Kids Say The Darndest Things

At Dalton Elementary School, my sister-in-law Lisa was helping first-graders learn their states last week. She received the usual input when she asked the youngsters to name states off the top of their heads. Idaho. Of course. Ditto for California. Then came the show stopper. The third little one suggested “Athol.” Which surprised Lisa. She responded that Athol wasn’t a state. But the student persisted: “Yes it is. My grandmother lives there.” Mebbe Athol is a state of mind?