Marion leo hart born march 3, 1949 is a former american football quarterback in the national football league. Leo harts faith led him to reach out to the disheveled children living in the tents of weedpatch camp with belief in the potential of these ragtag. Local school superintendent leo hart spearheaded a movement for the children to get educated by building their own school along with teachers and volunteers. The wicked weather and winds that cursed the oklahoma panhandle became unbearable in the late 1930s.
Hart,1 superintendent of kern county schools, observed in later years. In 1939 leo hart was elected superintendent of kern county schools, and he built a school next to weedpatch camp just for the children of the grapes of wrath. The school eventually merged with the vineland district, and ceased to be an emergency school. This man, leo hart, got some staff together, gathered some suffering children, and made a school for these people. Bowl migrant laborers went without schooluntil superintendent leo hart and. This book describes the plight of the migrant workers who traveled from the dust bowl to california during the depression and were forced to live in a federal labor camp. Who is the actor to play as leo hart in the weedpatch school. The book includes period black and white photographs depicting the hardships and the school. Known as the weedpatch school, it was the brain child of the.
Leo hart set out to provide the unwanted children with better educational experiences. San joaquin valley, one of which became known as weedpatch camp. This true story took place at the emergency farmlabor camp immortalized in steinbecks the grapes of wrath. However they were not welcome in the native californians schools. The true story of the school at weedpatch camp kindle edition by stanley, jerry. Leo hart, the kern county school superintendent, greets james and expounds on the origin of the weedpatch school. Name 2 things done by the residents to show that they didnt approve of the school being built. Weedpatch camp the true story of the school at weedpatch camp. Illustrated with photographs from the dust bowl era.
The true story of the school at weedpatch camp pdf. Mar 14, 1989 in 1939 leo hart was elected superintendent of kern county schools, and he built a school next to weedpatch camp just for the children of the migrants. Children of the dust bowl, the true story of the school at weedpatch camp, by jerry stanley, illustrated with actual photographs from the era, is the story of the migration of okies from the oklahoma panhandle to the land of promises in california. A fifth grade class listens to children of the dust bowl by jerry stanley and then discuss whether is was right for the educator leo hart to start a separate school. The weedpatch camp school was born out of school superintendent leo harts desire and determination to educate all children. It is one mile from weedpatch and two miles from lamont. Leo hart gathered fifty ragtag youngsters with a group of dedicated teachers and built weedpatch camp school. Leo hart stands as one of the most decorated football players in duke history. Located between arvin and weedpatch and situated on weedpatch highway. Leo hart, who had been elected county superintendent of schools in 1939, was. When the children were not working to help the family survive, they went to school.
Hart elementary school located in bakersfield, california ca. Weedpatch school showed the okie children that some people. Leo hart is remembered as an amazing educator who served as the kern county superintendent of schools. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading children of the dust bowl. Hart recognized the communitys responsibility to educate all children and used federal funds to open the arvin federal emergency school in 1939. She started working at vineland school teaching third grade then taking a bus down the street to weedpatch school a school developed by leo b hart for the children of the dust bowl living at. If you have read and found john steinbecks the grapes of wrath compelling, i urge you to read children of the dust bowl. Students of leo harts weedpatch school for oakies of the 1930s. Leo hart won the office of superintendent for the school district, leased 10 acres of land beside the camp, hired the best teachers, and started weedpatch school in 1940. Weedpatch camp children of the dust bowl the true story. There were some sixty elementary schools that were serving the district high school, and i recognized i n the late twenties and early thirties there was a real.
Apr 15, 2016 students of leo harts weedpatch school for oakies of the 1930s included classes in an airplane and a chance to drive the plane down the. Vineland school was near the camp and therefore the arvin federal school became the second school in the district. It was successful and locals soon demanded their children be included. If the goal of education is to prepare our children for their future, the weedpatch school got it right and we can learn a lot from its success. Students of leo hart s weedpatch school for oakies of the 1930s included classes in an airplane and a chance to drive the plane down the runway and back. In 1940 leo hart decided to build a school for the okies. Children of the dust bowl the true story of the school at weedpatch camp. Students of leo harts weedpatch school for oakies of the. Mar 03, 2014 it is one mile from weedpatch and two miles from lamont.
Right to education responsibility to educate the story of. In 1939 leo hart was elected superintendent of kern county schools, and he built a school next to weedpatch camp just for the children of the migrants. He played for the atlanta falcons and buffalo bills. Listen to watch we built this school sung by james, leo, and the chorus, with additional solos by kate berelowitch and davide pettenuzzo.
Children of the dust bowl by jerry stanley scholastic. How were residents convinced to donate to the school. Maybe leo hart, superintendent of kern county schools in the 1930s, developed his own faith growing up in rural godfearing iowa with a school teacher mother and hardworking father. The true story of the school at weedpatch camp characters jerry stanley this study guide consists of approximately 24 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of children of the dust bowl. This school, nicknamed weedpatch school, brought joy to the people who had come from oklahoma. Interviews with hart and the school s former teachers and pupils make children of the dust bowl useful to students of oral history, as well as of the depression.
Hart in 1959,when he was honored at a local track meet on the field where he played with the camp kids. In september of 1940, the arvin federal emergency school was created by the county superintendent of schools, leo b. Ostracized as dumb okies, the children of dust bowl migrant laborers went without school until superintendent leo hart and 50 okie kids built their own school in a nearby field. Arvin federal emergency school, or as it came to be called weedpatch school, had several programs and excellent teachers. That a new school would remove okie kids from the public schools. This true story took place at the emergency farmlabor camp immortalized in steinbecksthe grapes of wrath. From the heart wrenching triumph of this educational experiment, the current crop of teachers in the united states could learn five valuable lessons in how to change lives with the right mix of chalk and challenge. Synopsis by paul phillips and bill harley act i scene 1 james callahan arrives at the arvin federal migrant camp near bakersfield, ca in 1940 to teach math and music to oklahoma migrants at the weedpatch school, which is viewed skeptically by the town denizens. He played college football for the duke blue devils. Hart, to serve the children from a large migrant labor camp that had been established in the area. Pete bancroft said that leo hart made himself a oneman team in support of the migrant children. Leo hart, then superintendent of kern county schools, watched the dustbowl refugees accumulate in migrant camps, under bridges and in ditches throughout his jurisdiction.
Weedpatch camp is the farmlabor camp built by the federal government, that educator leo hart creates a federal emergency school. Read common sense media s children of the dust bowl. Leo hart was a magnificent educator, so he went on to start the first school for handicapped children, be an educational consultant to the korean government, and be the. Leo hart, then superintendent of kern county schools, watched the. Leo hart, head counselor in the kern county high school district, had been in the. The site was next door to the migrant camp near weedpatch where the. The school was built and managed by the okie children. Leo hart was a magnificent educator, so he went on to start the first school for handicapped children, be an educational consultant to the korean government, and be the superintendent of the pondham union school district before retiring in 1959. The true story of the school at weedpatch camp jerry stanley on. Conclusion the true story of the school at weedpatch camp. Barbara sabovich obituary bakersfield, ca bakersfield.
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