The call of fall brings the annual excursion of Ms. Knispel’s Expository Writing students to Centennial Hall. The variety of rooms ranging from “records” to “school room” and “bell room” give the students an opportunity to examine, appreciate and write about the various memorabilia that generations of Valentinians have left to the care of the local historians.
Ms. Knispel and her students with the help of Mrs. Janell Stoeger, and Centennial Hall docents Venetta Argenbright and Joyce Schlueter, moved through the various rooms being inspired to write and share their writing in the tradition of writing marathons which originated in New Orleans, and has been adapted by the Nebraska Writing Project as an integral part of being inspired to write in a “place” and consider how that place may influence or spur a writer’s work. Both Ms. Knispel and Mrs. Stoeger have participated in the Nebraska Writing Project and the Project’s annual Platte River Retreat and Marathon held in eastern Nebraska at the Platte River State Park near Louisville.
After too short a period of time to totally explore Centennial Hall, and possibly meet the mythical ghost, the students met under the canopy outside and took part in a read around of authors’ works before returning to their usual schedule at Valentine High School.
