Following opening remarks by Linking American History Director Robynn

Holland, a former Clayton County Schools and Clayton State history teacher,

and social studies specialist for the Georgia Department of Education,

Clayton State President Dr. Thomas K. Harden welcomed the guests, who

included educational leaders from all three of the counties involved

with the grant: Fayette, Henry and Cobb. Representing Fayette County

was Cathy Geis, social studies coordinator for the Fayette County Schools.

Henry County School Superintendent Dr. Jack Parrish and Chairman of the

Henry County Board of Education Ray Hudalla were both present, as was

Terry Poor, Middle School director for Cobb County.

A total of 55 fifth-, eighth- and 11th-grade teachers from the three

counties, the primary beneficiaries of the program, were also in attendance

to hear Lead Master Historian Dr. Gene Hatfield, professor of History

at Clayton State, deliver the session's keynote address on "The

Foundations of Democracy," focusing on the documents that the nation's

development has relied upon: the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution,

the Gettsyburg Address and the 14th and 15th Amendments to the Constitution.

"This is a reminder of where we've come from as we look out

on where we are and where we're going," said Hatfield of his

address.

The first-year teacher institute of Linking American History: Past to

Present is led by master historians Hatfield and Dr. Randy Rosenburg

from Clayton State. Other master historians in the project include Dr.

Glen Eskew, Georgia State University, Dr. Pam Roseman, Georgia Perimeter

College, Dr. Kathryn Kemp, Clayton State, Dr. Robert Pratt, University

of Georgia, and Dr. Mark Bauman, Atlanta Metropolitan College.

In October 2003, Clayton College & State University, three metro

Atlanta School Systems, the Georgia Archives, the Southeastern Region

of the National Archives and Records Administration, the Jimmy Carter

Presidential Library, the Georgia Council for the Humanities and the

Georgia Department of education teamed up to create Living American History:

Past to Present, a three year program funded by the American History

Grant.

The Henry County Board of Education, the official grant recipient and

lead system, joins with the Fayette and Cobb County schools in supplying

the student/teachers for the program. Clayton State, the two archives,

the Carter Library, the Council for Humanities and the Georgia Department

of Education act as partners to the three school systems in the program.

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