Read Across America celebrates Dr. Seuss

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By COLLEEN MCCARTHY

Some local celebrities stopped by Ward Stewart Elementary yesterday to celebrate the birthday of one of the country’s most well known authors.
Read Across America Day is a nationwide annual event held on children’s author Dr. Seuss’ 108th birthday, March 2. Children all around the country celebrate the author of childhood favorites, like “Cat in the Hat” and “Horton Hears a Who,” by dressing like their favorite characters and reading some Seuss classics.
Dr. Seuss, whose real name was Theodor Seuss Geisel, published over 40 children’s books during his career.
“Every year we have local celebrities come in and read a book to the children just to encourage them to read,” teacher Hope Dumas said. “We just want the kids to get excited about reading.”
Representatives from the city government, Mississippi State University and the Starkville School District stopped by the third and fourth grade classrooms to read their favorite Dr. Seuss books to the students on Friday morning. Dumas said the students are often most excited to see some of the student athletes from Starkville High School and Mississippi State University, to whom the students often look up.
Starkville Mayor Parker Wiseman was one of several volunteers who came to the elementary school and read “I Can Read with My Eyes Shut.”
“I had a great time. It’s always great for me to have the opportunity to get out of the office for a little bit and interact with the students in our schools,” Wiseman said. “Reading is essential to almost everything we do in life in one form or another.”
Ward Stewart was joined by other area schools and organizations like the Starkville Boys and Girls Club in their celebration of Read Across America Day.