MVSB partners with local Grange to give dictionaries to third graders

Meredith Village Savings Bank is pleased to continue its partnership with the local NH Grange to provide custom dictionaries to local third-grade students. Over the course of its history, MVSB and the Grange have partnered to supply dictionaries to more than 6,000 students in central New Hampshire, as part of the Dictionary Project. This year, more than 1,000 dictionaries were given out to students at 23 local schools.

The dictionaries that were distributed are more than just standard glossaries. They include information on a plethora of subjects, such as the Declaration of Independence, the solar system, American Sign Language, Braille, American presidents, and local and national maps.

“We are thrilled to have participated in the Dictionary Project again this year,” said Jill White, Regional Vice President and Manager of the Ashland office. “We feel very lucky to have the opportunity to give something so unique for our local children. These dictionaries are instrumental teaching tools that will undoubtedly be used for years to come. The support of the local Grange is unmatched and makes the giving process extremely easy and fun.”

The production and distribution of the dictionaries occurs each year in celebration of National Dictionary Day. National Dictionary Day was established to commemorate the 1758 birth of famed American wordsmith Noah Webster, and is now celebrated on the second Sunday in October each year. When Webster created the American Dictionary of the English Language, his name became synonymous with dictionaries.

Dictionary Day is celebrated in most schools, where teachers use the day to emphasize the importance of dictionary skills with activities that include finding the longest word in the dictionary, creating classroom slang dictionaries, and playing Scrabble™.