Monuments and Memorials in Our Town

Abstract

Students from the town of Brandýs nad Labem – Stará Boleslav mapped local monuments and memorials and explored various reasons for reminding people of a famous persons or historical events. The project was based on the co-operation with the regional museum and the local library.

Key words: monuments and memorials, famous persons, local distinctiveness, intersections of local memories and national history, cross-curricular approach.

Summary

Although history is taught at schools, some of the evidence shows that students are not able to consider how general historical events influence both community life and environment. Monuments and memorials often represent unique intersections between local memories and national history. Therefore, it can be helpful for students to study the reasons why the local community decided to build a particular monument to remind the inhabitants of a famous person or historical event. However, local monuments and memorials are often “invisible” for children and young people.

In order to develop the learning potential of local monuments and memorials, an upper-secondary school in Brandýs nad Labem – Stará Boleslav set up a partnership with the regional museum and local library. The purpose of the heritage education project was to encourage student involvement in the past and present of town community. A group of 30 students (aged 13 – 14 years) mapped and documented both the past and present of monuments and memorials in their town. Students conducted research in the regional museum as well as local library. Using their findings and photographs they created a hand-made map including localisation of monuments and memorials and a Web presentation comprising of the map, photos and textual information. Students also published short articles in local newspaper. Finally, they arranged a community event at the regional museum and presented their findings to schoolmates and relatives as well as to primary and secondary pupils from other local schools and wider public.

Project Partners: Gymnázium J. S. Machara, Brandýs n. Labem – Stará Boleslav, Oblastní muzeum Praha – východ, Knihovna E. Petišky v Brandýse n. Labem

Authors: PhDr. Karla Temrová, PhDr. Petr Nejedlo, Mgr. Věra Špíglová