Fall Break and Community Events

Kindermusik classes at Berry will observe fall break the week of September 30 - October 4.  This coincides with Rome City, Floyd County and several other other school systems. Classes will resume the week of October 7 and continue through the week of December 9.

Halloween falls on a Thursday this year, and Thursday afternoon/evening classes may be altered to allow children to enjoy the festivities of the day. Look for details from your teacher...coming soon!


October brings cooler weather and a plethora of activities to the Rome community.  Here are a few things to put on the family calendar.

Storytime at the Rome Floyd Library begins on Tuesday October 8.  The children's department has shows each Tuesday at 10 or 11 a.m.  Come and join in the stories, songs and spontaneity of storytime!

The Pumpkin Patch at Trinity United Methodist Church on Turner McCall Boulevard begins October 1 and continues through October 31.  Search for the perfect pumpkin, buy some home baked goodies and support the youth group at Trinity.

Coosa Valley Fair is October 1 - 5 at the fairgrounds on Martin Luther King Bouelvard.  Carnival rides, an art show, and animals to enjoy. Get details here

Berry has a full calendar of events for you to enjoy.  Some events are best suited as a "date night", but there are the occasional kid friendly activities. Opening on September 26 is Rodgers and Hammerstein's "A Grand Night for Singing" - a musical highlighting the showstoppers this pair created.  Read more about it here.  Go to www.berry.edu  and click on NEWS to stay up to date with happenings on campus.

Chiaha Harvest Fair is a favorite fall outing.  Enjoy arts, crafts, music and tasty treats. Mark your calendars for October 26 - 27.

Peach State Marching Festival is a great way to enjoy a day of marching bands without the football game!  This year marks the 40th year of this band competition at Barron Stadium.  The afternoon and evening is filled with music and marching.  A special performance by the JSU Marching Southerners will conclude the evening of song.

A few thoughts about singing

In the beginning was the voice....

In the olden days, everybody sang. You were expected to sing as well as talk. It was a mark of the cultured man to sing.

Leonard Bernstein 

Lullabies are sung throughout the world no matter the country or the language, mothers sing to their babies. Even if you don't like your voice, your children need to hear you sing. Every voice is unique.  Some voices are unmistakable: Willie Nelson, Cat Stevens, The Beatles, Dolly Parton. Your child loves to hear the particular sound you utter as you sing.

The lullaby is the spell whereby the mother attempts to transform herself back from an ogre to a saint.

James Fenton 

Songs are sung to make our work easier. The call and response songs in the field helped the workers endure the hard labor in the hot sun.

 Slaves are generally expected to sing as well as to work.

Frederick Douglass 

Today people use music when they work out or when they are on a long trip.  The distance swimmer who recently completed the 110 miles between Cuba and Key West, Diana Nyad, sang songs in her head while she swam. “There's a song list in my brain of 85 songs. Neil Young is my favorite.”

I love people and I love to sing, and that's what keeps me going.

Loretta Lynn 

Research shows that singing can boost the immune system. Read about the health benefits here

I don't sing because I'm happy; I'm happy because I sing.

William James 

The Bible references music and has an entire book of Psalms, or songs. Singing is for praising and worshiping our Creator.

Sing to the Lord a new song;

    sing to the Lord, all the earth.   

Psalm 96:1

SING LOUD 

IT'S A BIG WORLD!