Pam Israel from Unlock Your History and Robert Stakeley from the Heinz History Center Affiliates Program (HCAP) spoke to Bethel Park High School German Club members about German history in America, specifically in Western Pennsylvania, in a lecture held at the Bethel Park Historical Society.
Israel, a trained genealogist. spoke at length about German migrational patterns in the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries, the evolution of the Germanic language, and the Fraktur font, a calligraphic hand of the Latin alphabet that was so popular with newspapers at the turn of the century. She also discussed family lineage and common surnames.
Stakeley, an educator and archivist, discussed with students his various preservation techniques and the importance of protecting valuable artifacts for future generations.
Thank you to Bill Haberthur of the Bethel Park Historical Society for facilitating such a wonderful learning opportunity for our students.