Preface Pennsylvania has long been a place of reading and learning learning William Penn who founded the colony in 1681 strongly believed in educating the young Early on Quaker schools were established for colonial boys and girls Many famous Pennsylvanians like Betsy Ross and Daniel Boone attended Quaker schools when they were young Another famous Pennsylvanian Benjamin Franklin added to this legacy of learning by founding the first free lending library For many years he also wrote and published a small booklet called Poor Richard’s Almanac All colonists loved Poor Richard’s Almanac because it was filled with riddles humor popular sayings drawings poems and useful information which made learning to read enjoyable and fun I hope you find The Pennsylvania Reader fun to read too This small book is patterned after early primers which taught children to read long ago It is filled with poems riddles drawings fictional letters and stories hidden pictures and even a play and history timeline too There iii
is something to interest every reader young and old I hope you enjoy reading and learning about the culture history and symbols of Pennsylvania and that you share this small book with family friends and classmates Your friend Trinka Hakes Noble For all the children of Pennsylvania t h n For my mom Jean Darnell Her childhood in Pennsylvania and the stories is my claim to Pennsylvania roots Thanks for putting the crayons and paper on my high chair tray all those years ago kate iv
Table of Contents PAGE A Pennsylvania Pledge 1 Our Nation’s Keystone 2 Hidden Symbols of Pennsylvania 4 The Story of Penn’s Woods 6 Seasons on an Amish Farm 10 Colorful Riddles 14 On Market Day 16 A Funny Word for a Fancy Bird 21 Daniel Boone A Pennsylvania Boyhood 23 Betsy Ross A Pennsylvania Girlhood 27 Country Quilting Party 30 The World’s Largest Deposit of Coal 33 Franklin the Lucky Mule 37 Pennsylvania’s Water Highways 51 Letters Across the Mason-Dixon Line 54 Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address 62 The Mountain Laurel 67 Reader Theater A Patriot’s Mission 68 A Pennsylvania Timeline 84 Be Proud of Pennsylvania 89 v
