They hung on every word Friday morning when Janice Everett visited the class to read the 32-page tale aloud as part of the school's recognition of National Grandparents Day, which this year falls on Sunday. While visiting Brookhaven for the week, Everett, of Newton, accepted an invitation to come to the class and read the book, chosen by her grandson 7-year-old Brady Spring, who is a member of Davis' class and loves the game of baseball.

"I love reading," said Everett, who participated in the event last year as well. "I think it's very important to expose children to books. It broadens their horizons."

The celebration of National Grandparents Day is now in its 31st year since being declared by Congress, and children across the county paired up with their family matriarchs and patriarchs to honor them. Grandparents were welcomed with food and song during a reception at Enterprise Attendance Center, and the preschoolers of First United Methodist Church invited their grandparents for a morning walk to Janie's Pastry.

National Grandparents Day began in a small level in 1970 in West Virginia, when Marian Lucille Herndon McQuade set out to establish a special day to honor grandparents, involve them more in their grandchildren's lives and help children take stock of the knowledge and experience every grandparent possesses.

Governor Arch Moore proclaimed National Grandparents Day in West Virginia in 1973, but legislation seeking to establish the day nationally stalled in the U.S. Senate that same year. McQuade began rattling for support in the media and sending letter to senior citizen-based organizations nationwide.

It took five years, but President Jimmy Carter signed National Grandparents Day into recognition in 1978. It falls annually on the first Sunday after Labor Day.

At Mamie Martin, however, the holiday has been stretched across all of September. Principal Danita Hobbs said the month is known as "GRAND Month" at her school.

"We have around 800 children here, so it would be a monumental task to have grandparents come on one day," she said. "We invite all grandparents of our students to come any time during the month to come and read to our kids.

"It's a special day for the children when they come - we sit them in a special place in the room, the grandchild gets to stand up front with them," she continued. "It's a special time to think about, hear about, learn about and honor our grandparents."



For Everett, it's a special day for the grandparents, too.

"I love being a grandparent. Grandparents can have all the fun without the responsibility," she said. "You can spoil the kids without worrying about the consequences. When the kids want something, they say, 'I'll ask gran and pop.'"