In her sailing days, it took a crew of up to 300 Sailors to hoist sails, depending on weather or the situation. Intense research makes us confident, said Wallace, that the sails will power Old Ironsides to her future. Beck firmly believes Constitution can act as a catalyst for a national dialogue on citizenship, and she can once again play a significant role in the nation s present and future. The USS Constitution Museum is enlisting the help of educators nationwide in this effort and will be distributing an interdisciplinary curriculum, USS Constitution America s Enduring Legacy, in the 1997-1998 academic year. We want Constitution to act as a living reminder of the principles and ideals that ennoble this country and as a reminder of all of the dedicated citizens who came before us and who kept that spirit alive, Beck said.
Constitution represents the past on which our future is built.