In September, St. Francis Academy principal, Deacon Thomas Murphy, challenged the students to read 4,321 books. When they met the goal, he would reward them. They exceeded the goal and he rewarded them. The Bally school principal read the book “The String Collection” to the entire student body, complete with props. At the end of the story, he pulled out a box of 48 cans of silly string. Each grade then walked around the principal, passing around cans of silly string with music playing in the background, ala musical chairs. When the music stopped, the students holding the can sprayed Murphy with string.
