YHS seniors interview ‘Greatest Generation’

Earlene Ward - Yosemite High School

                                                       

 

The World War II era and the Depression came alive for Yosemite High School juniors recently when they interviewed local residents who remember well those events of 60-plus years ago.

As part of the Greatest Generation program, the local youths invited friends, neighbors and relatives to come to school and be interviewed, videoed and photographed for the project that is part of their English and United States history classes. A Web site will also be developed from the information the students gathered.

Following the interviews, the students researched topics about which they needed more information, such as blackouts, rationing, bombers, and D-Day, and then they will write term papers.

Some of the students and the two teachers, Ellen Peterson and Kellie Solomon, had attended a Greatest Generation dinner earlier in the school year. The project was inspired by a book entitled, “The Greatest Generation,” and written by NBC news anchor Tom Brokaw.

Locally, the program was started by Gerald Cooper of BizAssure.

Several of the members of the Greatest Generation brought memorabilia with them to show the students. They brought photographs, books, uniforms, medals and newspapers, but mostly they brought memories.

They came with memories to share of what it was like in those dark days of the 1940s when America was at war. They shared their wartime experiences and some indicated that they have more to share of Korea and post-war America. At least one of the guests wrote a follow-up paper for the students, covering topics he had not thought about when he was interviewed.

Among those who were interviewed were retired military chaplains, Japanese-Americans, German-Americans, veterans, wives of veterans, retired officers and a Pearl Harbor survivor.

Earl Kuester of Oakhurst wrote in a post-interview evaluation that he was “surprised at the emotion that took over as I recounted the pivotal experiences of the past.”

Many of the guests expressed their admiration and respect for the students and what they were doing. “I loved it,” wrote Lloyd Manley of Wishon. “It was a pleasure,” commented Ralph Whitney of Oakhurst.

“Fun,” “interesting,” “great,” “refreshing,” “neat,” were words the Greatest Generation used to describe their experiences with the students.

The students used many of the same words as they reflected on their experiences of the interviews.

Dwight Barnes of Oakhurst commented after being interviewed that the students are the greatest generation because they are so involved. “We did what we had to do,” he said of his generation.

Some saw little difference between themselves and the students. “If you think about it,” wrote Bud Russell of Coarsegold, “the time is not much different now or then, just different times and places.” Elinor Greenwood of Oakhurst wrote, “students are not much different now than when I was in high school.”

Mrs. Peterson and Mrs. Solomon, who do many combined projects with their students, were very pleased. Mrs. Peterson said the students were “eager and excited” about the interviews and the entire project was “very touching.” She recalled one of the guests, Betty Goodrich of Oakhurst, dancing with a student to a Frank Sinatra tune and showing her the popular dance steps of the 1940s.

The interview project grew out of the Greatest Generation dinner held late last year. Following that dinner, Mrs. Peterson said one student commented, “It makes me wish I was old because they're so happily married and that's what I want.” And, with tears in his eyes, one of the senior citizens had commented, “Now I can die in peace because I hadn't been sure who I was leaving the world to — now I know.”