
DATE: Saturday, October 4, 1997             TAG: 9710040326

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B3   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY NANCY YOUNG, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE                        LENGTH:   77 lines

SECOND-GRADERS GET A SOCIAL STUDIES LESSON AT CITY HALL

Cody Caldwell and his associates had important business at City Hall on Friday. They had questions that needed answers.

``What do they vote for here?''

``What color is the mayor's car?''

``What happens if someone parks in the mayor's space?''

``How old do you have to be to be the mayor?''

They needed to know because someday, in 20 or 30 years, Kathy Hodges' second-graders at Great Bridge Primary just might be sitting in the mayor's and city council members' seats for real - not just visiting as part of a field trip.

``Is it hard for them to decide what they want to do?'' Cody asked Kim Painter about the council members' jobs. Painter was their tour guide. She normally works in the public utilities department.

``I think so,'' responded Painter. ``Every decision is a hard decision because it affects the community.''

The trip to City Hall was part of a social studies lesson on understanding different types of communities. It's required learning in the state's new social studies standards.

Over the last two weeks, all 10 second-grade classes at Great Bridge Primary have taken the tour. It includes a run through council chambers, a mock election, and a tour of the sixth floor, where the mayor's and city council offices are.

``They need to understand the community of Chesapeake and how it has changed, and one of the changes was the big civic center,'' said Hodges. ``I told them how it was when I was growing up, how Cedar Road was all farm land.''

The field trip to City Hall, specifically the view from the sixth floor, gave the children a whole new perspective on the community, said Hodges.

``They'll remember this,'' said Hodges. ``Those windows, seeing the big picture of everything.''

The young citizens seemed in awe of the windows, rushing from the elevator to check out the view from the sixth floor.

``Looking out the windows and going on the elevator,'' said Wesley Haberkorn, 7, when asked his favorite part of the tour.

The students also enjoyed visiting Mayor William E. Ward's office, though Ward wasn't there because he was on a field trip of his own to Japan. Painter said that when students have been lucky enough to catch the mayor in his office, they've been rewarded with autographs and candy from the mayoral candy dish.

``He's really good with kids. During one of the tours he said he had five minutes before he had to go to a City Council meeting, but the kids came and he stayed with them. He said, `This is more important,' '' Painter said.

But while a visit with the mayor might have been nice, the students were entertained by his chair, desk, and the pictures on his walls.

To Cody, it seemed like a pretty good place to be.

``I want to live up here,'' he said.

But before moving in, perhaps Cody should remember the responsibilities that go with running the city, responsibilities his classmate, Joey Reckert summed up nicely: ``They make sure everybody gets what they need.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo

CHARLIE MEADS/The Virginian-Pilot

Lukas Widhalm, left, and Matt Brannock get a feel for Chesapeake

Mayor William E. Ward's chair at City Hall on Friday. All 10

second-grade classes at Great Bridge Primary have taken the tour.

The field-trip was part of a social studies lesson on understanding

different types of communities.

Leslie Riddle was part of the the field trip to City Hall to help

fulfill a requirement in the state's new social studies standards.

The tour includes a run through council chambers, a mock election,

and a tour of the sixth floor, where the mayor's and city council

offices are.

Leslie Riddle was part of the the field trip to City Hall to help