Morning Sentinel from Waterville, Maine • 9

MaineLocal Morning Sentinel riday January 12 1996 9 fHnrning Sentinel Graphic book pulled from curriculum at Mt Abram By LINDA LAWSON Sentinel Correspondent SALEM Copies of a graphic novel being used as the main text in a required English course at Mt Abram High School will not be yanked from the hands of students because students introduced to the book earlier this year have already finished reading it according to Superintendent Robert Gerardi A school board mandate to deny English teachers permission to use Out of comes coincidentally as the first semester draws to a close Gerardi said Thursday New reading material will be dis tributed when the second semester begins next week The timing of the board decision means no student will have to abandon the novel and begin studying another Gerardi said At the same time no new students will be directed to read the book in exchange for a grade School Administrative District 58 directors Wednesday voted to remove Out of Carolina a 1992 National Book Award finalist by Dorothy Allison after parents complained that the language and subject matter pushed the envelope of appropriateness for 15 year olds The critically acclaimed novel includes descriptions of acts of incest and rape Other forms of physical and mental abuse are also detailed this book were made into a movie nobody under the age of 17 would be able to watch said Strong parent Dean Stanley Parents who packed the school board meeting Wednesday spent two hours urging directors to direct Sinclair to use a less con troversial text Sinclair was not present Wednesday and could not be reached for comment Thursday Mt Abram English department chairper son Joe Corcoran and Phillips resident Michael Rothchild an editor defended the novel as a valid choice of literature for study by teen agers who may be witnesses to or survivors of forms of abuse think all good books are subversive" said Rothchild who reminded audience members that classics including Scar let "Moby and have also sparked controversy over the years in communities across the coun try But a student who read the book in Sin English class last year said she had been uncomfortable with the text She declined the offer of an alternative book because she felt her grade would suffer felt uncomfortable (reading the book) but I also felt that if I read an alternative book I would be separated from the rest of the class and I wouldn't be able to be involved in said the student now a junior at the school Theresa Jalbert was one of three parents who said their children were denied the opportunity to participate in class literature discussions and receive equal help on litera ture reports because they were sent to the library to study their alternative books alone while Sinclair taught remaining students in the classroom believe (my son) has been discriminated said Jalbert SAD 58 director Mike Pond of Avon apolo gized to parents for having approved the book for use in class this year despite the fact that parents complained about it last year without having investi gated it more thoroughly He said he read the book after Jalbert complained on behalf of her son this fall don't think it should be part of an English curriculum" he said Board members all agreed to remove the book from the curriculum but disagreed on language of a motion proposed by Phillips director Alan Morse and amended by Phillips director Dan Worcester Voting in favor of the final proposal were directors Mark Robie and Teri Bruce of Eustis Lena Knapp and Michelle Lucey of Kingfleld and Morse and Worcester Voting against the motion were Pond Ellsworth and Strong director Alan Smith Sentinel photo by David Learning L'U i' I WWMl irefighters pick through the charred remains of a reedom home that burned to the ground Thursday afternoon The rented home on the Briggs Road had been occupied by Marilyn Ingraham and her four children ire razes reedom home By DAVID LEAMING Sentinel Staff REEDOM A reedom family is without a home after it was destroyed by fire Thursday afternoon Marilyn Ingraham and her two children were not at home when fire leveled their rented home A motorist driving near the Briggs Road resi dence first noticed smoke coming from the woods around 3:30 pm When firefighters were summoned a half hour later the two story wood home located 200 yards off the roadway was according to reedom ire Chief Jim Waterman The building was consumed quickly by the intense heat with only a portion of the entryway still standing shortly after firefighters arrived was instantly a mop up Waterman said He believed the fire may have started near a wood stove the main source of heat in the home He said the building had not been occupied since 7:30 am Thursday according to owner Linda Dixon who lives nearby Waterman said the fire may have started earlier and smoldered for some time building may have contained the fire until it reached a point where it broke out and ignited" Waterman said adding that the fire office has been contacted Waterman said 25 firefighters from reedom Thorndike Unity and Albion extinguished the charred rubble A man and a girl poked through the snow in search of two bicycles that were the only items saved Waterman said the family is staying with friends in the area A source said the home was insured life celebrated Area activities planned By DARLA PICKETT Sentinel Staff WATERVILLE Cultural and racial diversity are the same color everywhere even in the Elm City where the African American popula tion is almost nonexistent The mission of the Martin Luther King Jr Celebration Committee is to bring that message home with chil poetry posters and cultural programs really important to celebrate the spirit of King one of unity hope a coming together and a recognition that discrimination and oppression what we want in this communi said Karen Heck Rotary Club chairman of the celebration commit tee Heck said the annual Martin Luther King Jr Community Breakfast at 7:30 am Monday at the Muskie Center is the culmination of several community projects to honor the civil rights lead er who was slain in 1968 A unique portion of the breakfast program includes first and second grade students from the George Mitchell School who will read poems they wrote after reading Tub by Eloise Greenfield about a gritty black woman who escaped slav ery in 1849 and returned repeatedly to the south to lead about 300 other fugi tive slaves to freedom via the under ground railroad was a stop on that rail Heck pointed out Elementary school students have also participated in a poster project for which they were asked to depict their understanding of mes sages and their own vision of a world without fears and prejudices The posters will be on display ri day at the Waterville Opera House where a performance of African music and dance features Kayaga of Africa at 8 pm The committee also raised enough money to cover the cost of two free matinee performances for 1600 ele mentary school children from Water ville and surrounding communities On riday afternoon foreign Breakfast honors King WATERVILLE A breakfast honoring slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King will begin at 7:30 am Monday at the Muskie Center on Gold Street The program includes: Welcome: Waterville Rotary Club President Phil Roy Invocation: Rev Perrin Radley Read a Poem About Harriet students from George Mitchell School Me About My and World is a Beautiful performed by the Mitchell School chorus Posterawards Remarks: Rev Severn Towl Unitarian Universalist Church Closing: Rabbi Raymond Krinsky Beth Israel Synagogue The program and breakfast is expected to last no longer than 9 am exchange students from the Water ville High School International Club will visit the George Mitchell School to talk about their countries and explain their diverse customs and cul tures according to committee spokesperson Gale LaPlante Taboo Interactive Theater perfor mances from the senior high school will also brings messages to the George Mitchell School on ri day The breakfast will put the finishing touches on the weekend of events Heck who has chaired the Rotary sponsored breakfast for four years says participation has grown from a handfol to as many as 200 during that time Heck said appreciation for diversity was recently promoted by the civic organization called REM which spent three days developing a vision for the future of Waterville and set goals to achieve that dream Sentinel photo by Amy Calder LA vl ML IK I4 31 Marlon Knight 94 alts with piano stu dent Donna Rickards 13 of Skowhegan Knight Is retiring from playing the organ at the Centenary United Methodist Church after nearly a half century Area organist to quit after 50 years By AMY CALDER Sentinel Staff SKOWHEGAN Marion Knight has a lot of fond memories of the nearly half century she has played the organ at the Centenary United Methodist Church here Those memories will no doubt be in great supply Sunday when her friends at the church hold a reception to celebrate her retirement from that job Knight 94 says she will miss her organ playing but will continue to teach her 20 or so piano students at home eqjoyed it at the church I really did" Knight said between students Wednesday in the living room of her three story Victorian home love everybody over there just that I want to do other she said Those other things include visiting area churches to hear former music students per form and direct choirs Her former students number in the hundreds A Skowhegan resident all her life Knight continues to play the piano for the Lions and Rotary dubs downtown holiday strolls and other events She has played for Rotary since 1923 A longtime friend of the late former US Sen Margaret Chase Smith Knight recalls playing the piano at her wedding reception She misses Smith was a wonderful person Margaret was She was wonderful to me when I went to Washington with my students from Bingham Margaret had me up to eat in the dining room Knight recalled The daughter of Betsy letcher a schoolteacher who piano very well and never took a lesson in her Knight taught music in Bingham Madison and Skowhegan schools for 27 years before taking students into her home for private lessons I love it all I've ever done she says Knight especially likes playing popular tunes from the 1940s Some of her favorites include of My Alone Because I Love and She also loves to collect teddy bears of which she has about 1000 I have them in the bedrooms I have them in the front hall and some in the back hall the front room the dining room wash room and in the kitchen got them everywhere never use the dining room again because full of them" she says with a laugh love my teddybears and I love my piano you bet your life I she says Knight will be 95 in November In charac teristic good humor she says she is in no hurry to exceed 94 hang on to it as long as I she quips The Rev Lloyd Leeman and his wife Betty of the Methodist Church say while Knight will come back to play the organ occa sionally for weddings and funerals during the day they will miss her very much been a real pleasure working with her almost like a love affair because when up there preaching and you have somebody beautiful up there with you every thing goes well" Leeman said got a good sense of humor and 1 love hugging her been so loyal" he said Mrs Leeman echoed those sentiments just been a delight not only in her talents but in her personality too just a fantastic lady going to be a void to fill" she said Choir Director Shirley Whittemore has known and worked with Knight 47 years at the church She will be missed veiy much Whittemore said Wednesday leaves a big hole just a magnifi cent person a real fun Whittemore said A reception for Knight will be held at 2 pm Sunday at the church located on Dr Mann Road All are invited to attend Monetary gifts may be donated to the Marion Knight Music Scholarship at Skowhegan Area High School Storewide Inventory 15 50 0b Oir BrtH 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