The
Need
The Response
Sarah Duncan
The First Program
Charter Members
The Need
In 2001, members of the Thomas Duncan
Community Hall Board wanted to offer particular kinds of educational
programs to the Lafayette community. Concerned about the increasingly
rude and disrespectful world that we live in, they thought programs
that promote good character traits, good manners, and better
citizenship could make a difference, especially with children.
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The
Response
The result was the Sarah Duncan
Education Council, a not-for-profit 501(c) (3) corporation.
Established in 2002, its purpose was "to assist in the development and implementation of
education programs that enhance the civility, character, and
citizenship in Greater Lafayette." The SDEC was a separate entity
from Duncan Community Hall, but it presented most of its programs
there. In many ways, the SDEC was complementing the original purposes
of Duncan Community Hall which through its history, stands as a
monument to good citizenship.
In 2005, the Thomas Duncan Community
Hall and the Sarah Duncan Education Council were merged into a single
corporation called the Thomas Duncan Hall, Inc.
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Sarah
Duncan
The name Sarah Duncan was chosen
because Sarah was the beloved wife of Thomas Duncan, Duncan Community
Hall’s great benefactor. It was largely due to her influence that
Mr. Duncan left money at his death in 1928 for constructing the lovely
Georgian style building known as Duncan Community Hall. Sarah was a
life-long resident of Lafayette, a Duncan Community Hall Board member,
and promoter of many good causes.
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The
First Program
The first program to be sponsored by
the SDEC was an everyday manners program for first graders, entitled
MANNERS ARE FUN! During the 2002-2003 school year, the program was
offered to all the public and private schools in Tippecanoe County. 25
schools and over 1400 students participated.
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Charter
Members
Charter members of the Sarah
Duncan Education Council were
Mary Ann Combs, Marilynn Dammon, William Gettings, Jr., Robert
Hockema, Charles Horner, David Poelstra, and David Williams.
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