can build a
song around some pretty quick visits,” she
says with a laugh.

As a street performer before the pan-
demic, Emma G also found ways to leave a
safe space for others, however briefly.“When
you’re a street performer, it’s very
much about studying people: making
sure you’re safe, making sure you’re
connecting with people, making sure
you speak to their pain points when
you’ve got five seconds of interaction
as they’re walking past you,” she says.

With lyrics like, “Open your mind
won’t you dream a little bigger/ Open
your eyes won’t you see a little big-
ger/ The chains that once caught you
in their teeth can’t hold you down/
So open your mind won’t you dream
a little bigger” from her hit song,
“Be Brave,” it’s hard to imagine not
feeling a spark of courage and joy in
her presence.

For teens and children looking
for inspriration, Emma G and Ross
encourage them to find ways to
use art as a tool.“We live in a world
that’s constantly telling us who to
be, how to act, and how to show up,”
says Emma G. “But in a world that’s
constantly telling you these ‘put you in
a box’ messages, it’s important to recog-
nize you hold the pen. Don’t let the world
write your song.”
To learn more, visit emmagmusic.com and
storytapestries.org. T
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What was it like
learning in a one-room
schoolhouse? Experiential learning with early
childhood in mind
COURTESY OF MONTGOMERY PARKS, M-NCPPC.

BY HEATHER M. ROSS
T he Kingsley Schoolhouse in Little
Bennett Creek Valley was founded
in 1893 to serve the rural farming
community. Every year, about 20 children
between the ages of 6 and 12 would wake up
early and make their way to the one-room
schoolhouse. A wood-burning stove heated the class-
room, which featured a slate chalkboard,
simple wooden desks, a globe and, eventu-
ally, a Victrola record player. Each school
day began and ended the same way, with the
school bell ringing.

“I think it’s important to remember
the lessons of history and reflect,” Ralph
Buglass says.

Buglass, a Montgomery County native and
an avid history buff who has taught at John
Hopkins University, American University
and Montgomery College, is all about pre-
serving history.

He also co-authored “Images of America:
Rockville,” a pictorial history of the
city’s 250 years.

In looking at the history of the school-
house, which is now part of Little Bennett
Regional Park and open for tours seasonally,
there are lessons families can take by visiting
with their little one.

As preschoolers and kindergartners pre-
pare for the next chapter of their education
journey, they can learn from those that
came before them. What would it have been
like to study in a one-room schoolhouse?
How was education different? What do we
still use today?
Buglass paints a picture of a historic
school day in the Clarksburg schoolhouse.

Recess was still king
School began at 9 a.m. with the bell ring-
ing in the tower—something kids love to try
themselves on modern tours of the school.

The classroom would have anywhere from 15
to 25 kids in the one room, with the youngest
children up front.

Just like today, recess was the highlight
of the school day. Children would have
WashingtonFAMILY.com 23