[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 65 (Monday, May 20, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E867-E868]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE WEEKLY READER

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                         HON. CHRISTOPHER SHAYS

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, May 20, 2002

  Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 100th 
anniversary of the Weekly Reader, the nation's oldest and most widely-
circulated periodical for school children.
  The Weekly Reader dates to 1902, when Charles Palmer Davis visited 
his daughter's one-room schoolhouse and found only two students who 
knew William McKinley was the President of the United States. After 
this experience, Charles Davis decided to create a children's 
newspaper.
  Beginning with the first publication of Current Events on May 20, 
1902, Weekly Reader has brought world and national news into classrooms 
in ways young people can understand. It has helped children learn to 
read and understand how events affect their lives and define their role 
in society.
  I have a particular affection for Weekly Reader because my third 
grade teacher, Mrs. Kapella, encouraged me to become a member of the 
Weekly Reader Book Club. Over the course of the school year, I became 
the proud owner of seven books of my very own. This set me on a 
wonderful course of loving to read and sparked a lifelong interest in 
American history, how we became a nation, how we settled the West and 
how we became a world power.
  The Weekly Reader's accessible style has helped students appreciate 
many of the important events that have shaped our world during the past 
century, including World War I, the Great Depression, World War II, the 
Civil Rights Movement, the first Moon landing, the collapse of the 
Soviet Union and the tragic events of September 11, 2001.
  Present in 90 percent of school districts in the United States, 
Weekly Reader is read by nearly 11 million students each week. Weekly 
Reader does more than report the news; it teaches tolerance and 
encourages children to speak their minds about important topics.
  I applaud Weekly Reader for connecting our children to the world, 
encouraging them to become critical and imaginative thinkers and 
helping them grow into the leaders of tomorrow.
  The longevity and popularity of Weekly Reader speaks volumes about 
its importance as a learning tool, and I join with others who cherish 
the publication in congratulating them on their centennial anniversary.

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