A day for hats, cats, eggs, ham

PHOTOGRAPHER: Marc Schultz

Fonda-Fultonville Elementary School first grader Matthew Bowler is dressed up as the Cat in the Hat during the school’s reading program Monday that encouraged students to dress as their favorite Dr. Seuss characters to honor his birthday.

Things, whos and cats in red, green and blue hats gleefully paraded into the school gymnasium Monday morning as children of the Fonda-Fultonville Elementary School dressed as their favorite Dr. Seuss character.

As a small reminder of what Dr. Seuss has given to children in the form of reading pleasure, schools from across the country celebrated Dr. Seuss’ birthday (it’s actually March 2), with activities including a Dr. Seuss parade and assembly at Fonda-Fultonville Elementary School.

Fonda-Fultonville stresses the importance of reading by starting early in life, reading coach Sue Wolfe, who organized the Dr. Seuss event, said.

“Our reading scores have improved immensely,” Wolfe said. “We are doing a super job with the students and we are giving them a boost early so they will be better off as they go out.”

She said the school’s reading theme this year has been a racing one, literally, with race cars posted on school walls and the occasional racing event courtesy of the nearby Fonda Speedway.

The National Education Association annually sponsors “Read Across America,” which focuses the country’s attention on the importance of motivating children to read, on the birthday of Theodor Seuss Geise, a.k.a. Dr. Seuss, on March 2.

“Because Dr. Seuss is so important to the kids, they [the NEA] encourage all schools and communities to read,” Wolfe said. “This time of year is a great time to get kids encouraged about reading.”

School Principal Alicia Henry read Dr. Seuss’ classic book “Horton Hears a Who” to the assembled pupils in the gymnasium who sat with smiles on their faces. As Henry came to the last words, the children who knew the story, rang out with the last words “Me Too!”

Henry said she supports Dr. Seuss’ legacy and the Read Across America program.

“I think it is an excellent way to focus on literacy and reading. It is important and fun,” Henry said.

She said Dr. Seuss’ books have a rhyming quality that keeps children mesmerized.

“He’s a great author,” first-grader Matthew Zumbolo said.

Matthew said he does a lot of reading in school and at home, especially books with lots of pictures in them.

The Fonda Fultonville pre-k class dressed in identical red shirts and blue hair, representing Dr. Seuss’ classic characters Thing One and Thing Two.

Pre-k pupil Christian Richardson said he liked the movie “The Cat in the Hat.” Richardson’s classmate, Connor Courtoies, said he also has “The Cat in the Hat” movie at home and watches “The Grinch” Christmas show on television.