The country’s educators design Sept. 11 remembrances

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Chad Denis, a social studies teacher at Old Orchard Beach High School in Old Orchard Beach, Maine, is one of many educators around the country who is designing Sept. 11 remembrance lessons. Photo Credit: Portland Press Herald

Today marks the 21st anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, and once again educators all over the country are contemplating what is the best approach to teaching about this enormous historic event in their classrooms.

For example, Chad Denis, who teaches government and history at Old Orchard Beach High School in Maine, was just hours into his first day of student teaching at Brewer High School when the nation came under attack on Sept. 11, 2001. He was already understandably nervous, but the events of the day set everyone on edge. Thinking back to that day, Chad said he didn’t fully understand the magnitude of what was happening until he went home that night. “I don’t think it hit the kids, either,” he said. “In 2001, kids didn’t have phones. They weren’t pulling up all that information on Twitter.”

Years later, Chad’s classroom is full of young before who hadn’t even been born yet when Sept. 11 events occurred. Every year, when the anniversary of the terror attacks comes around, he and professional educators around the country how best to instruct their students about what was an unforgettable personal experience, and also a catastrophic historic event for the nation.

Some schools continue to hold a moment of silence on the morning of Sept. 11. Chad often prepares a lesson that includes showing videos of Sept. 11 events. He also leads a discussion about how the terror attacks changed foreign policy.

Often, teachers approach the topic by sharing with students where they were when it happened and giving an overview of the events and the aftermath. They compare Sept. 11 to Pearl Harbor and talk about how both events changed the course of history in the United States. And, of course, many teachers include a message against harassment of the Muslim or Middle Eastern community, with the goal of preventing prejudice or misdirected anger.

Every teacher and every school community approaches a remembrance of Sept. 11  in their own way. And it is appropriate and necessary that we do this. Despite the personal cost at reliving the events of that tragic day, it’s important to continue to acknowledge what happened. We must remember the historic events that happened on Sept. 11, recognize the many acts of heroism that were displayed at the time, and, more importantly, honor the lives that were los that day.

Former teacher Evelyn Bowles served in the Illinois State Senate

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Former elementary school teacher Evelyn Bowles served in the Illinois State Senate, and is also a US veteran. Photo Credit: St. Louis Dispatch

Many times, competent educators dedicate themselves to public service. Evelyn Bowles, an elementary school teacher from Illinois, was an educator like this. She served her community as a State Senator for many years.

Evelyn was born on April 22, 1921 in Worden, Illinois, although she was raised in Livingston, Illinois. During World Water II, Evelyn served as a yeoman in the US Coast Guard Women’s Reserve (SPAR) Intelligence Division. Her military service spanned the years from 1943 to 1945.

To further her education, Evelyn attended Greenville College, Illinois State University, and Southern Illinois University. While working as an elementary school teacher she taught first at Edwardsville CU #7 and then at the Elementary School in Livingston.

From 1975 to 1994, Evelyn served as the County Clerk for Madison County, Illinois. In this position, she managed election processes, kept the county’s vital records, and supervised 25 employees. Although she was a Democrat, Evelyn developed a reputation for running a nonpartisan, no-nonsense office.

In 1994 Evelyn was appointed to fill the seat of Democrat Sam M. Vadalabene in the Illinois State Senate, who had unexpectedly passed away while in office. There she represented the 56th Senate District until 2002. During her years in the Illinois State Senate, Evelyn worked diligently on numerous projects of vital importance, including one to protect lands surrounding the site of the Cahokia Mounds. In 2000, the former teacher received the Illinois Archeology Public Service Award for this work.

Evelyn spent a lifetime supporting educational causes. When she retired from public office in 2002, she used her unspent campaign funds to establish a scholarship for future public servants at Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville. “I can’t think of anything that would mean more to me than encouraging others to take an active role in public service, the electoral process and government,” the former educator explained.

The many awards Evelyn earned are too numerous to list, but here are the some of the most prestigious: In 1979 she garnered the Alice Paul Award from the Alton-Edwardsville Chapter of NOW. In 1984 she received the Girl Scouts Service Award, and she was recognized among the Outstanding Working Women of Illinois by the Illinois Federation of Business and Professional Women in 1986. In 1987 she received the Social Security Administration Service Award.

Evelyn Bowles passed away in Edwardsville, Illinois, on April 8, 2016, just two weeks shy of her 95th birthday. To read more about her, see this obituary published by the St. Louis Dispatch.

Bill Grannell: Teacher, union organizer, and former member Oregon House of Reps

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There are many fine examples of hardworking educators who have served their communities in elected office. One of them is William “Bill” Grannell, a former history teacher who also served as a member of the Oregon State House of Representatives.

Bill was born on Jan. 6, 1938, in Denver, Colorado. After earning his degree at the University of Denver, Bill moved to Coos Bay, Oregon. He bought a boat and became a salmon fisherman. Later he taught history at North Bend Junior High School in North Bend. He also worked for a time as a union organizer for the National Education Organization.

In 1972, Bill was elected on the Democratic ticket to a seat on the Oregon State House of Representatives. There he represented the 4th District from 1973 to 1983. While in the Oregon House of Reps, he supported the right of public employees to bargain collectively. He also advocated for legislation that increased funding for schools and allowed for the production of natural resources, including timber, fishing, and mining resources. For part of his years of service he served as the Chairman of the Revenue Committee, even though he had previously he opposed a movement to impose a state sales tax. During the years Bill served in the Oregon House, he also published a weekly newspaper he called the Bay Reporter.

After Bill retired from his position in the Oregon House, he worked as a lobbyist with the Association of County Governments. Currently, at age 84, he lives in Oregon.

NJ teacher, counselor, and politician Priscilla B. Anderson

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New Jersey history teacher and guidance counselor Priscilla B. Anderson also served in the New Jersey State General Assembly. Photo Credit: ourcampaigns.com

Many excellent educators have also earned success as politicians. One of these is Priscilla B. Anderson, a public school teacher and guidance counselor from New Jersey who once served as an elected member of her state’s General Assembly.

Priscilla was born on Sept. 14, 1935, and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After earning both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Education, she worked as first a history teacher and then a guidance counselor in public schools in Trenton, New Jersey. Priscilla was known to have a special interesting young people and their contributions to the community. In fact, to recognize their service, she established the Willingboro Youth Achievement Awards to honor them.

Priscilla inaugurated her career as a politician in 1981 when she was elected to serve on the Willingboro Township Council in Burlington County, New Jersey. Subsequently she was elected mayor of the Township in 1984 and again in 1991. At that time she was elected to the New Jersey General Assembly representing the 7th Legislative District, where she served from 1992 to 1994. Priscilla was the first African American to be elected to the New Jersey State Legislature from Burlington County.

Once her term in the Assembly was completed, Priscilla served as a Commissioner on the Burlington County Bridge Commission. During her tenure, the Commission collected nearly $30 million annually in bridge tolls, oversaw a $41 million capital budget, and handled the county’s economic-development projects.

The retired history teacher and guidance counselor also published a book of local history entitled The History and Contributions of Black Americans to the Development of Willingboro. The volume has become an important resource for historians and sociologists studying her town’s history.

Today, Priscilla B. Anderson is 87 years old, and she resides in Philadelphia.