THE FORGOTTEN AMERICAN:ASTORYFOR CHARACTEREDUCATION TONY SANCHEZ As character education continues to be an objective of the social srudies, the more effectiveeducators have taken up the challenge byfirst under- standing the principles of their discipline and the opportunities for examining the valuesofcharacter to be encountered. Strategythen comes to the forefront. Social srudies isrediscovering the focus on the acrual men and women ofhistory (past and present) asamajor cogin teaching character, amethod once widely used inAmerican schools and currently utilized successfullyin foreign schools.;But this focus cannot be amatter of relating simple, irrelevant facts. Rather, it requires the element of story-telling. History abounds with stories of the human struggle, a perspective that opens a myriad of opportunities for character education. Alan Lockwood and David Harris note that true historical stories involving dramatic moments ofmoral conflict areespeciallyusefulin engaging sru- dents to reflectupon values.2These storiesrelate individuals making per- sonal decisions involving truth, integrity, honesty, and loyalty, among others, and encourage srudents to analyzethe issuesand choicesmade. At the very least, such stories help students realize that others before them have faced the same dilemmas that they do and, by making the right choices, persevered: More importantly, they alsoprove that the values of good character arenot restricted to people of aparticular time or place.3 John Campbell has noted the sheer power of historical/culrural stories to impart important ideas and values to ensuing generations, stating that such stories "are about the wisdom of life.4 He also has lamented that present education lackssuch emphasis. Becauseof educa- tors' apparent reluctance or perceived inability to not only utilize the story-telling strategy,but more important, to relatelifevalues, what sru- dents arelearning in school isnot the wisdom oflifebut merelyinforma- tion and technology. This isahistorically precipitous circumstance, for the great civilizations of the world could point to a disconcertingly 79 common denominator of survival: a civilization's citizenry could to varying degreesbe academically competent, but once that same citizenry failedtobeeducatedinthevirtUeofcharacter,itsteadilydeclined. 5 "History isthe essenceofinnumerable biographies." -Thomas Carlyle6 The social studies-based story is value-laden by nature with the power to educate for character, an essential component for citizenship, because the values of its characters transcend time and are thus perfectly relevant for today's students. Moreover, such stories create conditions that enable students to ponder and understand the issuesassociated with the major themes of social stUdies. Through their form and content, stories enable considerations clearlybeyond those ofsimple information.8 Thus, history, stories, and character education meld into one. America's past, present, and promise are comprised of adventure stories involving individuals and groups facing life's challenges. They encounter personal tribulations, successes,failures, and, ultimately, reso- lution. Asareflection ofvaluesinherent in ademocratic society,however, the adventure never ends. Further, the stories "are likely to attract the attention oflearners to arouse their interest, and to raisequestions among them that lead to discussion and reflection about values."9 As James Leming has asserted, it isagainst the backdrop of information from our cultUre'sstoriesthat stUdentsmust evaluatethe present state ofour values astheyrelatetotheirownlivesandthefutureofAmerica. 10 While character education certainly appears to be the leading benefi- ciary in using the story-telling strategy, there isanother benefit aswell. Randy Mills maintains that the stories ofAmerican history areparadox- icalin natUre;that is,they reflectaclashamong opposing ideasand their resolutions which generate the vahie-laden drama that isAmerica.11Tony Sanchez adds that analysis of these values leads to humanistic decision- making reflective of the culture in its continual effort to perpetuate its ideals. Interestingly, both conservativeand liberal voicesin social 12 stUdieseducation have long advocated ashift to history taught through story-telling.13Executed properly, the strategy promotes an appreciation of "thesum ofeffort and sacrificewhich the present hascost the past and which the future iscosting the present"14through the valuechoices made from the paradoxes, images, and metaphors it contains. It seemsstrange that conservatives and .liberals both see story-telling as the key to achieving their often diametrically opposed agendas, but the strangeness disappears when one considers that stOriescan clearlyconvey the cultural need for promoting values.Aconventional lecture from the conventional history textbook, both of which are overused and abused, most often 80 renders factual information that could never approach the power of good story-telling. "Children havemore need ofmodels than critics."-JosephJoubert 15 There isanother very crucial aspect to the story-telling strategy that directly pertains to educators. The challenge of the strategy is to relate the excitement and dilemmas ofthe adventure story through ahumanistic and multi-dimen- sional depiction of the characters.16Only in this way can students fully and personally relate to and evaluate the values in question. Given the complexities of the strategy,it isencouraging to know that students typi- cally loveawell-told and insightful story, and certainly learn more than from most other strategies. More important, however, teaching values through story-telling ismore than just an entertaining and convincing story. Rather, it isbecause the educatortells the story that it becomes a personally shared giftfrom the educator and tothe student. This has I? alwaysbeen the greatestbeauty ofthe strategy. There isno doubt that story telling is an art, but one that has an immeasurable payoff when properly executed. The process of the cran, however, requires patience, practice, and a knowledgeable educator who iswilling to risk going beyond the bland and claustrophobic textbook and taking up the challenge of obtaining the correct information that servesasthe foundation for an effectivestory.Tothis end there areamul- titude ofsupplementary materials, chiefamong them being selectedtrade books, which can be superbly presented, written, balanced, and value- laden, needing only an effectivestoryteller and the examination ofvalues deemed necessaryfor effectivecitizenship and character.18 The educator's choice of quality materials will enable him/her to keep astructural control over the process. Yetthe story-telling strategy hinges upon not onlythe skillofthe storyteller, but just asimportant, the suitability of the stories themselves. Our history represents the trials and errors of individuals and groups striving to maintain ademocratic society in a personalized manner. fu; they faced the challenges of life, they suc- ceeded or failed because ofthe moral choices they made. It isnot aques- tion of one'sfame or infamy,but rather the sobering factthat one'schoice of values not only affected one's own character but invariably those of others aswell. Character education isnot a matter of perfection by any means, for values are complex and fluid.19But evenwithout aprescribed notion of "national" character standards, history's stories revealthat some values endure acrosstime, defycultural/economic differences, and tran- scend generations, the result being the perpetUation of the American 81 Dream. It isthis concept that allowssocial studies educators to make a past-to-present connection forstudents. ATaleWorth Telling Every era of our history provides opportunities to pinpoint and explorespecifiedvalues.Asisthe casewith eachof us,history's dominant participants had asong to sing to which, following that metaphor, they themselves wrote the words. Some made the right choices while others did not, but alleiperienced moments of moral conflict requiring value judgments and choices. These stories invite us to examine the issues,cir- cumstances, choices, and consequences, and ultimately relate them to our own lives.It comes down to real-lifepeople involved in real-lifesitu- ations. An examination of their stories: ...Can uncover common traditions, beliefs, and values thar are the corner- stones of aheritage which has undergone significanr change and yet has acon- rinuiry thar gives shape to our culrure. That conrinuiry resrs in the values of irs common and uncommon people, pasr and presenr. Some...dared to face their challenges and in doing so influenced the direcrion of nor only rheir own lives but those around them...Regardless of the circumstances of their times, rhey shared acommon core of values: courage, perseverance, and daring to risk for the benefir of orhers.'" Further, the multidimensional depictions in awell-researched story lend credence to the scope of humanity that "allowsstudents to understand the nature of [character] and engagein adialogue toanalyzethe relevance ofvaluestotheirownlives. 21 Associalstudies educators, the valueswewish to impart are not dif- ficult to ascertain. Respect, courage,honesty, responsibility, perseverance, justice, and kindness are foundations found in the annals of history's stories.The characters virtually cryout to us,yearning to beheard ifonly wewould listen. The PlotThickens In order for ahistorical story to bemeaningful and provide opportu- nities for "teachable moments" such as character education, it must provoke interest, challenge, and beaccurate (thisdoes not include oppor- tunities afforded bymyths and legends, which are an entirely different matter historically, but still can be valuable in teaching character and values). History textbooks-those potential harbingers of innumerable and exciting stories of the American Experience-have long been under attack as being "stilllitde more than repositories of dates, names, and facts. 22 But the acknowledged shortcomings of the conventional text- 82 bookshouldnot serveasacallforitstotalabandonment,but ratherasa stepping-stone to amore complete rendition. The question ofhow educators canvalidate accuracy beginswith the commitment to learning the truth of a rendition. Educators must get overthe inane problem ofbeing overlyreliant on the textbook asthe sole source of instruction without regard to those missed opportunities from alack ofdepth, accuracy,omission, and distortion.23 The Forgotten American American history isresplendent with intriguing stories that often focus upon a single event. Assuch, many of our history'~ noteworthy individuals are consigned to obscurity or oblivion because their livesor careers "fall between the cracks" of memorable events. Such isthe case with Dr. Tom Dooley, whose name and exploits have surprisingly never graced the pages of an American history textbook. Despite the fact that during the peak ofthe Cold War in the 1950she wasacclaimed asone of the most notable individuals in the world for hishumanitarian efforts, he is today a forgotten man to most anyone under the age of fifty. Yet Dooley isin his own right amodel ofcharacter from which much can be learned as teachers seekthose individuals who serve asfine examples of American valuesand citizenship. As a young Navy doctor, Tom Dooley found himself assigned to Southeast Asia in 1954. During the next sevenyears, he would become one of the most admired men in America and the world. Few would match his courage, self-sacrifice, and humanitarianism in serving his fellowhumans. The story ofDr. Tom Dooley isacelebration ofacharis- matic and selflessphysician who devoted his enormous energies to caring for the refugees of Indochina asthe ensuing war against Communism escalated around him. It is more than unfortunate that this "jungle doctor" has been virtually forgotten in the annals of history. All that remains are the three books he wrote of his experiences, yet during the 1950she wasthe embodiment ofthe American humanitarian and on par with the celebrated latter-day achievements ofMother Teresa. The stOryof this forgotten American isalso the story of values that embody the character of the American citizen that our schools strive to produce: he reminded usofallthat wecan be. Dooley's story beginsin 1954,when the Navy doctor waspart ofthe massive peacetime operation named Passage of Freedom in Southeast Asia.During thisoperation, the Navywasinstrumental in evacuatingover one million Tonkinese refugeesto the perceivedsafetyofSaigon.It wasin overseeingrefugeecamps that Dooley first saw"the sadsong ofhumanity 83 in our time. Ashe treated the countlessarrocitycasesand rescued 24 torture victims from the Red tide ofCommunism engulfing the region, he "sensedthat an extraordinaty opportunity wasbeckoning him.2s Dooley had in essence been aspoiled playboy who most likely was destined to beasuccessfulorthopedic societydoctor. But he wasabout to be transformed into a crusading servant of the sick,poor, and depressed of Southeast Asia. His exploits earned him the Legion of Merit in 1955, the youngest medical officerin history to besohonored. Ashis firstbook of his experiences,reflected, he was to symbolize the American traditions of hope and compassion, and made his cause an international issue of helping the sick and depraved. In 1956, he resigned from the Navy and abandoned his medical future to organize his own independent medical unit for a return to Southeast Asia. "Armed with only love, faith, and pharmaceuticals"26 which he procured through donations, he chose Laos as the site for the building of hisjungle hospital because, among other reasons, there was exactly one physician in the entire country of three million people.27 During the next three years,Dooley and his smallstaffprovided medical care and inspiration to Vietnamese refugees and Laotian villagers and "made such aprofound impact on Southeast Asiathat Communist radio broadcasts frantically denounced him asan American spy arid regularly demandedhisexpulsionfromLaos. During thistime "noAmerican 28 played alarger role in announcing the arrivalof South Vietnam asanew allywhose fatewas decisivelybound to that of the United States,"29thus presaging a political and military situation that would eventually involve the United States in a military conflict. By 1957, Dooley's second book of his accounts had put South Vietnam on the map for millions of unwary Americans. By the end of 1957, Dooley's pilot operation would be expanded through his creation of MEDICO (Medical International Cooperation Organization). Anonsectarian enterprise, itspurpose wasto build, stock, supply, and train staff for small hospitals to be located throughout Southeast Asia. Dooley believed that MEDICO "willaid th9,sewho are sickandbythatsimpleactitwillwinfriendshipforAmerica.30It wasto be a matter of understanding the responsibility of those who have towards thosewho havenot. MEDICO's philosophy was,quite naturally, at the heart of Dooley's "realization that we allpossessed the realization that the onlywayman canachievehappiness isto Strivefor the happiness of others. 'I).is isasimple guide: everyman has a responsibility to every other man. The missionwouldbeto buildandstockahospitalin a 3\ chosen site, train the local villagersto assistand run it on asingle level, and within four yearsturn it overto the host government. But little did 84 Dooley realize that the entire operation would totally depend upon his sometimes brash and dramatic methods to gain public support and financing. This quest to finance MEDICO would require a seemingly endless trail of fundraising and speechmaking, tasks that regrettably took him frequently from hisjungle operation. k 1958 progressed, Dooley became tirelessly relentless in his Southeast kia mission. "I do not believe in days off. My crew works everyday,allday."32Though bythis time hehad attained an international status for his selfless devotion and hard-driving manner of achieving humanitarian goals impeded by limited funds and heavy odds, he was nevertheless criticized in some circles for his allegedly arrogant manner and conduct. Critics also charged that his philosophy was short-sighted, in that localvillagerswould not be able to maintain his jungle hospitals. But Dooley answered that they could, at least on alevelthat was higher than before he came: "In America doctors run 20mcentury hospitals. In kia I run a 19mcentury hospital. Upon my departure the hospital may drop to the 18mcentury. This isfine, becausepreviouslythe tribes...lived, medically speaking, in the 15mcentury." 33 Despite his critics, the sincerity of his motives and dedication to his work were obvious and outweighed his personal flaws. His image and mission became one: "His sense of compassion, his deeply rooted faith, his patriotism, his ability to make you seethat Vietnamese asrealpeople and suffering human beings who needed help."34 Dooley and his team were totally convinced not only that the genuine concern they felt and demonstrated for the Lao and Vietnamese would earn admiration for themselves and the distant country they represented, but more important that "theywerethebetterforourhavingbeenthere." 35 Through tape recordings that he felt compelled to make and broad- cast in America, "Dooley provided his listeners with afeel for everyday lifein rural Laos and urged allAmericans to consider the commonalities they shared with these heretofore unknown people."36He continually impressed that his jungle patients were simply people who needed our help. Assuch, he was driven "not byany private or governmental agency, but byahighly personal spirituality and a mystical vision of an extended family, Dooley's beloved communiry, which increasingly consisted of peoplewhosenamesheneverknew. "37 ' "Lifewith Dooley" had to be more than challenging. Despite oper- ating ahospital with limited electrical power and equipment, and no x- ray facilities, plumbing, or air-conditioning, Dooley and his staffbegan their twenty-hour daysat 6:30 a.m.w/h asick-callline ofmore than one hundred people per day for ailments such astuberculosis, bums, mutila- 85 tions, dysentery,and pneumonia. Closing the line by 10:30 p.m. allowed for about four more hours of appointed rounds and other duties. Utilizing a uniquely simple practice of medicine, he came to be the family practitioner ofSoutheast Asia. The daily challengeshe facedoften bordered on the horrific. Reading the following excerpt from Dooley'sthird book, one can feelhis commitment, anger, and doubt: Just before dawn...we were tOrnfrom our sleepby the shrieks ofascreaming woman. Shewas'onlyafewfeerfrom ourwindow. Ilunged tothe window and sawseveralmen huddled oversomerhing. The moonlighr wasbright. Ijumped our ofme window to rheground afewfeerbelow,yellingfor [rhesraff].They leaped afrer me and immediarely rhe clump ofmen raced away. They left a sagging limp figure on rhe ground. I bem down and recognized rhe bloody mass of ayoung woman we had recendy hired. She wasworking for usas paymenr forrhedelivery ofher child.... Even by moonlighr I could rell she had been brurally srabbed wirh long dagger-like knives. Dozens ofdeep wounds pumped blood from her body. The bundle on rhe ground by her side washer newborn baby. He had also been stabbed Why? We carried her bleeding body inro rhehospital afewfeetaway Inrravenous fluid wasstarred immediately andwebegan rorrytostOpthe bleeding from all ofrhe stab wounds around her body. Itwasfutile. Within afewminutes she stOpped breathing enrirely. She had lost tOomuch blood. The floor under- neath the operating table waswet with congealed blood. We...turned our arremion to the baby... [sewingup] me multiple deep lacerations, which tOre through the muscles and down to the bone of both the arm and leg. We repaired the infant, and gave him to a nurse who took the child from the awesome scene Whatever prompted such ahideous arrocirysoclosetoour house?Was thisan indication ofhatred forus? We carefullywrapped me dead girl'sbody, and shewasburied me next morning. Her child wasadopted bysome people inthe neighborhood. ...It ismypersonal beliefmar thiswasaCommunist maneuver inorder to frighten usout ofNorrh Laos.Itfrightened usindeed, but nor out ofNorrh Laos." It seemed that nothing would frighten Dr. Dooley, until mid-1959, when he underwenr chest surgery for malignant melanoma, a rapidly spreading cancer. His lastfifteen months became a raceagainst time and characterized by a relentless drive and sense of urgency. "This kind of medicine ismy salvation, my hold on life. It ismy means of expression. Also flowingand surging in me wasthe passio~ate desireto tell others of thiswork,ofthiskindofmedicine,ofthislife. 39 With time running out for him, he completed his third and final book in 1960. With the war of Communist aggression (aconflict that 86 - oo----roo II would soon involve the United States) escalating around him, his jungle outpost faced the near-certainty of being overrun by marauding forces. But he steadfastly refused to evacuate. "I knew I w~s not going to abandon what I think isthecorrectthing to do inlife. Hisfinaltwo 40 months were especiallygrim asthe cancer rapidly consumed him, and he was finally convinced to rerum home. Shortly after his thirty-fourth birthday, Dooley died in January 1961. More sadly, asDooley himself would have maintained, MEDICO would virtually die with him despite his deathbed attempts to ensure its survival.Administrative and political squabbles would ultimately kill it without his intervention. But the per- sonallegacy of Dr. America (ashe was called by the scoresof people he treated) remained. Post-Story Opportunity Dooley's story now presents the educator with the opportunity to follow-up with an examination ofthe valuesinherent in the rendition. Some.suggested questions might include the following: . What valuescanbe readilyidentified in the StOry? Has the importance oftheseidentified valuesremained the . same sinceDooley'stime or hasit diminished? Are Dooley's actions surprising for an American during his time and/or arethey somehow bound to that particular time with . little or no relevanceto conditions today? The story insinuates that Dooley could be arrogant and brash. What isthe relationship between aperson'spersonality and his character? Does one outbalance the other, or arethey one in the same?Can aperson havean "unpleasant" personality and still demonstrate "good" character? . Are there currently anyindividuals on the scenewho could be . compared with Dooley?Why orwhy not? It iscertainly worth askingwhy such aman ofcharacter has been virtually forgotten. Reveredforhiswork during hisshort time, hisexploits forposterity mayhave been overshadowed by the proceeding controversy ofAmerican military involvement in Southeast Asia,aconflict that proved to be cruellydivisiveto our nation's socialfabric. Or perhaps, ashis detractOrsalleged, it was becausehewasashamelessshowman and self-promoter, and apawn ofthe CIA.No hero iswithout flaws,and certainly Dooley isno exception. But one truth remains: hischaracter wasreflectiveofhisachievements, which remain untarnished 87 II I I and serveasabeacon from which character education can take light. Such astory asthis can make quite adifference in the teaching of history and the opportunities for character education. The typical history textbook, perhaps byits nature amere teaser based upon its incomplete- ness,cannot compare to the potential offeredbythe complete story,espe- cially one of an individual whose exploits have been virtually forgotten. Not only does the story provoke interest and debate, but its value per- spective of taking ~esponsibilitytranscends time and becomes relevant to the conventional student facingthe same typeofvalueconflict. Conclusion The organizing and teaching ofhistory conceptualized and taught in apowerful manner aswell-told and accurate storiesrepresents more than just entertainment. They relate the adventure of a democracy through individuals encountering struggle and resolution by the value choices they make and thus reflect the continuing experience of a democratic society attempting to perpetliaj:e itself. The American Experience has been and continues to be the product of the valueswe deem important and necessary.AssocialstUdieseducators, such stories giveus the oppor- tUnity to meaningfully relate those valuesthat comprise the character of the effectivecitizen. NOTES 1.B.David Brooks and F.Goble, TheCasefor CharacterEducation: The RoleoftheSchoolin TeachingValuesand Virtues(Northridge, Calif: Studio 4 Productions, 1997). 2.A.Lockwood andD. Harris, Reasoningwith DemocraticValues,Volume 2, 1877 tothePresent(NewYork:Teachers College Press,1985). 3.T.Sanchez, "Using StOriesAbout Heroes toTeachValues."ERIC Clearinghousefor SocialStudies/SocialScience,EDO-SO-98-lO (1998). 4.J. Campbell, ThePowerofMyth (New York:Doubleday, 1988). 5.T.Sanchezand R.Mills, "TellingTales:The Teaching ofAmerican History Through Story-Telling," SocialEducation, (May/June 2005). 6. R.Fitzhenry, ed., TheHarperBookofQuotations,3rd ed. (NewYork: HarperCollins Publishers, 1993),202. 7.T.Sanchez, "Heroes, Values,and Transcending Time: UsingTrade Books toTeachValues."SocialStudiesand theYoungLearner13(September/October 2000). 8. D. Common, "Stories,Teaching, and the SocialStudies Curriculum." TheoryandResearchinSocialEducation 15,no. 1(1987). 88