Jackson Center Donates Videos And Curriculum To Area Schools

By DENNIS PHILLIPS

To encourage curiosity among students about the life of Robert H. Jackson, the Jackson Center will donate videos and curriculum to local school districts from the PBS show American Experience.

Jamestown’s “hometown man” was featured in the documentary, which aired in January, about the Nuremberg Trials of top Nazi leaders.

‘‘We think it is important for local middle school and high school students to realize that outstanding people such as Justice Jackson were raised here in Chautauqua County and to understand what people such as Jackson accomplished for the world,’’ said Rolland E. Kidder, Jackson Center executive director. ‘‘Representatives of the Jackson Center who have spoken here were featured in the film, including Elizabeth S. Lenna Fellow and St. John’s University law professor John Q. Barrett as well as Whitney R.

Harris, Nuremberg prosecutor.”

Representatives from county high and middle schools were invited to the Jackson Center Wednesday for a reception.

Kidder paid tribute to the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation and the Northern Chautauqua County Foundation for grants which made possible the distribution of the videos and accompanying curriculum.

‘‘We want to pay special tribute to the Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation and to the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation for making it possible for the Jackson Center to furnish these materials for school use by teachers,’’ he said.

June Diethrick, Community Foundation grants coordinator, said education is an important priority for the Community Foundation and donating the videos goes hand-in-hand with educating area students.

“The video causes you to think, gets students curious about the trial. It might even lead to a student wanting to take a trip to the Holocaust Museum,” she said.

The Post-Journal

Thursday, May 25, 2006

Vol, 179, No. 338

Section C, Page 1