The Heights Remembers Wortd War Il
ln October 2000, Michel Hinton led her classes in developing a Hogg Middle School Oral History Project entitled The Heights Remembers World War Il. Working in conjunction with Rice University's Center for Technology in Teaching and learning, her students interviewed twentyy WW Il paraticipants, using both still photography and video.
Many of the participants were members of the John H. Reagan WW Il Memorial Association. Their oral histories brought back many early memories to the many purchasers of the book.
The Book of Remembrance
Using the personal information from the association's database, this book was published in early 200 1. lt was published in both a hard-back and soft cover book of 527 pages. lts four sections include
- a short history
- the medal of honor citation and photograph of 1st Lieutenant Raymond L.Knight
- those who made the supreme sacrifice, and
- survivors
The latter two above Include a photograph, if available, name, service branch and rank, home address on entering service, birth date, death date if not a survivor and graduation class, if a John H. Reagan student.
Five hundred copies of the soft cover version and two hundred copies of the hard back were produced. All sold out within several months. Two copies were given to the Houston Heights Library, as will copies of this publication.
World War Il Student Handbook
The Association, from the outset, planned to develop a student's handbook for their use in Social Studies and History classes. Separate study sessions were to be developed for students or the elementary, middle and high schools.
Drawing on our successful cooperation with Ms. Hinton, the association employed her to develop this handbook. As it was to use the same WW Il events depicted on the Freedom Walk bollards, she entitled lt Twenty-Five Events Students should know about America's lnvolvement in WW Il.
Each unit begins with an essay written by a member of the association concerning the event. On subsequent pages, photos and or charts, reflective of the event, are reproduced. Following this, is a Vocabulary and Extended Learning Activities section. The first sub-section, Who's, gives a short biography of central characters. Next is Military equipment/jargon and its specific purposes and Helpful Vocabulary. The latter is a mini-dictionary of selective words from the essay. Where applicable, a work map is included for locating geographic areas referred to in the essay. Finally, Extended Learning Activities provides additional assignment activitties and suggested internet sites for further study.
Teachers assisting Ms. Hinton were assigned several school districts in Region 4 and asked to contact them regarding use of the guides. The association paid for the publishing and for shipment costs for the number ordered to the address furnished by the districts.
Slightly over 500 guides have been shipped and there are still a number in warehouse storage. Any school district desiring to use this educational material with their History or Social Studies classes need only contact the Association Secretary at rmusgrovre l @hounon.rr.com with the number of needed guides.
Time Capsule Booklet
This booklet was prepared by James Hodges au secretary of the freedom Walk and Time Capsule committees. lt includes minutes of the meetings of both committes and pictures or the current board members. The picture section includes a brief biography of the member. lt is spiral bound book and a copy was included in the capsule.
During the planning the Freedom Walk, Leonard Ball suggested that the association create a time capsule, using memorabilia from the war years. After approval by the board, President Clayton Lee appointed a committee to consider its construction, placement and contents. Officers of the committee were Kennon Rawls, Chairman and James Hodges, Secretary, Other members lncluded Leonard Ball, Lloyd Benz, Clayton Lee, R.G. Musgrove, Mary Austin and Billy Lindley. Several meetings of the committee were held to decide the size or the capsule, its placement in the Freedom Walk, its contents and their preservation for a fifty year period.
The capsule was a steel tube four feet in length and eleven inches in diameter. After filling, its top was "welded on and a vacuum pulled to make it airtight." Requests for items relating to the years of WW Il, were published and a number of items were received. The committee designed and had constructed a watertight capsule in which the articles were enclosed and sealed..
The capsule was placed in the center bollard on the south side of the Memorial Plaza on October 12, 2001. lt was registered by the committee with a time capsule organization at Oglethorpe University. The purpose of this registration, reported by committee chair Rawls, was to assure the location can be known fifty year from now in case the location became lost to local authorities. A plaque was placed on the bollard holding the capsule to identily its location. lt reads:
Placed here on October 12, 2001, this time capsule serves as a testament to the lives of our Heights area World War Il Veterans. To be opened on Veteran's Day ln 2050, it is a reminder of the brave men and women who proudly served our nation.
Let us always remember their sacrifices.