The Heritage Education Network

Every nation, every race, every continent has its history; every "age" has a history. So does every building, farm, road, school, church, store, partnership, company, corporation. --Clifford Lord

Beginning with Lord's seminal booklet in 1964, the building blocks for heritage education have steadily accumulated--in this classroom where a teacher incorporates local history; in that school system where the administration realizes the positive results of community-based studies; in a few states that mandate local studies; in materials and publications that offer "how to do it" lesson plans and information; at conferences where ideas are exchanged and networks formed; and in heritage organizations and agencies whose staff and boards understand that education is a collective responsibility.

The most important heritage legislation of the twentieth century, the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, called for further and lasting attention to our nation's historic heritage by declaring that "the historical and cultural foundation of the Nation should be preserved as a living part of our community life and development in order to give a sense of orientation to the American people."

In the succeeding decade, the celebration of the bicentennial of the United States fostered projects, activities, events, and publications; many of which had a lasting impact on the local community. The proceedings of meetings sponsored by the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 1978 and 1979 and published in 1980 as Preservation: Toward an Ethic in the 1980s, addressed specific heritage education concerns with clear recommendations. These included: (1) train teachers to utilize historical resources by developing training opportunities for educators at all grade levels and appropriate subject areas; (2) introduce preservation education concepts at primary and secondary school levels; and (3) provide adequate seed money and funding to support the introduction of heritage education into the nation's education system.

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