Issue link: http://latinschool.uberflip.com/i/937491
Feature NAZI MIND AT FORTY E very year, upper school students at Latin choose from approximately 121 different elective classes to round out their course of studies. Based on this variety, two students rarely take the same academic path from freshman to senior year. It is a hallmark of the Latin experience for our talented faculty to develop and offer timely, relevant and innovative classes to meet the intellectual interest of themselves and our students. It is something that our students and faculty value deeply. The Nazi Mind elective, created by Ingrid Dorer Fitzpatrick for sophomore students in 1978, has stood the test of time. The class, a marriage of history and psychology, encourages students to dive into the mindset of the leaders of the Nazi party. Central to the coursework are research and study of primary and ancillary materials – namely, the transcripts of the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg during which 24 Nazi officials faced charges of crimes against peace, war crimes, crimes against humanity and conspiracy to commit such crimes. As a culminating exercise, students adopt a persona – prosecutor, defense attorney, judge or defendant – and re-create the scene in Nuremberg at a courtroom in the Daley Center. The preparation is intense, and the impact is lasting. What was initially conceived as a one-time experiment by an eager young teacher has evolved into an enduring gift to all who have experienced it. In advance of the 40th courtroom simulation, Dorer Fitzpatrick shared how the class came about and why it is still relevant today. : 24