St. Paul's School recognizes the importance, and influence, of extended family with its annual grandparents' day.
By PETER SCHWEITZER
Published December 2, 2003
CLEARWATER - While some say that it takes a village to raise a child, St. Paul's School emphasizes the role grandparents play in rearing the future generations.
The tradition started 23 years ago and is still going strong today. Last week, more than 600 parents and grandparents turned out for the private school's annual grandparents' day in spite of inclement weather.
As parent Loretta Laws handed out the program for the morning, she explained why her son Bradley attends the school.
"I was so impressed with the curriculum, it really attracted me to the place," she said. "The teachers make the school. My son is flourishing here."
Headmaster Doug Eveleth said, "We just couldn't do the things we do without" grandparents.
"Grandparents' day is an annual fall tradition here," said Eveleth, who has spent the last 13 years at St. Paul's School. "It ties the family and our school community together. It's really an extension of the family."
Ten-year old Katie Sibson of Belleair has a grandfather, Bill Burchenal, who was on the first board of trustees of the school.
"I love my grandparents," Katie said. "They're always there for me. They've done so much for me. My grandpa helped at the start of the school."
Charlie Gange, a 10-year-old fifth-grader from Palm Harbor, agrees with his classmate.
"My grandpa supports me a lot," Charlie said. "He encourages me to do a lot of things and never gets mad at me. He even plays splash ball with me."
His grandfather, Sam Gange, was visiting from his home in Arizona for the annual school event.
The grandparent event "is probably one of the most touching events of the entire year," school special events coordinator Teresa Hibbard said. "It melds the generations, reinforces extended families and encourages them to spend time together."
Grandfather Dan Doyle Sr. relishes the event.
"Being a grandparent is . . . the most underrated thing that ever happened to me," he said.
Doyle, who has two grandchildren at the school, Madeline in pre-kindergarten and Dan Doyle III in kindergarten, said he understands the significance of the school's impact on his grandchildren.
"They receive a good education, but more importantly, they learn the social skills to be good citizens," he said.
Highlighting the mornings festivities was the unveiling of a new bronze sculpture, which Pinellas County property appraiser Jim Smith had worked on since last spring.
"I spent the last month without sleep," Smith said. He said the sculpture is meant to depict the important relationship between grandparents and their grandchildren.
"I tried to portray the generational connection. The sculpture depicts grandfather and grandchild skipping in order to show that kids can do fun things with their grandparents," he said.
Smith, who lost his own grandchild to cancer last year, saw the work as a fitting tribute to his granddaughter, Kaylyn.
Grandfather Fred Fisher, who is an original founder of the school, believes the arts play an important role at the school.
"The arts are accentuated here," said Fisher, whose grandson Peyton is a third-grader at the school. "Those who get involved in the arts tend to be better students. I think the school has a better product than most. I'm proud of the school."
