Freedom Shrine of historic documents is dedicated at Murphy School

W.J. Murphy Elementary School students watched the Freedom Shrine dedication of copies of historic documents Wednesday by the Round Lake Area Exchange Club.

"The goal within the Exchange Club is to install Freedom Shrines throughout the community and public buildings, but especially in schools," said Judy Armstrong, the club's chairman for the Freedom Shrine. "The documents on which we were founded give us the principles that we live by and clearly shows our students how our forefathers struggled to get it right."

The Freedom Shrine is a collection of documents that include replicas of the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights, Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, George Washington's first inaugural address, and others.

The Round Lake Park school of 650 students participated in the ceremony that included an address by U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider, who stressed the Freedom Shrine defined and explained the freedoms for all U.S. citizens.

Round Lake Park Police Chief George Filenko also spoke as he presented the dedication plaque to Principal Philip Georgia.