CONWAY — Monday would have been the 116th birthday of Springfield native Theodor Seuss Geisel.

You know him as Dr. Seuss, and for 83 years children have pored over his more than 60 illustrated books for lessons on life, in poetic meter.

To celebrate the legend’s birthday, Conway Grammar School and others across the country observed Read Across America Day, a reading initiative from the National Education Association. About 15 people — school staffers, local and state police, School committee members, Conway Selectboard members and Frontier Regional School students — visited the school at 24 Fournier Road on Monday to read to students in preschool through sixth grade. Reading started in the gymnasium and guest readers then went to different classrooms to read aloud. The highlight of the event was the presence of the Red Hawk, Frontier’s mascot.

Kristen Gordon, in her fourth year as principal, said her school has a great community and events like Monday’s make that bind even tighter.