History came to life Thursday for 11-year-old Ashley Loefke and her classmates. The fifth-graders crowded around a glass case at the Meyera E. Oberndorf Central Library, craning for a view of an authentic copy of the Declaration of Independence housed inside.
The rare copy, printed on July 4, 1776, made a stop at the library as part of a nationwide tour.
"I loved it," said Loefke, a student at Norfolk Christian Schools. "It made me feel special to be able to stand there and look at it," said Ashley, a student at Norfolk Christian Schools. More than 650 students from nine schools viewed the declaration Thursday morning, said central librarian Pat Cook. It was open to the public in the afternoon.
Quentyn Corbett said the document inspired him. "It's a piece of history," the 10-year-old said.
Rebekah Robinson, also 10, said: "It was really cool. It was neat that I got the opportunity to see it."
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10/22/2009
VIRGINIA BEACH
It began as an announcement sent to the 13 colonies.
Two centuries later it popped up in a Pennsylvania flea market, slightly yellowed, folded up, and tucked behind a cheap painting.
Television producer Norman Lear bought it in 2000 for $8.1 million. Since then, the rare and well-preserved copy of the Declaration of Independence has been to the Winter Olympics, presidential libraries, and the Indianapolis 500 auto race.
Today, it stops at Virginia Beach's Meyera Oberndorf Central Library.
This poster-size Declaration of Independence was printed on the night of July 4, 1776, and is one of only 26 known to still exist. A Philadelphia printer made about 200 copies of the declaration, hours after the Continental Congress adopted it. These copies were distributed to the colonies and the military to be read in public squares and printed in newspapers, formally announcing America's break from British rule.
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal," the often-quoted second line reads. "That they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."
About 500 students from the city's public schools are scheduled to get a close look at the founding document, and the public can view it from 2 to 6 p.m., said Marcy Sims, Virginia Beach's library director.
"This is the most historic document we have hosted at the central library," Sims said. "We're just thrilled."
The document is in Virginia Beach as part of a tour sponsored by the Pearson Foundation, an arm of the education-services and technology company. The exhibit is free to the city and the public.
Deirdre Fernandes, (757) 222-5121, deirdre.fernandes@pilotonline.com
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what was
I was at the Central Library yesterday and noticed a band of protestors or demonstrators, a group of people holding up rainbow banners and signs that bore "Equal Rights for All". At a glance, I thought it had to do with gay rights, so I just ignored them and returned to my business. A librarian inside, however, said it probably had to do with the fact that the D of I was there...but when I exited the Library, the group was gone. Anyone know what that was all about?
Correction. 520 have NOT
Correction. 520 have NOT read it. Sorry about that.
It is the huble opinion of
It is the huble opinion of this poster that I absolutely believe that possibly 520 of the 525 members of Congress have actually read this document and really understood it's true meaning. I have a hard time believing that no president since Andrew Jackson has read it or The Consitution and I have serious doubts that our Supreme Court has done so either. What a shame.
Socialism is no longer a dirty word
Some of you think that by calling Obama a Communist that your insulting his supporters. Socialism is the only way to crawl out of Bush's mess. It will take Obama more than 2 terms to correct the problems and thats why you will see an elimination of term limits. The situation were in is serious and in order to fix the problem, Obama has had to take over parts of our economy. The people not only voted for him but also his agenda and when you have a news organization (Fox) who is obstructing the people's wishes by being overly critical of Obama, then Obama has had no choice but to warn them that they can be taken over or shut down if necessary.
So NOT true!
"a news organization (Fox) who is obstructing the people's wishes by being overly critical of Obama, then Obama has had no choice but to warn them that they can be taken over or shut down if necessary."
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Directly from FCC Consumer Center:
The FCC cannot interfere with a broadcaster's selection and presentation of material for the news and/or its commentary.
The Communications Act and First Amendment to the Constitution prohibit any action by the FCC that would interfere with free speech in broadcasting.
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I think "ptown" has your number.......bored and getting a kick out of posting outrageous rants!
GE was bailed out by Obama.......they own NBC, MSMBC, etc.....of course, they will always defend Mr. Obama.
As for FOX.......they present Facts....if you don't want to hear the truth....don't watch it!
Done
Nobody is this over-the-top communist. Not even communists. Therefore I surmise you're just a liberal lobbing grenades to spark arguments. I do similar things from the Conservative viewpoint over on Huffington Post. Once I realized you can't have a rational discussion or even a normal argument with radical leftists I switched to lobbing grenades like you are doing.
So I guess I can't berate you. I enjoy torturing the liberals probably as much as you enjoy torturing us.
I will, however, stop responding to your posts. I have identified them for what they are.
Good day comrade!
"then Obama has had no
"then Obama has had no choice but to warn them that they can be taken over or shut down if necessary."
Are you freakin kidding me????? This is EXACTLY the tyranny we fought against when we declared our freedom from England!! WE THE PEOPLE make the rules, NOT one man!! WE THE PEOPLE are allowed and encouraged to be critical of the government!!
Kiss my grits, this country's gone to hell in a hand-basket...
You're right Fishead
Socialism isn't a dirty word. It is a repugnant word.
Its nice...
... to have a monument to our dead, and/or dying ideals. Independence. Willingness to shrug off oppressive government. We no longer have such faith in ourselves, so we slap the deceased ideas in a museum or a library as something to oooo and ahhhhh about. Its sad, but its today.
enough with the bickering
Go see the D of I and be proud to be an American.
And depite what some are saying, the Prez is not going to use the Constitution as tp. We will be just fine in 2016 when his 2nd term ends.
Declaration
I love how an article letting the public know that they have the opportunity to go view an original document that helped solidify our country's united independance can stir up so much argument about so many other topics from everyone. I guess this just shows how united as a country we really are....
Important Documents
I am guessing everyone knows that these documents are housed and can be viewed at the National Archives Building in Washington, D.C. We here in Virginia Beach are so fortunate to be only hours away. If you haven't visited D.C. and the wonderful Smithsonian Museums, it will prove to be a most memorable trip.
Declaration of Independence
Are you allowed to display this now? Were we not invaded and defeated by the UN and flooded with legal and illegal immigrants that are changing our beliefs and customs? We even have to hide "in god we trust" on the edges of our coins now.
Gotta love the redneck view
Lets see, this country was founded by immigrants. New findings by archeologists are showing that this country has been home to immigrants for 20,000 years. In God We Trust Wave after wave etc. Things have only been getting better. Illegal immigrants give us cheap labor which makes our large companies more profitable. I love rednecks, the country has lost all its wars since WWII (we only won in grenada & panama), we are in the midst of the worst financial crisis and they are concerned about inscriptions on coins that don't make a difference one way or another. In God we Trust did not come into play on coins till the early 1900's with its first appearance in 1863. The US came into being in 1776. We did fine for a long time w/o In God We Trust. I personally like it, but its not a voting issue for me. Look up & graph CDC/Jones Inst. Data, you will see the rate of abortions dropped more during clinton years than bush years! Instead of grabbing headlines, be American & do your own research.
Nice!
What an opportunity to see it. I will be there! :)
...some people that comment here must really be living very miserable lives... oh well...
Strange irony
It's odd that one of the documents that cemented a people as a free and independent nation would be coming to one of the states that was here for the birth of this great nation just before its death.
Liberalism is destroying every fiber in what was once a great fabric of honor, duty, country, and God in this nation. The irony is glaring!
RIP USA..........
Liberalism
What is destroying this country is that we are smelling our own farts. We believe the CIA can do what it wants but when you look closely, they really haven't accomplished anything except putting us in deeper peril. Bin Laden is still out there. Because we attacked Iraq, Iran got stronger both from losing Saddam as an enemy and empowering the pro-Iranian shia majority. The high oil prices caused by our conservatives who wanted unilateral policy gave rise to Dubai, which is basically Iran's access to western goods & technology. Our love of Bush family oil helped pay for Iran's nuclear Bomb. North Korea keeps flippiing us off. Once we exit Iraq and Afghanistan, the fundementalists will take over and we are worse off than we started. Conservatives then use the gay in the military issue to distract the real issues mentioned above. The fact is gays have been in society all along. I think Conservatives are actually actually islamic fundementalist agents sent to weaken our country/devalue the dollar so the arabs can buy it. If you look at the facts, you will reach this conclusion.
nice of him
Nice of him to do this for the city. Remember rose of city council fame and how much was spent for the magna carta fiasco??
NO
to the 8Mil windfall being used for the rail system!! NO to increased homeonwer taxes. Homeowners always get the tax SHAFT!! With that said, just raise the entertainment tax !!
Huh?
What in the world does that have to do with this story?