Sept. 14, 2005 B "What are the magic words?" asked instructor Judy Edmeade, reading from "Anansi and the Magic Stick." "Abra-Canabra-Cadabra," chanted the third-grade class from Dober Elementary school.
The magic word from Wallace D. Williams, territorial librarian, and Claudette Lewis, Planning and Natural Resources assistant commissioner, and the Enid M. Baa Library staff was "Thank you! ," as the children's' library received a large collection of books for young adults donated by the Mahogany Run Golf Course.
In celebration of its 25th anniversary on the island, Mahogany Run, which was purchased last year by Ginn Clubs and Resorts, presented a $25,000 check to the St. Thomas Public Library as part of the company's Resorts to Reading program. Wednesday's book collection is part of that donation.
Rich Hohman, Ginn vice president of asset development, making a formal donation with a more than life-sized replica of the check, greeted the school children, reminding them of the importance of reading. "It is the key to open your world," he said.
Yvonne Turnbull, Ginn Human Resources vice president, told the children great things were in store for them, "providing you get your library cards." Turnbull said Ginn has a continuing reading program. She said a new program, sponsored by Ginn and Scholastic Books is starting this fall.
"Celebrities will come right here in the children's library and read to you," Turnbull said. "It's called the Prose by the Pros program, and the first one is someone you all know."
Later, however, Ginn officers could not be persuaded to reveal the famous name.
Scholastic Books, Hohman said, helps support Ginn's Scholastic Literary Partners program, which provides discounts on a wide range of quality children's books.
James O 'Bryan, government house spokesman, called the program with Ginn a "Wonderful partnership." He said the library is the first place Gov. Charles W. Turnbull goes when he visits the schools. "Get your eyes in every book you can," O "Bryan advised the youngsters, "the future won't belong to people from the dark ages." The children, looked very serious. "Oh, no," they agreed.
The youngsters became much less serious when Edmeade, Lockhart Elementary School assistant principal, and summer reading library program leader, began reading from "Anansi and the Magic Stick." Anansi the Spider, lives in legend, myth and story, teaching the children of West Africa how to walk the webs of life. Many Virgin Islands children cut their teeth on the Anansi tales.
Edmeade asked the children the moral of the tale about the stick. First, they were stumped, but with a little urging, they agreed it was about envy. "It's not good to want what other people have," Edmeade cautioned. "Enjoy what you have."
Second-grader Ron Harrigan Jr. appeared to be enjoying what he had Wednesday morning. He had been all ears listening to Edmeade. "I love to read," he said. Harrigan said he was in the summer reading program, and he gave the Anansi story a thumbs up. His classmates were more distracted, as a table full of enormous sugar cookies and fruit punch beckoned.
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