Student Comments About The Watsons Go to Birmingham--1963

Tuesday, February 22

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FEBRUARY 22, 2000
FROM:
Brittany
Grade 4
Underhill I.D. School
Jericho, VT
MESSAGE:
It's Brittany. I didn't think Byron was really trying to scare Kenny but I think he was telling a warning lie. I think Byron has changed his attitude and listens to Grandma Sands carefully. I thought Byron was kind to save Kenny. Do you think Byron is getting better by his attitude toward people? I'm interested to know. Do write back soon.

FROM:
Keegan
Grade 4
Underhill I.D. School
Jericho, VT
MESSAGE:
To Roger and Josh,
Do you know what a coon is? What do you mean by, "that's dumb"? I think that the dog drowned because it was too old. The coon probably had rabies because a regular coon could not drown a dog but one with rabies can because it has a reacting bite. A regular coon wouldn't attack a dog, but rabies make animals act differently!!

FROM:
Rebekah
Grade 4
Underhill I.D. School
Jericho, VT
MESSAGE:
To Chodma,
I think Byron will change when he comes back from Grandma Sand's because she will discipline him for saying bad words, then he will not say the things. I also think that he will be more helpful at his house.
From,
Rebekah

FROM:
Thomas
Grade 4
Underhill I.D. School
Jericho, VT
MESSAGE:
Dear Someone,
Do you think By will learn to have good behavior in Alabama? I think Grandma Sands won't let By get away with any bad behavior.
Thomas

FROM:
Ariel
Grade 4
Underhill I.D. School
Jericho, VT
MESSAGE:
Hi,
I wonder how the Watsons felt driving so long in that car! I hate driving in cars. I bet having an Ultra-Glide playing might help you relax and go to sleep. Sleeping in cars isn't that bad. I bet they were really relieved to get to Grandma's house!
Ariel

FROM:
Maercos
Grade 7
Marshall Middle School
Marshall, WI
MESSAGE:
So why do you think By was crying?

Do you think kenny is getting in trouble for fun?


FROM:
Danielle L.
Grade 7
Marshall Middle School
Marshall, WI
MESSAGE:
I think that Kenny has been so bad is that he has been the perfect angel his whole life but for once he could maybe goof off or be cool but Byron doesn't want to be bad around these people cause for once he been treated as an adult and he likes it. So he doesn't want to screw anything up by act imature and getting in trouble with the grown-ups.

Danielle L.


FROM:
Andy S.
Grade 7
Marshall Middle School
Marshall, WI
MESSAGE:
To Jordan,
I think it was a good idea for the dad to keep diving, it was for their safety and they will get there faster.

FROM:
Correy T.
Grade 7
Marshall Middle School
Marshall, WI
MESSAGE:
Dear Josh and Roger,
It is possible for a coon to drown a dog. Raccoons are one of the smartest animals alive

FROM:
Jake
Grade 7
Marshall Middle School
Marshall, WI
MESSAGE:
To marla-
I think the trip will be bad.

FROM:
Brandon
Grade 7
Marshall Middle School
Marshall, WI
MESSAGE:
I think that Byron has been changing and will start being good and not get in trouble as much. What do you think?

FROM:
Angela
Grade 7
Marshall Middle School
Marshall, WI
MESSAGE:
hey everyone!
so, Why do you think that Kenny insisted on going to Collier's landing? I think he wanted to gok ecause he has always been a good boy, and he never really had adenture in his life, and he finnally wants an advendture. He's never really fit in in school, and he wants to have some fun.
w/b Angie

FROM:
Kristen
Grade 7
Marshall Middle School
Marshall, WI
MESSAGE:
I thought it was kind of stupid for Kenny to go to Collier's Landing.
If my someone told me that a kid a died at this whirl pool, I wouldn't have gone into it. But, it was a good thing Byron came back and saved Kenny.

FROM:
Kyle
Grade 7
Marshall Middle School
Marshall, WI
MESSAGE:
Do you think Byron will get in trouble down there? I think he's going to shop lift and other kinds of bad stuff.

FROM:
Jake
Grade 7
Marshall Middle School
Marshall, WI
MESSAGE:
To Marla-
I think that byron will give his grandma a good time.

FROM:
Danielle L.
Grade 7
Marshall Middle School
Marshall, WI
MESSAGE:
Dear Josh and Roger

I think it IS very stupid they expect us to believe a coon could push a dog under water. I think the only dog they could push under water is a chiuiua. But this is an old guy we are dealing with here and you know old peole not all a few make their stories seem bigger and cooler than they really are.

Danielle L.


FROM:
Brittney
Grade 7
Marshall Middle School
Marshall, WI
MESSAGE:
Hi everyone
do you think it was right for byron to tell joey and kenny that thw wooh pool was winnie the poohs evil twin brother?
do you think that it scared joey and kenny to not go swimming?
i thought that it was a good thing for him to say that because then they wouldn't want to go swimming.
i don't think it scared them it just made them kinda wonder if it was true or if it was just a story to make them scared.

why do you think that byron didn't go to colliers landing?
i think he didn't because he wants to go back to flint. and the only way he cna go back is ifhe doesn't get jin trouble.
and if he can prove that he can be trusted to go back to flint and stay out of trouble.

what do you think made kenny go to colliers landing?
do you think he did it because he thought that he had to prove to byron that he wasn't affraid to go .
i think that he did it because he thinks that ifhe chickens out by will make fun of him. so ya i guess that i do think that kenny is trying to prove that he wasn't affraid


FROM:
Lana W.
Grade 7
Marshall Middle School
Marshall, WI
MESSAGE:
To:jordan
Grade 3
from boone elementry

I think dad knew what he was doing!
Why I think he did drive all the way straight was because it will be a much faster way of getting to birmingham! They would'nt of needed to be worried about when to stop and eat!

-lana


FROM:
Tom
Grade 7
Marshall Middle School
Marshall, WI
MESSAGE:
Dear Josh and Robert,
It is possible that a Racoon would drown a dog. Racoons are one of the smartest animals on Earth.

FROM:
Brandi G.
Grade 7
Marshall Middle School
Marshall, WI
MESSAGE:
To Katherine L.
I feel the same way about Kenny going to Colliers Landing. I also think that he went there to see what it was like and how the other people died or disappeared.
Do you think it was right for Byron to tell Joey and Kenny that Wool Pooh was a monster in the lake that would eat you ?
I don't think it was. I also think that byron scared Joey. Thats mean!

Brandi


FROM:
Bob E.
Grade 7
Marshall Middle School
Marshall, WI
MESSAGE:
What is your thought about byron going to birmingham ham, and learning his leason so far?

FROM:
Robert, Matt and John
Grade 7
Troutman Middle School
Troutman, NC
MESSAGE:
What is going on? It looks like Kenny and Byron are switching roles. Byron is following directions and Kenny is breaking the rules. We think Byron is a dynamic character because he used to be mean and now he is being nice. His changes started when he met Grandma Sands. We felt shocked when he helped Kenny. The old Byron might have let him die. His 'personal saver' is not Rufus, It is Byron!

FROM:
Robert
Grade 7
Troutman Middle School
Troutman, NC
MESSAGE:
I like this book so far. It is a great book when you are down and lonely. It even makes you happy when you are sad. I remember a time when I was unhappy because I didn't have anyone to play with or talk to. So whenever i am lonely, I read a book, invent something or play with my dog. I'll even take a nap when I don't want to do nothing. I relate the most to Kenny because he is nice. He could make a great friend

FROM:
John
Grade 7
Troutman Middle School
Troutman, NC
MESSAGE:
I think this is a great book so far. i can relate to kenny and the way his brother makes him mad because instead of a brother making me mad, my mother makes me mad sometimes.

FROM:
Matt
Grade 7
Troutman Middle School
Troutman, NC
MESSAGE:
This is a good book. I like it but it is nothing like my life. I don't have a brother to beat me up all the time. I don't try to be cool all the time, I am cool--unlike Byron. Byron really is a wimp because he picks on people smaller than him. I am not sure how he can be God of the school. I would recommend this book to other people who want to read a good book.

FROM:
Katie
Grade 6
Mata Intermediate School
Houston, TX
MESSAGE:
Dear Yasmin and Savanna,
I just read chapter 13 andboy I was scared! I thought Kenny was going to die!!!! And it was kinda weird of By to be kissing Kenny's head and crying because Kenny just escaped the hands of "the Wool Pooh".
Sincerily,
Katie

FROM:
Stephany
Grade 6
Mata Intermediate School
Houston, TX
MESSAGE:
To Alexander
I think that kenny wanted to go to Colliers because he wanted to have an adventure, have fun, and see if the story about the wool pooh was true. i think he shouldn't of went even though he thought the sign was phoney. i would of wanted to be with everybody else. i would never swim with no one there because what if something happened to me. What do you think?

FROM:
Adeel
Grade 6
Mata Intermediate School
Houston, TX
MESSAGE:
Hi its me Adeel,
I got scared that when the church tore down that Joey got injured.But when she came into kenny's room that was a suprise for me. I was cool that Kenny was looking out for Joey like that.
I enjoyed reading that chapter.
*A-D-E-E-L*
(0)
^I^

FROM:
Chidinma
Grade 6
Mata Intermediate School
Houston, TX
MESSAGE:
Dear Correy,
I've just finished reading chapter 13.Kenny almost died!!!!!!! I'm happy that he is still alive. I think that its Byron's fault that Kenny went down the colier.Kenny didn't think it was true and wanted to check it out for himself.In book club we talked about what Momma thought about the ultra glide, If Momma and Dad's plan for Byron would work, and also why we thought Momma planned the trip so carefully.I am kind of doubting the book right now.What I mean by that is When I make predictions I'm not sure about them. How does the story make you feel right now?

FROM:
Ariel
Grade 4
Underhill I.D. School
Jericho, VT
MESSAGE:
Hi,
I'm Ariel. I don't like the part when By gets sick because he killed the bird, it is so disgusting! I also think it is very cruel to kill animals that you live with evey day. From,
Ariel

FROM:
Rebekah
Grade 4
Underhill I.D. School
Jericho, VT
MESSAGE:
I think that Byron thru-up in chapter because of the bird that must have grossed him out. I think that Kenny thought that it was something different that caused him to throw-up. Do you think that other parts in the story are really gross?
Rebekah

FROM:
Keegan
Grade 4
Underhill I.D. School
Jericho, VT
MESSAGE:
To Catherine D.,
I think grandma will get em' good for having that Mexican style hair! And having daddy cut it off. I think By will still get in trouble though at grandma's house.
Keegan

FROM:
Keegan
Grade 4
Underhill I.D. School
Jericho, VT
MESSAGE:
To Samuel,
I thought that their dad was going to burn his hand when he got home.
Keegan

FROM:
Keegan
Grade 4
Underhill I.D. School
Jericho, VT
MESSAGE:
To Stephany,
I wish Joetta was my sister. Isn't she really nice to By? What do you think she does when Kenny gets punished?
Keegan

FROM:
Keegan
Grade 4
Underhill I.D. School
Jericho, VT
MESSAGE:
To Terry,
Did you read the book part when By gets to live with grandma already or was that just a prediction?
Keegan

FROM:
Thomas
Grade 4
Underhill I.D. School
Jericho, VT
MESSAGE:
Dear J.L.,
What do you think about By's punishment for dying his hair? I have mixed feelings about it. For one, I think it is good that By got his head shaved but on the other hand, I think it was too harsh. Also, do you think Byron should go to Alabama? I think he should get another chance. But I think he would learn his lesson because he wouldn't want to go back to Alabama.
Your Friend,
Thomas

FROM:
Brittany
Grade 4
Underhill I.D. School
Jericho, VT
MESSAGE:
Hey Adeel,
It's Brittany. I agree with you. I think in chapter 9 Byron deserved getting sent to his grandma in Alabama. Do you think Byron should have got sent to his grandma?
Brittany