"Polar Express" Transports Relay Elementary Students

On Thursday afternoon, Mike Bowler of Catonsville was this year's invited guest to read The Polar Express to students at Relay Elementary School.

Bowler, a former Sunpapers education writer and editor, is a member of the county schools' Board of Education.

A parade of children in pajamas, many carrying stuffed animals, blankets or copies of the book, filed down the hallway past the principal's office to the auditorium.

"Oh, it was pajama day at Hillcrest too," Bowler observes.

He'd read The Polar Express at Hillcrest Elementary earlier in the morning. Bowler often reads books to Hillcrest students, where his only grandchild is a fourth-grader.

"Pajama day is very popular here," remarks principal Heidi Miller.

"I was hoping to catch my favorite teacher in her pajamas," Bowler confides to a nearby reporter. "No such luck."

Librarian Linda Stevenson pointed out that The Polar Express has particular meaning to Relay's roots in railroad history. The book refers to a horse-drawn train. When horses were used to pull trains from Baltimore to Ellicott City, they were exchanged for a fresh team at Relay.

The Ravens' mascot, Poe, swooped in to rousing cheers from the kids, who jumped to their feet and gave high-fives to Bowler and the bird as they made their way through the raucous auditorium.

The school's cheerleading team performed spot-on cheers for Poe. Music teacher Ashley Cameron led the kids in an enthusiastic rendition of "Polar Puppy" before thr crowd settled in for the featured event.

The room was silent as Bowler read from his copy of the book, vivifying the story with props: a pocketwatch, a bell, a gift box and note.

The story was projected on the wall so everybody could read. Many children followed along in their own copies of the book.

And when Bowler was finished, you could hear a bell ring.