[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 89 (Monday, June 23, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1291-E1292]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




PAYING TRIBUTE TO MR. MARVIN HARPER AND AMERICAN LEGION POST NO. 102 OF 
                              BARNARD, MO

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. PAT DANNER

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, June 23, 1997

  Ms. DANNER. Mr. Speaker, for the benefit of my colleagues, I would 
like to have printed in the Record the following article from the 
Nodaway News Leader paying tribute to Mr. Marvin Harper and American 
Legion Post No. 102 at Barnard, MO, for their efforts in providing 
Nodaway R-IV students an unique public speaking program.

              [From the Nodaway News Leader, Mar. 8, 1997]

     South Nodaway First Grade Students Learn Public Speaking Early

       You're never too young to learn, especially when it comes 
     to communication. The America Legion is helping South Nodaway 
     R-IV students get a head start on developing their speaking 
     skills.
       Marvin Harper, who serves on the Department of Missouri 
     Oratorical Commission for the American Legion, has created a 
     unique program that provides young students an opportunity to 
     speak in public.
       ``The point of this is to develop skills to learn how to 
     talk in front of people,'' Harper told South Nodaway's first 
     grade students.
       Harper visited the class last week and discussed the 
     American Legion and the importance of being an effective 
     communicator in everyday conversations. Each child was then 
     given a chance to stand up in front of the class and speak 
     for about 30 seconds. Many of them talked about the U.S. 
     flag, Abraham Lincoln and President Clinton.
       First grade teacher Bonny Acklin believes the program is 
     very beneficial.
       ``It's a good experience for them,'' she said. ``It is 
     different for the students to talk in front of someone else 
     they don't know.''
       This is the third year Harper has conducted the program. 
     During the first year, he worked with a few students in a 
     pilot program. Last year, the kindergarten all had a chance 
     to give a short speech. This year, Harper has visited both 
     the kindergarten and first grade class.
       ``Hopefully we'll work right on up to the sixth grade,'' he 
     said. Harper said he was not aware of any other program of 
     this type in the United States. Later this year he will 
     submit a report to the state oratorical commission about the 
     effectiveness of the project.
       The American Legion sponsors a national oratorical contest 
     for high school students. Participants in that contest speak 
     about the U.S. Constitution and can earn scholarship

[[Page E1292]]

     money. Harper stressed that the project for elementary 
     students was not a contest.
       ``We want to develop students so they can have effective 
     communication skills in whatever they want to do,'' he 
     explained.
       Kindergarten teacher Barb Sherry said she has seen growth 
     in the student's public speaking skills. Both she and Acklin 
     believe the program also provides an opportunity to highlight 
     the importance of patriotism.
       ``We try to teach a sense of community and respect for our 
     country,'' Acklin said. ``Every morning we say the Pledge of 
     Allegiance and talk about how lucky we are to live in a free 
     country.''
       Harper told the first grade students he was so impressed 
     with their accomplishment of speaking in front of a group 
     that they would have a party and talk about how to take care 
     of the flag.

     

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