REFLECTIONS

This statement of fact will definitely make the history books.

Who was the 39th president of the United States? Which U.S. president lived to be 100? The answer to both is Jimmy Carter, of Plains, Georgia.

It is disturbing, however, to realize that many of our youth today have no idea who President Jimmy Carter was. He died recently at age 100.

This lack of familiarity with our democracy and U. S. Constitution points to the sorry fact that we are failing to teach our youth about the roots of our society.

In plain words, in the field of political science, civics is the study of civil and political rights and obligations of citizens in a society. The term civics derives from the Latin word meaning “relating to a citizen.”

When civics classes are taught in high school, students learn how governments are formed.

For example, currently the Minnesota Legislature is debating whether the Democrats or Republicans should be in charge.

It’s an even split at 67 representatives apiece. After following the local legislative wrangling, students can lean on their civics studies to make a comparison of government THEN and government NOW.

Some Blooming Prairie educators have reached out to local residents requesting that they share their civics knowledge.

Blooming Prairie High School sixth graders get an extra “shot” of history when instructor Paul Peterson opens the World War II cabinets.

For the past 20 years, the effervescent Peterson has taught civics.

“When we finish a section, I then ask the sixth graders  if they would like to spend some time studying World War II,” he said. The verdict is unanimously “yes.“

Just recently, Peterson designated a special Friday to be a day when former Blooming Prairie teacher Roger Sorenson visited sixth graders of Blooming Prairie.

“The students really love studying about World War II,” said Peterson.

Sorenson often brings artifacts of World War II, which stimulates their interest even more, stated the sixth graders.

Peterson first hooked up with Sorenson after he learned that Sorenson was an avid collector. Neither Peterson nor Sorenson are military veterans, but they are true patriots to their country, Peterson said.

Sorenson said he picked up an interest in World War II history from his neighbor, who was a bomber pilot during World War II.

Open up the history books and refresh your civics knowledge. Now, Jimmy Carter can be learning material.