Date: Fri 29-May-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: DOTTIE

Quick Words:

snapshot-Sherry-Swanhall

Full Text:

SNAPSHOT: SHERRY SWANHALL

Occupation: I am a librarian at Newtown High School and have been in education

all my life. My fondness for children and my fascination with them has never

faded.

Family: My husband Marty and I have a daughter, Lisa Malagutti. She and her

husband, Mike, have two daughters, Tatyanna, 8, and Jasmyn, 5.

Pets: I have a grand dog, Mosy, a silky terrier.

Biggest Change in Town: The biggest change has been at our library. We now

have a modern facility which can accommodate more students and provide better

services. Before the modernization, we had three computers on the network; now

we have 25. We also have Internet access. While our technology is now

state-of-the-art, our curriculum emphasizes both books and technology. The

process of gathering information from all sorts of sources is important.

Hobbies: I sing Alto 1 in the Connecticut Choral Society, a group of 120

singers that performs in Newtown twice at Christmas. Singing, creating a

beautiful sound, is pure joy, but it is also hard work. For our spring

program, which was entirely in Russian, we had to learn the language and

practice many more hours.

As I love being out of doors, I hike and bird watch. Nothing is as quiet and

peaceful as a walk in the woods.

Books: I read mysteries for the sheer escape, looking for those with minimal

violence and with interesting plots. Yet one of my favorite books and one

which I have given to several people already is not a mystery. Tuesdays With

Morrie chronicles the conversations of a journalist on the fast track with a

former professor dying of Lou Gehrig's disease. These conversations focus on

loving people, not things, living in the present, and establishing priorities.

The journalist grew to understand that if one can learn what is important in

life, one will not be afraid to die.

Movies: I don't have a favorite movie, but I do enjoy the television sitcom,

Frasier. I watch little television and go to few movies because I cannot stand

the violence. The more people see violence, the more they become desensitized

to it, and the more it does not bother them. When violence becomes

commonplace, committing a violent act is no longer a moral dilemma.

Personal Philosophy: Live one day at a time and try to love people.