WILL ROGERS MEMORIAL OFFERING ONLINE CIVICS LESSONS

The Will Rogers Memorial is offering educators short, online civics lessons using the words of Oklahoma’s Favorite Son.

Will Rogers took his comedy act to Congress at a time when everyone could laugh together.

It’s part of the reason his statue still stands in the US Capitol.

“He’s a man for today; he was a man for back then, but what he said back then is perfect for today,” said Bart Taylor with the Will Rogers Memorial in Claremore.

Designed for young students, the lessons are being offered to all educators.

“One of his greatest bodies of work is in politics. He wasn’t a politician himself, but he sure made fun of both sides and kept both sides in check through the 20s and 30s,” said Taylor.

Education is a key mission for the Memorial, along with keeping Will’s memory alive. The short lessons are designed to start discussions about how people who disagree can get along and how there’s good to be found by listening to competing opinions.

Taylor thinks Will Rogers could still make both parties laugh: “Would he be at the White House today picking on our president? I think he would be. He would do it in the Will Rogers way, not mean, in a way we can all laugh together, including the president.”

You can view the lessons online here.