Law Day 2005
Joseph C. Gerace, a retired state judge, talks to students at the Robert H. Jackson Center on Wednesday during the Law Day Program. |
Law Day Shows Students Process, Honors Volunteer
By DENNIS PHILLIPS
Participating in a mock trial is an educational way for pupils to learn about the American judicial system — and something the late John Sember would have enjoyed. Sember might not have been present Wednesday during the third-annual Law Day program at the Robert H. Jackson Center, but his legacy to education pupils continued with the center’s annual Law Day program, which was renamed ‘‘John Sember Day.’’
Sember was one of the Jackson Center’s most dedicated volunteers who annually prepared the Law Day presentation before his death in February. He was also a former middle school social studies teacher.
Bob Terrebery, who took over leadership of the Jackson Center’s Law Day, directed pupils in a play based on a jury trail in which jurors were selected from the audience of pupils to determining the outcome of the trial.
Joseph C. Gerace, a retired state Supreme Court justice, presided as judge and local attorneys Gregory Edwards and Kenneth Lasker participated as attorneys in the mock trial. Pupils also participated as witnesses and the defendant in the trial.
‘‘This was about bringing the American jury system to action for you,’’ Terrebery said. ‘‘It’s better for people to see a trial then just to speak about it. We explained the jury system visually.’’
The judge and lawyers explained to the students key elements in a jury trial such as reasonable doubt and listening to the whole story before making a determination on whether someone is guilty or innocent.
‘‘ ‘We The People’ — the people make the decision,’’ Terrebery said. ‘‘Middle school years are great learning years, and we wanted to make it as real as possible.’’
The Jackson Center and the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation established an endowment in Sember’s name at the foundation to support youth education programs at the Jackson Center.
Gifts for the fund may be may by contacting Rebecca Robbins, Jackson Center development director, 483-6646, or by mail to: Robert H. Jackson Center, P.O. Box 879, Jamestown, N.Y., 14702-0879.
Observance of Law Day
The American Jury: We the People in Action
Guest speaker: Justice Joseph Gerace
Director: Bob Terreberry
The American Bar Association's Law Day homepage
Previous Law Days at the Jackson Center:
2004, 2003, 2002
Post-Journal 04/27/05 Law Day To Honor Former Volunteer