Unpack Your Adjectives: Schoolhouse Rock Came From Grafton (Kind of)

If you're a child of the '70s, you certainly remember how to use a conjunction at the junction and that an interjection is for excitement, or emotion. And you know how a bill becomes a law. Maybe you don't, but just as somewhere in the recesses of the brain you know only you can prevent forest fires, and that cheese can be a wagon wheel, images of Schoolhouse Rock must conjure up memories of Saturday morning cartoons. 

Schoolhouse Rock, a series of cartoons that taught kids about grammar and history, was a staple during the Saturday morning TV rotation. 

Did you know Schoolhouse Rock has ties to Grafton? 

Sit up straight and follow along. 

Thomas Yohe was one of the co-creators of Schoolhouse Rock in the late '70s. Yohe married Diane Seely in 1980, when her son, Darren Seely was seven, and they lived in Grafton. Darren's biological father died in 1976. When Yohe married Diane, he became Darren's "new father" said Darren, who teaches eighth grade English language arts in Grafton. 

"When he joined our family - my mom, brother, and myself - Tom had four children of his own," said Darren. "We all came together kinda like the Brady Bunch. Tom was a great father, a brilliant artist, cartoonist, and creative art director.  Sadly, he passed away in December of 2000 from pancreatic cancer."

Darren has a book at his school about the history of Schoolhouse Rock, and says it's fun to show his students the Grammar Rock videos some of them know through their parents and teachers.   

"I will admit, it is very cool to have had my father involved in creating something that has become such an influential and lasting cultural icon," said Darren.  "I actually have a SHR poster and a parts of speech display featuring the cartoons from Grammar Rock on a bulletin board in the front of my classroom."

If you need a refresher on how to unpack your adjectives, click here.