The publication is reproduced in full below:
HONORING THE LIFE OF CHARLES WALKER PREWITT SR.
______
HON. JOE COURTNEY
of connecticut
in the house of representatives
Monday, March 8, 2021
Mr. COURTNEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to observe and mourn the passing of a talented scientist, college professor, and most notably a
``citizen of the world'' who passionately advocated for world peace and justice, Mr. Charlie Prewitt, of Mansfield Hollow, Connecticut. My friend Charlie passed at the extraordinary age of 102 on January 7, 2021, sadly due to complications related to the coronavirus.
My statement today could not begin to encapsulate all that Charlie had accomplished during his industrious life. Born in Indiana in 1918, he showed such academic aptitude from an early age when he entered the second grade by age five. A prolific musician, playing both piano and violin, he received a scholarship to play in the Transylvania University orchestra where he would then go onto earn a bachelor's degree in chemistry. Charlie also met the love of his life, Virginia Stewart, at his alma mater--a love that would last 65 years.
Charlie went on to continue his education at Louisiana State University when his graduate work was interrupted by World War II. Due to his background in chemistry, he was conscripted to work at Dupont Chemical on extending the burn rate of gunpowder. That work led him to the Manhattan Project where he collected samples from reactors and ran titrations on plutonium. His involvement in the creation of nuclear weapons and intimate knowledge of their terrifying power was a driving motivation for his determined commitment to nuclear nonproliferation.
When the war ended, Charlie completed his graduate work, obtaining a Master's in Education at University of Kentucky, followed by a Doctorate in Science Education at Columbia University. In 1952, he and Virginia finally landed in Willimantic, Connecticut when he moved to take a professorship at the then named Willimantic State Teachers College, now Eastern Connecticut State University. His commitment to his students and his passion for educating educators was unmatched. His leadership led to the establishment of a minor degree in Peace and Human Rights at the University and the development of a scholarship program for students pursuing this degree.
While he remained in Connecticut for the rest of his life and career, Charlie never lost sight of foreign affairs. He accepted a Fulbright Scholarship to Myanmar, a U.S. AID position in Afghanistan and finally joined a Ford Foundation project in Pakistan. His commitment to war resistance, social justice, peace, and advancement of human rights never wavered.
Charlie and I crossed paths many times during my time in public service, and while we would engage in healthy debate, our conversations always left me with a deeper understanding of the issues and an even deeper respect for his commitment to them. Charlie's loss leaves a deep void in the activist community in Eastern Connecticut and around the world. He now goes on to join his loving wife Virginia, who regretfully predeceased him in 2007. Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues and this Chamber to join me in expressing our deepest respect for Charlie's work and life and send our deepest condolences to the Prewitt Family. Charlie is survived by his children Charlies Walker Jr., (John) David Prewitt and Mary Stewart Prewitt and their families who carry the indelible memory of Charlie and Virginia in their hearts so that their example of compassion and kindness will carry on.
____________________
SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 43
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