Mine Centre principal faces up to ‘fishy’ deal

Principal Brian Love made an unusual dare with his Mine Centre students–and they made him face the music (or, rather, a minnow) last Wednesday.
Love ate a live minnow more than six inches long last Wednesday after the grades one-six shared reading group there achieved its goal of reading 2,500 books before May 31.
The deal was simple. The 70 students in the shared reading group said they would exceed last year’s book reading record of 2,000 “if Mr. Love would do something.”
Love agreed, and the children came up with four alternatives for him. He could either:
•shave his head;
•wear a pair of women’s “panties” on his head at school for a day;
•come to school wearing women’s clothing in an outfit chosen by his wife, complete with make-up; or
•eat a live, raw minnow.
Needless to say, Love chose the minnow. And since the shared reading group met its goal (more than two weeks early, to boot), students and parents alike gathered in the school gym to watch him hold up his end of the bargain.
Six minnows, donated by Mine Centre Resort and Rainy Lake Sports and Tackle, swam around in a large pickle jar–two that were “normal“ size and four so large they technically no longer were classified as minnows.
The walls were decorated with posters created by the students, with slogans like, “I want Mr. Love to eat a minnow THIS big,” and “Open wide and say, ‘Aiighh!’”
Teacher Brenda Hyatt fished around the pickle jar, pulling out tentative snacks for Love. Hyatt held up her picks to the crowd, and then gave Love the choice of eating a normal-sized minnow or one about six inches long.
Much to the chagrin of Hyatt, and the enjoyment of the students, Love chose the six-inch one.
“Believe it or not, this is not about me,” Love told everyone just before swallowing the fish. “This is a celebration of an excellent program, a celebration of excellent students, and a celebration of excellent teachers.
“Seventy students read 2,500 books–that’s more than one book a week [for each student],” he stressed. “I’m here to congratulate the students and staff for a job well done.”
Love didn’t have much to say after choking back the minnow, and washing it down with orange juice, except that it tasted “kinda fishy.”