Pencil, Paper, Pith Helmet
It’s already “back to school” season and I bet I know one thing not on your kids’ supply list. A pith helmet! In case you’re wondering, a pith helmet is a lightweight sun helmet made from the dried pith of the sola or a similar tropical plant.
Just as early missionaries once thought that the altitude of Kijabe (the town where Rift Valley Academy is located) could give people Kenya nerves, so they believed that the closer proximity to the sun caused conditions like memory loss, high blood pressure, and sterility in women – even indoors!
Therefore, until well into the 1930’s, hats and and pith helmets were on the required supply lists for all RVA students! Don’t you think it’s time we bring them back in style?
