Veterans’ Day Was An

Opportunity To Teach

To the Editor:

As a veteran (four and a half years in the US Army, three of them in Korea and Japan) I was interested in the three letters last week that criticized the Board of Education and the School Calendar Committee for not making Veterans’ Day a school holiday. Rather, the high school made it a special day for both Newtown’s veterans and students. I know because for the second year I was able to attend the lunch prepared by the Culinary Arts Classes and the special school assembly.

I found it quite moving that the school made the effort to thank the veterans and to teach the students something about the day, its history, and its meaning. At least one student took the ceremony seriously enough to thank me for my service (such as it was) and to shake my hand. That has never happened before.

I cannot believe that a day off from school would have been as valuable. Nor do I see that turning students loose for a day honors anyone. I believe the Board of Education did the right thing, and hope it continues to use Veterans’ Day as an opportunity to teach our children a little something about the wider world.

All my best wishes,

Wally Wood

62 Great Ring Road, Sandy Hook                        November 16, 2009