Greene Publishing, Inc. Photo By Ashley Hunter, September, 28, 2016
For roughly 22 years, Clerk of the Court Tim Sanders has entertained young students with his appearance as American folk hero Johnny Appleseed. Sanders provides an entertaining lesson in history and morals to the classrooms he visits, as well as tasty apples to the students and teachers. Pictured is Sanders as he speaks to Danielle Leslein's first graders at Madison County Central School.
Ashley Hunter
Greene Publishing, Inc.
“Is he the real Johnny Appleseed?” was the question asked by many of the young students at Madison County Central School when Clerk of the Court Tim Sanders (dressed as the legendary folk hero) stepped into their classroom.
A pot atop his head, roughly cut pants, suspenders and a sack full of apples, Sanders certainly looked the part, and when he informed the students that Johnny Appleseed died close to 200 years ago, the looks of awe on their faces were unmistakable.
Johnny Appleseed may be long gone, but Sanders keeps his story alive through his entertaining and enlightening visits to the schools throughout Madison County.
For roughly 22 years, Sanders has entered the schools in his unmistakable garb, and told the history of the man known as Johnny Appleseed.
Students learned that Johnny Appleseed was born John “Johnny” Chapman, and that he loved four things: animals, people, God, and apples.
Sanders brings the story of Chapman to life, telling of how settlers and Native American tribes alike respected the man, and how Chapman respected the importance of life, to the point where he refused to harm even the bugs that flew into his cooking fire; preferring to put out the fire and eat a cold meal rather than harm the insects.
Sanders is there for more than just a history lesson as well; to the students, he advises that they too can be respectful of the life around them. Maybe not to the extremes that Chapman went, but they can start by being kind to the people in their lives and spreading kindness – just like Johnny did.
At the end of his lesson, Sanders kneels to the floor and offers an apple to each of the students as well as to their teachers.
Sanders' presentation coincides with National Johnny Appleseed Day, which is held on Sept. 26 each year in honor of the man who planted orchards and spread kindness throughout a wild land.
Sanders visited Pinetta Elementary School, Lee Elementary School, Madison Creative Arts Academy as well as MCCS.
Also, for the first time in his 22 years of visiting schools, Sanders was invited to visit a school outside of Madison County, and even Florida, as teachers at Clyattville Elementary School, in Georgia, requested Sanders' Johnny Appleseed presentation, which he gave to the school on Thursday, Sept. 29.