That is a really good point. Brings to mind a celebration a few years back in Merriam Park to commemorate an anniversary of the founding of the Community Center and the Merriam Park Community Council. The Center got a Humanities Commission grant to hire Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre. The grant was to have the kids from St. Mark's and Longfellow to design and perform a puppet show about the history. As us old-timers remember, the council got started when the freeway was being designed. The community, with primary leadership coming from Msgr. Gilligan and Doug Kelm, came together to fight the design and the destruction of homes and community. The script developed reflected that. A group of St. Mark's leaders went to Heart of the Beast staff and demanded that all references to the conflict that created the council be removed from the script or St Mark's would withdraw from the project and denounce the celebration as commie propaganda. Their reasoning was that they did not want their children exposed to the idea that anything constructive can come from conflict. Of course, they got their wish; proving the point they didn't want their children exposed to and sanitizing history.
Responsively yours, Bruce Leier Merriam Park (then) Aurora/St. Anthony (now) -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Pamela Frantum Sent: Tuesday, June 29, 2004 19:06 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [StPaul] The 4th of July (Grand Excursion) ------------------------------------------------- To Join: St. Paul Issues Forum Rules Discussion Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ------------------------------------------------- I didn't go back and read my original post, but maybe this will clarify my thoughts. The Grand Excursion is a reenactment of an historic event within the City. Until a few years ago, I certainly had never heard of it. It was not an event covered in either American or Minnesota history classes. I doubt until the publicity started to come out for this event, few people had heard of it. This is a great learning and teaching opportunity. My point is to provide information from more than one perspectives. I realize its a civic promotion for the River. I love the River and it deserves promotion. Civic celebrations are important for a community. But tell both sides of the story so it can be a truly education event, especially since this is the first exposure so many have had to the event. I'll duck after this next statement, but it reminds me of recent arguments on teaching standards. (Whose standards are to be used?) Instead of providing one perspective of history, provide more than one ... granted, they're infinite perspectives ... There are things to celebrate with respect to the Grand Excursion, but also acknowledge those things that don't deserve celebration. Pam Frantum Merriam Park >From: "Mary Baker" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >CC: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Subject: Re: [StPaul] The 4th of July >Date: Tue, 29 Jun 2004 16:34:39 -0500 > >------------------------------------------------- >To Join: St. Paul Issues Forum Rules Discussion >Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >------------------------------------------------- >>From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> >>What we can do today, rather than look back wistfully or shamefully at the >>past, is to look at who society is abusing TODAY and try to do the right >>thing. Yesterday is gone, and I didn't have anything to do with it. >> > >I agree, with the additional point that we should be aware of our history >and refrain from beating our chests about how our ancestors never did any >wrong. They were human being just like us. They did all kinds of things. > >Mary Baker >East Side > >_________________________________________________________________ >MSN 9 Dial-up Internet Access fights spam and pop-ups - now 3 months FREE! >http://join.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200361ave/direct/01/ > >_____________________________________________ >NEW ADDRESS FOR LIST: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your password - visit: >http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul > >Archive Address: > http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/ _____________________________________________ NEW ADDRESS FOR LIST: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your password - visit: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul Archive Address: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/ _____________________________________________ To Join: St. Paul Issues Forum Rules Discussion Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] _____________________________________________ NEW ADDRESS FOR LIST: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your password - visit: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul Archive Address: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/
