Student Comments About The Watsons Go to Birmingham--1963

Thursday, February 17

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FEBRUARY 17, 2000
FROM:
James C.
Grade 6
Nichols Middle School
Evanston, IL
MESSAGE:
I think it wasn't a good idea for dad to stop at the Tennesse reststop and know has took time off of thier time to go to Alabama.

FROM:
Marcos
Grade 7
Marshall Middle School
Marshall, WI
MESSAGE:
Do you think that By will change?
I dont think he will

FROM:
Danielle L.
Grade 7
Marshall Middle School
Marshall, WI
MESSAGE:
Does anyone think Kenny or Byron will Get in any trouble up there? I think they might.
Does anyone think that the story about the dog and coon was true?
I don't think it was but it was funny.

-Danielle L


FROM:
Brandon
Grade 7
Marshall Middle School
Marshall, WI
MESSAGE:
Why do you think that Byron is being so nice? I think that it is because people are treating him like an adult.

FROM:
Andy S.
Grade 7
Marshall Middle School
Marshall, WI
MESSAGE:
To everyone,

Do you think byron will learn his lesson in birmingham?
So far it looks like byron is having a good time.


FROM:
Correy T.
Grade 7
Marshall Middle School
Marshall, WI
MESSAGE:
Dear Joesph E.
I think momma dislikes the ultra glide because it was a waste on money and skips.

FROM:
Thomas
Grade 7
Marshall Middle School
Marshall, WI
MESSAGE:
I think Momma actually liked the ultraglide, but she didn't want to admit to it.

FROM:
James C.
Grade 6
Nichols Middle School
Evanston, IL
MESSAGE:
I think it wasn't a good idea for dad to stop at the Tennesse rest stop because now he has wasted time going to Alabama. But I think if he needed to stop he should have went to a motel.

FROM:
Darrick
Grade 7
Marshall Middle School
Marshall, WI
MESSAGE:
I thought it was mean that Byron was going to get his fingers burned. what do you think?
I didn't think that byron woould change so much when he was around Grandma sands. What do you think?

FROM:
Angela
Grade 7
Marshall Middle School
Marshall, WI
MESSAGE:
Hey everyone-

So, were you surprised at the way that Byron acted when he met Grandma Sands? Why?


FROM:
Kristen
Grade 7
Marshall Middle School
Marshall, WI
MESSAGE:
Do you think that Byron will like Birmingham after awhile? Do you think that he will want to stay in Birmingham for the school year? So far he seems to really like Mr. Roberts, Grandma Sands, and Birmingham.

FROM:
Brittney
Grade 7
Marshall Middle School
Marshall, WI
MESSAGE:
Hi everyone how do you think byron will change?
do you think he will change at all?
I think that byron will decide that he wants to go home and be with his friends. he is being very good so far and i think that he will continue to be like he is so that he can go home to flint.
but i think that he will decide that he wants to stay in birmingham and go to school in birmingham. i think that he would make that decision because he will find out that he can make friends in birmingham. the only reason he would decide against that is if he found somebody that hates him and says bad stuff about him to his face. do you agree with everything i said or do you think that it is all totally different from want he will do.

FROM:
Lana W.
Grade 7
Marshall Middle School
Marshall, WI
MESSAGE:
Momma is real concerned about grandma sands being good friends with mr. Robert.
Do you think she is worried about her mom settling down?
IS momma having a hard time with her mom liking some other man than her father?

-lana


FROM:
Jake
Grade 7
Marshall Middle School
Marshall, WI
MESSAGE:
Marla-
I think that Byron likes it down south in birmingham. What do you think?

FROM:
Brandi G.
Grade 7
Marshall Middle School
Marshall, WI
MESSAGE:
Do you think that Byron will change permanently as a resault of staying with his grandma? Explain.I kind of think that he will,but i'm not exactly sure.
What do you think is going on with grandma Sands and Mr. Roberts?
Do you think they are just really good friends?

-Brandi


FROM:
Kyle
Grade 7
Marshall Middle School
Marshall, WI
MESSAGE:
Would you take your kid to the south? I wouldn't during that time because of the rasist.

FROM:
Shiri B.
Grade 6
Nichols Middle School
Evanston, IL
MESSAGE:
I can really relate to Kenny and Byron when they were in the forest and they thought that "red necks" were going to get them because of there race. I was on my way to Colorado College to take my older brother there. It was his first year there and we decided to rent a car and drive up there. In order to get to Colorado we had to drive through Iowa. My mom is black and my brother and I are byracial. We were in an area that seemed to be segrigated. We couldn't see any African Americans or any other race. All we could see was Cacasians. It seemed that everyone was staring at us, that was really scary. My mom thought that the car we had rented had cruse control, but it didn't.To make matters worse we came upon an intersection. My mom couldn't stop! We turned into a gas station and plowed into a mud pile, that smelled like cow dung. Luckily we were safe but metrified. Later while we had stopped we had realized that the floor mat was jammed up against the gas peddle.

FROM:
Amanda/Brittany
Grade 5
Myers Elementary School
Grand Blanc, MI
MESSAGE:
Janet~

No, we don't think that Kenny is happy about Byron staying in Birmingham because at school who will protect him from Larry Dunn. We argree that Joey will miss him but all the info that Byron gives her is false anyways. Do you think that Byron will get in trouble at in Burmingham? We think that he will because he is a rambunkious kid. We also think that Christopher paul urtis did a great job describing Kenny's pruney grandma. From the way that the author describes it the south is a boring place to Kenny and Byron. Do you think that it was a good idea for Dad to ignore Momma's plan and continue to drive? Why? Sorry to cut it short but it's time for lunch and we gotta go.


FROM:
Amanda/Brittany
Grade 5
Myers Elementary School
Grand Blanc, MI
MESSAGE:
HI EVERYBODY!!

It is nice to be back. Our computer was down for a couple of days. Today I wrote about if it was a good idea for Dad to ignore Mamma's and keep driving. I think dad did the right thing by ignoreing momma's plan's because if dad kept driving and stoping about every fifteen miles, he would be tired or would of felln asleep in the car while he was driving. Dad did the right thing be ignoreing momma and they didn't have to spen any money on ther trip.Do anyone out there knows about Grandma Sandes and how she reacts?


FROM:
John
Grade 7
Troutman Middle School
Troutman, NC
MESSAGE:
Bryon and kenny think that Granma Sands house looks terrible and they hate it. They hate were the bathroom is. They thought the south was scary because of the huge mountains. They thought black people weren't welcome in the south.

FROM:
Justin K & Chris R
Grade 6
Lake Louise School
Palatine, IL
MESSAGE:
Yes we are surprised by Byron's punishment because mom & dad didn't punish him for so long and that many times. We think the punishment will work with Byron, because grandma is very strict.

FROM:
Justin K & Chris R
Grade 6
Lake Louise School
Palatine, IL
MESSAGE:
Yes we think Byron's punishment will work. We think this punish- ment will work because his mommy and daddy didn't punish him in a long time.Byron's grandma is very strict so it will work on Byron unless Byron run's way or does stuff behide her back.We think this because Byron is a trouble maker.

FROM:
Adeel
Grade 6
Mata Intermediate School
Houston, TX
MESSAGE:
It's me Adeel,
I think in chap.8 that momma's and dad's plann won't work that well.
I mean that if they can't keep By in under control, how would Grandma Sands do. I think he is aleast going to have to stay there a year.
-----------> If any one feels the same way that I do please write me.
-_Adeel_-

FROM:
Katie
Grade 6
Mata Intermediate School
Houston, TX
MESSAGE:
I think it WILL be very boring for Kenny when By is left at the mercy of strick grandma Sands. I think the "out house" at their first stop was very funny! Has anyone ever been in an outhouse like that before? I have and boy did it stink!! Do you really think Mamma and Daddy will leave Byron in Alabama? Why do you think Joey is so loving to her oldest and dumbest brother?How do you think Kenny and Joey feel about going to Alabama?

Please write me back,
Katie


FROM:
Chidinma
Grade 6
Mata Intermediate School
Houston, TX
MESSAGE:
Dear Correy,
This is Chidinma again.I 've just finished reading chapter 9.I'm about to read chapter 10.I don't think that Byron will change.I think that when he comes back, he will be even worse.I just wish that Byron would stop behaving the way he is behaving. It would be much better for his family and hopefullly himself.Moma is sure pretty careful about the trip she planned it very carefullly and put alot of thought in it. So what do you think about chapter 9? And 10? Please write back.

FROM:
Jordan
Grade 6
Mata Intermediate School
Houston, TX
MESSAGE:
Hi MARCOS

No, I think he should'nt have to go,because he is just being a kid. I mean just about every kid played with matches no matter what age it was. I remember when I was about 7 years old I set a plastic paper towel rack on fire by accident.Well got to go.


FROM:
Samuel
Grade 6
Mata Intermediate School
Houston, TX
MESSAGE:
Ashley, I think too that the Watson's are going to be treated bad. Also that Byron Is to be good with granma and when they come to pick him up he's going to start to be bad all over again. But knowing about Byron he's going to speak up to his granma.Do you really think there going to leave Byron with his granma for the whole summer?

FROM:
Amanda M., Sarah P.
Grade 6
Lake Louise School
Palatine, IL
MESSAGE:
We think that mamma`s & dad`s punishment for Byron is very mean & in a way in a way it isn`t.
Byron deserves it. We think that he will probably change. But Byron has his ways. He knew not to play with matches.
his parents are sick and tired of Byron pulling his stunts, and not behaving. We agree that he deserves his punishment. We hope he`ll learn his lesson at Grandma`s house.
Byron deserves whatever punishment he gets.

FROM:
Amanda M., Sarah P.
Grade 6
Lake Louise School
Palatine, IL
MESSAGE:
We think that mamma`s & dad`s punishment for Byron is very mean & in a way in a way it isn`t.
Byron deserves it. We think that he will probably change. But Byron has his ways. He knew not to play with matches.
his parents are sick and tired of Byron pulling his stunts, and not behaving. We agree that he deserves his punishment. We hope he`ll learn his lesson at Grandma`s house.
Byron deserves whatever punishment he gets.

FROM:
Kimberly
Grade 4
Herod Elementary School
Houston, TX
MESSAGE:
I think Byron is going to learn in Alabama that there are good people there and that he will learn to act like one of them and do what they do and not be rude and evil.