A Union soldier shares his story with students at Rosemont Middle School's Civil War Day.

Fifty years ago California schools were among the top in the nation, but sadly today they are ranked close to the bottom. What has caused this radical change? Our speaker, Lynn McGinnis, a retired history teacher, will talk about teaching methods, and lead a discussion on the differences from a half a century ago. McGinnis was a proponent of "hands-on learning" at Rosemont Middle School, leading students on the "American Freedom Tour" of important sites in the formation of our country, and starting the still popular "Civil War Day".

Lynn McGinnis only started teaching history after retiring from a full career as a corporate executive. He taught American History at Rosemont Middle School for over a decade before retiring a second time. He remains active in the community.