Posted on 08/12/2004 3:25:22 PM PDT by knak
BLUE HILL, Maine Aug. 12, 2004 — A Twinkie standing the test of time on the edge of a blackboard may be a retiring science teacher's lasting legacy.
Roger Bennatti developed a reputation as an innovative teacher during his 31-year career at George Stevens Academy, using new methods to introduce students to subjects he loved. But the legend of the Twinkie looms over all.
Speckled with bits of mold, the bright yellow cake still adorns his lab, but Bennatti only vaguely remembers why he kept the Twinkie so long.
"We wanted to see what the shelf life of a Twinkie was," said Bennatti. "The idea was to see how long it would take to go bad."
The Twinkie stayed on top of the board through his career joined in later years by a Fig Newton and occasionally inspired new food experiments. Bennatti estimates the ever-yellow Twinkie is about 30-years-old.
"It's rather brittle, but if you dusted it off, it's probably still edible," Bennatti said. "It never spoiled."
The fascination with the Twinkie lasted until Bennatti's retirement in June, said Libby Rosemeier, a former Bennatti student and teacher at the school.
"We had to spirit it away at the end of the year," said Rosemeier, who has volunteered to become the Twinkie's new caretaker. "The kids all wanted it."
Rosemeier said her father, a carpenter, plans to make a case for the snack, and she hopes to hang it in her new classroom next year.
Bennatti will not leave teaching altogether. He purchased a large telescope and plans to develop a small observatory at his home in Bucksport, where he hopes to bring in small classes from area schools.
"This is how I can keep my hand in it," he said.
Mkay, someone needs to hook this guy up with that 80 year old orange.
Does anyone really want to test to see if it's edible?
If michael mooreon had visited his classroom that Twinkie would be gone and he would have made a movie and blamed Bush.
Paging Ann Blyth.
Reminds me of the Family Guy episode where a nuclear war happens and the only food around is left from a twinkie factory where a new society was built around it.
I guess there are no roaches in Maine.
What's this about an 80yr old orange?
Wrapped, or unwrapped?
The big question is, will he eat it?
... and will it be televised?
"Rosemeier said her father, a carpenter, plans to make a case for the snack, and she hopes to hang it in her new classroom next year. "
Ahhh...........does it have a name?
That 30 year old twinkie would go just great with my 25 year old six pack of Billy Beer.
....And will Geraldo be there?
Twinkie? McGreevey?
I can't find the thread. There was an old woman that was keeping an over 80 year old orange. I don't know why.
You don't know why? LOL. She's probably forgotten, too.
Who is that? I had an English teacher in H.S. that had a desiccated orange. But it can't be 80 y.o. - maybe going on 40.
Here's a thought:
That Twinkie is 30 years old!
Wow! What were you doing thirty years ago?
Amazing, isn't it? That was sure a LONG TIME AGO!
Well...add six years to that, and that's when John Kerry was in Vietnam. And his entire campaign is based on what he did all that long time ago. :)
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