Community Corner
Crisco Hosts Hall of Fame Induction
Four former state residents are honored in this year's ceremony
State Senator Joseph J. Crisco, Jr. (D-Woodbridge), founder of the Connecticut Hall of Fame and chairman of its selection committee, hosted a formal induction ceremony yesterday at which the newest honorees were revealed and enshrined.
Crisco said four former or current state residents are included in this year’s class – the fourth group to be so honored. The four inducted today are Noah Webster, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Captain Deane Keller, and Dr. Robert Ballard.
“Connecticut has been home for so many truly remarkable people over the years, each of whom made an indelible mark on American history and each of whom helped define our notable state,” Crisco said. “This year’s class lives up to standards set by previous inductees – I couldn’t be more proud of the caliber of Connecticut residents we’ve chosen.”
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“Noah Webster’s name and reputation are synonymous with his dictionary and correct spelling, but his interest was scholarship and education, and his ongoing legacy is the priority Connecticut has historically placed on its school system,” Crisco said. “Likewise, Harriet Beecher Stowe was an educator whose most famous book, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, taught 19th century America the timeless lesson about the immoral nature of slavery.”
Crisco said contributions made by this year’s two other inductees were made more recently, but are no less historic.
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“Captain Deane Keller, an artist, preserved for the world a literally priceless treasure trove of Italian fine art while serving in World War II, and then generated a most impressive collection afterward, including formal portraits of two U.S. presidents,”Crisco said. “Likewise Dr. Robert Ballard, best known for his discovery of the sunken Titanic, Bismarck, and PT-109, has gone on to become a global leader in deep-sea archaeology and geology.”
The Connecticut Hall of Fame is, “intended to recognize the outstanding achievements of Connecticut individuals,” and, “serve as an educational tool for the great number of students who visit the state Capitol and Legislative Office Building.” Crisco reminded all those who attended today’s ceremony the Hall of Fame has functioned from its inception with no state funding, reliant instead entirely upon contributions and donations.
