Center Students Learn About World War II from Veterans, Holocaust Survivor

February 20, 2015 - (More Photos) An estimated 190 persons attended the World War II seminar held at the John D. Windham Civic Center on February 10th and learned about the events leading up to the United States involvement in the war starting with December 7, 1941, the attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Mike Langford spoke about Pearl Harbor followed by Larry Hume who spoke about the Bataan Death March and recognized individual Shelby County soldiers who participated in WWII.

The final speaker of the event brought history alive by recounting his life when he was a 6 year old boy and Nazis began gathering the Jews. Mr. Hans Polk's story included his family handing him over a fence to the neighbors, the death of his parents at a concentration camp, and his journey surviving the Holocaust.

He finished saying the world still has anti semitism in it which the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines as hostility toward or discrimination against Jews as a religious, ethnic, or racial group. Polk said, "The world has not learned one thing about the Holocaust." He continued saying, "You just don't know what is happening in the world unless, unless you get away from your little telephone and start looking at some news."

After the event Heaven Umbrell expressed appreciation saying, "Thank you to everyone who was involved to help make the day great. I really appreciate the school, as well as the veterans, and Mr. Larry Hume and Mr. Polk. Everyone coming out and helping us make it a great day I think for the kids and made history come alive and that's my goal for my students, is to make history come alive."