Since September, each time a baby is born at Fort Hamilton Hospital, a volunteer group known as the Great Start Program gives the baby a bag of five books.

        The idea, said Barbara Scrimizzi, a co-founder of the group, is to get the parents started reading to the child.

        “We talk to the parents a few minutes about the importance of reading to the child,” Mrs. Scrimizzi said. “When the baby is 6 months old, we send a note, another book and an application for a library card at the Lane Public Library.”

        The idea came from Rex Bucheit, principal at Fillmore Elementary School in Hamilton.

        “I don't want to take credit for the idea because there are a lot of these kinds of programs going on,” Mr. Bucheit said. “We are adopting the old Africa theme that it takes a village to raise a child. Well, we are trying to involve as many people as we can, to get the children acquainted with reading and positive conversation.”

        The volunteer group includes retired teachers, school librarians, secretaries, bus drivers, firefighters, police officers and members of veterans organizations.

        “I was looking for about 30 volunteers, but before I knew it, I quickly had 54,” Mrs. Scrimizzi said. “I guess you can call us baby boosters.”

        Since September, the group has delivered 500 bags with five books in each bag. The child's parents get a paper explaining the program. Some of the books are written in Spanish; others are books on tape.

        “The group is talking to the parents about the importance of the spoken word,” Mr. Bucheit said.

        The program is using data compiled by Betty Hart and Todd Risely, researchers working with a national research project in Louisville on language exposure.

        Their research showed that a baby born to a family on welfare is exposed to 600 spoken words an hour, while a child born to a blue-collar family is exposed to 1,200, and in a professional family, 2,100.

        Further, the research showed that in four years, the welfare child hears 13 million words, the blue-collar child, 26 million and the professional child, 48 million.

        The welfare child hears five positive comments an hour, the blue-collar child 12, and the professional child, 32.

        The research also showed that the welfare child hears 12 negative comments an hour, the blue-collar child six, and the professional child, five.

        Mr. Bucheit said the research showed that in addition to reading to a newborn, there is a need to provide the baby with exposure to a quantity and richness of word experiences, especially positive statements. To be a volunteer, call Fillmore School at 887-5085. To make a contribution, call the Hamilton Community Foundation at 863-1389.

       Allen Howard's “Some Good News” column runs daily except Saturday. If you have suggestions about outstanding achievements, or people who are uplifting to the Tristate, let him know at 768-8362, at ahoward@enquirer.com, or by fax at 768-8340.
       

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