Summer School

The captain had been sincere in his pleasure of seeing his children play. He was also impressed as to how his children had accepted Maria as their governess and teacher. He felt she had brought joie de vie to his home. The castle was now filled with the children's chatter. Whenever the captain heard them, it brought a smile to his face.

Maria was pleased that he had been genuine in his comment that all forms of exercise were good. She also took her role as teacher very seriously. Maria had to prepare a lesson for each one of them; each was at a different grade level.

She continued to be amazed that they never complained. Each day they eagerly engaged in the subject matter. They were truly self-motivated. Every day, the morning was over before they knew it.

The afternoons were spent playing. If the weather cooperated, they would take long walks or engage in a more aggressive game of tag or kickball. And of course, they looked forward to afternoon tea time.

Maria also shared her letters from Helena with them. The first letter was a mixture of good and bad news. She told them. "Fräulein Helena's brother's surgery was successful. He still needs to be in the hospital; his kidneys were full of stones."

"Stones, Fräulein?"

"That's what she wrote. Maybe there's a book in your library which might tell us more."

"There is; let me go get it."

Friedrich returned and seemed to know exactly where to look. He read about the kidneys' function, cleaning the body's blood supply. And then he found a place which talked about how kidney stones develop and must be removed before they can really damage the kidneys. He finished with this statement.

"We need our kidneys to live; they're as vital as our heart is."

"Thank you Friedrich, we need to continue to pray for him."

And they did. Maria had taught them a morning prayer. It was similar to their Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep prayer which they said at night. This prayer began with, Now I Begin a New Day, and concluded with a prayer for Helena's brother to get well quickly.

This particular day the children finished their lessons early. Maria had decided to use this time to introduce music to the children. She began a conversation with them.

"You know children; you have each had lessons in all the academic subjects, mathematics, grammar, writing, history, geography, various sciences and of course your reading. But you are missing one required subject. Does anyone have a guess?"

The children looked at each other; no one had a guess. Instead she heard from Liesl. "Tell us, Fräulein."

"It starts in primary school and continues all the way through your secondary years; it's music class children. Little children like Gretl first learn how to beat out a rhythm on a drum or play a simple tune on a xylophone; then it's singing simple songs like Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. Each year you learn to sing more complicated songs; sung in different parts. And finally, you learn about all the great Austrian composers."

"Sounds like fun; I wonder if papa will approve."

"I think he will, Louisa; he approves of playing games on rainy days."

"We don't know how to sing."

Maria reacted to Marta's announcement this way. "Singing is easy as reciting your ABC's. You're not going to be a composer; you don't need to learn how to write music. At least I don't think so."

"I don't either, Fräulein."

Maria smiled at Louisa. "Give me a minute to get my guitar."

Before she got back inside the classroom, she heard Louisa. "This is going to be fun."

Maria brought a chair to the front of the room. After sitting, she told them. "I need to be sure all the strings are in tune; then we can begin our lesson."

They saw her pluck each string and then adjust a small knob on the long handle of the guitar.

"There, it's all in tune; now children we can begin our lesson. You need to learn how to make the sound of the notes. Each note is higher in tone than the previous one. Let me show you."

Maria strummed a chord and intoned the first note using the syllable ah. And then the next ah was as she had said was slightly higher than the first. She quickly went up the scale before she paused. The children looked perplexed.

Maria responded to their looks. "Children, I have an easy way for you to learn the notes. My first music teacher taught us this fun little song. Instead of the syllable ah for each note, she taught us to use a word. Who knows the word for a female deer?"

Brigitta answered her. "A doe, Fräulein."

"Correct, and what word is sometimes used for sunlight?"

Friedrich answered. "A ray."

"You're correct. All the other notes have their special word too. Let me sing all of them for you and then you can try.

Maria began to sing all the notes with their reference word or phrase. She could see their eager faces. "Now, it's your turn; repeat after me."

Maria was amazed; they sang each one correctly the first time. "Children, you have learned how to sing. With these notes in your head, you will be able to sing almost anything."

Louisa spoke. "I can't believe how easy it is to sing; even Marta and Gretl were singing."

"I noticed. Now let's substitute different words."

They learned it as easily. The children were excited; they sang very loud and could barely sit still in the classroom. Now Maria encouraged them to follow her. They went out of the classroom, down the stairs and by the kitchen. Katia came out to listen.

They stopped to catch their breaths. "I can't believe you're singing, children. You sound wonderful."

"Our Fräulein taught us all the notes to sing so we can almost anything. It's all part of our music class."

"Louisa is right, Katia. Every school in Austria teaches music. They're also going to learn about some of the famous Austrian composers, like Strauss, Mozart and Hayden."

"I wonder what the captain will say."

"I'll explain just as I did to you; I think he'll understand."

It was a few days later. The captain was home that morning; he was in his study. He heard the clock gong twelve times. The captain left the room to join his children for lunch. As he approached the great hall with the huge chandelier, he heard singing.

As he came closer he saw his children playing on the stairs. The song they were singing was new to him; he heard all their do, re, and mi-s. They saw him and stopped.

"Papa, we're having music class. Fräulein Maria taught us how to sing. Music class is one of our required classes."

"Kurt is correct Captain. Most of their morning is spent on all the academic subjects. It's only after they have completed those lessons did I teach them how to sing. Your children are very talented; they have a God given talent for music."

The captain smiled as he heard Maria's defense of singing. "You children did sound wonderful. I do remember having a music class at the military academy. Music was only taught to us in our primary grades."

"But Papa, I know you can sing. I remember sitting at the top of the stairs in our old house listening to you and Mama sing together."

"Yes, Liesl, your mama and I did enjoy singing together." The captain knew it was his grief which made him forbid singing. He continued his response. "Enough time has passed, Liesl. I want you and your siblings to sing."

And Maria understood perfectly; she knew it had been almost four years since his wife had died.

"Maybe your papa and I can teach you some of those songs."

"Please do; I want to learn them too."

"We will Gretl; I promise. I hear Katia's bell; it's lunch time."

Lunch took a long time; the captain sat and listened to his children's chatter. The opportunity for the captain to teach them some of the songs he and Agathe had sung together came on a stormy afternoon. They congregated in the big parlor.

Their father taught them a hunting song, two silly sailor songs and one which he described as their mama's favorite. It was a love song. It had phrases like these; apple blossom time in May was the time to change your name to mine; church bells will chime during apple blossom time and our wedding will be on that wonderful day in May when you become mine.

Liesl was quick to rave about the song. "I can see why Mama liked that song. Maybe one day a boy might sing it to me."

"Hopefully, not too soon, Liesl."

"No Papa, it won't be soon. But one day I'll meet a boy as kind and loving as you."

The captain was moved by his daughter's response. He was glad to see Katia enter the room and speak.

"Is anyone hungry? It's past the dinner hour."

"We were singing, Katia; give us a minute to freshen-up."

Maria and the children left the room. The captain thought out loud. "I never thought I would sing that song again. Agathe, I know you are happy; that awful ache in my heart is gone. I must thank Maria sometime; she brought music back into my home."

He headed for the dining room with a smile on his lips and with a healed heart. The captain only wished the Germans weren't threatening to take over Austria.

The next few weeks continued to be enjoyable. Helena's letters were encouraging. Her brother was growing stronger every day. She thought they could come home soon. The captain was now having twice weekly meetings with Erwin. This fact worried Maria, although she didn't know why.

Then one evening, after the children were in bed, the captain found Maria. "I need to talk with you. Will you come to my study?"

"Of course, sir, I'll be down in a moment."

"Very well, my door will be open."

Maria took only as long as she needed to freshen-up. She hurried down the stairs. She really was worried. The captain was pacing in and out of the doorway. He saw her.

"Maria, let's sit in the two chairs by the window."

Maria took his suggestion. He began immediately. "I received a letter from Helena today. Her brother is well enough to travel."

"That's good news, Captain."

"It is, but there's more. They're not coming back to Austria."

"Why sir?"

"Maria, do you know anything about Hitler?"

"Only that the German people have made him chancellor."

"That's true. Maria, do you remember the Exodus story about spies being sent out ahead to look at the land God had promised to them?"

"I do sir. How is it relevant?"

"It's proof that countries have always had spies. It's true today. Our Austrian spies are very active in Germany. They have told us that many German Jews have disappeared."

"How does this knowledge affect Helena and her brother?"

"Her brother's name is Samuel; a name given to many Jewish boys."

"Do they think he's Jewish?" Maria exclaimed in an astounded voice.

"I'm afraid so. One of our spies warned them and others are helping them travel to London." The captain calmly explained.

"This is terrible, Captain. Your children are going to be terribly sad."

"Yes, I know and there's no easy way to tell them. I certainly don't want to alarm them."

"I agree. I'll keep them busy. Maybe they won't question me anytime soon."

"Helena did ask that we pack her things. Erwin knows the stationmaster in Vienna. He'll be more than willing to see that the trunk gets to London."

"Katia and I can do that late one night. I'm sure you're going to tell her and the men."

"Yes, I plan to."

For the next week the adults were able to keep the news from the children. The captain wasn't surprised when Brigitta found him in his study.

"Papa, we've had no recent news from Fräulein Helena. Do you know why?"

"Brigitta, I do. Let me tell all of you after dinner."

"Sure, Papa, I can wait."

"Thank you, now tell papa how many books have you read?"

"About ten."

"I should have known." Brigitta turned with a twirl to leave her papa's study.

"At least she makes me smile; I need not be so serious at dinner. She's like Agathe; she can read my mind." Georg told himself.

Maria and the captain managed to get through dinner with no questions from any of the children. Although Maria did notice Brigitta looked at her father on several occasions. The captain had also noticed. He also saw that everyone had finished their dessert. He decided the time was now.

"Let's go in the largest sitting room so we can all have comfortable seats and still see one another."

Brigitta smiled. She was anticipating learning about Fräulein Helena. Her father didn't make her wait.

"I know you are wondering when Fräulein Helena is coming home. I know this won't make you happy but she's not coming back."

"Why?" the inquisitive child asked.

"Helena's brother is well enough to travel, but not alone. He wants to go to London. Helena is going to go with him."

"That's nice of her Papa. What's going to happen when Fräulein Maria returns to the university?"

"I'll worry about that later. It's only the end of July."

"Your father is right. We have time before your bedtime to play a game. One we can all play together."

"Like what?"

"Have you ever played charades?"

"No Fräulein, we haven't."

"I'm surprised. It's a fun game. Each person silently acts out a word or phrase. I'll give you an easy example. Watch me."

Maria got up on her toes; formed a half circle with her hands above her head and twirled slowly in a circle.

"I know Fräulein, you're a ballerina."

"Now it would be your turn, Liesl. Is there any paper handy? I need to write down some charades."

"I'll get some from my study."

"And I'll be thinking, sir."

In a moment the captain returned and handed her the paper and a pencil. Maria tore the paper in strips. "Now give me a few minutes to write them out."

She heard the children. "This is going to be so much fun."

"Okay, now let me mix them up. Liesl, you can go first."

She picked one of the pieces of paper. Read it and sat on the floor. She held onto an imaginary cup and with her little pinky up in the air, she pretended to sip.

Brigitta shouted. "You're drinking tea."

"Correct, your turn."

Brigitta brought her fist to her lips and bent her other arm back and forth in rhythm.

"I know. You're playing a trombone."

"Correct, Kurt."

And so it went, they laughed until they cried. Their father was last. He stood, slightly bent over, and brought his arms up to his armpits and danced around.

"Papa, you're a monkey."

"I am Gretl and this monkey says it's past your bedtime."

"Children, we can play again sometime. I'll have more time to prepare. Go on up; girls I'll be there shortly to read you a story."

The captain and Maria were alone. "Thank you Maria, you have so many good ideas. It helped them not to be so sad about Helena."

"You're most welcomed. Let me go tuck your girls in bed."

The captain watched her walk away. His serious face returned. He had another meeting with Erwin tomorrow.