MTSU celebrates the Constitution on The Murfreesboro Post

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MTSU celebrates the Constitution

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By: MICHELLE WILLARD, Post Staff Writer

Posted: Wednesday, September 17, 2008 1:00 pm

MTSU celebrates the Constitution | MTSU, HERITAGE

TMP Photo by Kelly Hite. MTSU senior Janeth Garcia works the replica of Benjamin Franklin's 18th century printing press with help from David Person and Prof. William Black during Constitution Day.

Middle Tennessee State University celebrated the 221st anniversary of the signing of the United States Constitution Wednesday by read it aloud and printing copies of the Preamble with a hand-crank press.

Students converged near the James Walker Library to read, print and sign the nation’s founding document in honor of Constitution Day.

“I think we have a tendency to take the Constitution for granted,” said Betty Rowland with the American Democracy Project at MTSU, “and this gives us pause to think about what it means.”

American Democracy Project is an initiative of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities to foster an understanding and commitment to the civic process in undergraduate students.

Rowland said the number of MTSU students who were interested in symbolically signing the Constitution and registering to vote was heartening.

“It’s always good to have something to make you stop and think about the freedom we have here …” she said. “And it’s all resting on the Constitution and the people who made it possible.”

One of the people of made it possible was also on campus Wednesday. At least John Vile, Constitutional scholar and dean of the Honors College, was there as James Madison, one of the nation’s founding fathers and principal author of the Constitution.

Vile, students and other members of the MTSU community read the document from start to finish.

Students also printed copies of the preamble of the Constitution with a replica of Benjamin Franklin’s 18th century printing press.

“This is a cool thing, when kids find out how printing started and why we have books in the library – moveable type made it possible,” explained Kristen Keene, Walker Library communications specialist.

Alan Boehm, the library’s director of special collections, had the press replicated after he found plans for it in a book. He has since taken it to local schools and displayed it in Walker Library.

A law passed by Congress in 2004 requires all federally funded educational institutions to distribute information about the Constitution each Constitution Day, Sept. 17.

Michelle Willard can be contacted at 615-869-0816 or mwillard@murfreesboropost.com.

Tagged under HERITAGE, MTSU

Member Opinions:

By: boroman on 9/19/08
GOOD THING THEIR READING IT NOW. THE WAY BUSH IS GOING THERE WON'T BE ONE FOR TOO MUCH LONGER!!!

By: BigBlueBubba on 9/20/08
I agree Boroman, a few more years of Neoconic rule will give us more of the same. No Rights, no money and bailouts for the wealthy