Macomb, IL – Some Macomb School District students will work on a project for the Library of Congress. The students will record interviews with local veterans of World War II as part of the Veterans History Project.
The interviews are scheduled to be done February 5 at the school district. The American Legion and the VFW are helping the district find veterans who are willing to speak about their experiences. The organizations are also willing to help drive veterans to the school.
The oral histories gathered by the students will be archived by the Library of Congress. The school district also plans to keep copies.
School Superintendent Alene Reuschel calls the project a "wonderful learning opportunity." Reuschel says "The fact that we are going to take one of our greatest treasures - our veterans - and help record those experiences and get to see what history was like up front and close and for real. What a wonderful gift these individuals will be giving to our students and it's also something we can give back to them."
Reuschel says students will get to learn interviewing and preservation skills. The district will receive a $25,000 grant to help pay for equipment and other expenses. Resuchel says she's touched that the district was chosen for the grant. She's proud of the opportunity being given to the students.
Reuschel says her father was a WW II vet. He passed away when she was a teenager. She cherishes his mementos from the war and wishes she knew the stories behind them.