’Read Across America’ hits Canton: Clarke School hears a ’Who’

From: Canton Journal, MA - Mar 10, 2006

By Allan Stein/ Correspondent
Friday, March 10, 2006

Nineteen children at Clarke School East had never seen a ying before, but they knew that a ying could sing like anything during last Thursday’s "Read Across America Day"" on the birthday of the immortal Dr. Seuss.

The two-hour program featured guest readers of some of the most memorable books of Dr. Seuss including "Green Eggs and Ham." To mark the occasion, the students, ages 3 and 4, made drawings of their favorite Dr. Seuss characters and Cat in the Hat hats to wear.

They even ate cake and cookies made to look like green eggs and ham, courtesy of Sunrise Bakery of Canton.

"Our theme at Clarke School East is ’Clarke Hears a Who,’" said development officer Ruth Crocker. "This is a great community event. It’s really a nice community support for our children."

Clarke School East is an extension of the Clarke School for the Deaf based in Northampton, Mass., where children with hearing impairments learn to listen and talk. Some of the children at Clarke School East use hearing aides, while others have had cochlear implants to improve their hearing, Crocker said.

Guest readers included James Egan, chief executive officer of Bank of Canton, who read "Green Eggs and Ham;" Dr. John Cessare, president of Caritas Norwood Hospital, who began "One Fish Two Fish;" and Fire Chief Timothy Ronayne, who finished the book.

Other readers were Fox25 sportscaster Butch Stearns, Amy Stein of Advanced Bionics, Jin Kim, conductor for the Hingham Symphony, meteorologist Molly Montgomery, and Kelly Moore, legislative aide to state Rep. William Galvin.

Each reader was required to wear a special Dr. Seuss hat with six candles on top as he or she read aloud a story.

"We made that for you!" one student shouted to a guest.

Egan, who brought each child a gift of a piggy bank, said Green Eggs and Ham was among his favorite Dr. Seuss children’s tales.

"Oh, certainly. I’ve read him to my kids many years ago," Egan said.

For his reward, the children gave Egan a Dr. Seuss coffee mug.

When it was Chief Ronayne’s turn to read to the children, he asked them whether he should continue wearing his fire chief’s hat or the other Dr. Seuss hat.

"The other hat!" a student shouted.

In return, Ronayne presented each child a toy firefighter’s hat to wear. Then it was down to business reading One Fish Two Fish.

"If you can sing with a ying, my ying can sing like anything," Ronayne said.

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