WALKER – There is a lot of debate today about what the United States Founding Fathers intended when they wrote the Constitution and how that might apply to the outcome of pending high profile Supreme Court cases now.
John Douglas Hall was intrigued about the Constitution in the 1980s, too, and read all the historical accounts he could find and extensive personal papers our fourth President, James Madison, wrote. Thirty-eight years ago he took on Madison’s persona to present to the public and high school and university students what he learned.
Hall, who wears his hair and dresses as Madison did, will appear as Madison for Walker-Hackensack-Akeley students in the morning May 14 and that afternoon in an historical performance that is open to the public from 2 to 4 p.m. at May Creek Lodge, 303 10th St., Walker.
Madison (1751-1836) was a primary contributing author to the Constitution and the first 10 amendments (The Bill of Rights). He served in the United States House of Representative and Virginia State Assembly in addition to being President Thomas Jefferson’s secretary of state for eight years before following Jefferson as president in 1809.
Hall, in his role as Madison, does not discuss 2012 politics or policies, but rather discusses the issues leaders of the country faced prior to and when Madison served as president 200 years ago and how those issues led to drafting the Constitution the way it was written.
The historical performer gave his first presentation at the opening to the public of Madison’s home at Montpellier, Va., in 1987, and regularly gives performances there and at other historic sites in Virginia. While in Minnesota in May, Hall will give performances at the Minnesota Historical Museum and Hamlin University in St. Paul as well as Walker.
The presentation at May Creek Lodge is co-sponsored by Cass County Historical Society, May Creek Lodge and WINREP Foundation (Western Institute for Nature, Resources, Education and Policy) of Rickreall, Ore.
It is open to the public free of charge.
