Why History Is So Important to Me

By Woody Jenkins, Editor, Central City News — CENTRAL — I fell in love with the history of our country when at the age of 9 my parents took us on a two-week driving trip to Washington, DC. It was March 1956 and quite cold. Even though we didn’t really have the money, my dad used his savings to take my mom and me on this trip. 

I was in the 3rd grade at Fairfields Elementary School. Although it meant missing a lot of school, our principal, Mrs. Hammond, and my teacher, Mrs. Byrd, thought it would be well worth it because of all I would learn. My dad told me it would teach me things I could never understand by sitting in a classroom and that I would remember this trip all my life. He was so right! Even though it was very cold and snowed, the weather didn’t stop us from seeing everything he wanted us to see. 

We stopped in Warm Springs, GA, to see the Little White House where President Roosevelt often stayed when he wasn’t in Washington. My daddy disagreed with Roosevelt on many things but admired him for his role as Commander in Chief during World War II. 

We took our time and saw Thomas Jefferson’s home at Monticello, Washington’s home at Mount Vernon, the White House, the U.S. Capitol, the Smithsonian Institute, the Jefferson Memorial, the Washington Monument, Arlington Cemetery, and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. 

Sixth District Congressman Jimmy Morrison of Hammond greeted us in his office in the Capitol and gave us tickets to watch the House of Representatives in session. My daddy grew up in Ponchatoula and had known Jimmy Morrison forever. Even today, I remember every detail of that trip. Perhaps the most impressive thing of all was our visit to Monticello. When we left, I felt I knew Thomas Jefferson. By the time we returned to Baton Rouge, I was in love with our history, the Founding Fathers, and the American vision of liberty. In this photo, my daddy, Ory Jenkins, and I stood in front of the tomb of President George Washington at Mount Vernon. Even though we were on a vacation, Daddy wore his suit out of respect for President Washington. “We can’t go to Mount Vernon in casual clothes,” he said. I wore my Cub Scout uniform. As we stood in front of the tomb, my daddy, who was only 11 years out of uniform himself, told me to salute the Father of Our Country, and I did! What boy could have such an experience without its changing his life and his view of our country!

Growing up as the son of a disabled veteran who told countless stories about his experiences during World War II, I learned of the sacrifice of our men and women who gave everything so that we could breathe free.  I saw the pain he constantly experienced from the broken back and severe burns he received in combat.  

My dad taught me about our heritage as part Choctaw Indian and about our ancestors from Wales.

In the ninth grade, my dad decided to start a restaurant in Saint Francisville, and we chose the building which had served as the Capitol of the Republic of West Florida. I spent a summer helping to renovate that historic building and bring it back to life.

It wasn’t long until at the age of 23 I was elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives where I served for 28 years. I worked in the Capitol building that Huey Long built, which is so steeped in history.  As an elected delegate to the Constitutional Convention, I had to study all of our state constitutions in Louisiana beginning in 1812 and was asked to write the Declaration of Rights for our current state constitution.  

Our home today is just a few feet from where the first casualty of the Battle of Baton Rouge fell, Lt. Alexander Todd, half brother of Mary Todd Lincoln.

History is all around us and for me it is truly alive!  

I am very pleased with the content standards for social studies adopted by BESE.

Congratulations to all those including the superintendent, the members of his staff, BESE, and all the members of the public who made a real difference in the process!