Uncle Sam tells his story

Uncle Sam visited Cohoes in November and stopped by the fourth-grade classroom at Van Schaick Grade School to share his story.

Dressed in red and white striped pants, a blue tuxedo jacket with tails, a red bow tie and a gigantic red and white striped hat, Uncle Sam told students about the historical figure Uncle Sam and his birth in Massachusetts, his move to Troy and how he came to be known as Uncle Sam.

Uncle Sam, whose real name is Fred Polnisch, can often be seen in Troy at parades and street festivals, or educating groups about the real Uncle Sam.

During his presentation, Uncle Sam sang several songs with the students, including "The Star-Spangled Banner," "You're a Grand Old Flag," and "America the Beautiful," among others.

Fourth-grade teacher Mrs. Muscatello said Uncle Sam's message of songs and history was a perfect introduction to the students' upcoming social studies lessons in American history.