Page 12
Feature
— SPOKE, October 25, 2004
Will the scarecrow scare you? By JENNIFER
ORMSTON
black ink and even managed to
Before the six students in Conestoga College’s scarecrowmaking 101 continuing education course began working on their Halloween craft, the teacher told everyone to stop what they were doing and pay attention. There are two rules in this class that must be adhered to, said 'iTfstructor Terrie
Burton with a mat-
smudge some on my cheek. But it was worth it since the use of paper straw
than
rather
increases
eliminates
the
The
was
stuffing
although
words taboo
“garbage
bag”
to as
"Number 1, don't bum yourself. Number 2, have a good time. If you follow number 1, chances are num-
With the scarecrow patterns cut and 'filled it was time to
This lighthearted introduction set
my
it,
crow was
scare-
pattern clearly
over inflated too and bloated
the
were they
The fun began once the clothes were on. We were taught how to make hair from orange and beige raffia, eyes, noses and mouths from black fell and straw hats decorated with wild flowers and autumn leaves. Although each person was taught the same techniques, six distinct
scarecrows
the building at the
left
Of
nity
I
liked
in the
take another course with
to
Burton. She has also signed up for
swag
Christmas November. the
will
I
admit that
I
groupie category. enrolled
class
fall
in
into the
have already
second class with
a
in
too I
Burton, this time to
make
Victorian
Christmas wreaths.
who
Burton, general,
course,
mine
Elaine Grierson, a student
scarecrow class, is a Burton groupie. She took a Halloween wreath course last year and she said couldn’t pass up the opportu-
end
of the day.
off
tear
body
entire
their
yet.
ing
scarecrow
patterns.
putting
jeans,
out of the garbage bag before seal-
into
in the class; instead,
were referred
his
weight into it. Burton joked she had not had a fatality in the course,
insect
put
bags,
garbage
was
setback
infestation.
ter-of-fact voice.
ber 2 will not be hard to do.”
of an
risk
the
next
and
of the decoration
longevity
My
wardrobe. Despite Burton’s repeated instruction to push excess air
loves
said
Halloween
is
holidays
decorating
in
for
one of her favourite
times of the year.
the best!
the tone for an afternoon full of
copious
clear
She recommends holiday-themed
wisecracks and hard work.
amounts
Burton adores
continuing education courses to
duct
her job from
tape,
the enthu-
When held
I
signed up for the class, the
at
Waterloo had no idea
college’s
of
used
child-sized scarecrow in a three-
limbs to the body.
My expectations were low until 1 spoke with Burton on the phone; her lively attitude and southern accent intrigued me and helped to ease my concerns regarding my iack of artistic ability. She explained the objective of the course was simply to make a scarecrow and learn how to do it so if you desired you could make a yard
tedious and laborious than
I
had
crumpled up countless
pieces of newspaper, the stuffing for my scarecrow. Needless to say, I
tall
flailing
as
I
which was am, was bulky
made
limbs
accidentally coated
it
at
wasn't until
can do
I
finally held
him was
sion
my
arms with
is
other.
gun,”
“Uh-oh,”
1
tight budget.
said
as
I
looked
laughter
when
they realize they
into
she saw
it,
we’ll just
make
them even,” she
job-related
she told the class with a
my
curiosity.
had a woman last week who probably burned herself 10 times and I’m talking you remove the glue and skin comes off with it kind of bums. But she told me after class she had a ball.” Another lady burned her fingers and immediately put them in her
mistake.
cut off the other one and
my
do with the glue
to
“I
hysterical
my
to the profes-
dealing with the hot glue gun.
have
denim jeans.
said, her scissors already busy amputating my poor
to
scarecrow.
with her trusty scissors
fit
into his tight
Once
again.
Burton came over in
hand.
Don’t take any pictures of this,” she said as she punctured holes into the body, her
down
in a
arm moving up and
stabbing motion.
Even with the
air
out of
you may see
you come to my class you the know-how to make them by yourself forever,” $20, but
if
give
I'll
As we began to tidy our workstaBurton commented the pop-
tions,
ularity
of Halloween has grown
dramatically
over the past five
years. “It
used to be you could put a
sheet outside on a stick and call
Now
ghost.
it
three-metre-tall decorations.”
But she also said decorating does not have to be expensive.
should
Students stores
if
try
discount
they are looking for holi-
her lips and tongue as well. She
returned
before our class adjourned, so as
to relieve the pain,
to
week with Despite
the
following
the
class
a swollen
burning
we headed
lip.
occasional
injury,
clever crafts have created a fol-
scarecrow pattern, getting the pants on was a two-person job. As the
dents
students forcefully pulled on the
they follow her from class to class.
lowing. She has
who
many
repeat stu-
she calls her groupies;
towards the door she
held up a garbage bag and said,
“What
is this
called?”
Everyone responded
in
unison, "a
garbage bag.”
“Wrong
again,
it’s
a scarecrow
pattern,” she said with delight.
(Photo by Jennifer Ormston)
Continuing education student
Wanda
Foertsch says she felt the great value for her money. The class
scarecrow-making class was cost around $65, including most supplies.
Instructor Terrie Burton
a
you can buy elaborate
day supplies. Burton could not pass up the opportunity to tell one more joke
mouth
Burton’s fun-loving nature and
my
to a store
scarecrow on sale for around
she said.
chuckle that piqued
peers were already dressing burst
when
you go
“If
a
she said.
“Really, most of
around the room and realized many
Burton
it,
However, a downfall
stories
my
m
rewarding to see people look work with a surprised
up that I realized one leg almost a foot shorter than the
of
s
their
expression
diffi-
maneuver.
“Don’t worry about
expected. I
It
It is
scarecrow,
its
cult to
a
gave her students.
tion she
e
almost as
and
i
and atten-
their scarecrows.
of them.
The production was much more
First,
s
bind
My
hour period.
full
to
h
in particular because younger people are generally on a
students
'
campus on Oct. 2, I what it would entail. What I did know was for $65 I would make a
t
was
It
admires a scarecrow
made
by one of her pupils
continuing education course put on by Conestoga College.
in
scarecrow-making 101, a