Pilgrims with their large white collars and buckled hats neatly in place, sat down Monday afternoon to feast with the Indians.

In a nod to Thanksgiving, Whitwell third graders had their very own turkey dinner, complete with costumes. For a day, each child could dress up as a forefather - or mother.

"It's a tradition," principal Annette Massie explained. "We started this years ago when I was a teacher at Campbell School and the kids always look forward to it. They learn in the classroom why we have Thanksgiving. This is a way of teaching them to be thankful."

Parents supplied most of the food. The kids supplied their philosophical outlook on this most American of holidays.

"Thanksgiving is when the Indians met the pilgrims," eight-year-old Cascea Whitt said. Whitt said she is thankful for all the things that God made.

"They didn't each other was nice at first," Meghan Cothron explained. "When they figured out each other was nice they had a feast." Cothron is thankful this year, too. She is thankful for God, and thankful for her family.

Sitting next to her was Jalen Schweikart, who pronounced himself thankful for "all this food."

Like the others, family is at the top of his list of things to be thankful for.

The entire school had its official turkey dinner with all the trimmings last week.