David Bubb's fifth-graders at Christian School of York likely know more about the Titanic than other kids their age.

Their teacher talks about the 46,000-ton passenger liner that foundered 100 years ago on its maiden voyage at every opportunity he gets.

Jacob Heasley, 11, said he knows twice as much about the ship since being in Bubb's class this year.

Laura Kruth, 11, said she didn't realize how large the ship was.

"How big the Titanic was really amazes me," she said.

Bubb also teaches art class and tasked his 19 students with a life-sized project: building a replica of one of the ship's anchors.

Laura recently dipped scraps of newspaper in papier-mache and smoothed each piece on a chunk of sea-green plastic foam

Jacob Heasley applies papier-mache to the tip of the Titanic anchor replica during art class at Christian School of York. Teacher David Bubb has been a Titanic enthusiast since he was in second grade and shares his knowledge every chance he gets. (DAILY RECORD / SUNDAY NEWS PAUL KUEHNEL )
at the Manchester Township school. Other students cut separate pieces of the foam using wooden clay tools, while some sanded the jagged edges of the cutouts.

The students later painted the structure white and marked it with the words Hingley Netherton, the original anchor's manufacturer.

Bubb plans to put the roughly 18-by-11-foot project on display in the middle school's all-purpose room to mark the 100th anniversary of the ship's sinking Sunday.

"It's been exciting," he said. "It's always interesting when something you're passionate about comes to the forefront."

He said he's also going to showcase part of his Titanic collection, which includes newspaper articles, a piano roll from a film about the disaster made shortly after, postcards of the ship and a piece of coal retrieved from the wreck.

Bubb said he first became fascinated with the Titanic after reading a children's encyclopedia article when he was in second grade. The construction of the ship intrigued him at the time, but he later became interested in the stories of the people on board and how the ship sank.

He has read dozens of books about the topic; his wife, Christine, bought him "Titanic in Photographs" for Valentine's Day. He's also a member of the Titanic Historical Society and has seen the traveling exhibit a handful of times.

Bubb said the story of the Titanic is something that most people connect with and that he often hears people reference the ship in modern analogies.

As far as a history lesson goes, he said, the Titanic's story presents valuable lessons of arrogance, the importance of being humble, and watching out for those who are in the line of trouble.

"Pay attention to warnings," Bubb said. "When someone is telling you there's an iceberg ahead, you better watch out."

771-2101; @leighzaleski

Meet Bubb

Lives in: Lower Windsor Township

Age: 36

Family: Wife, Christine

Education: Christian School of York; York College

Hobbies: Art, history and music

Quotable: "There was a general belief that the ship was enough of a life boat."

Local Titanic-era fashion exhibit

What: "Titanic Fashions: High Style in the 1910s" exhibit

When: 10 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. Wednesdays; noon to 3:15 p.m. Saturdays and 1 to 5 p.m. Sundays through April 29.

Where: The Warehime-Myers Mansion, 305 Baltimore St., Hanover

Cost: General admission is $8 per person and $15 for families

For details: Groups are welcome, but reservations are suggested. Group reservations and guided tours can be scheduled by calling 717-637-6413. Full-color catalogs, which contain details about the exhibit's pieces and notes on the Edwardian era, are available for purchase. For details about the exhibit, visit www.hahs.us/fashion.html.

Read more about the exhibit and view photos


Also of interest

· York County holds three links to the ill-fated Titanic