U.S. Marshals Museum & Clinton Presidential Library to Launch Pilot Program

According to a Times Record article published in today's issue, the U.S. Marshals Museum and William J. Clinton Presidential Library have collaborated to provide toolkits with Marshals Service-related materials to teachers in the Little Rock and Fort Smith school districts as well as the Hope and Helena/West Helena education cooperatives. Jessica Hayes, Marshals Museum Coordinator, says she and Clinton Library and Museum education specialist Kathleen Pate are planning to build kits containing around 40 reproductions of documents, editorial cartoons and newspaper articles, some that date back to the time of George Washington's presidency. George Washington is responsible for establishing the Marshals Service in 1860. The toolkits will be distributed to teachers in time for the 2009-10 school year, said Hayes. Pate and Hayes hope to distribute the kits statewide in time for the 2010-11 school year and to eventually distribute nationwide. 

The education department of the Clinton Presidential Library aims to advance the understanding of the role of the office of the presidency and the American political system, according to the mission of the library's website. It publishes a newsletter, and provides teacher advisory groups, classroom materials and lesson plans, and is currently developing a classroom outreach program. 

The pilot project for Fort Smith and Little Rock regions is funded through a 3-1 matching grant from the Arkansas Humanities council. Hayes said the council provided $6,972 for the project and the organizers provide the three-times-in-kind match, predominately through labor. Hayes says, "It's a big project."

Throughout the summer, organizers of the projects will be holding workshops with teachers to determine what is needed and desired in the toolkits. Hayes said, "What we're doing is meeting topics teachers are already teaching in the classroom and supplementing them with materials focusing on the Marshals and president's roles." 

Hayes believes the materials will be adaptable for use in subjects beyond history, such as supplements to a geography lesson by having students use prisoner transfer documents to track where a marshal or deputy marshal traveled in history. In a lesson such as this, students could discuss what the marshals might have experienced during their journeys or learn how many marshals were involved in the westward expansion of America and in the number of states achieving statehood. 

Kathleen Cates, professional development director of Fort Smith Schools, says the Fort Smith Schools district readily agreed to participate in this pilot program. All Fort Smith public schools from kindergarten through ninth grade have Arkansas history lessons to some extent, and the district is always looking for ways to revamp and supplement the program. This program was perfect for local schools since there is no cost for the school district. Cates said, "It's amazing to see how much our local area has contributed that affects the entire nation." 

Between 20-25 Fort Smith teachers will participate in the project during the 2009-10 school year, according to Cates. The following year, Cates expects expansion to more teachers in Fort Smith schools, based on pilot teachers' feedback and evaluations. Also, when the planned Marshals Museum is built, field trips could be incorporated into lesson plans. 

According to Hayes, each teacher will receive a CD containing reproductions of documents and materials as well as a supplemental guide for what state standard each aspect fulfills. Some planned materials are the 1789 U.S. Constitution, Judiciary Act, Washington's District Attorney and marshal appointments, photos of original U.S. marshals, newspaper articles pertaining to U.S. marshal activity, and other various documents.