Southern teachers get chilly lesson

The summertime tune wasn't in season, but teacher Jane Mineweaser hoped it would put her colleagues from Southern High School in the mood to jump in the bay.

It was November. It was cold. But they had to do it. Students had been promised that if they donated enough food to the Kids Helping Kids food drive, the faculty would brave a plunge.

"I keep trying to tell the students, I don't think the word 'jump' is appropriate," said Mineweaser, who, stereo blaring beach music, was among the first of the faculty at the beach of Herrington Harbour South in Friendship.

This was the first year Southern has used the promise of cold, wet teachers to induce students to donate food, said Marc Procaccini, the assistant principal who suggested it and led the plunge.

It worked, he said: The school collected about 1,700 pounds of food, compared to about 1,000 pounds last year.

"Some do it for charity, but I think most wanted to see their teachers get in ice cold water," said Southern student David Lovett, 15.

Not every teacher participated, and only the 13 or so who racked up more than 1,000 points in donations from their students - Procaccini assigned different point values to various foodstuffs - had to plunge.

And even they arrived wary of the cold water.

"You have to run in, I think," chemistry teacher Brian Himes said. "Or I may just put one foot in the water and scream and run out. There's no way to tell."

For a moment, it seemed a glitch might save the teachers from their impending freeze. The water's depth, as tested by physical education teacher Doug Campbell, was only about 1 to 2 feet deep.

"The polar bear ankle dip," school counselor Margaret Hirsch commented dryly as she watched Campbell walk about 30 yards out from the beach.

And although students had seemed excited to put their teachers in the bay, just three came to watch. Liz Nutwell, 16, said lots of students either had to attend sports practices or couldn't get to the beach because they don't have cars.

Yet even without an audience, the teachers did it. Shoulders up around their ears, they ran into the shallows and, true to their word, sat down for a total plunge. Splashing ensued, and a few teachers were dunked before they walked - feet totally numb - back to shore.

Some appreciated the experience more than others.

"Kind of refreshing," said math teacher Brian Rossin. "It's brisk, I'd say."

"Oh dear God," shivered health teacher Tracey Malarkey.

Still, they were lucky. The sun shone yesterday and the air was a bit warmer than average at 60 degrees. Even Principal Maryalice Todd, who said she "empowered" her administrative staff to plunge in her place, said she might consider taking a dip next year.

"I'm not going to promise them, but I'm going to have to take that very seriously," she said.