If you want to entertain a school filled with kids fresh off a holiday weekend, just send in the clowns.
Skeeter the Clown, representing the Culpepper and Merriweather Circus, visited Iola Elementary School for its first-ever all-school assembly. About 600 students, along with teachers and faculty, gathered in the gymnasium for a show.
The clown was in town to promote the Sept. 18 circus in Humboldt, sponsored by the Humboldt Lions Club.
Skeeter gave students a brief music lesson, playing different types of instruments such as a flute and kazoo. She even played them both at once, to the delight of the crowd.
Then, she pulled out a peacock feather, which she balanced first on her finger, then her chin and finally on her nose.
Two student volunteers joined her to learn the trick. Both Jocelyn Sandidge and Brantley Hammer tried to balance the feather on the tip of their fingers and found it wasn’t quite as easy as Skeeter made it look.
Then, she taught them the trick: Keep your eye on the eye. The “eye” in the center of the top of the feather, that is.
After that, both Jocelyn and Brantley were pros. Brantley was able to keep the feather in the air for about 30 seconds, earning free tickets to the circus.
The students cheered their support.
The circus will offer shows at 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. on Sept. 18 at the Humboldt Sports Complex. At 9:30 a.m., the community is invited to watch them put up the Big Top and tour the grounds.
It’s been about 15 years since the circus has been in Humboldt, Cole Herder, city administrator, said.
The Lions Club will receive a portion of advanced ticket sales. The money will be used to support local projects including an Easter egg hunt, a fishing derby, a fireworks display and other activities.
