Rutherford County’s First Lady Peggy Burgess reads to her great nephew, Ethan Bryant Adams, at Linebaugh Library.
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The First Ladies of Rutherford County, Murfreesboro and Eagleville share a passion for reading, a habit developed by their parents and passed on to their children and for two, their grandchildren.
Peggy Burgess, wife of County Mayor Ernest Burgess, Jeanne Bragg, wife of Murfreesboro Mayor Tommy Bragg and Carolyn Barham, wife of Eagleville Mayor Nolan Barham, remembered how their parents instilled a love of reading into them when they were children.
Because of their love of reading, they and Nancy Spivey, wife of Smyrna Mayor Bob Spivey, and Deanna Erwin, wife of La Vergne Mayor Ronnie Erwin, will be honored during “An Elegant Evening,” the Rutherford Books from Birth Foundation fundraising event Nov. 1 at the Embassy Suites Hotel and Conference Center in Murfreesboro.
Books from Birth, a partnership with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, provides a book every month to children from birth to age 5 at no cost to the family. Parents may register their children online at www.linebaughlibrary.org or in person at the library.
Tickets to the event are $150 per person.
Mrs. Spivey and Mrs. Erwin were unavailable for this story but the other First Ladies described the importance of reading.
Bragg remembers her father reading to her “A Child’s Garden of Verses” by Robert Lewis Stevenson.
“He just read it very methodically, very poetically,” she recalled.
Burgess said both her parents read children’s books to her when she grew up on a farm near state Route 96 (Franklin Road).
Barham, whose mother was an elementary school teacher, read to her so much that she could read by herself when she started school.
All three First Ladies read to their children.
Some of the favorite books Bragg read to her children were “Oh, What a Busy Day” by Gyo Fujikawa and “Are You My Mother?” by P.D. Eastman. She liked the Berenstain Bear stories because they always gave a moral to the story.
Every Christmas she read Truman Capote’s “A Thanksgiving Visitor” and “A Christmas Memory.”
“They are the most beautiful books,” Bragg said. “If you can read it without crying, there’s something wrong with you.”
The Braggs three children, Anne Warren, Beth Jennings and John Bragg, all enjoy reading.
Burgess read a variety of children’s books to her children, Tommy, Kyle and Lynn Foster, and her grandchildren, Thomas, 19, Nick, 17, Laura, 16, twins Chelsey and Whitley Foster, 17, Kaylan, 12, and Maridan, 9.
“If you can’t read, you’re going to have a hard time doing anything,” Burgess said.
“We tried to read to our children when they were growing up. We probably read more to our grandchildren because we have more time.”
Barham read to her son, Robert. She now reads most to her grandson, Perry, the 6-month-old son of Robert and Jenny Turner who live nearby, and her grandchildren in Louisville, Easton, Camille and Klaire, the children of Spence and Jenny Barham.
She buys Perry a new book in conjunction with his Books from Birth book.
“ ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’ is one of his favorites — and mine,” Barham said, explaining because the pages are different sizes, Perry likes playing with the pages.
She believes reading helps children become better students.
All three First Ladies still enjoy reading.
“It’s relaxing, it’s enlightening, it’s an escape and it’s a learning experience,” Bragg described.
She likes to read fiction, biographies and books about the decorative arts.
Her favorites include the powerful and moving, “A Lesson Before Dying” by Ernest Gaines, “The Prince of Tides” by Pat Conroy, “Angela’s Ashes” by Frank McCourt and “The Cider House Rules” by John Irving.
Burgess reads a variety of books including the Bible, books with Christian backgrounds, novels and novel series such as books by Karen Kingsbury and Terri Blackstock.
Like Burgess, Barham reads the Bible and a series of books such as John Jakes’ historical fiction, author Nicholas Sparks and cookbooks. “Charlotte’s Web” is her favorite children’s book.
All three First Ladies endorse the Books from Birth Foundation.
Bragg said Parton learned children who read books before entering kindergarten were more successful.
“If you can change one person’s life it’s worth it,” Bragg said.
Burgess’ daughter-in-law, Elaine, who teaches kindergarten at McFadden, believes it is very important for children to have books and have someone read to them.
“I think it’s a good way to get kids involved in reading,” Burgess said, hoping more parents will register for the free books mailed to their homes.
Barham taught elementary school 32 years at Eagleville School before retiring. Reading was an everyday subject.
Her son toured with Parton and Barham met the country music entertainer.
“I was able to thank her personally for starting the program,” Barham said. “I think it’s wonderful.”
Lisa Marchesoni may be reached at 869-0814 or at lmarchesoni@murfreesboropost.com.
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