Spanish
Immersion students take turns planting daffodil bulbs in front of the school
Monday under the watchful eye of Dalton Derr. Spanish Immersion students ignored gray skies, chilly temperatures and a light drizzle on Monday to help Dalton Derr “plant hope” along the front of their school, the former Brinkerhoff building.
Thousands of
daffodil bulbs went into the ground throughout the day at several Mansfield
City Schools buildings as part of a citywide Dazzle with Daffodils campaign
that seeks to have 15,000 of the bright yellow flowers in bloom next spring.
Daffodil
bulbs already have been planted downtown and additional plantings are planned
Tuesday at Arlin Field, South Park and North Lake Park
Derr, a
retired Mansfield Senior High music teacher, and his wife, Janeen Hire-Derr, an
audiologist in the district, are helping to lead the planting campaign.
“What we are about is beautification,” Dalton Derr told Spanish Immersion students gathered in front of the school. “The daffodil is a special flower. It is called the ‘flower of hope.’ Today, you are part of something special, something beautiful -- Dazzle with Daffodils.
“We want Mansfield to be a city of hope. We want Mansfield to become more helpful, more concerned.
“How many of you know your neighbors?” Derr asked.
Many hands
shot up.
“How many of you help your neighbors?” he asked.
Again, hands were raised.
“That’s good. Today, you are planting hope,” Derr said.
He explained that hundreds of holes, each about 5 inches deep, had been drilled with an auger along the front of the building. Each student was given a bulb to set in a hole “roots down, point up.”
“I want each of you to keep track of where you plant your bulb so that next spring you can see the beautiful daffodil that it produced,” Derr said. “And be careful, I don’t want you to go home muddy.”