From St. Cyril of Alexandria

Publication: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Author: Johnna A. Pro
Date: February 28, 2003

HIS ‘CHILDREN’ REACT: FROM ST. CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA
By Johnna A. Pro
Post-Gazette Staff Writer

At St. Cyril of Alexandria Elementary School in Brighton Heights, Principal Peggy Bookser usually begins each morning by pinning a “Far Side” cartoon to the bulletin board in the teachers’ lounge, a little humor to go along with the day’s reminders.

Yesterday, she drew her own picture – a fairy-tale castle, its banners waving in the breeze.

“Flags at ‘half mast’ in the village of make-believe,” she wrote underneath. “Mister Rogers died.”

Later in the day, Bookser and teachers Chris Matuszewski and Melissa Marcincak asked second- and fifth-graders to write their own remembrances of Mister Rogers and his neighborhood. The following are excerpts:

“I think Mister Rogers was a wonderful man. He helped children with their problems. He told kids how to treat other people the same. And he was my best friend. And I miss him a lot. Friends never forget each other. And I will never forget him. And I love him. We are one BIG SPIRIT! We’re in the circle of life.” – Emma Sciullo, 7

“I really miss Mister Rogers because he helped me read in his show. I like him because he told me a lot on TV. You are good at puppets.” – Tim Lagnese, 7

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