Reedy Fork Elementary is best name
The following is a Counterpoint
By J.B. Leonard
Reedy Fork Elementary School has been discussed for at least four years. It is scheduled to open in August. Why should they want to change the name now?
I live at Reedy Fork Ranch. We are a happy, friendly neighborhood of various ethnic backgrounds of all ages and from all walks of life. I love my neighborhood. People I have talked with think Reedy Fork Elementary School is the perfect name. It's located on Reedy Fork Parkway, near Reedy Fork Creek. The developers plan to make tremendous future contributions to the school. This will save all taxpayers of Guilford County lots of money. If they choose not to, the children, principal, teachers and other school employees will suffer.
Why would the school board want to start naming schools after people when most rural elementary schools have been named community names? A person's name on a building does not inspire knowledge. Children learn from their teachers, principals, family members and others who work directly with them. A person's great deeds and accomplishments should be printed in books for all children to read about. There are too many qualified people to choose from. There aren't enough schools available to credit the many people who have stood out in history.
An elementary school is the first formal school for many children. Having that first school named after the area where they grew up, and will remember for the rest of their lives, will always be special. It's more important to have an elementary school named for the community where the children live than for any particular person. That way, all children can have the same sense of belonging and pride as they learn and grow together. As they become adults, there will always be a tie to the community -- by name, not someone from our past.
School staff invited nominations for names. Ten were suggested. Only three were submitted on the required forms. A public meeting was held, all names discussed and votes taken. The name Reedy Fork Elementary had the most support (the developer's representatives did not vote). Reedy Fork Elementary was submitted for board approval. On May 24, the board announced that the findings of May 10 were wrong and that the name Ron McNair, submitted by a man in the southeast district, had the most votes. I was at the May 10 meeting. We need an explanation.
We hope the board will listen to the wishes of the people of the northeast areas of Guilford County, especially those areas surrounding the new Reedy Fork school.
The writer lives in Greensboro.
Comments (8)
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I posted this below, but I'm posting it here as well, just in case people don't read it below.
I am making this comment in reference to the naming of the Reedy Fork Elementary School. While I have nothing against the name Ronald McNair Elementary, I feel that Reedy Fork Elementary would be more appropriate. The school will be located in Reedy Fork, most of the students will live in the Reedy Fork development, and, in my opinion, it's just nicer sounding. Reedy Fork Elementary sounds to me like a pleasant place where children are free to be children, while McNair sounds more appropriate for a high school or college. Also, if you'll do a google search for McNair Elementary School, you'll find that it is a very common school name. Reedy Fork Elementary School, however, is not common at all, and, therefore, I believe, has more personality.
Posted on June 6, 2007 11:09 AM
Agre 100%.
Then again, where would we be without those other great schools named after people:
Smith, Andrews, Dudley, Peeler, Murphey, Hairston, Montlieu, Hampton, Falkener, etc.
Posted on June 6, 2007 12:29 PM
You all are way too funny for me. You write in your commentary, "A person's name on a building does not inspire knowledge. Children learn from their teachers, principals, family members and others who work directly with them." Yet, you spend an extreme amount of time arguing for a particular name. If the premise of your argument is children learn and are inspired by what occurs inside the building, then why are you advocating for the name "Reedy Fork Elementary"?
If we stopped majoring in the minors and focused on more important matters, perhaps our schools (and society) wouldn't be in such bad shape. Too funny . . . way too funny!
Posted on June 6, 2007 2:29 PM
Quote: If the premise of your argument is children learn and are inspired by what occurs inside the building, then why are you advocating for the name "Reedy Fork Elementary"?
Good question. Here's my answer: There are certain names I don't like. Henry. Wilbur. Buell. That's why I didn't name my son any of those names. I named him a name that I like! If I had named him one of those other names, he'd still be the same kid, but why would I want him to be named a name I don't like?
Posted on June 6, 2007 3:49 PM
Thanks for proving my point. The problem here is you don't like it. In the final analysis, it's not about what you "like". Who cares if you like it or I like it or anyone else likes the name of the school. It's not about the name (which is what you wrote earlier). It's about what occurs within the school (which again you wrote earlier and is your best argument).
Let's stop making a big deal of something so petty! Use the same energy and fight you have on this name issue to ensure the quality of education, the resources within the school, and the instructional presentation of the teachers are sufficient and that children are learning. If we named the school Wilbur Elementary, you wouldn't like it, but if the kids are learning, isn't that all that really matters?
Life isn't like Burger King. You don't get things your way, so get over it.
Posted on June 6, 2007 5:31 PM
I don't have a dog in this fight. However, I have an opinion, fwiw. Names may not matter when it comes to learning but they do when it comes to perception. Every time I see a MLK Jr. boulevard or street, I see a society gone wild. I see a "done to death" tribute that means nothing anymore because it's done to death.
If the school is located in the area of Reedy Fork, what the heck is wrong with that name? If it was in Abbott's Creek area and was named Reedy Fork, it would not make a lick of sense. By naming a school for the area it's in, at least folks will know where it is!
Posted on June 6, 2007 6:15 PM
Ummm, actually, I wasn't fighting about anything...I'm just stating that I prefer a different name that, in my opinion, sounds nicer. Also, I could be wrong about this, but I'm getting the impression that you, justphiloophizing, think that I wrote the original commentary. I did not. I don't know the person who wrote it.
Naming a school for the location where it is located as opposed to naming it after a person does make a lot of sense. The school I went to was named after the village it was in. My husband's elementary school was named after the street it was on. It helps give people a better idea as to where the school is. McNair Elementary could be anywhere, while Reedy Fork Elementary will most likely be in an area called Reedy Fork. I didn't know who Jessie Wharton was when I first heard the name of that school, and had no clue where the school was. Had it been named Lake Brandt Elementary I would have known exactly where it was, and...I think it sounds nicer! ;-)
Actually, though, in the end the kids are going to change the name anyway. They'll call it McHair or Reedy Spoon...I'm sure they'll call it something other than whatever the actual name of it turns out to be.
Posted on June 6, 2007 9:26 PM
Reedy Fork Elementary School was on the original plans over four years ago! It is located on Reedy Fork Parkway, in the Reedy Fork area of Northeast Guilford County. Joe Stafford, who lives in the Southeast district, proposed the new name. He should concentrate on naming schools in his district and leave the Reedy Fork community alone. The BOE should concentrate on management within the schools---not renaming them. The issue is about keeping the community school name.
Posted on June 23, 2007 11:32 PM