European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 17, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Monday february 17, 1992 the stars and stripes a Page 9 education message handed Down from slavery Douglass descendant emphasizes education fifth grader Misha f. Lockey listens to staff sgt. Kevin Douglass Greene a lesson from history. Eastern German schools put emphasis on English by Ron Jensen Niernberg Bureau Firth Germany a Kevin Douglass Greene a Grandfather was the grandson of a slave who went on to come a famous scholar author and advocate of equal rights. Greene a staff sergeant with the 2nd in 14th Field arty in Bamberg Germany is using that direct link to Frederick Douglass to promote education during Black history month by speaking at various Dodds schools. A i have a theme and 1 have a motto a he told Jessica Riedelbauch a fifth Grade class in Firth on thursday. Greene a theme is Celebration through education. His motto is Twenty nine to celebrate 366 to educate referring to the number of Days in this february a leap year. Using his great great Grandfather As an example Greene Points out the value of an education. Douglass was born a slave in Maryland in 1817, Greene told the children and was raised by his grandmother because his Mother lived and worked in a different City. At a Young age Douglass was sent to Baltimore to live with another part of the owners family. To learn to read he would trick the White children of his owners family by pointing to a word in a Book and challenging them to read and spell it. As a Young adult Douglass worked for a mean owner who frequently beat his slaves. Douglass fought Back one time and even though the slave could have easily killed the Man he spared him a decision that affected Douglass. A no matter How Long he would be a slave. In his heart and his mind he would always be a free Man a Greene said. Douglass escaped slavery and became a powerful orator relating his experiences As a slave. Some found his speaking Reading and writing skills so great that they did not believe the stories of his past. In 1845, he wrote the narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass. In 1855, he published my bondage and my Freedom. Greene owns a first edition of the latter Book a family heirloom. Greene also owns a treasured photograph of his famous ancestor. The Book and the photograph were the Cornerstones of a display Greene has established in the past to pro Mote Black history month. This year however he was encouraged to take his message and his heritage into the classroom. Through Douglass struggle to learn he Hopes children Are inspired to respect the value of their education. He does not see it As a family responsibility Greene said in an interview after the class. It is simply something he wants to do. A my Mother never made a big Issue out of it a he said. A she made sure i knew about  he has longtime friends who probably do not know of his family history. When they do find out he said some see a resemblance Between Greene and Douglass in the nose and eyes. A i done to see it but that a the part they always pick a the eyes and nose a he said. By Ron Jensen Niernberg Bureau Bamberg Germany a when Germany lost its a a East and a a West adjectives More than a year ago English replaced russian As the required language course in Eastern Germany a schools. A English is now required As of fifth Grade. Many of the schools Are trying to Start with third Grade and fourth Grade so there is an incredible push on for English teachers a said Barbara Kuntze of the teachers College in Erfurt. Kuntze is training Many of those future teachers. She is on the faculty at the teachers College in Erfurt the capital of thi Ringen state just North of Bavaria in the former East Germany. Kuntze and 21 of her students visited an american school in Bamberg recently. The visit was a result of Kuntzer a request a few months ago for English textbooks. A English started in october As a major subject a Kuntze said. A it was never taught As a major at the teachers school. They would have to go to a major  the College in Erfurt has about 1,700 students. Teachers Are trained in a variety of subjects including math science history and foreign languages. Student Martin Wilde said the unification of Germany makes learning English much easier. A we have the Opportunity to go to England or America to learn English and not just in Germany a he said. He wants to be an English teacher for two reasons. A i like foreign languages and i like to work with children said Wilde who faces about four years of study before he can achieve his goal. Most of the students have studied russian and some have had prior experience in English. But Kuntze said their English skills lag behind their counterparts in Western Germany. A if you ask them they will Tell you they have had five to seven years of English a she said. A but that was Only one or two hours a week. They will be up to Par by the time they leave the  Nadia Quandt one of the students wanted to teach history. But studying the subject was difficult in East Germany because history was taught As the state wanted it taught which did not necessarily reflect reality she said. Now she has switched her interest to English but maintains her russian language studies As Well. Kuntze has encouraged students to continue to study russian telling them All Aghaei a College student in Eastern Germany reviews a math problem with Bamberg Germany seventh graders Markus Howser left and Marty Frazier. That a person who Speaks English russian and German will be valuable in Europe. However she said the number of students studying russian has declined. Erfurt has one of Only a handful of teachers colleges now in Eastern Germany so its students will one Day be filling the current void. Kuntze said their Job Outlook is Bright. That a Good news for Ali Aghaei an iranian and one of Only a few non germans at the school. He Nas been studying English for Only one month. And Why does he want to teach it it is an interesting language a he said. A English is a Sehr gut.  get taste of american life at Alconbury Raf Alconbury England a amps a Twenty free czechoslovak students and their three teachers vere to finish a 10-Day Exchange visit today with american students at the Alconbury High school. The second half of the Exchange will take place in March when 23 students and three teachers from the thigh school at Raf Alconbury visit Bratislava Czechoslovakia a second largest City said Kay Galloway Al Onobu Iyo a principal. The czechoslovak students and their teachers Are from the gymnasium Bratislava Vazo Vova 6 school. Bratislava a City of 409,000, is 35 Miles from Vienna Austria. Following their arrival feb. 8, the czechoslovak students experienced american school and family life. They stayed in the Homes of parents based at Alconbury and Raf Chicksands. In Between roaming the Halls and sitting in the classrooms at Alconbury High school and a British school in nearby Huntingdon the students and their teachers visited Cambridge York Peterborough and London. On the Agenda for some of the visitors was a basketball Tou Namei t among Dodds Atlantic schools held at Alconbury. The expected itinerary of the Alconbury students during their trip to Czechoslovakia will be just As varied with trips to Vienna and Budapest Hungary. The Alconbury students from grades 9 to 12, will also stay in the Homes of the czechoslovak students participating in the Exchange Galloway said. This is the second such Exchange Between teen agers from a former Warsaw pact country and from Alconbury. Last year an Exchange took place with students from the former soviet Union