Lessons from a Year in Isolation

by Paula Gail Benson

A year ago, so much of the life we were used to changed as we learned that Covid 19 not only was deadly, but spreading rapidly. I have a vivid memory of meeting with church council members and making the decision to “postpone” our bi-annual presentation of the Living Last Supper. At the time, we hoped this would be for a few weeks or months. We have not yet rescheduled.

During this past year, I found myself retreating into more solitary pursuits. I rediscovered the joys of reading books in series, which I had not had time for in the last few years. In addition, I learned about television programing and movies available on Apple and Prime.

Some of what I discovered took me to historical paths, I previously had not explored. I had seen several movies and series about Henry VIII and Elizabeth I, but I knew little about Henry VII and the War of the Roses. Watching The White Princess, about Elizabeth of York, and The Spanish Princess, about Catharine of Aragon, both based on books by Phillippa Gregory, gave me a different perspective about English history and the Tudors. In addition, going further back in time with the Brother Cadfael stories, based on books by Ellis Peters and played by Derek Jacobi, made me appreciate modern conveniences and customs in comparison with the medieval lifestyle.

Recently, my viewing had shifted to American history. I discovered April Morning, based on a book by Howard Fast, that told the story of a young man’s experience when the British troops marched from Boston to Concord and exchanged fire with a group of colonists in Lexington, known as the “shot heard round the world.” I tried without luck to discover where the movie had been filmed.

A few years ago, I had the opportunity to go to Boston for a conference. I went early and stayed late to do some sightseeing in the area. The movie featured so many locations that were familiar to me from that trip. In particular, I had taken photos of the stone walls along the road from Lexington to Concord. After the colonists had so many casualties in Lexington, they stationed themselves behind the stone walls to fire on the British troops as they returned to Boston. Following the movie, I looked back at the photos I had taken of those walls, having a new regard for the history that had taken place around them.

Previously, I wrote here about watching What the Constitution Means to Me, a filmed version of Heidi Schreck’s Broadway play based on her teenaged experiences of competing in the American Legion Oratorical contests for scholarship money. Having judged a local American Legion Oratorical, I appreciated very much seeing the perspective from a competitor.

Over the weekend, South Carolina held its statewide American Legion Oratorical competition. Unfortunately, due to Covid 19 continuing restrictions, the national one will not take place this year.

I was pleased to be asked to participate as a judge for South Carolina. My church hosted the competition and I found myself back in the room where so many decisions had been made to cancel activities a year ago.

During the competition, in explaining how the Constitution is a living document, one of the students spoke about the events that took place around Lexington and Concord. It was wonderful to hear that a young person had spent a year in isolation as I had, learning from the past and appreciating its impact on the present and future.

In spite of our year in isolation, we go on—still learning and applying the lessons of history to our current time. Hopefully, next year will bring the opportunity to return to travels and gatherings.

American Legion Oratorical Competition

 by Paula Gail Benson

A few years ago, a friend in the leadership of a local American Legion Post asked if I would be a judge for its oratorical contest. I hadn’t previously heard about this competition.

I knew about the Boys State and Girls State programs the American Legion operated each year, giving high school students a chance to learn about the branches of government by becoming part of the process. In the past, these summer events have taken place at our Statehouse where I work. I’ve found it inspiring to see the young participants walking through the halls, making plans about proposed legislation, and offering for mock elective positions. Hopefully, their experience will encourage them to consider future participation in federal or state government. Remember how President Clinton’s campaign proudly used his Boys State photo visiting the White House and shaking President Kennedy’s hand?

Similarly, since 1938, the American Legion’s oratorical contest has offered high school students the opportunity to learn about the United States Constitution by studying and preparing to speak about its provisions. Each year, the American Legion website lists the selected subject matters for the competition’s focus. Students must present one timed prepared speech without help aids. In the second round, they draw a topic from a container and make an extemporaneous talk.

By participating in the contest and placing in local, state, regional, and national levels, students win scholarships. The year I participated as a judge, we had only one student. We listened to her presentations so we could offer suggestions for improvements as she moved on to the next levels in the competition. She was phenomenal in the information she had compiled and her poise in delivery. I was delighted to get to know her.

Since I served as a judge, Heidi Schrek wrote and performed in a Broadway production called What the Constitution Means to Me. The show was based on Heidi’s own experiences going from one American Legion oratorical contest to another, winning sufficient scholarships to pay her way through college. It ran both off and on Broadway, winning the Obie award, being nominated for the Tony award, and being a finalist for the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

In the show, Heidi channeled her teenaged-self participating in the oratorical contest. She dynamically expressed constitutional principles by making analogies to her own life. Midway through, she stepped away from the structure of the contest to provide more detail about her personal and family situation, giving additional insight into how the rights and privileges guaranteed by the Constitution influenced the quality of her life. The show’s final portion had Heidi debate a high school student on the question: "Should the Constitution be Abolished?" Each night, the debate was staged anew with the audience encouraged to express its opinion (cheers or boos) about what it heard and, in the end, vote which side won.

One of the Broadway performances was recorded for a wider audience viewing. In addition, the written play will be released on December 1, 2020. It’s particularly fitting for this time of year as we consider and are thankful for our history and all that has offers us.

In the performance, Heidi mentions the book she used to prepare her oratorical presentations: Your Rugged Constitution by Bruce Allyn Findlay and Esther Blair Findlay (Stanford University Press, 1952). I found a used copy of the volume and ordered it. While it does not contain the most recent amendments, it remains a strong statement about the “living” document that is the basis for our laws.