Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements:

Adding to the Witness Stones Project has been a privilege for everyone involved. Being able to research and restore forgotten history is something members of the class of 2020 and their teachers will likely carry with us throughout our lives; in a way the project is the embodiment of education that lasts a lifetime. And because Lettuce’s Witness Stones memorial will be installed permanently near the Congregational Church on the Madison Town Green, inviting future generations to remember her as well, you could almost say the project embodies education that lasts a lifetime and beyond.

We have so many to thank for their support of and/or assistance with this project. In no particular order, we share our deepest gratitude to:

● Teaching Tolerance for the generous grant that made the inaugural year of the Witness Stones Project at The Country School possible.

● Dennis Culliton, co-founder of the Witness Stones Project and researcher/historian/teacher extraordinaire, for sharing his immense knowledge, passion, and skills as he guided us through the project.

● Heather Butler and Kristin Liu, two remarkable teachers who whole-heartedly embraced this undertaking, allowing it to become a focal point for their history and English classes all year long. They were always open to new ideas and willing to let students follow their individual interests and passions. Thanks to the two of them, this talented group of 8th Graders will head off to high school having done groundbreaking historical research and as authors of some truly profound tributes to a woman who received no recognition during her lifetime.

● The members of the class of 2020 for being so open to participating in this project in the first place and then digging in with an intensity that surprised us all. You can feel that intensity in the student writing, such as this excerpt from Isabelle Schreiner’s poem, Imagine: “You spend your days and your nights looking for answers you know you’ll never find…. Imagine being so curious about someone else’s life that it’s all you think about, every moment of the day.” Where, we can’t help but wonder, will students take that curiosity and intensity next?

● The entire community of teachers, administrators, and staff at The Country School, with a special thanks to those who actively participated or supported this project, including Head of School John Fixx (a special thank you to Liza Fixx for introducing us to Dennis Culliton!), Vicki Wepler for her help with the musical aspects of the project, Lexi McGrady for her help with the visual arts aspects, and Liz Lightfoot for her help with coordination, outreach, and writing.

● Revs. Todd and Sarah Vetter and the board of the First Congregational Church of Madison, for embracing this project and for allowing Lettuce’s Witness Stones memorial to be placed in front of the church. As Rev. Todd Vetter wrote so eloquently when he described our students’ efforts in one of the church bulletins, “Witness is an important word for Christians. It speaks of our desire to tell stories about how God is present and active in the world, and how we have experienced that activity in our own lives. Bearing witness is often an expression of hope, perhaps for healing or transformation, or for forgiveness and wholeness, for peace and justice. In this case, bearing witness allows for stories long-neglected and lives long-forgotten to breathe again, and for all of us to learn and embrace the broader truth of our own stories as well.”

● The brilliant Jumoke McDuffie-Thurmond, whose own personal journey and willingness to share his talents brought a much deeper, more emotional, and creative dimension to the student writing. The power of Jumoke’s poetry and the perceptive and sensitive way he helped students understand how they could write about Lettuce transformed their thinking, resulting in a profound and meaningful body of work.

● The Madison Board of Selectmen for inviting students to speak at their meeting and enthusiastically endorsing their plan to restore Lettuce’s history.

● The Madison Historical Society, and especially Doe Boyle, for encouraging students in this project and sharing resources.

● The Madison Probate Court for allowing students to explore records in the archives.

● Suzanne Sliker for booklet design.

● David Beecher for embracing this project and introducing us to others who could advance it.

● Andrew Robertson for research assistance.

● Alastair Clements ’08 for filming and for helping students create their Witness Stones website.