I want to put a poem that I really like, 11 lines, on a birthday favor
for kids that they can put on their walls. It is for about 40 kids. I
am looking for ideas to do it or get it in a done in a way that it
will stay for a few years. I would be willing to spend upto $3 per
favor.

Here is the poem if it matters....

Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high 
Where knowledge is free
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments 
By narrow domestic walls
Where words come out from the depth of truth
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way 
Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit
Where the mind is led forward by thee 
Into ever-widening thought and action
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake

---

Clarification of Question by sunilb-ga on 22 Aug 2002 01:14 PDT

The Author is Rabindra Nath Tagore

http://www.e-mela.com/literature/mind_without_fear_rabi.html

Thanks for the suggestion they have me thinking. I love the book mark
idea. Another idea was a jigsaw puzzle
http://www.paper-paper.com/flip-puzzle.html

It's a beautiful poem....thanks for sharing it.

The poem could be lettered in calligraphic script (or a decorative
font) with the use of a computer, then printed out on nice, heavy
stock. Quite a few attractive papers, including some that resemble
parchment, are available for inkjet printers. Add a simple,
inexpensive picture frame, and you would have a lovely and affordable
memento.

Twenty-three years ago, when I was planning my wedding, I decided to
hand-letter the invitations in calligraphic style. All these years
later, I still encounter old friends and distant relatives who say
that they saved their invitation because it was so unusual.

In this computer age, you do not need to be artistically inclined to
produce beautiful lettering. If you would like someone to do the
script for you, there are many services, both online and in most local
areas, that could help you produce a very nice keepsake for your
guests.

I like the document idea and you could print and frame them for under
(or close to) $3.00 but a document-sized picture might not be
displayed in every home.  If I were you I would make laminated
bookmarks.  They are non-intrusive to a person's environment and
bookmarks always come in handy.  Plus, it is a subtle way to encourage
children to read.

I ran off a page of paper with the poem set like this:

Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high - Where
knowledge is free - Where the world has not been broken up into
fragments by narrow domestic walls - Where words come out from the
depth of truth - Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards
perfection - Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way
into the dreary desert sand of dead habit - Where the mind is led
forward by Thee into ever-widening thought and action - Into that
heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.

I placed the poem five times down an 8.5" x 11" printer paper in the
font Verdana with the letter size at 10.  Each poem printed at 6.5"
wide and 1.5" in height and, I spaced three times between the poem. 
With five to each sheet, this means you would need 8 sheets of paper
for 40 bookmarks.

1. From an office supply store, buy some heavy card stock to use in a
computer printer.  Card stock comes in many colors nowadays and you
might be able to match it to a theme color of your party but it also
comes in parchment.  The sheets are usually 8.5" x 11 ".

2. Buy enough sheets of self-laminate to cover the bookmarks on both
sides.  Sheets of laminate are also usually 8.5" by 11"

3. I'd buy ten sheets of card stock and twenty sheets of laminate. 
This should all cost about $6 or $7 dollars.

4. Print sheets of the poem on card stock and then laminate the entire
sheet before cutting into bookmark size.  Cut only across the sheet of
stock, leaving the ends long.  After cutting, take the bookmarks and
use a hole punch to make a hole for a ribbon or cord.  Attach
charm/trinket of your choice on the cord.

Also, before laminating, you could add a design to the blank side of
the bookmark or hand-letter a message.

I offer this as a comment because you said you wanted something for
the wall but consider the bookmark idea.  It might be a way to have
the item stay with the child longer than something on their walls.

PS  Make sure you give the author attribution, too.  : )

Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high - Where
knowledge is free - Where the world has not been broken up into
fragments by narrow domestic walls - Where words come out from the
depth of truth - Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards
perfection - Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way
into the dreary desert sand of dead habit - Where the mind is led
forward by Thee into ever-widening thought and action - Into that
heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake. ~AUTHOR~

A jigsaw puzzle is a neat idea, too.  I thought of an addition to my
bookmark idea - instead of a charm on the bookmark, just use a ribbon
and then buy books for all the kids, placing the bookmark inside.

You can tell one of my passions is encouraging children to read, huh? 
lol