This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Schools

Local Students Raise Funds for Historic Statue

Hazelwood West Middle School and Russell Elementary join in the effort to honor Dred and Harriet Scott.

Marty Mintman, an English teacher at isn’t just passionate about teaching his students proper grammar and spelling. As a self-proclaimed “history buff,” Mintman strives to make history come to life for his classes.

When an opportunity arose to participate in raising funds to erect a statue honoring St. Louisians Dred Scott and his wife Harriet, Mintman was excited to join in the effort.

“I wanted my students to contribute to an important monument with local connections that they could share with their future children and grandchildren,” he said.

Find out what's happening in Hazelwoodwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The plan is for the statute to be located at the historical courthouse in St. Louis where the Supreme Court case took place. The Dred Scott Heritage Foundation sponsors the penny drives in which various organizations and local schools can participate. 

Because the Scotts’ famous trials occurred while Abraham Lincoln was president, and his likeness appears on the penny, this symbolic coin was chosen to represent the project.

Find out what's happening in Hazelwoodwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Schools in the St. Louis metro area, including and , participated in the effort to raise funds for the project, which will erect the first statue in the nation honoring the Scotts.

Mintman organized a penny “war” between three of his classes, approximately 65 students, during the month of February--Black History Month. Students were encouraged to bring pennies, silver coins and bills to class competing against one another just for fun, but more importantly, raising money for a cause close to their hearts.

Mintman’s classes alone raised a little more than $340, and the school as a whole reached its goal of $500, principal Allison Klouse told Hazelwood Patch.

Russell Elementary School Principal Patrick Lane said his students raised $250 to contribute to the project.

“To show students just how successful they were, we created a paper chain link for each dollar we raised," said Lane. "By the end of the month, our chain stretched across the cafeteria."

Dred Scott first went to trial to sue for his freedom from slavery in 1847. Ten years later, after a decade of appeals and court reversals, his case was finally brought before the United States Supreme Court. The court decided that all people of African ancestry--slaves as well as those who were free--could never become United States citizens, which made it impossible to sue in federal court, especially for freedom from enslavement.

The court also ruled that the federal government did not have the power to prohibit slavery in its territories. Scott, needless to say, remained a slave even though his extended stay in Illinois, a free state, gave him the legal standing to make a claim for freedom, as did his extended stay in Wisconsin, where slavery was also prohibited.

The case is known as the Dred Scott Decision. Mintman gave Patch his “two cents” on this issue.

“Not only does the Dred Scott case interest me from a historical perspective, but on a human level," he said. "It is appalling to me that this man was considered “property” even by the U.S. Supreme Court.”

“I am thrilled by my students’ incredible generosity, and I have continued to remind them that they are contributing to a historic legacy.”

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

More from Hazelwood