[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 13 (Wednesday, February 5, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E164]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            COMMENDING THOSE WHO VOLUNTEERED FOR MASSNET DAY

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. JOSEPH P. KENNEDY II

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 5, 1997

  Mr. KENNEDY of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend 
the 4,000 volunteers (including labor union members and trademen) and 
over 100 businesses who donated their time and energy to wire the 
schools in my district and across Massachusetts to the internet.
  On October 26, 1996 the first in a series of MassNet Days was held. I 
am proud to say that it was an enormous success involving over 400 
schools in Massachusetts.
  MassNetworks was initiated because, despite a wealth of high-tech 
companies, Massachusetts ranked 49th among the 50 states in networked 
classrooms and 45th in modem lines installed.
  MassNetworks has a component of which I am especially proud. Teacher 
training and development has been recognized as being as important as 
the wiring or hardware. Educating teachers, improving their skills, and 
showing them how to utilize the internet as part of the curriculum is 
vital to the success of putting all of our schools on the information 
highway.
  Imagine a history class in Watertown that is able to take a tour of 
the battlefields of the Civil War, or a science class in Boston seeing 
photographs of Jupiter. This can help make learning come alive.
  The future of our country rests on the shoulders of our youth. If 
they are well educated and able to continue to learn throughout their 
lives, then the United States will continue to be the world leader.
  Again, I want to thank all the people in Massachusetts who donated 
time, energy, and materials to make our schools a better place for our 
kids.
  Mr. Speaker, I also want to thank the gentlelady from Texas for 
organizing this special order and for all her hard work on behalf of 
the children of our Nation.

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