My journey north to Downtown Dubuque via White Street revealed old, red brick buildings that must have at one time been used for storage of goods offloaded or onloaded on barges heading south down the Mississippi River vir the Port. However, one new brick building stuck out in its pristineness. Prescott Elementary is only a few years old and it still holds that "new car smell".

My host, Jean Weber, was waiting for me at the office and greeted me with an enthusiastic smile. She said that most of the students had never met an author of baseball stories and were looking forward to my speech.

The level of cooperation I received couldn't have gone better. I was even able to have 4th and 5th graders confess their dreams to me. Just saying out loud what they wanted to do with their lives livened up the crowd, and I had three cooperative actresses give me their best screams. My story of my own daughter, Erin's, baseball success was well received and one the students hoped to relate to. My speech ended with a sparkle of attentiveness and thankful students who left the carpeted library with freshness and vigor to their steps.

Perhaps a new school in the heart of Dubuque does indeed make a difference in the way children perceive themselves. I know I felt refreshed in such a well-built school.

Thank you, Prescott teachers/students - especially my Cincinnati Reds' fan.