September 18, 2002
Garden dedicated to peace promoter
Central Grade children's garden honors retired school social worker
By LISA PERKINS
Herald staff writer
If peace can start with one person, Selden Kalbfleisch, retired social worker from Traverse City's Central Grade School would be a likely choice.
Kalbfleisch, who started the school's peace-maker peer mediation program six years ago, was present last Wednesday when the new Central Grade School children's peace garden and peace pole were dedicated in his honor.
"He put the word peace in our school's vocabulary," said Central's principal Sharon Dionne.
"It just seemed natural to dedicate our new peace garden in his honor. We had hoped to have the garden done last spring when he retired, but when that didn't happen September 11 seemed to be an appropriate date to celebrate peace," she noted.
The garden, located just outside the library, was planned and planted by parent and staff volunteers Cori Oakley, Emily Taphouse and Catherine Valovick along with several students. Among the perennials is a peace pole with greetings of peace in four languages - English, Spanish, Native American and sign - representing those spoken by Central's student population.
"We talk about peace here at this age so that the students can take it into their adult life, to make the world a more peaceful place," Dionne noted.
Kalbfleisch, who retired last June after 13 years with the district, echoed that sentiment.
"You can't have a peaceable school without a staff and students that believe in peace. They have that here at Central," said Kalbfleisch, who was proud to be honored in such a way.
"It's quite an honor, coming from the staff and students I worked with, who all knew me so well," he noted.