Inside Geneva: Rick Nagel

Inside Geneva: Every Student in Geneva Should See History Center's Roundtable on '30s and '40s

If there ever were something that fits into the category of "required" curriculum, Thursday's History Center program would be it. There are so many lessons to be learned.

As I watched Thursday night's roundtable discussion at the Geneva History Center, I couldn't help thinking how cool it would be if they could take this show on the road. Inside Geneva schools. The topic was Geneva during the '30s and '40s, and the four panelists simply told what it was like to live here during the Depression and war years. About 35 people attended, so it was a good-sized and rapt audience, but it's not hard to imagine a similar presentation as a school assembly at Harrison or GMS South or the high school. The four panelists—Gene Jaeger, Caroline Simplson, Merritt King and Howard Smith—are all in their 80s and 90s, I would guess. And all of them have fascinating, vivid memories of Geneva and some of the most important times…

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