The Writer's Corner: Book 3

By N.K. Beckley

The Writers Corner is the third book Mrs. Beckley has written. This book introduces the reader to a new set of characters: Beth, Jerry, Karen, their parents, their siblings, and their teachers. It takes place in the same school forty-five years later, in 20112012.
It is an interactive book that introduces the reader, as well as the new classmates, how to write articles for a school newspaper, The Wiz, on the topics A Christmas Carol and the Titanic, the district swim and diving meet, the ghost William, and the first gold rush in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 1799, and some of the history of Korea.
This book also brings back all the characters from the first and second book for an alumni concert and the reopening of BJS.
The Golden Nugget is the fourth book in the series and follows Beth, Jerry, Karen, William, and their families in some new adventures.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Sep 28, 2012
• ISBN: 9781479712427

N.K. Beckley

Mrs. Beckley grew up in suburban Philadelphia in the small borough of Rose Valley—until she and her family were transferred to Detroit in 1976. She is the mother of two grown daughters and the grandmother of five grandchildren. In her spare time, she likes to read, write, cook, bake, teach American Sign Language for the Deaf and music, after school. She also enjoys dance and American Musical Theater. Mrs. Beckley has taught music and elementary school in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Virginia for over thirty years. All of her students learned to Sign for the Deaf whether it was in her classroom or in her music classes.

Book preview

The Writer’s Corner

7725.jpg

Book 3

N.K. Beckley

Copyright © 2012 by N.K. Beckley.

Library of Congress Control Number:      2012916399

ISBN:      Hardcover      978-1-4797-1241-0

                Softcover      978-1-4797-1240-3

                Ebook            978-1-4797-1242-7

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

To order additional copies of this book, contact:

Xlibris Corporation

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

[e-mail]

120355

Contents

Chapter 1 The Surprise

Chapter 2 Homework, Dinner, And The Phone Call

Chapter 3 The Guest Speaker

Chapter 4 The Book List

Chapter 5 The Book Fair

Chapter 6 The Search

Chapter 7 Thursday—The Snow Day

Chapter 8 The Swimming And Diving Finals

Chapter 9 The Newspaper Article

Chapter 10 The Computer Invitations For The Alumni Weekend

Chapter 11 The Meeting

Chapter 12 The Council Meeting

Chapter 13 The Courthouse

Chapter 14 The Meeting

Chapter 15 Trip To North Carolina And The Reed Gold Mine

Chapter 16 The Letter And Alumni Weekend

Chapter 17 Alumni Weekend

Bibliography

This book is dedicated to

Bobbie, Dick, Jane, Peggy,

Renee, and Toni.

Thank you for all your help and support.

CHAPTER 1

The Surprise

E lizabeth Ann, or Beth as she liked to be called, was in the fifth grade in a small Catholic school in suburban Philadelphia. She wasn’t very good in school, but what she liked to do the best was write stories for English class. She also liked to dance and swim. She would swim all year round on one of the five teams in the area.

Beth, could you come back and see me please?

It was Sister Joyce, who was very tall and slender and very loveable to all her students. She always saw the best in everyone even if they weren’t strong in their academic subjects in school. She would encourage all her students to be the best they could be, and if she found something they were good in, she would encourage them in that area. She really admired Beth for her writing ability.

Beth was about to get the surprise of her life, and as Sister Joyce began, she couldn’t believe what she heard her say.

Beth, I’m thinking of starting a school newspaper, and I wondered if you would like to help me?

Beth thought a minute and then asked a question. What would I have to do?

Well, every two weeks I would ask you to write the lead story about a topic, and we could choose it together. The catch would be that you would have to use your spelling and vocabulary words in it somehow, and during class, you could go back to the Writer’s Corner and write your story.

The Writer’s Corner was a place in the room designed for English writing projects. There were also special corners for social studies, reading, and math where all the students could work on different projects in that particular subject.

You could even put up a bulletin board in the Writer’s Corner about your topic. You could also use the full period to do it, and it would become part of your grade for class.

Could I have anyone of my classmates help me? she asked.

Yes, as long as you could work quietly together, I think it might work. Would you like to think about it? You could tell me after lunch. That way you could talk with some of your classmates about it.

That sounds good to me. I really want to think about it.

That will be fine, now go back to your seat and we’ll talk about it later.

Just then, the lunch bell rang, and everyone lined up to go to their lockers for their lunches and then line up to go to the lunchroom for their lunch together. They first stood and said prayers and then walked quietly to their seats in the lunchroom. Beth found her place next to her best friend Karen.

What was all that about? she asked. Are you in trouble again with Sister Joyce?

No, she wants me to help her with a school project, Beth replied.

Well, that’s an all-time first. What’s the project? asked Karen as she drank her milk slowly.

Well, she wants to start a school newspaper, and she wants me to help her.

That sounds so cool! Can anyone write for it? Karen asked.

I don’t know yet, but I was going to ask you if you wanted to help me help her, and since your dad writes for a newspaper already, maybe he could give us a few tips. Would you help me, Karen? she asked.

Sure, just tell me how I can help you as soon as you find out.

I’m supposed to talk with Sister after lunch, and I should know more by then.

Karen was the smartest student in the school. She always got First Honors and had been on the Honor Roll since she first started at this school two years ago. Her family had moved to the Philadelphia area from Buffalo, New York, two years before, and they had lived in Japan for a year while her dad wrote for a service newspaper there. So Karen would be the perfect choice to help with the newspaper.

Beth just thought to herself, I hope Sister will let Karen help me and get the help from her dad too.

The students all went back to their classroom for an indoor recess, as it was January and the weather was too cold to go outside.

Karen, do you want to play a game with me? asked Jerry. He was the new kid on the block as he had just moved into the community before Christmas. Jerry’s parents were in the navy and were stationed at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. Both his parents were assigned to an aircraft carrier, and they both had something to do with the pilots there. But he wasn’t exactly sure what they did. Jerry was amazing because he could speak three languages—French, Italian, and Spanish—only because he had lived in those parts of the world. He was tall for his age, had freckles and brown hair, and wore wire-rimmed glasses. He was so interesting, and he would be a great asset to the newspaper.

There was also a deaf girl in their class named Pam, and she was teaching everyone American Sign Language. Their class was very diverse to say the least.

Sure, what game do you want to play? she answered.

May I join you? both Beth and Pam asked.

How about some puzzles instead since we will never finish a board game in time? Karen replied.

And they all got started doing a US map puzzle. It was together in no time because Pam was really such a big help. By the time they finished, it was time to put everything away and get out a silent-reading book and read.

Everyone in Beth’s class loved this time the best because they could sit anywhere in the room and read. Karen, Jerry, Beth, and Pam loved the beanbag chairs and the hammock the best, and Sister Joyce made sure everyone got a turn to read in them.

Today was different. Both Beth and Sister were trying to come up with a name for the school newspaper.

Sister, why not have a contest in our class to name the newspaper? Beth said.

That’s a wonderful idea. Would you and Karen like to help me judge it?

How did you know I wanted Karen to help me?

I saw you talking with her about it earlier. How about asking Jerry to write a short story about what it’s like being a navy brat?

What’s a navy brat? she asked.

That’s a student who grows up with parents in the armed forces, Sister replied with a smile on her face. That was a very good question, Beth.

Sister, you can really read minds. I guess that is one of those gifts you’re always telling us about, said Beth.

Yes, I guess it is. I take it that you will help me with this project? It might prove to be a very interesting experience for all of us, Sister said.

All the students in the room agreed that it might be fun.

Beth thought to herself, It sounds like she’s been talking to my mom because she always says that.

Just then, Sister announced to the class that it was Dear Time, which meant drop everything and read.

Allen raised his hand to ask if he and Billy could go to the back of the room and read in the beanbag chairs and the hammock.

Yes, and choose two girls that haven’t had a turn yet.

Let me see. I choose Dianna and Susan, who were his best friends next to Billy, who was with him in Boy Scouts.

I need to see Karen, Beth, and Jerry, Sister said.

The three of them went back to her desk, wondering what was on her mind.

Sister explained why she had chosen them, and it was for the reasons that they all had discussed earlier before lunch and during lunch.

Sister then explained how they would vote on the name for the newspaper. They were to all work in groups of four at tables, and they had half an hour to come up with a name, write it down on paper, and put it in the fishbowl on her desk. Then everyone could vote only once on the name, and the one with the most votes was the winner.

Does that seem fair? And in the event of a tie, you three will choose the best name for it. Do you all understand the rules? she asked.

They all agreed it was a good and fair idea because now everyone would have a voice in the naming of the newspaper.

After Dear Time, we will start our project so you have some time left to read. Go back to your seats and get started, Sister