Document text
CLOUDY Temp: 65 °F Wind: SE at 11 mph Friday, May 2, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend April 24, 2003 U.S. Navy veteran and Pearl Harbor survivor Bob Brouwercq, 84, holds students� attention during an oral history presentation Wednesday at South Medford High School. Mail Tribune / Bob Pennell South Medford High schoolers agree veterans’ stories are fascinating By JILL BRISKEY Mail Tribune As a young man serving in the 25th Infantry during the Vietnam War, Larry Rupp on Thursday said there was at least one benefit to the region’s rainy seasons. "Water was a precious commodity. During the monsoons, we would have a chance to wash our bodies and our clothes," said Rupp, a Medford resident. Retired Maj. Earl MacPherson remembers hearing what he thought was the squeak of a rat, and discovering seconds later that the sound was actually a Japanese soldier activating a grenade during World War II. "I said ‘Oh, Lord, save me, and he did,’ " said MacPherson, a Marine who still has more than 20 pieces of shrapnel in his right hand. The experience earned the Medford man a Purple Heart. "If the grenade hadn’t disintegrated, I would have been decapitated." On Wednesday and Thursday, more than 400 South Medford High School students traveled back in time and relived the past with 26 local war veterans, survivors of the Great Depression and residents who took part in the civil rights era of the 1950s and 1960s. The South Medford High School Oral History Project, in its fourth year, gave students a chance to ask questions, examine memorabilia brought by guest speakers, and learn a history lesson that didn’t come from a textbook. "When I was a kid, they had Civil War veterans, but we didn’t do this," said Bob Brouwer, a local resident who served in the Navy for seven years and survived the attack on Pearl Harbor. "I think it’s a tremendous program. Most kids are so damn busy watching television and all these insignificant things that they don’t have a base in their lives." "There’s a great deal of knowledge from these people. You have to respect what they went through," added sophomore Allen Smith. "It’s amazing that they survived what they did." According to teacher and organizer Mike Beagle, the program does more than simply provide students with an in-depth look into the past. Part of the project involves taking notes and recording the oral history of local heroes, he added. "Basically, it’s living history. If you haven’t lived it, it’s not personal. It’s just a great link to the past," said Beagle. "These folks from the greatest generation are fading away fast. It’s a sad reality, and we don’t want to lose their stories." Beagle said the conflict in Iraq has given this year’s event special meaning, for students who support the war effort or oppose it. "Students are learning about freedom, one way or the other. It just doesn’t come for free," said Beagle. "No matter where it’s from, what war, freedom has a cost." Local teens agreed that the stories veterans had to tell about the past were fascinating. "I think it’s interesting to hear what people went through," said sophomore Tyler Heil. "They lived through a lot." "I think it brings history to life," said Lindsey Dombras, a junior. "In the classroom, it’s just words on a page. When you listen to the stories, it makes you want to learn more." Reach reporter Jill Briskey at 776-4485, or e-mail [email protected] How to learn more Residents who want to learn more about South Medford High School’s oral history program can visit www.smhs.medford.k12.or.us on the Web; click on "teacher pages" then "social sciences" and then "Mike Beagle."all cq Veterans or residents who survived the Great Depression or took part in the 1950s and 1960s civil rights movements are invited to take part in the program. Contact Beagle at 842-1455. Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback A D V E R T I S E R S