"History cannot give us a program for the future, but it can give us a fuller understanding of ourselves, and of our common humanity, so that we can better face the future."

-Robert Penn Warren

The Lakewood Historical Society has partnered with Grant Elementary School to create a successful educational program for 2nd and 3rd grade children. Each year, the students in Nadine Bluemel’s Discovery Class create a documentary on an aspect of Lakewood history with the guidance of Mazie M. Adams, Executive Director of the Lakewood Historical Society. The students study primary and secondary source material including maps, books, pamphlets, advertisements; search the internet; conduct oral history interviews; work individually, in small groups and as a class; explore the appropriate area of Lakewood on foot; and acquire and select historic photographs. Using all of this material, the students create a documentary movie. All students assisted Ms. Bluemel in selecting music, creating transitions, and coordinating music, audio clips, interviews, photographs and music using iMovie, a Macintosh product.

You may view two of the documentaries on this Web site: The Templar Automobile: A Superfine Small Car [.wmv] 24.4MB; and Birdtown: Lakewood’s Oldest Neighborhood [.wmv] 52.2MB.