By Sen. Ruth Ward
Several legislators, over the years, have pushed for civics education in N.H. schools. This session saw those efforts come to fruition. With the inclusion of legislation in the state budget, the Commission on New Hampshire Civics was established.
The commission will have a broad representation from agencies and the legislature. There will be 15 people on the commission. The first-named governor’s appointee will call the first meeting. The civics curriculum will be presented throughout students’ K thru 12 education.
What is civics? According to Webster’s Dictionary, civics “is the branch of political science that deals with civic affairs and the duty and rights of the citizenry”. It also includes the history of the country and its people.
New Hampshire’s history shows that our state takes civic engagement seriously. Take, for instance, our 400 member House of Representatives, which preserves our Forefathers’ vision of government by the people and for the people. Consider that our motto is “Live free or die” (Death is not the worst of evils).
I believe that there is no better way to start a little bit of “civics” talk than to talk about the man who coined that motto, General John Stark.
General Stark was born in what is today’s Derry, in 1728. Early in life, Stark learned the virtue of self-reliance, a trait that would eventually define him. He had learned how to survive in the wilderness and, from that, developed the confidence that he could support himself in any environment or situation.
He served as an officer in the British Army, during the French and Indian War and as a Major General in the Continental Army, during the American Revolution. He became widely known as the Hero of Bennington, for his exemplary service at the Battle of Bennington, VT, in 1777. General Stark chose Charlestown’s The Fort at No. 4, as his staging ground for NH’s volunteer troops.
Later in the war, Stark became dismayed by the politics of the Continental Army, watching how bureaucrats choose weak, undeserving men, with no combat experience, to lead soldiers. Stark had been passed over by a man who refused to march his militia regiment to Bunker Hill to join the battle, choosing to keep his regiment at home. Stark chose to be independent of the colonial elite, resigning his commission in the Continental Army, pledging, instead, to lead the newly formed New Hampshire Militia, should it be needed.
Stark played an indispensable role in winning American independence, yet, except for here in New Hampshire, he is not widely known. Two presidents, James Madison and Thomas Jefferson, even wrote to him to thank him for his service. Neither man had met Stark, but they had heard about him and his service.
In 1809, a group of veterans gathered to commemorate the Battle of Bennington. Stark, 81 at that time, was not well enough to travel, but sent a letter which closed with the toast “Live free or die. Death is not the greatest of evils”. That became the New Hampshire motto in 1945.
John Stark died in May 1822 at the age of 93. He is buried in the Stark Cemetery, inside of Stark Park, the grounds of his former farm, in Manchester. Other tributes to General John Stark include Route 114, the John Stark Highway, John Stark Regional School in Weare and the newly named bridge over the Connecticut River in Hinsdale, The John Stark Memorial Bridge.
Teaching history and civics preserves the legacy of our heroes’ past and, when it comes to N.H. heroes, they don’t get any bigger than General John Stark. His legacy deserves to be taught and remembered by generations to come.
— Senator Ruth Ward (R-Stoddard) represents District 8 in the New Hampshire Senate.
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