Legacy Marker Program works to preserve the past for military monuments in Wilmington, Del.
WILMINGTON, Del. (CBS) — Tucked away behind Warner Elementary School in Wilmington is a memorial sitting near the parking lot for 75 years.
"It's been forgotten. The maintenance of it has been forgotten, and we can restore that easily," said Jim Tevebaugh, who is dedicated to helping preserve Wilmington's history.
The memorial, lodged in a stone, was dedicated in 1949 to Warner students who died in World War II, but its natural bronze corroded over the past seven decades. The plaque is now covered in green.
"Over the years, bronze tends to bring all of the copper that's in the metal bronze to the surface," Tevebaugh said.
That's where Eugene Hough comes in. He started the Legacy Marker Program in 2012 and has preserved hundreds of plaques, memorials and historical markers around the Delaware Valley and across the country. A main part of his mission is working hand-in-hand with students to highlight the educational importance of engaging schools about the history of their community.
"We're going to use a combination of waxes, the first is a beeswax," Hough said. "It's going to make a difference and the students take ownership."
On Thursday, fourth and fifth graders at Warner, as well as several students from nearby Cab Calloway School of the Arts joined in. They coated the plaque with wax to help preserve its natural beauty while also commemorating the patriotic service of our veterans.
"It makes me happy that we get to preserve something that's been really important and that's been here for a long time. I think sometimes we forget about where we come from and who we were and I think that it's just really important that I get to be here today and kind of keep that legacy going," said Madison Murray, who is a junior at Cab Calloway.
The plaque will need several applications to be fully preserved. Once that is complete, Tevebaugh said he will approach the school and petition to have the plaque moved to the front of the building where more people will be able to see it.
"We shouldn't ever forget these guys, whoever they were," Tevebaugh said.
