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“A dictionary is a necessity” declare the publishers of “A Student’s Dictionary,” an easy to carry paperback that’s packed with information. It’s the annual mission of the Prince Frederick Rotary Club to distribute free dictionaries to elementary school children in Calvert. In the past, the number of schools has been somewhat limited.

According to Dr. Eugene Karol, incumbent Calvert Board of Education member, former superintendent of Calvert County Public Schools and longtime Rotarian; this year 15 schools, including three private schools, had copies of “A Student’s Dictionary” distributed to all third graders. Or at least, the distribution will be completed by Wednesday, Nov. 7. Hurricane Sandy forced the postponement of the planned Oct. 29 give-out at Sunderland, Calvert and Mutual elementary schools.

The Bay Net caught up with Karol and fellow Rotarian Justin Ruest Friday, Oct. 26, first at St. Leonard Elementary School (SLES) and then at Appeal Elementary School (AES).

The local Rotary Club has been giving out the dictionaries for the past dozen years, said Karol, who put in a few plugs for the international service organization. Karol recalled how polio used to be a dreaded disease until amazing medical advances were made during the 1950s. While modernized nations such as the United States had virtually licked the scourge, polio was still prevalent in Third World countries.Karol explained that Rotarians raised thousands of dollars in the effort to eradicate polio, a mission that appears to have been successful. “None of you have to worry about that,” said Karol.

Locally, the Prince Frederick Rotary Club members are active with Project Echo, said Karol.

After the dictionaries were presented to each third-grader, Karol reviewed some of the amazing things that could be found in the book. In addition to word definitions, the book includes: parts of speech, punctuation, weights and measures, periodic table of elements, Roman numerals, the history and protocol of the American Flag, the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, U.S. Presidents’ biographies, summaries of the 50 states, maps of the world, information on the planets, sign language, Braille, Muslim, Gregorian and Hebrew calendars; and the longest word.

“I hope you enjoy them and I hope you have a good year,” Karol told the third graders.

Contact Marty Madden at marty.madden@thebaynet.com