Keeping the War Alive

I have always been quite disappointed in thelack of quality material found in the state adopted list of textbooks pertaining to World War 2. Therefore, several years ago, I wrote my own curriculum on this fantastic subject and I thought the readers of DG might enjoy hearing how one Hoosier school teacher makes World War2 come alive for his students.

Family involvement is a vital key to teaching World War 2. Back in my day It was ''Dad'' who served in the armed forces and shared those wonderful and often hair-raising stories with us kids. And these stories usually made it to the classroom not only during our World War 2 history lessons, but all year round! Today those stories are told by ''Grandpa'' and to a lesser degree still passed around the classroom. Naturally, with the passing of time, Grandpa is not always around to share his adventures with eager and wide-eyed grandchildren.

This is where my WW2 unit comes in handy. I issue a WW2 data sheet to each child, to be taken home and filled out as accurately if possible by someone who remembers the war. The questionnaire is so arranged that the child may interview either grandparent on his or her activities during this vital era in history.I send the form home with the kids several weeks in advance of the due date, since several students find it necessary to mail the form. Also, some students have to look to other family members or older friends of their parents to interview. On occasion, the child finds some reluctance, but almost always finds someone to share memories.

The results are very interesting. Students come back with sheets covered with precious memories - sheets that many former students tell me they have kept. Many fine war souvenirs also pass into my classroom this way (I am a collector) and I'm always pleasantly surprised at what these kids dig up. The most common items are personal effects such as ration books, ribbons, insignia and uniforms, but my kids have also brought in early SA daggers, engraved Heer office's swords, fine Japanese swords and various types of German headgear. In fact, one of my former students, whose grandfather had an eye for German militania, still brings in his collection each year.

I also have six WW2 vets who break from their busy schedules to come to class and discuss the war. They include my Father who is a D-Day vet; my uncles who served in the Pacific, a fellow collector, who served in the 8th Air Force; a Navy vet and a warrant officer in the ETO. Another vet, also in the ETO gave me his belongings which include a near-mint, enlisted Fallschinn-Division cufftitle. Their talks and interaction with my students is great. I'm planning on taping them this year.

Although I present the ''facts'' through the vets, the kids are getting real hands on experiences, hearing eye-witness accounts, and seeing actual artifacts from the greatest event in history, and they realize that their grandparents were part of it. And as a bonus, I get to have some fun showing off my collection and seeing some really neat items brought in by the students. On occasion, Ihave bought some items from the grandparents (and have been fair in doing so). Also gratifying is the fact that some students have actually become collectors in their own right after having been exposed to this great hobby in my classroom!

Matthew S. Huber, "Keeping the War Alive", Der Gauleiter,1990