DAVID BIANCULLI

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THE ADDRESS
April 15, 2014  | By David Bianculli

PBS, 9:00 p.m. ET

 

Ken Burns wrote, produced and directed this 90-minute documentary – a mere blip of a TV study in Burns time, but a captivating and instructive program nonetheless. It’s about the Greenwood School in Putney, VT, an all-boys school tending to students with a variety of what might be characterized as learning disabilities. In a tradition that stretches back decades, the task of the boys, ages 11 to 17, is to memorize Abraham Lincoln’s two-minute Gettysburg address, then recite it in front of their peers, teachers and family members. Burns spent several months filming their attempts, their difficulties and their progress. The climax includes the recital and a school field trip to Gettysburg. The Address is a salute not only to Lincoln, slain soldiers and history, but also to the determination of focused students and the dedication of gifted teachers. Teachers, it should be said, like Ken Burns. Maybe I cried at the end because I’m a teacher, too. But maybe not. Maybe The Address will get you, no matter what. It should. Check local listings.

 
 
 
 
 
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