rick -- What a great school, great teacher! Where is that one located?

Laurel -- Even though the medley (and the medleying process, and that kind of medleying in general) is pretty much a turn-off, you could use it as a starting point to get into your own research on what the constituent songs actually were/are, including the words originally with the music. And when you are presented with those kinds of arrangements (for band, chorus, or even just someone's own notion of "styling" for songs that you think are really folk songs), you might want to track down the more genuine folk versions, and to learn, as Alabama Bill suggests, what characteristics identify them as folk songs instead of some arranger's labeling (or mis-labeling) (libeling?) them that way.

You have spurred a bunch of good responses here!

Will -- What a neat idea to include the parents joining in on the accompaniment for the kids' singng, and using songs that are simple enough that everyday people _can_ accompany without feeling daunted.