Sixth Grade
Worksheets
The Labyrinth of New Harmony
National German-American Day
Reading Comprehension for October 6
We jumped out of the car, leaving the picnic basket behind. I was glad to see that we had the labyrinth to ourselves! The hedge forming the maze was tall and green. In the heart of the maze stood a small, circular building of stone with bars across the open doorway and windows. Only the top third was visible. I stopped to study the large, wooden sign at the entrance.
THE LABYRINTH
REBUILT IN 1939
SYMBOLIC OF THE HARMONIST CONCEPT
OF THE DEVIOUS AND DIFFICULT APPROACH
TO A STATE OF TRUE HARMONY.
A UNIT OF THE
NEW HARMONY STATE MEMORIAL
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
I've lived in Mt. Vernon, Indiana, all my life. The town began in 1806 as a frontier trading post on the Ohio River, settled by the Andrew McFaddin family. They called it McFaddin's Bluff. In 1814, German Lutheran Separatists led by Father George Rapp (a German religious leader who left Germany in 1803) immigrated to Indiana from Pennsylvania. The Rappites, as they were known, set up a community called Harmony on the Wabash River near Mt. Vernon. They had built the original labyrinth. The Harmonists sold Harmony in 1825 to Robert Owen and returned to Pennsylvania to form another community. Owen renamed the community New Harmony and developed it into a cultural and scientific center. It evolved into a historical tourist attraction. Other Germans had settled the area, attracted by the valley's rich farmland. My great-great-grandparents, Leon and Wilma Schmidt, had been among them. My family no longer farmed the land, but we still lived in the area and celebrated our German heritage there.
"Come on, you guys!" Gunther said. "The first one to the center wins!"
Without waiting for the rest of us, Gunther took off. Reece, a newcomer to the area, laughed and ran for the maze. Emma and I quickly joined in the fun. I had not been to the labyrinth for years and had forgotten which path offered the quickest way to the center. I did remember a shortcut through a broken gap in the hedge, but when I got to the place where it should have been, it was gone. In my absence, the hole had grown shut. I'd have to follow a path like the others.
I could see Reece's red head as he circled around on the outer path. Emma's blonde head was bouncing around the other way, and Gunther's light brown hair was bobbing toward the winner's circle. I felt like a kid instead of a mature teenager as I went tearing down my path, hoping to reach the center first.
That snort of disgust came from Reece, once again on the outside of the labyrinth. He had circled the entire thing without making it to the middle! I laughed as I ran faster along the pebble and dirt path. Then, a dead end startled me and forced me to double back. It was Reece's turn to laugh.
"Stefanie is gonna be a loser!" he sang wickedly.
