RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 states "the historical and cultural foundations 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"; and

WHEREAS, the state of Hawaii recognized this commitment to historic preservation in H.R.S. §6E-1, stating in part "the legislature further declares that it is in the public interest to engage in a comprehensive program of historic preservation at all levels of government to promote the use and conservation of such property for the education, inspiration, pleasure, and enrichment of its citizens"; and

WHEREAS, President Bush has affirmed the importance of historic preservation when he said, "Anything we can do to preserve our history and share it with the public, especially students, and other young people, is an important service in these challenging times"; and

WHEREAS, preservationists are increasingly involved in education, both at the K-12 level and in colleges and universities; and

WHEREAS, heritage education is a way of making history and social studies education "come alive" for students, offering experiences that help make the past real for those who visit them; and

WHEREAS, heritage curricula developed by companies such as Teaching with Historical Places, that include walking tours and visits to real historical places "generate excitement and curiosity about the people who lived there and the events that occurred there"; and

WHEREAS, education with a focus on historic preservation helps to give students a better understanding of their built environment, enhances their appreciation of the past and their culture, and generates a greater interest in the study of history; and

WHEREAS, Hawaii has a unique and spectacular history found nowhere else in the world that should be preserved and shared for current and future generations and with the millions of individuals who visit the state each year; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2006, the Senate concurring, that the Department of Education support the inclusion of historic preservation and heritage education in the curriculum of the lower levels of Hawai`i's educational system; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Superintendent of the Department of Education and the Board of Education.

Report Title:

Historic preservation curriculum in lower level of education