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Frequently Asked Questions: Below are some frequently asked questions about the Natal Day Quiz and the site. If your question is not here, please feel free to email us and ask at: info@nataldayquiz.ca How did the Natal Day Quiz get started? Are you saying there were no people in the Yarmouth area before 1761? Then, what's so special about June 9th? Why a Quiz? Why must there be a student on each team? I heard the questions were too difficult for elementary school students? Do teams have to dress up in costume? Is it okay just to be a spectator? Why do the proceeds go to the Breakfast Programs? Doesn't the government pay for school breakfasts? Who runs the quiz? Don't you get any help? This web site is great. Will it be up all year? Will there be a quiz next year? Yarmouth has a 250th anniversary coming up. What are your plans? How did the Natal Day Quiz get started? A group of five friends were reminiscing about the days when June 9th was a holiday in the Yarmouth area-complete with a parade and a fair. The holiday celebrated the founding of Yarmouth Township (now the Town and Municipality) when the first three families arrived at Chebogue Point on Tuesday, 9 June 1761. Many people no longer knew that we even had a Natal Day. So we thought it was time to bring the celebration back. Are you saying there were no people in the Yarmouth area before 1761? Not at all. The Mi'kmaq were here for thousands of years and a small group of Acadians had settled here-probably in the 1630s. The Acadians were later expelled. The Mi'kmaq, as you know, continue to live in the area and the Acadians began to return in the 1770s. Then, what's so special about June 9th? After the expulsion of the Acadians the British Colonial governments in Boston and Halifax established Townships in Nova Scotia and offered grants of land to settlers from New England. One of these was Yarmouth Township; however, the two Yarmouth grants fell through. When the first settlers arrived they had no guarantee they would be given free land. Fortunately, in 1767 grants were drawn up for 135 individuals and families who had settled here by that time. Why a Quiz? Good question. As we began to look into our history we discovered some interesting facts and we were having fun while we were doing it. We thought that having a quiz with team members of all ages would be a way for many more people to learn more about our past and to have fun at the same time. Why must there be a student on each team? We wanted to make sure the Quiz would appeal to all ages. Having at least one student on each team was one way to do that. We're particularly pleased that we now have families entering as a team. For the past two years we have had an all students team and last year there was a team of students plus their school principal. Meadowfields School students also add excitement and contribute to the quiz by serving as "runners" for the scorekeepers. I heard the questions were too difficult for elementary school students? Yes and no. We've had some elementary students tell us the questions were tough, while others said there was a nice mix. Adults said the same thing. Don`t forget that the entire team has an opportunity to discuss its answer before the student writes the answer on the team white board. Sometimes the student is the only one who knows the answer. Almost all Jr. High and High School students have said they enjoy being on a team. Last year two teams tied for first place. One was the team made up of elementary school students and the school principal, who tells us that almost all the answers came from the students, including instances of the students correctly going against the principal`s guess. Remember, all questions are multiple choice or "True or False" so there`s always a good chance of a guess being correct. Even though there`s lots of competition among teams we don`t make too big a thing out of "winning teams." Our first priority is that everyone has fun with the life and history of Yarmouth County. Do teams have to dress up in costume? No they don't but some teams do and we think it's a great idea. One team, the Founding Families Five has had their own caps ever since the first quiz; the CJLS team has its own T shirts. The Red Hat Society team always brings great colour to the Quiz with their red hats and purple dresses. The Sand Beach Bumpkins come in dressed as just that, bumpkins. They`re wonderful. Is it okay just to be a spectator? It sure is. Sometimes folks are a little nervous about being on a team so they just come to watch. When they discover that nobody is going to be embarrassed because they didn't know an answer and that team members seem to be having a good time, they join a team the next year. Why do the proceeds go to the Breakfast Programs? In 2003 when the quiz started, some funding for the school breakfasts was cut back and the programs were facing a tough time. As we wanted to support a program everyone could feel positive about, this seemed like a good opportunity for the Quiz to make a contribution to an important cause in our area. We still think it's a great cause 100% of the money collected goes to the breakfast programs in Yarmouth County. Doesn't the government pay for school breakfasts? Not at all. The programs are run by volunteers and depend on donations. In some cases, even some of the food is donated by local merchants. Who runs the quiz? The original Quiz Committee consisted of: Wilfred Allan, Janice Stelma, Suzie Sweeney, John Wainwright, and Kent Sweeney. Back then we thought the main task was to create the questions. Now that the quiz has grown there`s much more to do than create questions. The web site has become very important, we`ve added PowerPoint capacity, and we have a Master of Ceremonies, and there`s a broader range of questions (e.g. not all are about history and all of Yarmouth County is included). Today the "Committee" (which never meets but sends lots of e-mails) is composed of Wilfred Allan (quiz master), Loran Fevens (master of ceremonies), Gordon Treichel (chief score keeper), Paul Brittain (registrar), Jim MacLeod (photographer), and our very important web masters, Allen Whittaker and Kellie Perry. Don't you get any help? We get lots of wonderful help. The staff of Meadowfields Community School and of Leisure Services have supported us from the first day. The local media: The Vanguard, CJLS, and EastLink Television have given us great publicity. Locally owned businesses have displayed posters and given out registration forms. This year Lynn Hemeon, has been generous with access to photos from his marvelous web sites. On the night of the Quiz, students from Meadowfields School serve as "runners" and volunteer score keepers keep track of the results for two or three teams. A number of individuals always step up to the plate when needed. Gary Archibald, our chief score keeper has been known to go through the audience recruiting teams at the last minute. The energy in the room is palpable. This web site is great. Will it be up all year? Thank you. We think it`s a super addition to the Quiz. This year our web masters Allen Whittaker and Kellie Perry have completely re-vamped the site. Our goal is to make it a year-round truly interactive site about Yarmouth County, with links to other interesting sites and lots of opportunities for folks to talk about the Quiz and Yarmouth history. We hope you`ll make use of the new Forums on the site. Will there be a quiz next year? Of course. Come join us this year and see the fun we have. We believe you`ll want to return next year, as well as participate in this web site between now and then. Thanks to everyone, particularly the team members, for making what was just an idea back in 2003 such an annual success. Yarmouth has a 250th anniversary coming up. What are your plans? Thanks for asking. You are quite right, on 9 June 2011 the Quiz will mark the 250th Anniversary of the arrival of the first English Settlers to the newly formed Yarmouth Township. We are making plans even now for the Quiz on that night (it`s a Thursday). Do share your ideas with us. We know Th`YARC and the trustees of the Congregational Church in Chebogue also have plans for celebrations on that day or during the week. |
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