Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Division 3 2022-2023 Ecole Poirier Exploring the Lighthouse
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 2 SHERINGHAM POINT LIGHTHOUSE PRESERVATION SOCIETY Project Team (Change Canada Consultants Ltd.): Ian Fawcett (Project Manager) Kathleen Arnason (Project Coordinator) Bill Turner (Project Advisor) Commemorative Book designed and written by Ian Fawcett. SPLPS: John Walls (President) Contact: [email protected] Address: PO Box 1002, Sooke, BC V9Z 1J1 Website: http://sheringhamlighthouse.ca http://changecanadaconsultants.com Cover photo: Hunter Cover inset: Izzy Back photo: Doug
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 3 Exploring the Lighthouse Ecole Poirier Division 3 Contents The Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society........................................................................4 Exploring the Lighthouse............................................................................................................................ 5 Exploring the Lighthouse - The Program..................................................................................................6 A Brief History of the Lighthouse...............................................................................................................7 Exploring the Lighthouse - Reflecting What You See..............................................................................9 Exploring the Lighthouse - Telling Your Stories...................................................................................10 Photographs and Stories from the Students in Division 3 (Mr. Parsons’ Class)...............................11 A BigThank You .........................................................................................................................................69 Raising Funds to Protect the Lighthouse..............................................................................................70 Unintended Consequences.......................................................................................................................71
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 4 The Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society In 2003, the Government of Canada declared that the historic Sheringham Point Lighthouse was no longer needed to ensure maritime safety in the Juan de Fuca Strait. Advances in technology meant that the Lighthouse could now be discarded — torn down, sold off for other uses or, simply, left to rot and eventually to fall apart. In response, a small group of neighbours gathered to form the Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society. They were determined that the Lighthouse, which had stood for almost 100 years as a symbol of their community, would not be lost. For the next twelve years, the Society’s volunteers worked extremely hard to fight for the lighthouse’s protection, doing everything they could to raise awareness about the threat to the Lighthouse. They rallied their community, local businesses and other groups, lobbied and strategized with all levels of government, raised funds and, eventually, put forward a plan to take on the responsibility to care for and conserve the Lighthouse themselves. In 2015, the Society’s efforts were successful. The government agreed to transfer the property to the Society and also, at the same time, they officially designated Sheringham Point Lighthouse a “Canadian Heritage Lighthouse”. As the new owners and stewards, the Society worked for the next seven years to restore the Lighthouse to its former glory, and to make sure it will always be accessible for the public to enjoy and appreciate. The Lighthouse is now protected and is open to the public as a community heritage park.
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 5 Children today have a greater range of opportunities open to them than at any time in recent history, and greater freedoms than ever before. Thriving in this chaotic environment requires an ability for all children to be able to find a strong foundation from which they can build their lives, achieve their full potential and realize their dreams. For most of us, that foundation starts with the family, and extends outward into the community. Just as a tree needs deep roots to grow tall and strong, so does a child draw nourishment and vitality from his or her own roots, from the comfort of belonging, from having a place to call home. Understanding and, in particular, experiencing their own connections to the people and places around them is invaluable for children in so many ways. Learning about their own and their community’s history provides a base from which they can explore their world and help them answer that most fundamental of questions: “how did this come to be?” Our history is not just an academic pursuit to be left to historians. It’s not just about dates and obscure locations, nor is it just about great battles, world-shaking events, the comings and goings of kings and queens and presidents. It’s also about the lives of the people who lived here before, their struggles and triumphs, their thoughts and ideas that nurtured their families, built their communities and shaped their world. It’s about the stories our grandfathers told us, and those from our neighbours. We all have stories in our lives and they are, in their way, as full of drama and intrigue as any of the great sagas of our history classes. It is our stories that shape us, that make us who we are. Our history – our heritage – is best lived and experienced, understood through the things we can touch and feel, and passed on in a way that touches our hearts and our imaginations. It’s why we need to work hard to conserve and appreciate our heritage — not just the castles and stately mansions, but the cottages and the old lighthouses as well. Those remnants of our past have stories to tell. “Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning.” ~ Albert Einstein Exploring the Lighthouse Ecole Poirier Division 3
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 6 ...The Program To help children in the local area strengthen their connections to their own community, we wanted to provide an opportunity for them to visit Sheringham Point Lighthouse, to learn about its history and operations, to appreciate its significance and understand why it is being conserved. It was also our hope to inspire them – and, through them, their families and friends – to take a personal interest in further exploring their community and helping to protect and celebrate their heritage and the future of the Lighthouse. We developed this short program, called “Exploring the Lighthouse”. This has several parts: 1. History and Operations – we provide a short presentation outlining the history of the Lighthouse, and also talk about how lighthouses work and their role in maritime safety and community development. 2. Visit to the Lighthouse – the students visit the Lighthouse to see firsthand what it’s all about, and to experience its remarkable character and ambience. 3. Reflections – we ask the students to creatively express their impressions of the Lighthouse site by: • Taking photographs while they are at the site, focusing on the features that capture their attention/imagination. • Writing a story (either fictional or non-fiction) about a Lighthouse. 4. Commemorative Book - we compile the students’ photographs and stories into this commemorative book, which is being provided online to all the children, their families and the whole community. Exploring the Lighthouse It is the Society’s hope that we will be able to find the ongoing resources to make this project an annual event, and to make it available to all the elementary schools in the local area, with the result being that all children growing up in this part of the world will have the opportunity – through their visit to the lighthouse – to better understand and appreciate the community they call home. Focused in on the visit to the Lighthouse
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 7 A Brief History of the Lighthouse... Sheringham Point Lighthouse was built in 1912, and illuminated for the first time on September 30 of that year. The Lighthouse was built in response to the tragic wreck of the steamship SS Valencia, on January 22, 1906. En route from San Francisco to Victoria and Seattle, late at night and in rough weather, the Valencia missed the turn into the Strait of Juan de Fuca and steamed directly on to the rocks near Pachena Point. Of the 173 people aboard, 136 were lost. Creation of the Lighthouse began in 1911, with the purchase of 4 acres of land from Shirley resident Edwin Clark. The following year, the lighthouse tower was built, along with a small boathouse and a house for the lighkeeper and his family. The first lightkeeper, Eustace Arden, arrived in September 1912, and continued at the site until 1946. The light itself was a 3rd Order Fresnel Lens. Originally lit by oil lamps (and later by electric lamps), it was made up of many prisms which focused the light into a powerful beam that could be seen up to 25 km away. The lens ro Exploring the Lighthouse Under construction - 1912 Newly completed - ca 1912
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 8 tated through a clockwork mechanism of pulleys and weights – each about 180 kg – that had to be re-wound every three hours. Because of the size and weight of the lens, it was seated in a bed of liquid mercury, to allow it to turn without much friction. In 1925, a fog-alarm building was added to the site, and a new “diaphone” (two-tone) fog-horn was installed. Originally a wooden, peaked-roof building, constructed in front of the tower, this building was replaced in 1976 with the concrete block building that is still on site. The diesel engines that provided power for the site were also located in this building. A number of other structures were added to the site over the years, including radio towers and sheds, a fallout shelter (that was actually never used as such, but came to be used to grow mushrooms instead), other utility buildings and, in 1964, a new, more modern house for the Lightkeeper. During the 1980s, the Lighthouse was automated and it was finally destaffed in 1989 when the last lightkeeper left. Except for the tower and the engine room (fog-alarm building), all the other structures on site were taken down, or deliberately burned, to avoid vandalism. Left largely unattended for the next thirty years, the Lighthouse began to deteriorate and was in danger of being lost forever. Then, after many years of lobbying by the local community, in 2015, it was transferred to the Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society. It has now been restored to its former glory, and is open to the public as a community heritage park. ...A Brief History of the Lighthouse Exploring the Lighthouse Following construction of the fog alarm building - ca 1926 Following construction of the boat house - 1912
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 9 Exploring the Lighthouse “The camera is an instrument that teaches people how to see without a camera.” ~ Dorothea Lange, Photographer Reflecting what you see... Photography is a powerful tool for exploring the world around us. It causes us to focus more intently on what we are looking at, to look more closely, pay attention to the details, and take nothing for granted. It creates an intimate connection with the subject and with the environment that surrounds it. While it’s a very personal process, the end result is universal. To appreciate a photograph requires no ability to read, no language in common, no prerequisite level of education or life experience. Just an ability to see and to feel, and a willingness to participate. For this part of the program, we provided each student with a cell phone camera and some basic instruction in its use, as well as a brief overview of the art of photography. Then we asked them to take photographs while they were at the lighhouse, focusing on the things that caught their attention and/or their imagination. When we returned to the school later, each student chose his or her favourite photo, and explained why they chose it. There were lots of amazing photographs – creative and insightful! The following pages showcase their chosen photographs. Enjoy! “Photography represents the world we know, and suggests a world beyond what we can see. Creativity is the gap between perception and knowledge.” ~ Emmet Gowin, Photographer
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 10 Exploring the Lighthouse “Tell me the facts and I’ll learn. Tell me the truth and I’ll believe. But tell me a story and it will live in my heart forever.” ~ An old First Nations proverb “If history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten.” ~ Rudyard Kipling, Author Telling your stories... Story-telling has always formed the underlying basis of human communication. Our stories are the ways that we connect ourselves to one another and to our communities. They help define who we are and where come from. Children naturally understand the power of story-telling, and we wanted to provide them with tools and strategies to explore and expand their own story-telling abilities, to share their own stories and to learn from others. Author Kathleen Arnason spoke to the students about the basic elements of creative writing, focusing on getting the children to explore their own feelings and values and to think about what is important and has meaning for them. Each student was asked to write and illustrate a story (factual or fictional) about a lighthouse, incorporating what they had learned and what they had seen throughout the day. The following pages contain the results of that work, and they speak for themselves. Kathleen talks about the importance of storytelling and creativity. Ian tells the story about how the Lighthouse was built.
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 11 Photographs and Stories from the Students in Division 3 (Mr. Parsons’ class) Exploring the Lighthouse
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 12 Ben’s Pages COCOMELON “I chose this because cocomelon.” Ben’s Photo Selection:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 13 Ben’s Pages (continued) BOB THE ALIEN by Ben and Dougls This the story of the space alien tribe and Bob the Alien. Bob was an alien, and he was the best alien, until another alien bounty hunter came. They where both at rank platinum so Bob challenged him to a fight. And Bob was framed, and was BOOTED off the planet and landed at Sheringham Lighthouse. He was framed for committing suicide, so he tried to use his bounty hunter suit. The other guy took out his batteries. So he lives at the lighthouse. Bob the alien was scared, and he did not now where he was. Then Bob saw a light. Bob was terrified but he ran to the light as fast as he could. Then splat! He ran right into the lighthouse. Bob said “Oh that hurt!” He was strong, holding up his tears. Then Bob saw a human. Bob walked right up to the human. He did not now what the human was. Then the human saw Bob and screamed so hard and loud that the human passed out. Bob went back to the space shuttle and tried to fix it. It did not work so he looked for parts. Bob did find a part but it had rust and scratches. 12 years later Bob fixed it. The end. Here are some facts about Sheringham Lighthouse: Sheringham Lighthouse is 111 years old. Sheringham lighthouse was built in 1912. I really liked the trip there. It was fun and cool. The trip was nice and we got to take pictures and play around. The end. NOTE: Ben & Douglas collaborated on their story, and wrote it together. The same story will appear on Douglas’ pages.
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 14 Ceci’s Pages THE LIGHTHOUSE “I chose this photo because I think the lighthouse and the ocean are really pretty.” Ceci’s Photo Selection:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 15 Ceci’s Pages (continued) LIGHTHOUSE MYSTERIES by Ceci PROLOGUE 1919 It was 2:00 in the morning. In the top bedroom of the lighthouse you could hear the loud coughing of Vita Elsher, Mrs and Mr Elshers 10 year old daughter. She had been sick ever since last week when she had been diagnosed with the Spanish flu. The doctor said she didn’t have more than an hour to live. My name is Thea Elsher, and I am Vita’s big sister. I have 5 older broth - ers and then Vita. Me and her are the only girls. Sud - denly the coughing stops and I know that it is over. My little sister is gone and she is never coming back. I curl into a ball and am unresponsive, for who knows how long. Eventually I get out of bed and slowly climb up the stairs and walk in to Vita’s room. I see the coffin and Vita’s lifeless body lying in the cold hard box. I feel Mama’s arms wrap around me. Later that night I am in bed reading, the book is wet from my tears. In the living room Dad is trying to comfort Mama. Then I hear footsteps coming down the stairs, the light pitter patter that Vita used to make. Vita was quite a small child for her age. I look towards the door and that’s when I see her. Vita. She is wearing a white gown and she has flowers in her hair. She says 4 words: “DON’T EAT THE FOOD.” THE POISON The Smith family was going to the Sheringham Light - house for the day. Isla Smith was very nervous about going. Her class had gone there for a field trip last month, and a boy had gone missing. And no-one had seen him since. She pleaded with her mother not to go but her mom refused to listen. Now the whole fam - ily was packed into the car and were on their way. When they got there, they went to look at the inside of the lighthouse. Once they got in, Isla’s mom went on a big rant about how the lighthouse was over 100 years old and how it took only 6 months to build. Then they went to a little cabin that the lighthouse workers served food from. Isla refused to eat any of it, be -
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 16 cause her best friend’s great great grandmother (Thea) had told her right before she died not to eat the food there. Her grandmother had been the daughter of the light keeper. But her brother (Boosh) was a pig and ate everything within a mile radius. Isla was rather skinny for her age because her brother ate all the food. Sud - denly Boosh collapsed on the floor. Mom ran over to him and started doing CPR. Boosh was always mom’s favorite. That’s when I realized he was gone. Two days later. Mom and Dad have been making the preparations for the funeral. I am sad that Boosh died… kind of. But I overheard Mom and Dad talking last night about adopting another kid and they really don’t want a boy, so I am going to have a little sister. Later that day Dad comes home with the new kid. I come run - ning to the door yelling “Daddy, Daddy, can I hold the baby?” I come sliding into the hallway and I see Dad leading in a teenager girl who gives me an extremely foul look. “Who are you baby?” she says in a snarky voice. “I am Isla, who are you?” “I am Lilith,” she says. “Now if you don’t mind I will be going to my room where is it?” Lilith asks my dad. “You will share a room with Isla here” he replies. “Ughh, do I have to?” she questions. Then she stomps up to my room. I chase after her and when I enter my room I find her throwing my pens and pencils everywhere and unpacking her stuff onto my bed, which I had made this morning. She left the cot on the floor that Mom had set up for her untouched. She says to me “you can sleep there” pointing to the cot. I decided that it is probably better not to reply. I pick up all my pencils and put them back in their case. For dinner, we have mac n cheese with ketchup. Lilith was very critical of it, as she was from the United States. I also found it quite weird that she dumped a whole container of salt on her mac n cheese and did not even flinch while eating it. Lighthouse Mysteries (cont.) Ceci’s Pages (continued)
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 17 Colton’s Pages SHERINGHAM LIGHTHOUSE “I like this photo because of the view, and you can’t see the rust. And I like the mountains.” Colton’s Photo Selection:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 18 Colton’s Pages (continued) SHERINGHAM LIGHTHOUSE HISTORY by Colton Sheringham Lighthouse was built in 1912 and that means it is 111 years old. The lighthouse keeper took care of the lighthouse and, hopefully, kept it in good condition. The keeper’s family would always get super duper sick, and then they would pass away. We will talk about how they die in a bit. The lighthouse keeper would wake up in the middle of the night and get out of bed to walk to the lighthouse and attach a big weight to a big cable that is hooked up to the gear on the light that is floating in mercury. The mercury helps it move and work. If you don’t know what mercury is, it is a liquid metal. So the light in the lighthouse will turn when the lighthouse weight has fallen to the bottom. The lighthouse keeper had to go back to the lighthouse and walk up the stairs to pull the weight up and drop it back down. The weight takes 3 to 4 hours. Ok, the mercury is a poisonous metal and that is why the lighthouse keepers always died because they had no help. That is the history of Sheringham Point lighthouse that I did not forget.
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 19 Douglas’ Pages THE LIGHT “I chose this because it was beautiful.” Douglas’ Photo Selection:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 20 Douglas’ Pages (continued) NOTE: Ben & Douglas collaborated on their story, and wrote it together. The same story will appear on Douglas’ pages. BOB THE ALIEN by Douglas and Ben This the story of the space alien tribe and Bob the Alien. Bob was an alien, and he was the best alien, until another alien bounty hunter came. They where both at rank platinum so Bob challenged him to a fight. And Bob was framed, and was BOOTED off the planet and landed at Sheringham Lighthouse. He was framed for committing suicide, so he tried to use his bounty hunter suit. The other guy took out his batteries. So he lives at the lighthouse. Bob the alien was scared, and he did not now where he was. Then Bob saw a light. Bob was terrified but he ran to the light as fast as he could. Then splat! He ran right into the lighthouse. Bob said “Oh that hurt!” He was strong, holding up his tears. Then Bob saw a human. Bob walked right up to the human. He did not now what the human was. Then the human saw Bob and screamed so hard and loud that the human passed out. Bob went back to the space shuttle and tried to fix it. It did not work so he looked for parts. Bob did find a part but it had rust and scratches. 12 years later Bob fixed it. The end. Here are some facts about Sheringham Lighthouse: Sheringham Lighthouse is 111 years old. Sheringham lighthouse was built in 1912. I really liked the trip there. It was fun and cool. The trip was nice and we got to take pictures and play around. The end.
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 21 Emma’s Pages Emma wasn’t able to join us when we visited the lighthouse, but if she’d been there we think she’d have taken photos like this. It fits with her story. Emma’s Photo Selection:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 22 Emma’s Pages (continued) AT THE LIGHTHOUSE by Emma Once Upon a time there was a beautiful lighthouse called Sheringham. There was a child named May who lived at the lighthouse, she was homeless. Another child named Autumn who ran away from home, met May. Autumn said “Who are you?” And May said “I am May. Anyway who are you?” Autumn replied “I am Autumn”. And they live a wonderful life together. The end!!!!!
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 23 Finn’s Pages Finn’s Photo Selection: SECRET WIRE “Because it is a secret and no one was supposed to see it.”
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 24 Finn’s Pages (continued) SHERINGHAM LIGHTHOUSE by Finn I found, and took a picture of, the secret wire on the walkway down to the lighthouse. It was pretty cool to see a wire coming out of the ground. I feel like no one was supposed to see it. It was probably washed out of the ground because they didn’t install the retaining wall yet. The lighthouse was cool. My favorite bit was the plants that grew there. The history of the lighthouse was cool, especially how they built it. There was a 100 year old prism magnifier that they replaced. They taught us how to be great writers and not to use b#t and v#ry.
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 25 Grayson E’s Pages SEA SIDE “I loved the lighthouse. I also love the ocean. It’s one of my favourite places.” Grayson’s Photo Selection:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 26 Grayson E’s Pages (continued) SHERINGHAM POINT LIGHTHOUSE by Grayson Sheringham Lighthouse is 111 years old. The lighthouse was fully built in 1912. The light was for ships to know where the shore is so they don’t crash. A few years later the lighthouse was abandoned. Eventually the lighthouse was found and renovated. 10 years before, the lighthouse was flooded, the windows were broken and the concrete was flaked. But the lighthouse is a piece of art now and a tourist spot. A family used to live there. When we went there to see the lighthouse the daughters of that family showed us around. And then they told us to find our rock and it was a great time and I had lots of fun.
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 27 Grayson G’s Pages ROCKY “Because the ocean is cool!” Grayson’s Photo Selection:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 28 HOW I GOT MY SECOND PET MONKEY by Grayson Grayson G’s Pages (continued) How I got my second pet monkey. Today I went to the lighthouse, and there was a big penguin guarding the lighthouse. I had to defeat the penguin to get to the lighthouse. So I teleported to France to give the penguin a croissant. I bought a croissant, teleported back to the Lighthouse, and gave the penguin the croissant. I distracted the penguin with the croissant, then went over to the lighthouse. I went into the lighthouse and walked up the stairs. There was a monkey. And the monkey was jealous that a penguin got a croissant. So I teleported back to France and got a croissant and teleported back to the lighthouse. And I gave the croissant to the monkey And I named the monkey “Monkey2”. Monkey2 came back home with me. The end.
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 29 Hudson’s Pages CLIFFS AT THE LIGHTHOUSE “I chose it because it is a nice looking view and it’s a good looking house.” Hudson’s Photo Selection:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 30 Hudson’s Pages (continued) SHERINGHAM LIGHTHOUSE by Hudson What I liked...at Sheringham Lightouse. I liked the inside of the Sheringham Lighthouse because it looked like it was an igloo. There were holes where the ladders are, because people could fall through it. There was a soundboard, with buttons you could press. It could make orca sounds or humpback whale sounds. And there was a host person and she would teach us how to not use but or very when you make your stories. The cliffs were really nice looking, and the rocks. I took a picture of the tide of the ocean, and how there were no waves, just a flat surface
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 31 Hunter’s Pages THE SUN “I like the sun in the photo, because I am excited for summer and Niagara Falls!” Hunter’s Photo Selection:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 32 Hunter’s Pages (continued) VISIT TO THE LIGHTHOUSE by Hunter In April, I went to the Sheringham Lighthouse with my class. We took photos and it was so much fun! I had a good time with the staff that helped my class. My favorite photo was taken of the ocean. The sun was shining down on the water, and it reminded me of summer. I felt calm. The peacefulness was outdoors. It was nice, peaceful and quiet. Another photograph I took was of the old light, it reminded me of an egg. The glass pieces were weird and caught my eye even though there was no light inside. And I got trapped In the lighthouse. And there was a figure shaped like a devil with big horns, with a sledgehammer. And someone else was beside me, and he was bruised and bleeding.
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 33 Isabella C’s Pages PINECONES IN THE BREEZE “I think it’s a creative and interesting photo and that it’s unique and beautiful in its own way.” Isabella’s Photo Selection:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 34 THE LIGHTKEEPER’S DAUGHTER by Isabella CHAPTER 1: THE SPIRIT OF THE FOREST “Momma, can I please go outside to play?’’ questioned the little girl sadly. This girl’s name was Natasha. She was currently inside practising violin. Now you might be wondering why a girl aged 7 was inside practising violin instead of frolicking outside. Well this is because this was the 1910s when girls were expected to learn an instrument for their family. Natasha also happened to be the daughter of a lighthouse keeper. Our story truly starts though on a stormy night when Natasha had snuck out of her bed to explore the area around Sheringham Lighthouse, the lighthouse that Natasha’s family had taken care of for centuries. She had found an interesting branch covered in small pinecones and went to look closer. Natasha dreamed of exploring nature when she was older, rather than being a violin teacher like her parents wanted her to be. She loved the way the forest smelled of fresh mint, how she could hear the sounds of birds singing, and how she could see the lighthouse through the mist if she posiIsabella C’s Pages (continued) tioned herself perfectly between the trees. She liked to imagine that the lighthouse was a castle and that she was a princess, though she hated the frilly dresses she had to wear most of the time and wore pants whenever possible. As Natasha was examining the perfectly aligned ridges of the pinecones and wondering how the colour of brown of the pinecones matched the exact colour of the chocolate chips her grandma used in her favourite chocolate chip cookies, when she heard a strange sound, not like anything she’d ever heard in the forest. And when she turned around what she saw froze her where she stood. In front of Natasha stood a girl who looked a bit older than her. The girl had green hair that looked like moss, she was wearing bracelets made of flowers, and she had on a dress made of leaves. “Hello.” Said the girl. “My name is Liliana. What were you looking at?’’ “J-jj-just ss-some pinecones,” stuttered Natasha. Suddenly Natasha heard a soft sob. She realised the noise was coming from Liliana. “What’s
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 35 wrong?” questioned Natasha. “I just miss my grove,” Liliana said sadly. “What do you mean by your grove? Did you mean your house?” Natasha said, confused. “No, I mean my grove.” replied Liliana. “I live in a willow tree grove.” “Then why are you here late at night instead of safe in your willow grove?” Natasha asked. “Well,” said Liliana, “I was exploring and I accidently went into the woods beyond my grove. My mom told me never to go into the woods beyond the grove, so I tried to find my way back and ended here.” “Well I’ll help you find your way back,” Natasha said confidently. “So which direction is your grove?” “Well that’s the thing, I’m not sure,” said Liliana sadly. “Well we can just choose a direction and see if it’s the right way,” Natasha exclaimed. Before the girls headed off though, Natasha led Liliana back to the lighthouse to get some supplies. Natasha changed into a pair of black dress pants and a navy blue blouse. She quickly packed fresh apples from the local market, homemade sourdough bread and raspberry jam, and lots of her grandma’s chocolate chip cookies in a small brown satchel, along with a canteen of water. And with that, they headed off in a random direction into the dark, menacing, seemingly endless forest that surrounded Sheringham Lighthouse. CHAPTER 2: THE FOREST’S THREAT As the girls set off though, they didn’t realise that there was a dark figure hiding stealthily behind a tree, watching them with great delight. Suddenly the girls heard a sharp crackling sound, like a nearby fire burning. “Ww-what was that?” shouted Liliana in surprise. “I think it might have been a fire,” Natasha exclaimed. Natasha’s theory was confirmed when the girls wandered a little closer to the sound of the crackling and saw a soft, warm, welcoming light coming from between the cracks of the trees and they could smell the familiar, slightly funky smell of meat being cooked over a fire. As they came to a clearing, they saw the fire and, sure enough, there was a large chunk of beef roasting over the fire. They were so close to the fire that they could almost taste the delicious cut of meat that was being roasted to perfection right in front of them. It was right there in front of them, so close that if they reached out an arm they could touch the crispy skin of the meat. And Natasha tried to do just that. She reached out to grab the meat. As that was happening though, the dark figure that was watching the girls earlier jumped up from the log he was sitting on by the fire, previously unseen. He threw a dark black Isabella C’s Pages (continued) The Lightkeeper’s Daughter (cont.)
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 36 sack over Natasha and Liliana and tied off the top with a piece of rope with a tight double knot, leaving the girls trapped. As the girls writhed and squirmed within the sack the dark figure picked up the bag with the girls inside it, placed it down on a log, dumped a nearby bucket of water on the fire, extinguishing the bright flames with a splash. After he had done that, he took the meat off the stick it was roasting on and cut a piece off to put on a plate. “Wait, master said to keep the girls alive,” the dark figure sighed in a voice that sounded like nails grating against a chalkboard. So he cut off a few more pieces of meat, untied the bag and threw the meat in, before tying the bag off once more. Inside the sack, Natasha saw a thin sliver of sky, heard a loud and wet slap, and smelled the funk of fire cooked meat. “WHAT WAS THAT!” Natasha and Liliana screamed in unison at the top of their lungs. “Oh be quiet, it’s just some meat so you don’t starve to death,” drawled the dark figure in his grating voice that gave the girls the chills when they heard it. But nevertheless, after hearing about the meat, the girls grappled for the meat which had by now fallen to the bottom of the sack. As they retrieved the meat and began to eat, the dark figure picked up the sack, jolting the girls forward and making them choke slightly on the meat that they were eating. The dark figure used another piece of rope to attach the sack to his hand and, with that, extended big, dark, feathery wings and took to the sky. Now, to the girls in the sack, this was a very strange sensation because they were in pitch black darkness, so it seemed to them like they were floating. They travelled through the air for a long time, though it was impossible to tell just how long in the pitch black. Isabella C’s Pages (continued) The Lightkeeper’s Daughter (cont.)
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 37 Izzy’s Pages THE BIG ROCK “I chose this photo because the rock could be anything your brain can imagine. Like a cat, or a portal to a new world.” Izzy’s Photo Selection:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 38 Izzy’s Pages (continued) THE MISSING GIRL by Izzy It was 2023, and a boy named Amais and his class were going to the Sheringham Lighthouse. Amais was scared that a strange thing had happened there. 3 months ago a little girl went missing and no-one had found her yet. As soon as the rules were done, they were on the bus. Amais was a shy and lonely kid, who didn’t have any friends, so he sat on the bus with a girl who had one friend. Unluckily her friend was not there. She was an extremely nice girl named Meara. They talked all the way to the lighthouse. As soon as they were off the bus. Meara was off talking to her boy friend. Who, in fact, was a bully. And his favorite kid to pick on was Amais. So Amais was preparing himself for the longest torment of his life. The boy’s name was Bush. Bush walked up to Amais and said “You’re coming with me.” So Amais and Bush and Bush’s friend’s all went to the edge of a cliff, and Bush lectured Amais on not flirting with his girlfriend. The teacher called the kids in to get cameras. Amais’ last name was Zabinski. So he was the last kid to get a camera. Bush, Bark and Branch all decided to play a trick on Amais. Because all their last names started with a B they all practically went first. So they had plenty of time to think of a plan. Their plan was to open the restricted area gates. So, if time would have it, Amais thought the restricted area interesting, so he went into the restricted area, not knowing it was the most dangerous thing he’s ever done. And it was the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen. He saw fairies and the most beautiful girl. She looked like a half tree half girl. The girl saw him and she smiled at him. He never felt so loved. All of a sudden, he rolled down the hill and then he hit a rock. When he opened his eyes he wasn’t dead, he was alive! He walked up the hill and the girl was gone. He walked out of the restricted area and he realized the lighthouse was gone too? And the bus was gone. Then a boy came up to Amais and said “You, peasant boy, go help build the lighthouse.” Amais said “Why?” “Because you are a boy and you are poor,” said the
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 39 boy. “And a peasant,” said a girl. “Sorry for not introducing myself. My name is Elizabeth.” “My name is Amais,” said Amais. Amais thought that conversation was strange because Elizabeth looked a lot like Marea. And the boy looked a lot like Bush. So Amais went to where the lighthouse used to be. And a tall man started to talk and he said “Okay men, we are going to build the lighthouse. Bob, John, Patrick and James you will get the bricks Thomas, William, Joseph, you guys get the concrete, and you little one get the shovel.” They all came back with everything they needed to build the lighthouse. Amais was used to being bossed around. His mom did nothing, his older sister Blueball is 15 and she is always out with her boyfriend, and mom is extremely proud of her. His other older sister, October, is the favorite child. She did nothing wrong in mom’s eyes and she bossed him around all the time. And l forgot she is l3. And his other older sister was 12. Turquoise is the best, she is so kind and she never let him down. His little sister, Dream, is 9. She is the most annoying person on the planet. Sliver is another one of his sisters. She is quiet and doesn’t talk. Cacti is a baby. Back to Amais his job was to smear cement on to the bricks. They were out there for hours until a mysterious creature came out of the dark and ate Bob. Everybody was horrified at the sight. As they all watched Bob get eaten, Amais ran to a tree and climbed up it. Amais has never been so scared in his life. Except the time his sister Dream tormented him for a week. He stood in the tree untill he stopped hearing screams. Then he climbed down the tree, and he looked around and the only person he saw was John. John said “Let’s finish the lighthouse.” So they finished the lighthouse. It was only 5 months. It was real fun getting away from everything. Then Amais realized there was a hole in his heart. And the only thing that could fix it was Turquoise. He missed Turquoise so he decided to find his way back. He went to the first area where he first realized he was back in time. He tried to find the rock. It took him a while because there were at least 30 rocks and he barged into 20 rocks until he found the right one. He didn’t realize it at first, so he barged into one more rock. Then a soft voice from behind him said “Hello my name is Cloud. Your bus is leaving and you should go.” “Are you the girl that is missing?” asked Amais. “Yes,” said Cloud. So Amais went to the Bus, and Marea smiled at him and, after a quick head count, they were all on the bus. And our story ends here with Amais and Marea talking on the bus ride back to school. Izzy’s Pages (continued) The Missing Girl (cont.)
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 40 Jase’s Pages FENCE “I like the fence because it is a fence.” Jase’s Photo Selection:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 41 A VISIT TO THE LIGHTHOUSE by Jase Jase’s Pages (continued) What I liked about Sheringham Point lighthouse. I liked how they had the audio from the sea. It was cool. I could listen to three different sounds. They were an orca, a humpback, or live feed of the ocean. I liked the pathway to the lighthouse. I learnt it was an island before, and the family who lived there connected the lighthouse to the land. The place was built in 1912 and had a boat house next to the lighthouse. I liked how they had the first light in a tiny house. THE END.
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 42 Kenzy’s Pages SITTING ON THE EDGE “I love this photo even though I don’t understand it. I really don’t have an explanation.” Kenzy’s Photo Selection:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 43 Kenzy’s Pages (continued) CREATURES AT THE LIGHTHOUSE by Kenzy I loved the cold breeze of the ocean near the light - house. I was singing a lovely tune in the lighthouse. I was so calm. It almost felt too calm. I walked around the lighthouse at night with a dim oil lantern. Some - thing felt off. Suddenly, I heard a “Crackle” and a “SNAP”. I ran back to my cabin where I thought I was safe. Then I saw it. It was some sort of flesh eating ra - bid dog humanoid thing. I was super scared, as soon as it saw me. It started crawling backwards to my window in the cabin. I hid against the wall. Then I heard a “BOOM!” I went to hide in my closet. I was horrified and crying. I saw it in my room pacing, then suddenly its white little dot eyes in the void of the rest of its eyes saw me, and it just stood there. Then it suddenly ran straight for the closet! I managed to run out when it peeked inside. I ran into the light - house and it didnt see me. The very next morning i saw a corpse of a hunter that probably tried to kill it. I never went outside alone again. (~The End~) (~also i might be making a pt 2~) I was looking down from the lighthouse at my house. I heard a branch *!*SNAP*!* and I just thought it was a deer. Until I saw those spine chilling...white…beady.. eyes. But then I saw the fact that there was more of them. About four more. Except…they were small - er..? I realized the wolf being was trying to feed her kids. Luckily I had some salami from earlier that day, and I threw it down when they weren’t looking. They took the meat, but then one of the pups came into the lighthouse. I knew I was done for. Then the mother came up and then I grabbed my knife. She jumped on me. I cut her leg and she ran off with her pups. I never saw her again, but I now have a scar from her bites. (pt 3?..) (PT3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) A couple of months later, I was up in the lighthouse, still wondering about life. Then I saw some whales off in the distance. Then I realized it wasn’t whales. I saw the fact that it was glowing and blue…? Then I got out my binoculars and I realised it was a big sea monster! I tried to get my camera in time but then it was too late. That night I was determined to find it, when I suddenly saw it again. But it was in a pack, with more of them!!! I managed to snap a photo. The end. Maybe.
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 44 Layla’s Pages THE ROCK “I think it is a pretty picture, and I love it. It would make a good wallpaper.” Layla’s Photo Selection:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 45 Layla’s Pages (continued) MY VISIT TO SHERINGHAM LIGHTHOUSE by Layla On my visit to Sheringham Lighthouse, we got to take pictures of the Lighthouse and explore the place. It was really fun. My two favorite pictures were of the rocks. I like the rocks, they’re pretty. My classmate, Kenzy and I went into the Lighthouse. It was cool. We were not allowed to go up though. Afterwards, we met Kathleen, an author who talked about writing. Once we got back to school, we had to pick one of the pictures and I picked one of the rock ones.
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 46 Leo’s Pages THE LIGHTHOUSE “I chose it because the lighthouse is cool when it was made. The photo was the best one. Leo’s Photo Selection:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 47 THE DARK FIGURE AND THE ORB by Leo Once upon a time, there was a man who went to Sher - ingham Lighthouse, in 1973. He was waiting for some - one. Out of nowhere, a dark figure appeared out of the darkness He had an envelope. The dark figure gave the envelope to the man and disappeared into the light - house. To this very day, the dark figure still is in the lighthouse. 2023. A bus arrived. A group of kids come out. Two teachers as well the group of kids go down a steep path where they meet two elders. Half of the group goes on the rocks with one of the elders. The other group goes into a little house and they come out with a phone. One of them goes into the lighthouse and never comes out. One of the teachers goes in and finds the child on the floor. She brings out the child. The child is bruised and wounded. They get on the bus and they drive to the hospital. Later that night, the dark figure comes out of the lighthouse where he meets the man. The man says “I’ve done it!” He gives a golden glowing orb to the dark figure. “All these years it was here,” said the dark figure. “You done well.” The dark figure gives the man a sack. The man leaves, then he stops. “By the way, who are you?” The dark figure stops. “I am death.” “What do you mean,” the man said, shivering Leo’s Pages (continued) with fear. “I’m death itself,” says the dark figure and he brings his scythe out. “And with this orb you got, I will become the most powerful god in the universe.” Out of nowhere, they hear a siren. “They’re over here,” someone says. Out in the distance, they see someone in the dark . They have a puffy vest and they have guns. They read the letters on the vest. The vest had the word s.w.a.t on it. One of the soldiers says “Let’s go down.” When they reached the bottom, they saw the man, but not death. “Who are you?” the general says. The man does not reply, instead he runs. But the general grabs the man and brings him over the cliff. “Where are the kids?” The man says “I don’t know.” And the general drops the man off the edge. Everyone disappears. “Know who’s doing this? I am,” says death. Death slays the general, then he brings the orb out. “No one can stop me!” “I can,” says a powerful voice. Death turns back and sees a golden glowing figure. “You can call me One Above All,” he says in a booming voice. “Someone stole my orb! And I see you have it.” “Do you want to see what happens with the power of the orb?” “No!” says One Above All. Death breaks open the orb and becomes big as the Empire State Building. They fight and One Above All easily wins, and he protects the Sheringham Lighthouse forever.
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 48 Luke’s Pages KEVIN PARSONS “Because it reminds me of my family.” Luke’s Photo Selection:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 49 PHOTOS AT THE LIGHTHOUSE by Luke Luke’s Pages (continued) Yesterday I went to the Sheringham Lighthouse. I took pictures of the Sheringham Lighthouse, both from the inside and outside. My favorite photo was a picture of my favorite teacher, Mr. Parsons. It was of him standing in front of a bush. I like this picture because it is my favorite teacher. He is so cool. And he is good to us. I also took pictures of the ocean and waves crashing to shore. It was cool to see from the lighthouse. We also got to see the old light, it was over 100 years old. I thought it looked like an egg. The last pictures I took were of the rocks, they were sharp which drew my attention.
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 50 Lyrika’s Pages DARK LIGHT “I chose this because it shows the lighthouse and I think it’s fascinating how long it’s been around. And I also like how the ocean’s there.” Lyrika’s Photo Selection: