‘Just where does our 4th Grade Teacher come from,’ asked Jane. ‘The Wiz is from Bath, England from his teenage years but was born in Chicago…and he was a professor of Medieval Literature at Oxford for 10 years prior to moving to Eldorado,’ Chet replied. ‘He and his son Darryl moved to Eldorado to be near his sister Prudence who has lived in Eldorado since her early childhood when the family was split by the divorce of their parents,’ continued Chet. ‘Prudence is our Town Celebrity as she is a best-selling author,’ Neva J. remarked. ‘She writes the most engaging Murder Mysteries that take place in Eldorado…and Little Egypt…I have read all of her books,’ Neva J. said with a wide smile. ‘Prudence is often referred to as the Agatha Christie of America,’ Billy B. offered. ‘But…in any case, The Wiz always dresses in black clothing and often wears a traditional Wizards Hat. ‘It is said that he was trained as a magician by Harry Blackstone the famous magician who was born in Chicago…and he and his sister Prudence were born in Chicago and when their parents divorced he traveled with his father to Bath, England…where is Dad was from…and Prudence moved with her mom to Eldorado where her mother and sisters lived and Prudence’s grandmother and aunts resided, Neva J. said.

‘Well…I suppose we must begin…is everyone present…if you are not present…please say absent,’ The Wiz said with a sly grin. ‘This year we will study arithmetic and spelling and improve our cursive writing and time travel and history and health and magic,’ The Wiz announced with some Chicago…Bath…Oxford…flare!

Have any of you ever been to Maine…and seen the Lighthouses and enjoyed lobster…or seen the great sailing ships,’ The Wiz asked with a wink as he looked directly at his son, Darryl, and Jane and Billy B. and Chet. ‘You know Maine is the home of the great Horror Author…Stephen King…although you will not hear of him until 1974 with his first published novel…Carrie,’ said The Wiz.

Mysterious magical Maine was now firmly planted in the minds of our intrepid travelers. ‘I can not wait until we move to the Artists’ House near Ocean Point,’ Jane proclaimed. ‘I have been making arrangements with the Artist…who is a bit mysterious,’ noted Neva J. ‘She did say that we could stay rent-free as long as we took care of the house and grounds,’ Chet asked. ‘Yes…and she wants us to all try our hand at painting in her studio and she has left many blank canvases and a multitude of paints and brushes…she says that her Studio has been used as a School for New Artists for many years and that she has chosen us as this years class,’ Neva J. said with a quizzical expression.