The Montgomery Advertiser from Montgomery, Alabama • 12

2B Monday, December 13, 2004 Montgomery Advertiser EDUCATION PROFILE: CHERYL SMITH-FOUNTAIN HOW TO REACH US Michelle Jones, assistant metro editor, oversees FYI. To submit your items for Our Town and News From Your Neighborhood, call (334) 240-9268 or fax at (334) 261-1521. Readers also can send her e-mail at mjonesKsgannett.com. Cheryl Smith-Fountain, Brewbaker Junior High School's principal, is finally where she wants to be leading the team. Smith-Fountain's ambition to become a principal stemmed from her desire to have an impact on more lives than she would in the classroom.

She has been a part of Montgomery Public Schools for more than a decade. Prior to becoming principal, Smith-Fountain was a social studies teacher and an assistant principal for five years. She spent another year as principal at Houston Hill Junior High School. Now in her first year as principal of Brewbaker Junior High School, the former "military brat" is certain about her mission. "I want the students to leave here with the skills needed and the determination to continue to grow, learn and achieve," she said.

"But most importantly, I want them to become productive citizens." Smith-Fountain, who has been described as very businesslike on the job, thinks her students would be most surprised to see how laid back she is on the weekends. When not in school, she enjoys reading, shopping and watching movies, especially those on Lifetime. Gail Williams OUR TOWN AROUND TOWN Yvi- L' ir 1 if A '7s iff rH'f The combined choirs perform Church's ceremony Sunday. Memorial Baptist Photos rott came from Nashville, to help the congregation celebrate. Parrott was scheduled to speak at last year's anniversary, but was hospitalized with pneumonia.

"We are so honored today by Karen S. Doerr Advertiser W. Leena Thomas sings along with the rest of the congregation Sunday during the 127th anniversary celebration at Dexter Avenue King Me- The Rev. Dr. Joan S.

Parrott, a visiting pastor from Nashville, speaks Sun-morial Baptist Church in Montgomery. day in Montgomery. Historic Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church celebrates anniversary with visitor to have this leader here," said the Rev. Michael Thur-man, pastor of Dexter Avenue, while introducing Parrot. "I saw her last November and wanted to have her speak here." "I am just so proud and Songs, praise and a fiery sermon from a visiting pastor helped mark the 127th anniversary celebration of the historic Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church.

The Rev. Dr. Joan S. Par- at Dexter Avenue King "If we aren't together, we aren't going to be able to fight anyone. Those of you who have written yourself off God uses ordinary people to spread his word and to do extraordinary things," she said.

She recounted the story of Christmas in old 1850s, used advertising ''J 0 Tuesday Frazer Memorial United Methodist Church will hold its Noon Salad Luncheon on Tuesday in the fellowship hall. Don Hill will speak on "Goodbye Yellow Brick Load." The cost is $4. Brewbaker Junior High School will hold a PTA meeting at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, followed by a 7 p.m. concert, featuring Christmas songs from the Show Choirs and Symphonic Bands.

Fathers Offering Children Undivided Support and the Alpha Upsilon Lambda Chapter will present "Kidney Disease is on the Rise," a community action fatherhood program, at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the St. Jude Intake Center. Sandra S. Kelley will speak.

Fathers who plan to play basketball must come to register. Saturday An African-American Santa will be on hand for children at 1 p.m. Saturday at Danelly Pine Community Park, 631 W. Fairview Ave. Call Carolyn Lacey Boyd at (334) 613-8683 or (334) 263-1035.

There will be free food, drink and gifts. Photos will be taken. Six bicycles will be given away. The Montgomery Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. will sponsor its second Kwanzaa Fiesta Cabaret from 9 p.m.

to 1 a.m. Saturday at the Joe L. Reed Acadome on the campus of Alabama State University. Preston Frazier of Selma will perform. The evening will end with the upbeat tempo of the latest billboard chart toppers by DJ Jeffrey Fair.

The attire is Kwanzaa or festive clothing. Proceeds will benefit the sorority's scholarship program and area charitable organizations. Call Sandra Jackson at (334) 834-9790 for tickets. Sunday Refuge Temple AME Zion Church will hold a Christmas celebration play titled "The Wonderful Gift," followed by fellowship and dinner at the Day's Inn Conference Room at 11 a.m. Sunday at 2625 Zelda Road.

Coming up The Dexter Parsonage Museum will have a holiday light display from 6 to 8 p.m. Dec. 23 at the parsonage, 309 S. Jackson St. Admission is $2 for children and $3 for adults.

Carolers will sing Christmas songs. Call the parsonage at (334) 261-3270. Continuous The Dexter Parsonage Museum portrays the young Martin Luther King Jr. as a husband, father, and famous civil rights leader. Walk through the modest parsonage to see how the King family lived from 1954 to 1960.

The Parents of ADDADHD Children will meet at 6 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month in Room 3215 of Frazer Memorial United Methodist Church, 6000 Atlanta Highway. Call Lennie at (334) 272-8622. Women In Recovery II will meet from 10 to 11 a.m. Saturdays at 529 Sayre St.

for women in recovery from mind-altering substances. No one will be turned away. (334) 286-8246. Send items to Our Town, Attn: Kirsten J. Barnes, P.O.

Box 1000, Montgomery, AL 36101-1000, e-mail them to or fax them to (334) 261-1521. FYI LINEUP Every day Our Town, FYI profile Tuesday-Saturday Crime and arrest reports Sunday Student profile Monday Teacher profile Tuesday Good Neighbor profile Wednesday Military profile, Maxwell-Gunter Digest and Hometown news Thursday Public service public safety profile, food inspections Friday Volunteer profile Saturday Senior citizen profile Montgomery Advertiser honored to be here," said Parrott. "Life is filled with swift transition and if you live long enough, you will have to take a stand," she said before reading the biblical story of how David slew Goliath. about Christmas in the v. i i of Dr.

Martin Luther King struggle for equality. "He was a great influence on me since I was a little girl," she said. "He took a stand. Many churches in the community turned against Dr. King because he took a stand." old South to and whortleberries were available," she continued.

Phyllis Armstrong, a member of the society that gave the Cemetery Committee report, loved Neeley's speech. "She's always very interesting. She's very studious. She's learned all about history, (and is a) great talker," Armstrong said. hitch.

Margie Lee, the church musical director, said the program was the biggest Christmas show ever for the church and couldn't have become a reality without a grant from the May-bell and Karl Albrecht Endowment Fund. i miinai it iinMiini-i i in From left, Martha Ray Harris, Laurie Sanders and Bob Cheney listen Sunday to a speech about the history of Christmas in Montgomery. Montgomery-area historians research and archiving efforts pay off in detailed description Demonstrating the value of research and the reason why archiving is an unsung task, area historian Mary Ann Neeley spoke about "Christmases in Montgomery" Sunday at the monthly meeting of the Montgomery Genealogical Society. Neeley drew on newspaper accounts and slave narratives, among other sources, to tell an attentive audience at the Figh-Pickett House on Court Street South. "The earliest recorded observance of the season in Montgomery was not specifically Christmas.

On Dec. 24, 1821, the Masons celebrated the Festival of St. John the Evangelist at the store of Graham and Billingslea (Klein corner)," Neeley said. Neeley's account included the history of the poinsettia, stories of how merchants, even in the profit from the holiday, and a recounting of popular foods and festivities of that time. "By the 1850s, grocery stores in Montgomery were offering a wide variety of foodstuff with goods coming in by steamboat from Mobile and New Orleans and by train from the east," Neeley said.

"For baking pies, dried gooseberries, raspberries, peaches, quinces, plums Photos by Karen S. Doerr Advertiser Mary Ann Neeley speaks Sunday to the Montgomery Area Genealogical Society during a meeting at the Figh-Pickett House on Court Street in Montgomery. The speech drew on newspaper accounts and slave narratives, among other sources. Church production melds Dickens work, Bible for 'A Christinas Carol in Bethlehem' "I like to be Tiny Tim because it makes me feel good," said James, 6, who said getting the part was a little intimidating. "(I was) kinda scared because I was like, 'I don't know if I can handle said James, whose performance went off without a grader at Dalraida Elementary School and a church member, sang in the Children's Choir and said the main idea of the Christmas program was "for people to learn about Christmas and the real reason of Christmas." "I just sing for fun.

I sing Messiah Lutheran Church combined the story of Ebenezer Scrooge with the biblical account of Je-sus's birth Sunday at its production of "A Christmas Carol in Bethlehem." Adults and children of the church sang carols and a lot. I kind of sing," said Ryan, 7, whose 11-year-old sister Lauren, a sixth-grader at Dalraida Elementary, also performed. One of Ryan's peers, James Belleque, a first-grader at Maxwell Elementary School, played the crippled child, Tiny Tim. I performed while orchestra members from Auburn played trumpets, violins and other instruments. Mike Rhyne, another member who teaches theater at Auburn University Montgomery and Huntingdon College, directed.

Ryan Moriarty, a second- Page designed and edited by Brad Harper.