The United States Constitution is the cornerstone that supports our liberty. Yet most people are only vaguely aware of all that it specifies and why.

What if the Constitution and the disagreements that led to its crafting could be simply explained in about an hour?

That’s why Round Table Companies, a business begun by Corey Michael Blake, decided to do something about helping people understand complex topics. After Blake was joined in the business by a filmmaker, the men decided to create nonfiction comics (sometimes referred to as graphic novels) that tell important stories about our country.

The United States Constitution

Among the books Round Table Companies produced is an illustrated version of The United States Constitution. The comic is nonfiction, featuring how the founding fathers decided what needed to be in the document.

“The comic includes 100 percent of the original Constitution text as well as an illustrated storyline that depicts how the founding fathers created the document,” says a spokesperson for Round Table. “Narratives of Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Thomas Paine and James Madison bring in a human component. This is vital to understanding the development of each article of the Constitution.”

Writing the Constitution was only part of the story. After the founding fathers were satisfied with the document, they needed to return to their home states to have it ratified so that it could become the law of the land. Ratification for initial approval took about nine months. (All 13 states ratified it within two years, by May 29, 1790.)

No Founding Mothers but Women Included

While there were no founding mothers who took part in the convention in Philadelphia, Round Table and the comic’s creators have included women as part of the process that looks to the future.

A female in period clothes is used to depict several of the explanations concerning the power of the Constitution. Women are represented in the sections that address Congress and its responsibilities. There’s no changing the all-male past but it’s good to see both genders represented going forward.

Preparing a Graphic Novel is No Easy Task

Though a reader can absorb the contents of the comic in under an hour, a graphic novel can take years to produce. The text needs to be researched and carefully planned, keeping in mind how and where to use illustrations. Once a written draft is approved, an artist takes over. For this comic, writer Nadja Baer scripted this adaptation. All the artwork was completed by Nathan Leuth.

“While the challenge of presenting the story clearly and simply meant that some detail had to be omitted, I wanted to remain true to what the men were discussing that hot summer in Philadelphia,” says Nadja Baer. “I read first-hand accounts of what transpired and then went on to read what historians had to say about the era and the work underway at the Constitutional Convention.

“Next I read six or seven biographies of the men to be featured in the story. I also read several books about both the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. I needed to have a solid foundation of knowledge.”

The Importance of Discussion

If students can read the story and absorb the detail without struggle, then this leaves classroom time open for discussion. That’s where Professor Katie Monnin came in.

Dr. Monnin is an educational consultant who specializes in educational engagement and outreach. She was hired to work on the project and put together a curriculum for teachers.  

For Dr. Monnin, the project offered an opportunity to help a company practice what she preaches: “Literacy research shows that we are living through the greatest communication revolution of all time. Just as the printing press transformed communication, all of the technologies being released are creating a similar transformation for us now.

“With the teaching options available today, it is vital that we use both images and text,” says Dr. Monnin. “For a long time, we have known that kids learn on more than one level. Today both schools and publishers are beginning to embrace the fact that material needs to be presented both in text and as a visual in order to seal in learning for the students.

“I have worked with graphic novels for over ten years now, continues Dr. Monnin. “I am most proud of this behind-the-scenes look at the Constitution. The book represents an amazing level of scholarship. It is 100 percent accurate to the Constitution, yet there is a modern feel that makes it relevant to life today.”

More Progress in Education

Dr. Monnin’s work continues to focus on way to help students learn through discussion. She is now involved with www.Kialo-Edu.com,  a free digital platform to make classroom give-and-take more constructive, teach civil discourse, and develop critical thinking skills.

Kialo provides templates for discussions. With questions like “Should IDs be required for Americans to vote?” or “Does traditional media help or hinder public understanding of political issues in the United States?” or “What is the best method for peaceful protest?”

Students are led through a thought process and can make up their own minds based on factual materials. Classroom teachers can pick up on what interests the students and expand from there.

Kialo offers innumerable options on many topics. It has been used in high school and college classrooms throughout the country. Because it is run by a nonprofit, it is entirely free. The website has been in operation since 2011.

It is a great companion to the already-published “The U.S. Constitution: A Round Table Comic.” Click the link to order copies.

To read about the American flag, read Mary Pickersgill: Maker of the Star Spangled Banner.

Several generations of Americans remember My Weekly Reader as a source of news in the schools.

The goal of the four- to eight-page weekly paper, which was distributed via the classroom, was to bring awareness to children of what was happening in the world. Educators hoped that this type of publication would improve young people’s knowledge of the time in which they lived, while also making them lifelong newspaper readers.

Schools purchased the publication in bulk. A nominal fee (about $2 in the 1950’s) was collected from parents to offset district charges. (Schools generally had money for those who could not afford it.)

The newspaper was distributed on Friday afternoons. This must have offered a welcome relief to teachers who were ready for something interesting to fill the final afternoon before the weekend. 

The First Issue of My Weekly Reader

The first issue of the newspaper was published September 21, 1928, and was primarily aimed at fourth graders. The lead story was about the childhoods of the two candidates running for president in the 1928 election. Al Smith was the Democratic candidate and Herbert Hoover represented the Republicans. The headline read: “Two Poor Boys Who Made Good Are Now Running for the Highest Office in the World!” 

As the publication evolved, the newspaper included a lead story and a regular column on innovations. Discussion questions about the lead story appeared were a part of each issue. Teachers sometimes used those for quizzes or as homework.

During the 1930s, a geography column was added. “Uncle Ben” traveled the world and sent letters home describing the country he just visited. The newspaper also contained captioned photographs, cartoons, and puzzles and games that were tied into current events in some way.

The company knew it had a hit on its hands during the first year. The circulation that year reached 100,000.

The Idea for My Weekly Reader

There are three people who need to be mentioned when it comes to the creation of My Weekly Reader.  Harrison Sayre was a salesman for American Education Press, which distributed school publications including Current Events, a weekly newspaper for high school students. In a “Letter to the Editor” in The New York Times (11-4-1987), Sayre’s son writes that his father may have picked up the idea from a teacher or school administrator in Indiana as he traveled the country for AEP.

Sayre submitted the idea to his company. In 1928, he obtained funding from AEP’s owner to start a newspaper for elementary school children. He became the managing editor and hired children’s author, Martha Fulton, as editor. Fulton put together the first few issues.

The third person involved, Eleanor M. Johnson 1892-1987), was head of elementary education curriculum in York, Pennsylvania. After the first few issues, Fulton hired Johnson as a freelancer to experiment with what would work on the back page.

Johnson continued to maintain her job in Pennsylvania while freelancing for My Weekly Reader. She was hired to work full-time in 1934 and served as editor-in-chief. She retired in 1966 but continued to work as a consultant to the company.

Johnson is the name most strongly associated with My Weekly Reader because of her longevity.

Success Continued

By the end of the 1930s, first through sixth graders each had their own edition of My Weekly Reader.  The newspaper’s circulation grew to a high of 13 million in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. There were also curriculum-specific magazines for middle and high school students, including areas such as health, science, careers, reading, and writing.

It is estimated that two-thirds of American adults grew up reading My Weekly Reader. 

Viewpoint Closely Monitored

My Weekly Reader was sometimes criticized for its narrow perspective on the world.  World War II was described to young readers as a time when “thousands of American men [in the Army] are learning to cook and sew.” The publication also touted one of the benefits of war being the development of many inventions that were being created in response to the needs of the time (butter that would not spoil, dishes that did not break if dropped, etc.)

Later, the Civil Rights movement was all but ignored, and while the Korean War was written about to some extent, the Vietnam War was not.  Clearly, controversy was avoided.

Positive Philosophy of Optimism

The Los Angeles Times quoted from a speech given by Eleanor Johnson in 1942 where she described the publication’s philosophy: “…We promise to do our share in guarding America’s children from the hazards of fear, tensions, and frustration and to contribute to emotional stability through the inspiration and reassurance that the carefully selected current content of My Weekly Reader brings to children. Ours shall be a positive philosophy of optimism.”

Publication Continued

With Eleanor Johnson at the helm, Harrison Sayre became a board member of American Education Press. He eventually served as president of the company.  Sayre always gave a great deal of credit for the creation of the publication to Martha Fulton.

In 2007, Weekly Reader Corporation became part of The Readers Digest Association. That company tried to create a viable online version but was unsuccessful.  In February 2012, Weekly Reader was acquired by its competitor, Scholastic. 

Six months after acquiring the publication, Scholastic chose to shut down My Weekly Reader. The company said that the need to transition to a digital format and the drop in subscribing schools usher in the end. Today Scholastic still publishes a news magazines, but it no longer uses the My Weekly Reader name.

***

Many readers write to me looking for copies of My Weekly Reader. Scholastic never digitized it, and they did not seem to save sample copies of the previously published newspaper. I remain convinced that there are still long-forgotten copies in America’s basements or attics. Every now and then I check eBay, and there will be some copies for sale. Keep watching! In the meantime, if you would like to share your memories of Weekly Reader, I would be delighted. Please use the comments section.

“Battlefields are outdoor classrooms,” says David Duncan, president of The American Battlefield Trust.

There is no better place to learn how the acts of man shape the fate of a nation.

Parks With Stories

The third week of April brings us to National Parks Week. I’ll take this occasion to note that battlefields are actually parks with stories. Some people come for the history; some come to enjoy nature and wildlife, and some simply follow a road sign and find themselves in a beautiful place to spend some free time.

Many of you likely grew up near a battlefield and may have taken school field trips to some of the locations around you.

My family missed that chapter of American travel. I grew up in Colorado, so our trips did not involve battlefields, though we visited many historic sites.

By the time I visited my first battlefield, I was an adult. Lucky for me, it was Gettysburg.

Gettysburg National Military Park

At Gettysburg, the guide pointed out bullet holes that pockmarked many of the homes and buildings in town. It made me think what it might have been like to be a family hiding in a basement. They must have wondered how their small town became the center of a massive battle.

I understood service and sacrifice to one’s country in a way that I have never understood it before. I could tell you this clarity arose because of the impressive visitors’ center at Gettysburg, Or I could say it was the beautifully restored cyclorama that inspired my awe. Perhaps I could credit the marvelous descriptions provided by the licensed battlefield guide who accompanied our group, but none of those explanations would be adequate.

What gave me chills and put a prayer of gratitude in my heart was overlooking the fields where the fighting took place and thinking of the Union soldiers defending our nation. They started shoulder-to-shoulder in a line that stretched for more than a mile along Cemetery Ridge. Despite empty stomachs, inadequate footwear, and scratchy wool uniforms in July–not to mention the fatigue of two years of fighting–those soldiers fought to maintain the integrity of our Union.

Evergreen Cemetery

As our ancestors knew, cemeteries are parks, too. At Gettysburg, you can gain an even greater understanding of the American people. As visitors enter Evergreen Cemetery, they soon come upon a monument to Elizabeth Thorn. Her husband was the caretaker of the cemetery but had left to fight in the war. Elizabeth was six months pregnant, but for days after the battle of Gettysburg, you could find her with a shovel, helping to bury the dead.

The Government Still (Mostly) Works

Almost 250 years after the United States Constitution was ratified, we still govern according to the plan spelled out by our Founding Fathers. While societal change is never instant and progress and freedom for all comes in fits and starts, the significance of the Union victory in the Civil War has meant that our democracy and our system of government continue on.

The Importance of Preservation

Like parks, battlefields needed organizations watching out for them. I’m on the board of trustees for the American Battlefield Trust. When we meet, one of our most important tasks is hearing about battlefields that are threatened and what can be done to save them. In addition to Civil War battlefields, the federal government has also tasked our nonprofit group with looking out for Revolutionary War and War of 1812 battlefields that should be saved.

Developers are always looking for new land for commercial or residential development, so the ABT staff is listening and going out into the field to evaluate the importance of particular land that might change hands.

What’s Wrong With Neighborhoods and Shopping Malls?

Of course, our towns and cities are going to grow. But planning commissions and organizations like the American Battlefield Trust can truly help in keeping track of open space and what should be preserved.

In the last thirty years, preservationists and historians have felt a new sense of urgency. They’ve wanted to ensure that Americans will be able to visit “hallowed grounds” to remember a vital chapter in our American history. Ironically, we may have the Walt Disney group to thank for a renewed awareness of the importance of our real American heritage.

In 1993, the Walt Disney Company began making plans to build an American-history theme park in the northern Virginia Piedmont area. The location was 35 miles from the White House and only 5 miles from the Manassas Battlefield where another important Civil War battle took place.

In a historic civic fight that involved historians, environmentalists, American citizens from many states, and the U.S. Senate, The Disney Company was eventually convinced that their plasticized, animatronic version of American history was not appropriate for that neighborhood. The preservationists heaved an initial sigh of relief, but they only paused briefly. They saw that with or without Disney, urban sprawl was beginning to mar the land that is an important part of our shared American history.

Many Battlefields

Gettysburg is spectacular, but there are battlefield sites throughout most of the East and through parts of the Midwest. Many of them have excellent visitor centers. If you haven’t stopped at one long enough to meet a park ranger, I encourage you to return another time. These people are very knowledgeable and are lifelong learners. They will tell you a little about a site if you have children tugging on your hands. Or they will share a lot about a battlefield if you have time to hear a full story.

You don’t even have to be interested in history.

The staff at the battlefields are delighted when people simply come for nature walks or bike rides. A couple of years ago, an eagle nested in one of the tall trees in Shiloh National Battlefield Park in Tennessee. A 24-hour “eaglecam” was established. Shiloh administrators were delighted at how many visitors came out to the battlefield to see what they could firsthand.   

How the American Battlefield Trust Increases Accessibility

And while park or battlefield visits are highly recommended, the American Battlefield Trust is doing all it can to preserve the land and present the stories of what happened and why it’s important. 

If you visit battlefields.org, you’ll see that the Trust has a tremendous web presence with articles, battle maps, videos, and even some virtual reality experiences. They are all themed around what happened during America’s first three wars. The ABT also excels at partnering with federal, local, and state governments as well as battlefield “friend” groups and preservation nonprofits.

One recent partnership with the South Carolina Battleground Trust maps out historic stops through South Carolina and what was happening there during the Revolutionary War. Though we hear a great deal about the fighting in the Northeast, America’s independence was actually secured through battles in South Carolina, across its swamps, fields, woods and mountains. The information is accessible on the website but also as an app so that Americans can travel along with the stories.

The Black Experience

Another full-scale project of the American Battlefield Trust is the story of the African American experience. In addition to a robust section on their website, they worked with the Civil War Trails, Inc., to create the “Road to Freedom” program.

The trail highlights 88 spots across Virginia. Sites stretch from Alexandria, Virginia, to Abingdon, near the Tennessee border. The stories told are of soldiers, slaves, educators, politicians and others. The spots identified are where they were born, educated their children, fought for freedom, and staged full-scale rebellions.

“The contributions and experiences of African Americans during our nation’s first century have traditionally been under-told,” said Trust President David Duncan. “Through preservation opportunities and outreach initiatives, we have the ability to elevate these stories for this and future generations.”   

Maps for the Road to Freedom are available at many visitor centers across Virginia, and an app can be downloaded from the ABT website.

National Treasures

Whether you decide to go hiking in Yosemite or Yellowstone, or visit a battlefield park, get out and enjoy the good weather.

And remember, parks and battlefields are national treasures. We need to experience them ourselves and then go back and share them with our friends and families.

The school safety patrol system using older elementary school children to help younger children navigate the streets was created much earlier than one would expect. The program dates to 1920, a time when there were relatively few cars on the roads.

The children were taught to role model safety on the streets and share safe practices with younger children. From the beginning, safety patrols learned to direct children as to when it was safe to cross the streets; they were never to try to direct traffic.

Today some communities still have a Junior Safety Patrol program, but school districts have generally turned to hiring adult guards who can have authority over the children as well as the traffic.

Patrol Solves an Early Safety Problem

There were relatively few cars on the road during the third decade of the twentieth century, but because there were no systematic rules for traffic it created chaos on the streets.

People learned to drive through trial-and-error, and states did not yet require driver’s licenses. (By 1935, only 39 states required drivers to have licenses, and most did not require testing to qualify for a license.)

There were also few ways to control traffic. Some communities erected “stop” signs, but the first traffic signal was not even invented until 1915. Most communities did not see the need for the electronic devices initially, so the signals appeared slowly, mainly in major population centers.

Pedestrians were also part of the problem. People on foot were accustomed to crossing wherever it was convenient. Children were particularly prone to this, darting into traffic without thinking of the consequences.

The First Junior Safety Patrol

More than one location claims to have been first with a safety patrol program, but St. Paul, Minnesota’s program gains credibility because there is full documentation of the process they went through to create the program.

To begin, the city council assigned a full-time staff person to oversee it. Frank Hetznecker was appointed to serve as head of the St. Paul School Police. He spent several months working with school principals to create what the program should be. He also worked with students in refining the way they could be trained to safely help others while also protecting themselves.

Street crossings were to occur at specific street corners where patrols were stationed. The patrol then checked for cars and waited for them to pass before starting the younger children across the street.

While both public schools and parochial schools use school safety patrols, one of Hetznecker’s biggest advocates was Sister Carmela Hanggi, principal of the Cathedral School in St. Paul. She was an early proponent of the program and was very helpful in providing suggestions and input.  As a result, Hetznecker set up the first monitored crossing (February of 1921) at the biggest intersection near the Cathedral School.

That first year, the St. Paul school police signed up 750 students to participate. The program was deemed a success and was adopted city wide.

St. Paul made a big commitment to the program, assigning Hetznecker to it full time. He invested a lot in his work and arranged for picnics and parades for the patrol boys (and eventually girls) who served.

Other cities that were early in this movement were Omaha (1923) and Seattle (1928).

Becoming a National Program

By the 1930s, the American Automobile Association took over sponsorship of the program and created a unified program that could be used throughout the country. They also sponsored rallies and parades to build enthusiasm for the program. For many years, an annual parade was held in the nation’s capital.

As the program standardized, a pledge was added:

“I pledge to report for duty on time, perform my duties faithfully, strive to prevent accidents, always setting a good example myself, obey my teachers and officers of the patrol, report dangerous student practices, strive to earn the respect of followers.”

Initially, only boys could become safety patrols, but this changed over time. Starting in the late 1940s, girls seem to have been added on a community-by-community basis. In Davenport, Iowa, a school principal is quoted in the local paper The Daily Times (May 20, 1952): “We have found that the girls seem to take more interest in their duties,” said Sister Edigna, principal of the St. Joseph School. “They remain at their post and they don’t play while on duty.”

The Sister said that the girls have only one complaint: “When meetings are held for the school patrols, the boys dominate the sessions.”

The Sam Browne Belt

If you ever served as safety patrol, then you well remember the patrol belt. Initially they were off-white, and the straps were made of webbing. The belt section went around the waist, and there was a shoulder strap that went over the right shoulder. A silver Junior Safety Patrol badge was worn on the shoulder strap.

The belts were named for British General Sir Samuel Browne (1824-1901) who lost his left arm in battle. This disability made it difficult for him to draw his sword, because in the late 19^th century, a soldier would use one hand (usually the left) to steady the scabbard while the right hand withdrew the sword.

With only one arm, Browne couldn’t do this, but he wanted to remain in the military.  After testing different systems, he added a belt that crossed over his shoulder to anchor the scabbard so it was steady enough that he could remove the sword with only one hand. This gave him an additional idea. He had D-rings added for a holster for his pistol and a small leather case for binoculars. They were attached in such a way that he could remove either using only his right hand.

Soldiers saw the merit of Browne’s system, and they began copying it.

Belts for Students

From early on, the Junior Safety Patrol program issued the belts to students for the duration of their assignment. Student patrols took great pride in having the belts. Part of their duty was keeping the belt clean and the badge polished. Some patrol groups also used garrison caps for the patrols. These, however, were difficult to keep on one’s head, and students were required to wear them folded over their belt when not being worn.

At the end of the assignment, all patrol items were turned in and passed on to the new group of volunteers.

Today the belts are in the same design but they differ in color. Most are made of lime green straps that are reflective. (Some districts still use a reflective orange.) Districts that issue hats now hand out baseball caps. Some cities where the weather is often inclement make certain that the students are issued reflective waterproof ponchos.

Despite these changes, one aspect of the program remains the same: Students do not direct traffic, they help other students understand when it is safe to enter roadways.

Today there are 654,000 children serving as safety patrols in 34,500 schools throughout the United States, according to a AAA spokesperson.

To read about how car seat belts eventually came about, read The Crusaders who Campaigned for Car Safety.

For more stories about schools in the past, read Remember Duck & Cover?

Or Dick and Jane: The Story of These Early Readers.

The school desegregation case of Mendez v. Westminster (1947) prepared the way for the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education decision, yet few people have heard of it.

The case concerned an incident in 1943 when a woman took her three children and her niece and two nephews with her to enroll them at the local public school in Westminster, California. Her own children were biracial with a French surname; her brother’s children were Latino. The principal accepted the children with lighter skin and the French surname. He told the woman that the other children would have to attend the Mexican school eight blocks down the road.

The Mendez family saw this as an injustice and sued the school district.

California Began With Equality

Among California’s early settlers were many Spaniards and people who made Mexico their home. As they moved north into the land that would become California, they established major ranch holdings (known as ranchos), and they populated small towns throughout the area. They also brought with them their religion, and monks attempted to teach the indigenous people the benefits of Catholicism.

In 1849, a constitution was drafted in preparation for California’s statehood, which would come in 1850. The constitution recognized that the Mexican people were a very important part of California. The document specified that there were two official languages in what would become the state, and schools that existed were integrated. Had progress continued in this manner, there likely would have been no need for Mendez v. Westminster.

But within just a few years of achieving statehood, the legislation began to change. In 1854, and laws were written that specified that public money should only be used to fund schools for white children. Mexican schools, schools for indigenous people, and later, schools for the growing population of Asians, were left to come up with ways to fund themselves.

Sylvia Mendez’s Story

Sylvia Mendez was 8 years old when her aunt took Sylvia and her brothers and the aunt’s own children to enroll in the 17^th Street School in Westminster.

When the aunt brought the children home with the bad news, their father, Gonzalo Mendez, was upset. He worked hard to provide for his family and give his children opportunities he didn’t have.

Born in 1913 in Chihuahua, Mexico, Gonzalo and his family left Mexico to escape the revolution. They settled in Orange County, California. Mendez attended school for a few years but in 5^th grade, he left to work full-time as a farm hand. The family needed the money.

Her mother’s people, the Gomez family from Puerto Rico, also came to California for a better life.

Felicitas Gomez and Gonzalo Mendez married when they were young, and for several years they ran a successful café in Santa Ana. Gonzalo Mendez also worked hard to gain American citizenship, an enormous point of pride for him. He wanted to raise his children as true Americans. The family spoke English at home, and he insisted the children call him “Daddy.”

A Move to Westminster

In 1942, Gonzalo Mendez learned from a friend that a 40-acre asparagus farm in Westminster was for lease. The property was owned by a Japanese family that was being forcibly removed by the government because of the fear caused by the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The Munemitsu family was placed in an internment camp but hoped to come back to their farm after the war. They wanted to find someone trustworthy to run it for the time being.

Gonzalo Mendez worked out the arrangements. He was delighted to be the person in charge, not the farm hand, and he and his family moved to Westminster.

Their good moods dissipated, however, when their children were turned down for the neighborhood school.

Visiting the School

The day after the children were told they could not enroll, Mendez visited the school to talk to the principal who stuck by his line that the Mendez children did not belong there. Gonzalo Mendez went on to see an administrator with the Orange County School District. Again, his request to permit his children to enter the “white” school was turned down.

Mendez had always been careful with his money, so he had the funds to hire an attorney. He selected Los Angeles attorney David Marcus who specialized in civil rights cases. Because he knew Mendez case was not an isolated incident, Marcus recommended making it a class action suit. He and Mendez set about finding other families to participate.

Separate is Not Equal

In 1896, Plessy v. Ferguson established that so long as all children had access to a school, it was permissible to educate different races separately.

During the 1940s, the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) determined that a push for full integration would not work at that time. Their approach was to press legally for equality in schools—something that was rare. White schools were in better buildings and had better teachers and supplies. Schools for other children required longer travel; the buildings were less modern, and the school books and supplies were of inferior quality. (Sylvia Mendez recalled that the school she attended briefly was in a cow pasture and was not much more than a shack.)

The NAACP had some success in pushing for school upgrades in the South, and they hoped that by forcing communities to invest more heavily in two sets of schools, this might convince towns to combine educational facilities.

Attorney David Marcus saw the situation differently. He felt the battle for Mexican families needed to result in full integration.

Parents Sue California School System

On March 2, 1945, David Marcus filed Mendez v. Westminster as a class-action lawsuit against four school districts in Orange County: Santa Ana, Westminster, Garden Grove and El Modena (now Eastern Orange). Marcus requested an injunction that would order the schools to integrate.

The plaintiffs were five Mexican American families, the Mendez family, Thomas Estrada, William Guzman and Frank Palomino and Lorenzo Ramirez, on behalf of 5000 children in the districts.

Friends of the Court briefs were filed by the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union), the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People). The National Lawyers Guild, the American Jewish Congress, and the Japanese American Citizens League.

The Mendez v. Westminster Trial

On July 5, 1945, a trial was held in the Federal District Court in Los Angeles. Marcus argued that that the Mexican children were not being treated equally; they were forced to attend inferior schools with substandard books. He noted that segregation based on nationality violated the “equal protection” clause under the 14^th Amendment.

The attorneys representing the schools made their case for the fact that education was a state matter—that the federal courts did not have jurisdiction.  They also pointed out that the intent of separate schools was for Mexican students to learn English rather than having them attend a school where English was already the main language. (The children had not been screened for language skills when they tried to enroll. The Mendez children spoke English at home and would have qualified.)

The Ruling

On March 18, 1946, Judge Paul J. McCormick wrote: “A paramount requisite in the American system of public education is social equality.” He continued: “The “segregation prevalent in the defendant school districts fosters antagonism in the children and suggests inferiority among them where none exists.”

McCormick ruled that this was in violation of the “equal protection” clause.

This decision was radical for the time.

The school districts appealed, but without satisfaction. On April 14, 1947, a judge for the Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco upheld the federal ruling.

This decision spurred action throughout the state. California Governor Earl Warren (later to be a Supreme Court justice) pushed for the state legislature to repeal laws that segregated Asians and Native American children as well.

Integration of schools throughout California began in the autumn of 1947, several years before this was mandated nationally by Brown v. Board of Education.

Paved Way for Integration

Several years later, attorneys felt the time was right to introduce Brown vs. Board of Education.

The attorney who took on the case was none other than Thurgood Marshall, the lawyer for the NAACP who wrote the Friend of the Court brief for Mendez vs. Westminster.

By this time, another familiar figure from Mendez vs. Westminster had also moved positions. Earl Warren was Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, and he wrote the opinion in Brown v. Board of Education that declared school segregation unconstitutional. His familiarity with the Mendez case surely helped as he contemplated Brown v. Board of Education.

Sylvia Mendez’s Story

In the autumn of 1947, Sylvia Mendez and her brothers enrolled in the 17^th Street School in Westminster. She graduated from public school and attended Orange Community College where she obtained an Associate Arts degree in nursing. From there, she entered California State University at Los Angeles, and she received a B.S. in nursing and a certificate in public health.

For more than 30 years she worked as a nurse at USC hospital and went on to become the assistant nursing director for the Pediatric Pavilion at USC Medical Center.

She also became the family spokesperson for this cause.

Recognitions

As time passed, the family began to be recognized for what they accomplished. In 2007 (60 years after the court decision), a special United States stamp was issued to commemorate the Mendez accomplishment.

In 2001, the Gonzalo Felicitas Mendez Fundamental Intermediate School opened in 2001, in remembrance of Sylvia’s parents.

Sylvia Mendez has received many other honors and honorary degrees. In 2011, she traveled to Washington, D.C., to receive the Medal of Freedom award from President Barack Obama.

She is still available for occasional speaking engagements. Her contact information is on her website.

When Jen Nance Yost became a speech pathologist six years ago, her first position involved working in a private pediatric practice. She never dreamed that at some point she would head up a speech team of two—herself and a four-legged assistant.

Now she and her dog Pita are “co-clinicians,” as Jen sometimes describes them.

How Pita and Jen Became a Team

In the private practice where Jen began, one of the other speech pathologists had a facility dog who worked with her to help the children. It was apparent that the pathologist and dog were great together, and the children enjoyed the fact that a dog was part of the process.

Jen’s colleague recommended Jen apply to Canine Companions for Independence for a dog. (CCI’s headquarters are in Santa Rosa, but they have a large office in Oceanside, not far from where Jen lives.) With this encouragement, Jen decided to put in an application.

Making a Match

The process of reviewing applicants and matching the right dog with suitable candidates requires time, but within a year, Jen received a call from CCI. They believed they had a dog for her. She was invited to participate in one of their two-week training classes.

The final pairing must be done during this training period. While CCI staffers have ideas of which dogs might be right for each accepted applicant, the chemistry between dog and human is the determining factor.

Over the course of the two weeks, Jen worked with five different dogs. Jen explains: “I fell in love with Pita right away and hoped I would be matched with her. But I had faith that the trainers would match me with the right dog. I was so happy when that dog turned out to be Pita.”

About Facility Dogs Like Pita

Pita, a lovable, calm golden lab, is trained to be what is known as a facility dog. (There are different categories of assistance dogs.) Facility dogs are expertly trained to partner with a human facilitator in many types of environments. Most facility dogs respond to about 40 commands and are great at offering love and compassion.

One of the new uses of facility dogs is in some courtrooms. Training organizations have worked for several years to obtain permission to bring in facility dogs into courthouses. It was felt that the dogs could be particularly beneficial with children who may have to testify about abuse or custody issues.

Speech Therapy Dog

Initially, Pita joined Jen Yost in her work in the pediatric practice. When Jen was offered a job as a speech pathologist at a public school in Orange County, she had to make sure that Pita was included in the deal. Fortunately, Pita was.

Today, Pita and Jen operate in two spheres. During the school year, they are busy with the schoolchildren who are referred to them for speech therapy. She and Pita see about 60 kids per week.

During her off-time, Jen still sees some private clients.  Her clients range from about 18 months to 15 years.

 What Does Pita Offer?

“Pita serves as a playmate for my interactions with the children,” says Jen. “She is also loving and totally nonjudgmental—two wonderful qualities for working with any individual.”

In speech therapy, the desire is for a child to use his or her words, and Pita is a big help. The youngster can command her to stack blocks, pull a small wagon, or put oversized coins in a plastic piggy bank.

This process also teaches children social interaction. To command any dog, one needs to look directly at the dog and give a clear command. This teaches children how to interact with people, too. All people respond best to those who look directly at them and then speak clearly.

Children can also step into the “teacher role” and quiz Pita about various things. For this game, Jen brings out her tablet with the “yes” and “no” buttons. The children ask Pita a question and Pita then answers them by pointing with her nose to the “yes” or the “no.” (No one will ever question whether or not Pita tells the truth every time!)

Other Jobs Pita Does

For children still learning their body parts, Pita helps. Pita can identify nose, eyes, and mouth, and the kids then do it with her.

Pita also “draws.” Holding a marker in her mouth, Pita creates a picture on paper.  Then Jen encourages the child to talk about what the picture looks like. This offers opportunity for conversation but it also sometimes opens an avenue for a child to express concerns.

With autistic children, Pita can have a calming influence. Jen Yost notes that in her experience, autism symptoms are sometimes lessened by a calming level of pressure, so being able to snuggle up to Pita and hug her can help bring calm to a child.

Pita is also good at helping with tantrums. A friendly nudge of the child’s arm with Pita’s cold nose, is enough to halt the crying. With Pita’s calm presence, most children begin to feel calmer quite soon.

Games Pita Plays

Games require conversation and social skills. For example, the child who likes Jenga can play it with Pita, who is pretty good at removing pieces without knocking over the tower. This game—and others—requires turn-taking. Pita is a model citizen when waiting her turn. A child has a much easier time waiting for a dog to take the next turn than they do waiting for another child. It’s a positive way to teach an important social skill.

Pita, of course, loves being read to, and even reluctant readers are willing to give reading a try with Pita. As for page-turning, sometimes Pita turns the page; sometimes the child does.

Some children love to act out stories, and for this, Pita is a natural. Jen Yost’s storage baskets are filled with a full wardrobe of costumes for Pita. Pita can be anything from a princess to a bunny rabbit… whatever the child wants her to be. Crafting the story encourages verbal interaction as the child explains what Pita must do.

Pita at School

At school, Pita is very popular… Children and adults alike love seeing her in the hallways. And who wouldn’t love a dog who is a great sport? Pita willingly dons pajamas on Pajama Day and crazy socks on Crazy Sock Day.

She also helps remove the possible stigma when a student must leave class for speech therapy.  Jen describes her process: “Both Pita and I will go down the hallway to pick up a student, but only Pita goes into the classroom. She enters the room and sits at the front of the class until the teacher acknowledges her.”

The teacher then releases the child who has the honor and pleasure of leaving with Pita. Jen meets them outside the classroom, and the three of them journey together to her office.

Time with Pita is sometimes offered as a reward for hard work. If a child overcomes a big obstacle, then he or she may be invited to join Jen and Pita in the speech office for lunch.

The principal has found that kids who do not need speech help often ask to be sent to speech so that they can spent time with Pita.

Occasional Challenges

Have there every been problems?

In one case, a child had significant allergies so Jen worked with the child in a different room without Pita. (Training organizations such as CCI have carefully outlined regulations about bathing and brushing assistance dogs. For that reason, allergies are must less likely to be a problem.)

Occasionally, Jen and Pita must overcome fear of dogs. Jen says that with children, the fear generally starts with the parent. When Jen is told a student is anxious about coming into the room with a dog, then she makes certain that Pita starts out in her bed, far from the student.

When the child is ready, he or she may call Pita over.  “But that may not happen that first session,” Jen Yost notes. When Pita arises to come to the child, she is a gentle giant. There is no bounce or bark… Pita calmly comes over, wagging her tail, and then she sits.

More About Pita

Pita has a Facebook page with many more photos. (You’ll note that Jen Yost is a new mother, and her 18-month-old has discovered that Pita is part dog and part Big Pillow.)

Yost also posted birthday wishes to Pita a couple of months ago. Her words sum up what she feels about their relationship:

“Happy 5th birthday to our angel, Pita. You have been such a blessing to our family and to the many children you serve. I am in awe of your patience, kindness, and your innate ability to know when someone needs your love. Thank you for all that you do… you make the world a better place.”

What more need be said?

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To read about other assistance dogs, click on Whistle, A Very Important Service Dog, or A Hearing Dog Named Heather.  Or to read about a dog who has helped not just one but two veterans, read about Slate.