LUTHERAN SCHOOLS WEEK CELEBRATED

Mark Twain, Buffalo Bill Cody and a host of other characters visited students at Trinity Lutheran School Thursday through the talents of storyteller and impersonator Bert Minkin.

He visited classrooms as part of national Lutheran Schools Week activities at Trinity.

"It's very important for me to be historically accurate," Minkin said. "But I also want the characters to come to life."

His repertoire includes Mother Goose, Johnny Appleseed, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther, and Charles Lindbergh, and others.

As Mark Twain, he explained to youngsters that he was the first person, except for preachers, to stand up in front of an audience and talk. "The first couple times I had to pay people to laugh so the audience would catch on," he said, complete with gray mustache and riverboat cap.

Buffalo Bill Cody or William Frederick Cody answered a want ad for a young man "must be lightweight; prefer orphans." He was among the famed Pony Express riders, Minkin told.

"History is a story," Minkin said. "History and her story are stories of people. When I do Charles Lindbergh, I try to imagine being confined to a small space for a day and a half while remaining completely alert. I try to bring the person to life."

When selecting characters to portray, Minkin looks for someone with an inspirational tale to tell.

"I really feel I am living my faith as a Christian by portraying role models for children," he said.

"I feel children need to hear heroic messages. There is a glut of negativity in the world. Whatever is praiseworthy, I praise."

Minkin said he is dyslexic and was a stutterer as a child.

"I found that if I heard things, I understood them better," Minkin said.

Added to that, he had a penchant and talent for doing voices and imitations.

While he often got in trouble as a student for using his voices in class, he said through that expression he learned to tell a good tale.

"I think it's more interesting to hear information this way," he said.

Minkin is based in St. Louis and travels across the country doing these types of workshops. He is also an author of books of poetry and prose and audio cassettes including "The Burma Shave Man."

Minkin has performed at West Park Mall's Kid's Club activities and is scheduled here again in June to portray Uncle Sam.