Kamiah was standing at the bus stop just like every other day of the school week. She looked up and saw her bus coming down the street. She opened her book bag one last time to take a quick inventory of her school supplies. “Homework…check. Gym clothes… check. Pencil bag… check. Lunch box, lunch box, lunch box???” she cried. She had forgotten her lunch!!! There was no time to run home and get it, the bus pulled up to take her to school.

All the way to school Kamiah was panicked. What was she going to eat for lunch? She had never eaten a cafeteria lunch before. A couple of her friends did, but they never seemed to like what they were eating and the food on their trays never looked appealing to her. She knew her mom had placed $2.00 in the hidden pocket of her book bag for just an occasion. Was she actually going to have to eat a school cafeteria lunch?

Kamiah’s morning classes flew by. The bell for lunch rang and she swallowed hard. ‘Here goes nothing,’ she thought. She got in line behind her friend Jeno. He turned around and looked at her. “What are you doing here?” he asked. “I forgot my lunch at home this morning. What do you recommend?” She asked. He took a minute to answer. “I guess I would recommend the grilled cheese. But honestly, I would say, go home and get your lunch,’ he said with a chuckle. “Why do you eat here every day?” she asked with a funny look on her face.

He looked down and admitted that his mom could not afford to make him lunches every day and the school would give him a free lunch. He did not like it, but he knew it helped his mom out. Kamiah took Jeno’s recommendation and put a grilled cheese sandwich on her plate. She then grabbed a fruit cup and chocolate milk and headed to her table to talk with her friends.

Kamiah sat down and looked at her tray. The bread looked burnt and cheese was not what the cheese she ate at home looked like. The fruit cup was still partially frozen. She decided it was going to be just chocolate milk for lunch today. As she sat there, she could help but look across the room at Jeno, eating the sandwich and fruit cup. It was not his fault that his mom could not afford to pack him a lunch every day. He still deserved a meal that tasted good and had nutritional value. All of the sudden her friend Trinity tapped her arm.

“Hey, are you okay? You have been in space since you sat down,” Trinity joked. “Yeah, I forgot my lunch this morning so I had to buy a lunch from the cafeteria. This is not what students should have to eat! I need to do something about this!” she said with passion. “What can you do? You are just a kid,” Aries asked curiously.

Kamiah thought for a minute, what could she do? Maybe Aries was right, she was just one kid. When Kamiah got home from school, she ran straight to the kitchen and made herself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Her stomach was growling so loudly, her mom thought she heard a monster in the kitchen. Mrs. Frey, Kamiah’s mom, came into the kitchen. “Boy, aren’t you a hungry little girl! How was school today?” her mom asked.

Kamiah proceeded to tell her mom about forgetting her lunch, her conversation with Jeno, and how bad the food was. She explained how she wished she could do something about it. Mrs. Frey looked at Kamiah for a minute with her head tilted to the side a little bit.

“Well of course there is something you can do! You can petition against something you feel is wrong in your school. ”Kamiah looked confused, “where would I begin?” Mrs. Frey went on to explain to Kamiah about talking with her Social Studies teacher in the morning more about the Bill of Rights and what responsibilities we have as citizens.

The next day, Kamiah went into Social Studies class ready to talk to her teacher Mr. Williams. She presented the situation to him and asked his opinion about what her first step should be in order to correct this situation. Mr. Williams was impressed with Kamiah and her wanting to help the common good of the school. He agreed that the school lunches could be improved. He wanted the class to understand that it was not the cafeteria workers’ fault that the food was not the best. The lunches were paid by taxes collected from the citizens of the community and grants that the school district was given. This was not anything that the cafeteria workers could control. In order to make a change, “we can write a petition to the Cincinnati Board of Education and also to our local government officers appealing to them. We can explain the problem and also try to propose a solution,” Mr. Williams explained.

He wanted his students to understand that just complaining does not help any situation, the best way to approach something, is with a positive compromise and solution. Kamiah left Social Studies class feeling excited. She went to lunch ready to talk and make a plan with her friends. The first step she took was to stop in and talk to the cafeteria workers. She explained to them that she was not very happy with the food they were serving and she understood that they had no control of the situation. She then told them about the petition they were going to write and asked if they would be willing to sign and support the cause. All of the workers liked the idea and supported her whole heartedly.

Next, Kamiah went to her lunch table and started discussing the petition with her friends. They wanted to write the petition in a way like Mr. Williams discussed, they needed a solution. Aries wondered if there were other grants available that could be written to provide different food possibilities. Kamiah offered for anyone interested to come to her house that night to help write the petition at 6:00pm.

That night several friends came over to write the petition. There was a lot of good discussion. The group decided to take the petition around school the next couple of days to get as many signatures as possible. At the next Cincinnati Public Schools Board of Education meeting, the students (along with their teachers, principal, and cafeteria workers) would present the petition to the school board to share their solutions and show that this was a cause that would help the common good.

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Many people have contributed to our community of Cincinnati. This reading discusses four individuals that helped to make our community a better place for the common good of its citizens.

Peter Clark (1829 – 1925)

Peter Clark was very influential in the educational community. He helped lead the fight for black people to have the right to receive an education.

His father was a freed slave who opened his own barber shop business. Peter did not want to follow in his father’s footsteps, but when his father passed away, Peter stepped up and continued his father’s business. However, he did make one change. His father would only cut the hair of white men; Peter invited black men to have their hair cut in his shop as well. After that, white men refused to get their hair cut there and Peter closed the barber shop.

Peter next went to work for his uncle in his grocery store. His uncle, John Gaines, was very inspiration and influenced both Peter and his career. Thanks to his uncle’s guidance, Peter decided to pursue a teaching career. He wanted to advocate for black students to receive an education. In 1852, his dream came true, and he started teaching.

At the time, there was a shortage of teachers. He was so passionate about teaching, that he would teach classes after his full time teaching job during the day, to help ensure all black students received an education. It has been suggested that between the Civil War and 1890, there was not a single African American teacher in Cincinnati that had not been trained by Peter Clark.

Peter also saw the need to establish a separate high school for African American students. To help spread his message, he co-published a newspaper entitled Cincinnati Afro-American in which he wrote about the serious need for an African American High School. With Peter’s persistence, the city of Cincinnati founded Gaines High School (named after Peter’s uncle). Peter became the principal of the high school, making him the first African American high school principal.

Peter affected the educational world and our community in many special ways. Because of this, he was named the nation’s primary black public school educator.

Doris Day (1924 – present)

Doris Day was born in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1924. Throughout her life she became a famous actor and singer. She recorded 39 films and more than 650 music recordings. She won many awards for all of her hard work, including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

In 1971 Doris Day cofounded the organization “Actors and Others for Animals.” She became a very strong and influential person in the animal activist community. A few years later, she created her own non-profit organization that was named Doris Day Animal League (DDAL). Doris Day and this new group established the annual Spay Day USA in 1994 that still occurs every year. Doris Day is also very active in raising money for the Humane Society of the United States.

In 1974 President George W. Bush presented Doris Day with the Presidential Medal of Freedom because of all her service to her local community and country.

Ruth Lyons (1805 – 1988)

Ruth Lyons started her career in radio and television with local channels like WCPO and WLWT at the age of twenty. She was known for her energy, strong opinions, and her support of Cincinnati’s sports teams. She also made women feel as though they were a part of society.

The program she hosted was called the 50/50 Club. She had very famous actors and singers come on and she would interview them and perform with them. The show became the highest rated local day time talk show.

Several years into her radio program, there was a horrible tragedy that occurred in Cincinnati, Ohio called the Great Flood of 1937. Many people lost their homes and their lives during this flood. Ruth stayed on the air with several of her coworkers around the clock to help keep people informed, calm their nerves, and help raise money for the victims.

One group of people that truly loved Ruth’s show was the women of this era. Many women of this time were stay at home moms and did not have careers outside the home. Ruth’s voice, ideas, and enthusiasm made these women feel like they were a part of society again.

In 1939, (after losing her daughter to cancer), Ruth decided she wanted to give back to the hospital community and help brighten the spirits of the patients that were hospitalized. Her solution was to create the Ruth Lyon’s Christmas Fund. This organization was founded to provide toys for every hospitalized child in Cincinnati and also provide hospital equipment to the local hospitals. This organization continues today in Ruth Lyon’s honor. It has been able to raise millions of dollars thanks to Lyon’s help in starting the cause.

Irvin Westheimer (1879 – 1980)

Irvin Westheimer went to work in 1903 just like it was any other day. He parked in the parking lot and went towards the back door of his work. However, before he walked in, he looked over and saw a young boy and his dog looking through the garbage cans for any scrap of food they could find. Irvin did not want to scare the boy, so he slowly walked over and began a conversation with him. He learned through this conversation that the boy did not have a father and was extremely hungry. Westheimer knew instantly that this child needed a male role model and volunteered for the job. He took the young boy under his wing and mentored him throughout his life.

Irvin loved this experience. He started to encourage his friends, co-workers, and family members to do the same with other young boys who needed mentoring. This led to him starting The Big Brothers of America Program. This idea spread all over encouraging Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt, 5 years later, to start the Big Sisters Program in New York City. In 1997 these two agencies came together and became known as The Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America. Today, there are 360 agencies nationwide that serve more than 150,000 children each year.

For all of Irvin Westheimer’s contributions to society, he was awarded the Ohio Governor’s Award in 1977 for helping people less fortunate than himself.

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Citizens have social and political responsibilities in a community. To be socially responsible an individual must show sensitivity and understanding to the fundamental needs of all humans. To be politically responsible citizens must vote, obey laws, and become involved in helping the communities flourish.

Social Responsibility

In Cincinnati citizens participate in collecting canned goods, donating seasonal clothes to clothing drives, and volunteer to serve food to the homeless. These are just a few ways that citizens can help the community. In schools across the city, teachers help students learn how to support the local community by being responsible for their own actions, and showing respect to all people.

Political Responsibilities

Adult citizens have many political responsibilities. When a citizen turns 18 years old they are able to register to vote. To vote means to make an official choice. In Cincinnati there are many opportunities to become involved in making the community a better place. People can learn about issues that affect Cincinnati by contacting local agencies. One agency that supports good government without political party affiliations is the Charter Committee of Greater Cincinnati.

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Every city provides important services to its residents. The size of the city, the amount of taxes collected, and what the people want and need help to determine the services that a community provides. In Cincinnati, there are many services that the city, or municipal government oversees. Street maintenance, snow removal, waste collection, emergency services (police and fire), parks and recreation, and water works are just some of these services.

Traffic and Road Operations

It is important to be able to travel in, around, and through the community. The Traffic and Road Operations Division has the job of keeping the streets safe and clean. All throughout the year, workers pave streets and fill pot holes. They repair the curbs, make sure streets are well-lit, take care of painting the lines on streets, and keep bridges repaired. They are also responsible for removing snow, preparing streets for snowy or icy weather, and repairing traffic lights.

Waste Collection

Another important service that is provided to the residents of Cincinnati is garbage collection. Garbage is collected every week. Yard waste like leaves, cut grass and weeds, and trimmings from trees and bushes are collected during the growing season. Recycling services are also available.

Emergency Services

Cincinnati’s fire department began in 1853. It is the oldest fire department in the United States that has had firemen who are paid and professionally trained as firefighters. The members of the fire department do more than put fires out. They are also trained to give emergency medical services. They also inspect buildings to make sure they are safe, and give permits for fires at events. There are 26 fire stations in the city of Cincinnati.

The police department has the job of keeping the community safe. Officers patrol communities to stop crime and help enforce laws by walking, riding bikes, riding horses, and driving cars throughout the community. Officers also investigate crimes that happen, looking for the person responsible. Police also help traffic to run smoothly, especially when there are big events. There are about one thousand police officers in the Cincinnati Police Department.

Parks and Recreation

Cincinnati has many parks and green spaces. The land for the very first park, Piatt Park, was given to the city in 1817. City leaders have made creating and keeping natural areas an important part of our community. In 1859, Eden Park was set aside. This beautiful area is where we find the Art Museum, the Art Academy, Playhouse in the Park, and Krohn Conservatory. Many other areas in the city have been bought by the city since then, including the Theodore M. Berry International Friendship Park (2003), the Cincinnati Riverfront Park (2008), Bicentennial Commons, and the Serpentine Wall. There are over 5,000 acres of parkland in Cincinnati.

In addition to the many parks and the activities provided there, Cincinnati has recreation centers. These centers are part of the Recreation Commission. Each center offers activities for all age groups. There are pools, gyms, weight rooms, tracks, tennis courts, and other spaces for physical activities and for groups to meet for different activities. The commission provides after-school programs, camps, and summer lunch programs for children.

Water Works

Cincinnati has its own water works. It has been owned and run by the city since 1839. Water works is the term used for all the pipes, collection areas, and storage areas used to collect, clean, store, and provide clean, safe water to people. This includes the sewer system, which takes waste water and rain water away from homes and public buildings. The Greater Cincinnati Water Works provides clean water to the city of Cincinnati and to most of the rest of Hamilton County, some of nearby Butler and Warren Counties, and even to Boone County in Kentucky. Over one hundred million gallons of water are used daily by the residents of the Greater Cincinnati area.

Our City Services

The taxes collected from the residents of Cincinnati help provide all these, and many other services. For example, elevators in public buildings are inspected regularly to make sure they are safe. Restaurants are inspected to make sure they are clean and safe. Many of the things that we do or count on each day are part of the services the city provides.

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Kaia woke up before Mom called her. She was so excited for this day! Today her class was going on a field trip to Cincinnati City Hall. Kaia had been looking forward to this trip for quite a while. Her teacher, Mr. Black, had told them they would be able to tour the building, learn about the people who run the city, and even pretend to be members of City Council! Kaia could hardly wait to get started!

At school, all the students in third grade climbed onto big busses for the trip. They drove to a beautiful building at the corner of 8th and Plum Street – it looked like a castle! It was built of massive reddish stones, and had big, rounded archways. It even had a tower with a clock in it! Kaia had never seen a more beautiful building. She hurried off the bus and lined up with her class. Mr. Black introduced them to Ms. Stevens, who was going to be their tour guide today. Ms. Stevens led the students up the amazing stone steps into the building. She explained that the red stones were granite, as she started the tour.

She explained that the building they were in was first opened in 1893. It has been added to and changed over the years. The first City Hall for Cincinnati was built on this same piece of land in 1852, but it was replaced as the city grew. A lot of the buildings that surround City Hall today were already there when City Hall was built. St. Peter in Chains Cathedral, Plum Street Temple, Covenant-Frist Presbyterian Church and the building that was Shillito’s Department Store were all built when this City Hall opened.

The first thing Kaia noticed when she entered the building was the beautiful, colorful, stained glass window ahead of her. Ms. Stevens pointed out that this window showed Cincinnati as ‘The Queen City’. Kaia knew that the city had first been called this in a poem called “Catawba Wine” by a poet named Longfellow, and the nickname had stuck.

As they continued their tour throughout the building, Kaia saw many more of the beautiful stained glass windows. Some of the windows told stories – there were scenes from the early days of Cincinnati, of settlers traveling and building their houses. Other windows showed the government seals, or symbols, of the Northwest Territory, the State of Ohio and the City of Cincinnati. One window showed the man named Cincinnatus, for whom they named the city of Cincinnati! Kaia loved looking at them all.

In some rooms the ceilings were painted with pictures. In the stairways (which Ms. Stevens said were made from Italian marble) and the hallways there were beautiful works carved of stone and iron. Kaia thought it was the most amazing building she had ever seen.

Finally they walked into a large room with chairs in rows, and the biggest desk Kaia had ever seen! There was room for many, many people to share the desk. Ms. Stevens explained that this room is the City Council Chambers. The chairs are for any citizens who would like to come to City Council meetings. And the desks are where the members of City Council and the Mayor sit to have the Council meetings. Kaia and her classmates got to pretend to be the Mayor and members of the Council, and they held a pretend City Council meeting! Ms. Stevens helped them follow the rules that are set up for these meetings. Kaia was excited because she got to be one of the members of Council! She sat at the huge desk and got to speak into a microphone so the whole room could hear what she had to say. Her classmates who were playing the role of citizens also had a microphone to speak into. They were allowed to talk to the Mayor and City Council and ask questions or talk about things that concerned them. Kaia left the room understanding a lot more about how Cincinnati’s city government works.

All too soon, Ms. Stevens said they had reached the end of the tour. Mr. Black lined the class up and led them back onto the busses for the return trip to school. Kaia and her classmates all thanked Ms. Stevens for the tour. It had been a wonderful morning! Kaia couldn’t wait to get home and tell Mom all the things she had learned!

Sources: http://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/council/welcome-to-city-hall/city-hall-history; Frowde, Henry. Longfellow’s Poetical Works, London, 1893; Regina, et al. Cincinnati: An Urban History. The Cincinnati Historical Society, 1989.

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