Friday was a solemn day in the Muhlenberg County School System. Classmates mourned the loss of eight children a day after they died in an early morning fire in the community of Depoy.
Superintendent Randy McCarty spent much of the day at Longest Elementary School, where two of the Watson children attended.
"Elementary kids have a hard time expressing themselves," said McCarty. "The kids know what's going on, they know their classmate has died, and now we're trying to find a way to let them express themselves, whether it's through art or writing poetry or songs."
Two other Watson children were students at Muhlenberg County High School's East Campus.
While McCarty has only been on the job as a superintendent a short while, he says it's the worst tragedy he's dealt with in education.
"I've been a principal at a high school and I've seen young people killed in car wrecks, but when you have eight kids die from age five to 14, that's different," McCarty added.
McCarty says grief counselors will be on hand for as long as needed.
Meanwhile, a candlelight prayer service will be held Friday at 7 pm at Calvary Baptist Church in Central City where the Watson family attended.
