Almost 56 years after George C. Marshall High School opened its doors, the community commemorated the historical figure General Marshall with the reopening of the Marshall Museum.
“[The Marshall Museum] is the only high school museum in FCPS that is dedicated to its’ namesake,” Principal Jeff Litz said. “We celebrate General Marshall, the man himself, as well as his life and legacy.”
General George C. Marshall served as Chief of Staff under Presidents Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Harry Truman, as well as Secretary of State and Secretary of Defence under Truman.
“Marshall served as the first 5-Star general in American military history and led Europe’s recovery after World War II,” Litz said during his commencement speech. “Marshall led by example with integrity, honor, fairness and humility.”
3-Star Lieutenant General Gwen Bingham spoke during the reopening event, commemorating the achievements of General Marshall and speaking about her accomplishments in the military. Bingham was the first female officer to hold a position as the Quartermaster General of the United States Army, as well as the Commandant of the U.S Army Quartermaster School.
FCPS School Board Member At-Large and George C. Marshall alumni Ryan McElveen joined Litz and Bingham in the honorary ribbon cutting.
The museum features an in-depth view of Marshall’s life, from his military achievements to his family and friends.
“Not many of us know who George C. Marshall really was, I think it’s important to recognize our heritage and the significance of this man who contributed a lot to our country,” junior Matthew Capuano-Rizzo said.
History teachers Danielle Koehler, Rebecca Crawford and math teacher Leslie Barnhart, along with volunteers from the Social Studies Honor Society managed the reopening event.
Junior and volunteer member Jordan Repoli said that the work behind the Museum was time-consuming, but worthwhile because it honored a worthy cause.
“I helped the historians decide what artifacts we would put on display for the opening night,” Repoli said. “I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t very stressful. However, I’m proud of what the team has put together and I learned a lot about our namesake along the way.”
Junior Claire Francis said the museum was beneficial to the Marshall community because it allows for them to grow and become more educated about their history.
“It’s really important to understand why we were named [George C. Marshall],” Francis said. “I think it’s easy to take how interesting and amazing the foundation of our school really is for granted. Having something as cool as a museum dedicated to our school’s namesake is an awesome way for all of us to learn a little bit about what makes Marshall stand out from every other high school.”