Freedom Shrine installed at Lee County Middle School East

LEESBURG — Present and future students at Lee County Middle School East now have a front-row seat to explore the history of the United States, and the freedoms its people hold dear, through the newly installed Freedom Shrine in the school’s main corridor.

Dozens of students joined Lee County officials and Exchange Club of Albany members at the school Wednesday for the dedication of the new shrine, which featured remarks about the freedoms American citizens enjoy, as well as a performance of “The Star Spangled Banner” by the Lee County Middle School East choir.

“Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to be with us for the Freedom Shrine dedication today; we’re very appreciative of that,” said LCMS East Principal Kelli Duke. “It is our hope that this impressive display of historical documents that you have given to us will be a constant reminder to all of us of the great efforts that have been made to ensure our freedom.”

The Freedom Shrine, which displays copies of 30 documents representing important historical moments in the country’s history, was given to the school as a gift from the Exchange Club of Albany as part of the organization’s Freedom Shrine program.

According to club President Kay Griffin, the program was created by the national Exchange Club as an homage to the “red, white, and blue Freedom Train” that travelled across the nation from 1947 to 1949 carrying documents such as the United States Constitution and the Declaration of Independence to different cities so that citizens could glimpse some papers that defined the country’s development.

“This train travelled across the United States in order for the general public to see these documents, because otherwise some of them might not have ever been able to see them,” said Griffin. “Now you don’t have to wait for the Freedom Train to stop in Leesburg, or even in Albany, to see some of the documents we have. On the walls we have documents representing the freedom that we enjoy today.”

Although the Freedom Shrine at LCMS East contains only copies of documents such as the Gettysburg Address, the Mayflower Compact, Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, and others, school and local officials urged the students present for the dedication to familiarize themselves and learn about the principles the documents represent. They also urged them to strive to uphold those principles as they continue growing toward adulthood.

“Each of us was given a gift of freedom. That’s so important,” said Lee County School System Assistant Superintendent Kevin Dowling. “The men who first developed these documents, at the time, they were considered rebels, they were considered revolutionaries. They won their freedom, and they created a government. Now you talk about a daunting task. We have a hard time sometimes creating a web page or creating a picture to put on Facebook.

“These people created a government that we still are governed by today, a government that is of the people, by the people, for the people. I hope all of you remember (this) as you walk these halls. Don’t ever take your freedoms for granted.”

Griffin concurred, urging the students, along with the dozens of Exchange Club members and citizens present for the dedication, to never forget the sacrifices that were made to protect America’s greatest ideal.

“Each of us shares a gift (and) that gift is freedom,” said Griffin. “We have the freedom to live our lives in just about any way we choose. For nearly all of us, this gift of freedom has come free of charge, but for others there has been a price. The men and women in our armed forces are one example of how many people dedicated part of their lives to protect our freedom.

“We want you to look at these documents, study them, understand them and use your imagination. Think about this nation’s past. We would like for you to be able to go to your library and find out the stories behind these great documents. These men and women of our past did not sit back and let someone else do the job. They stepped forward. One day something may come up that infringes on our freedom, and I hope that you will not sit back. I hope that you will step forward.”

Nadia Hawkins, an eighth-grader representing the school’s Student Government Association, spoke on behalf of the student population, expressing gratitude and committing to using the Freedom Shrine as a guide for building the future.

“On behalf of the student body, I would like to express our appreciation to the Exchange Club of Albany for the donation of the Freedom Shrine to our campus,” Hawkins said. “These remarkable documents serve as windows to America’s proud past. Students who walk through this hall daily will be able to see firsthand, not just in the pages of a textbook or on the internet, these incredible documents which have impacted American history.

“Leaders are born and raised and educated every day in Lee County; we must look to our forefathers for inspiration and direction as we blaze our own trails.”

The Exchange Club of Albany has installed Freedom Shrines in several schools throughout Dougherty and Lee counties, and tries to install at least one shrine every year.