The Bingity-Bangity School Bus

By Fleur Conkling
Illustrations by Ruth Wood

Copyright 1950

Busby the school bus has been successfully taking children to school for years and his age is starting to show.  One morning, after rattling bingity-bang down the road, he overhears townspeople talking about his decrepit condition. Poor Busby’s feelings are hurt.  Rather than chance a trip to the junk yard, Busby decides to run away.  Driverless, he has trouble navigating the roads and ends up somersaulting over a bank and down a steep hill into a field of goldenrod.  

All alone, poor Busby now realizes how much he will miss the children.  Likewise, when the children hear of Busby’s departure, they all rush to the police station for help finding him.  The children hear Busby groaning, slide down the bank, and joyously crowd around their beloved bus. 

When a town meeting is held to decide Busby’s fate, the residents are asked, “Shall we make Busby good as new?”  Everyone shouts, “Yes, yes, yes!”

Three lessons from The Bingity-Bangity School Bus:

1. Take care of what you have so it will last as long as possible.  

2. Try to fix what is broken before giving up and throwing it away.  

3. Don’t let your vehicle overhear you complaining about it.