THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, December 10, 1995 TAG: 9512080195
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 16 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY SUSAN W. SMITH, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 76 lines
Mary Ludwig puckered her lips for a kiss. But as she leaned toward her intended he bristled, grunted and backed up. The audience howled with laughter.
Ludwig is a reading resource teacher at Camelot Elementary School. She was trying to kiss Pugsley, a 100-pound Vietnamese pot-bellied pig.
The kiss all started when the Chesapeake Reading Council selected the theme ``Pig Out on Books'' for the designated reading month of November.
First-grade teacher Patsy Pearce was Camelot's chairperson for the reading events. She is also Camelot's 1995 ``Teacher of the Year.''
Pearce, Ludwig and other teachers and volunteers worked with the 569 students at the school to promote reading and the love of books. Some of the volunteers included employees from Jefferson National Bank. The goal was for the students to read 2,000 books by the end of the month.
Each week there was a special activity designed to keep the students involved. During the kick-off week, every student received a calendar of activities to be completed.
They planned a T-shirt day, a red-white-and-blue day and a dress-up day. One day the teachers and faculty dressed up like storybook characters. There was even a voting day, where the book, ``Charlotte's Web,'' won as the favorite pig book.
During the middle of the month, the older grades met with the younger students to read to each other. At the end of the month, teachers took turns reading to students.
With all the pig business, there was even math involved. Ludwig read ``Pigs Will Be Pigs'' to students in fourth, fifth and sixth grades. The students who correctly answered math questions related to the story won a certificate of achievement.
By Nov. 22, the elementary children had exceeded the 2,000-book goal.
Justin Robertson, 11, Troy White, 11, and Kena Foreman, 10, did their share by reading 20 books between them. Adrian Slone, 10, read 10 books.
That's when Ludwig stepped forward and challenged the children to strive for 3,000 books by Nov. 30. If they succeeded, she promised to kiss a pig.
On the last day of the month, 3,708 books had been read, and the pig kissing was scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 6.
It took Ludwig a number of phone calls before she tracked down Pugsley, owned by Kay and Tom Wisenbaker of Deep Creek.
Pugsley arrived on time decked out in his red-and-gold holiday bow as the students gathered in the auditorium. Kay appropriately wore her ``Hogs and Kisses'' sweatshirt. Ludwig tested her breath spray and practiced her kisses while Pugsley just snorted, sniffed and nibbled on dog food treats as he waited for his cue.
``He's cautiously friendly,'' said Kay, ``and also a little shy.''
It took Ludwig a few lunges before she finally planted a kiss on Pugsley's head. Then, like good sports, Pearce and other teachers lined up for their turn.
``I didn't think they would do it, '' exclaimed Ronald Lawrence, 12.
What was it like to kiss a pig?
Media specialist, Terri Troyia, made a face and exclaimed that Pugsley's snout was cold and wet.
Jean Walden, a fifth-grade teacher, claimed it was like kissing a bristly, paint brush.
After much encouragement and a thunderous round of applause, the school's principal, Lillian Faulk, stepped forward and gave Pugsley a quick peck on the noggin. The children squealed with delight, but Pugsley just snorted.
``It was great fun,'' said Ludwig. ``I'm game for most anything that motivates the children, encourages reading and learning and makes everyone laugh.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MORT FRYMAN
Camelot Elementary teacher Mary Ludwig puckers up to kiss Pugsley, a
Vietnamese pot-bellied pig.
by CNB