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Bush seeks $100 million for history education
WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Bush will seek $100 million over the next three years for his program to improve Americans' understanding of history. The money would fund the "We the People" initiative, which Bush announced last year to promote humanities projects that highlight major events in American history. The proposed budget was announced at a forum, where Laura Bush recognized six 11th-graders who won the program's first essay contest. The $100 million includes $25 million Bush already requested of Congress for 2004. "Through `We the People' and other federal initiatives...we hope to inspire more students and teachers across the country," Laura Bush said. The initiative "will give our teachers new tools to teach some of the oldest and most important lessons in history." Describing the country's need for more resources for history teachers, Mrs. Bush cited a Roper Survey that found 40 percent of college seniors could not place the Civil War in the correct half of the 19th century. Lynne Cheney also spoke on the importance of history, stressing that "family stories can be an excellent entry into our national story." "I do not mean just names and dates and places," Cheney said, describing "compelling" history. "No, I mean the stories of those who came before us."
In a separate announcement at the forum, Education Secretary Rod Paige said the Education Department has $100 million for history teaching grants under a program that started in 2001. Schools and school districts across the nation can apply for the grants by July 7. The Bush initiative took its name from the Constitution's opening words "We, the people of the United States ... " The program promotes American history, civics and culture by giving teachers access to experts and historical texts, developing courses, and sponsoring an annual essay contest and national history bee for students. "We the People" is administered by the National Endowment for the Humanities, an independent federal agency that supports education in history, literature and other areas of the humanities through public television, radio, museum exhibits and programs in libraries and community places. Copyright 2003 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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(The initiative) will give our teachers new tools to teach some of the oldest and most important lessons in history.
