Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, February 2, 1993 TAG: 9302020057
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: MELISSA DeVAUGHN
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
STUDENT'S POEM ON WAR PUBLISHED NATIONALLY
"The Rain Turned Red . . ."It was told to have been a
glorious day,
a day of victory and triumph,
The troops marched forward
in unison, heads held high
mere boys ready to risk
their lives.
The first gunshot rang out, shattering
the silence,
The terror had begun.
Innocence turned to hatred,
a thunderstorm of bullets,
returned by cries of agony . . .
The first raindrops fell
as if to mourn for them.
The rain began to pour,
like the crimson blood of
the wounded
The rain turned red,
screaming "Look what you've done!
The rain has wept for you
and now it bleeds for you."
And once again there was silence.
Elizabeth Webb\ Blacksburg
These are the words that Elizabeth Webb wrote on a rainy day, while watching news coverage during the Persian Gulf War. She was prompted to write the poem by the military action she saw on the television and the sound of the rain outside.
She said she felt "upset about things beyond my control," and from those feelings arose a poem. A poem so good, that it was recently published in Horizons, a women's magazine of the Presbyterian Church (USA).
"I wasn't happy about it at first," Elizabeth said. "It was sort of personal, and I never thought it would get published. But after I thought about it, it was OK."
It was Elizabeth's stepmother, Phyllis Albritton, who sent the poem to the magazine. She said that even though the war long had been over, she still thought it was a strong piece of writing.
Elizabeth said this poem was the first she had written, and she is not sure if she will write more. She said she thinks it "was sort of a one in a lifetime thing."
Elizabeth is 13 and is a student at Blacksburg Middle School.
\ It's National Reading Month, and almost every school in the New River Valley has something special planned.
This week's featured school is CHRISTIANSBURG ELEMENTARY, which has something planned just about every day.
During the morning announcements, pupils will have a chance to share their favorite excerpt from a book, magazine or poem. Each classroom gets to participate. Each classroom also will be able to select a favorite book and display it in the school showcase.
The entire school is going to construct a "bookworm," which will be made of segments, each having its own report on an essay, poem or article. The more the kids read, the longer the worm will grow!
During the third week, teachers will let their classes guess just how many books there are in the school library. Winners will be announced later in the month.
Also during the third week, the librarian will pose library trivia questions to pupils. There will be three clues per grade level. The race is on to see which class will guess the correct answers.
Feb. 12 is "Can You Read This" day, in which all pupils may wear a shirt, hat, button, scarf or whatever, with words or phrases written on them. These must be acceptable words and phrases, the teachers say.
"Freaky Friday" will be held Feb. 19, and students and teachers can dress as their favorite book characters - Charlie Brown, Calvin from Calvin and Hobbes, Pippy Longstocking, Winnie the Pooh, the Cat in the Hat, you name it.
There are many other things going on at Christiansburg Elementary - essay contests, T-shirt decorating, bookmark designs, guest speakers and more. If you'd like to help participate, schools are always looking for volunteers. Call 382-5172.
\ The PULASKI COUNTY PARENT RESOURCE CENTER is sponsoring a program on special education services in county schools. The program also includes a segment on respite care and a referral service at Virginia Tech. The meeting will be held tonight at 7 at the Free Memorial Library in Dublin.
For further information, call the Parent Resource Center at 674-2534.
\ PULASKI COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL is offering a preparation class for the verbal section of the Scholastic Aptitude Test, beginning this week. Classes will meet for six weeks Monday or Thursday evenings from 6 to 8:30.
Tuition and materials costs $25. The instructor is Vada Boyd. For further information, call 674-4605, Ext. 207.
\ If the timing isn't right for those SAT classes, another preparatory course will be offered by NEW RIVER COMMUNITY COLLEGE. Classes start Feb. 13 and meet Saturdays through March 20. This course covers both the math and verbal sections of the test.
The fee is $60, plus the cost of a textbook. The class will be held in Godbey Hall, room 102. For further information, call 674-3607.
\ The GILES HIGH SCHOOL Parent Advisory Organization will meet Thursday from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the high school cafeteria. All parents of Giles High students are asked to attend.
\ The PULASKI COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL players are currently working on a comedy by Woody Allen called "God." The play is about a group of New York actors attempting to produce a Greek tragedy with Zeus and a group of other Greek gods. The ones they choose end up being a bit unusual.
Performances of the play will be presented Thursday and Friday at 8 p.m. The play also will be performed again Saturday at 10 a.m. as part of the Virginia High School League competition.
Tickets for this performance are $1. For further information, call 674-4605.
\ The Auburn Eagles Booster Club will hold a SPAGHETTI SUPPER Friday from 4 to 6 p.m. in the school cafeteria.
Eat in or take out. The cost is $5 for adults, $2.50 for those 12 and younger. Dinner includes spaghetti, salad, homemade rolls and dessert. You also may buy homemade rolls by the dozen.
\ After pigging out on spaghetti Friday, drive over to Blacksburg Saturday evening for the Blacksburg High School football team's ANNUAL CHILI SUPPER. Dinner will be served from 5 to 7:30 p.m. The menu includes a large serving of chili, coleslaw, crackers, dessert and drink.
Tickets are $3 per plate and may be purchased from a football player or at the door. Small children can share a plate, and take-outs are available.
Proceeds from this supper will go toward the team's preseason camp. For further information, call David Grist at 951-4455.
\ The Christiansburg High School DEMON BOOSTER CLUB will hold its regular meeting Monday at 7:30 p.m. in the boys health room.
For further information, call 382-1834.
\ PARENTS ADVOCATING GIFTED CHILDREN will meet Feb. 9 at 7 p.m. in the community room of the Montgomery-Floyd Regional Library in Blacksburg.
The topic will be "Parents Speak Out," which is an open forum for discussion of current interests and concerns of parents.
For further information, call 552-6039.