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**wavey1us** · 05-26-2004, 08:40 AM

Re: Leaving an impression

Dusty,

Really like the letter. I volunteer my time at my daughter's school a few times. More recently they had an Orgeon Trail Days where I portrayed (first person) a "Galvanized" yankee tasked to protect the settlers on the trail. Throughout the years,I have kept all my letters and art work from the kids and really puts into prespective of why I keep doing this. I have found that how little the kids (4th and 5th graders) are taught about the Civil War. It seems that the teachers, through no fault of thier own, merely gloss over the 4 years of the war. This is where WE come into the picture to fill the holes and voids left.

Originally posted by dusty27

This is a bit off topic, but I thought that it would be good to share this letter I saw in the Fredericksburg paper from a 4 year old who attended the Spotsylvania re-enactment. I didn't attend, but several thousands did. Some of them left an impression.

This is one reason I do this hobby........

Thanks for teaching me all about history

May 26, 2004 1:08 am

I want to thank The Free Lance-Star and all the people that made the Civil War guys come over to the big farm. It was so fun; I hope you do it again soon!

Thank you for putting my picture in the paper ["Classroom goes to war," May 8]. You're my best picture-taker, and I had so much fun. I brought my picture to school for show-and-tell, and all my friends thought it was awesome.

I told Gen. Grant not to smoke anymore, and I hope he listens to me because he was really nice, and I don't want him to get sick. Gen. Lee was my friend, too.

The guys with the drums and the horses and tents and guns were all very nice to me. I hope they keep their stickers forever (I gave them stickers).

Thank you to everyone who helped the guys come and teach me so much cool stuff. I'll remember it forever.

Ryan Robert Miller

Age 4, Spotsylvania

**marlin teat** · 05-26-2004, 08:46 AM

Re: Leaving an impression

Kind of puts all our petty little arguments in perspective, doesn't it.

**Spinster** · 05-26-2004, 09:32 AM

Re: Leaving an impression

Originally posted by marlin teat

Kind of puts all our petty little arguments in perspective, doesn't it.

Yessir--and also answers the question "Do you get paid to do this?"

I walked into a local Mexican restaurant after 3 long days of school programs (with 15,000 through the gate of the Fort), still dressed in my year 1740 gear. Wishing nothing more than to bury my face in a margurita, I did not immediately see 6 year old girl waving frantically at us, until Sister pointed her out. I put on my best company smile, and waved back, at which point the child motioned frantically for me to come over.

She whispered with some urgency "Be careful, go eat somewhere else, there are INDIANS in the back dining room, and they might try to kill you." I explained quietly that those Indians were really my friends, and while they looked scary, they were really nice people. I asked her if she would like to meet them. With wide eyed wonder, she asked her father if she could go.

And so, instead a margurita, I had a six year old in my lap for dinner, sitting right next to the fierce looking Huron. Do I get paid to do this?

Yep--best paycheck I ever got was a Barbie sticker and a piece of bubble gum from that little girl.

**mdbucktail** · 05-26-2004, 10:25 AM

Re: Leaving an impression

Kind of says it all doesn't it? Makes it all more than worth it.

**KathyBradford** · 05-26-2004, 10:29 AM

Re: Leaving an impression

When my eldest son was 13, he gathered his brothers and friends and formed a group called the Bonnets and Bayonets. He developed hands-on activities, they wrote a play about different perspectives of the War, they made Quaker muskets and gathered equipment, and they began doing indoor and outdoor programs for schools, homeschool groups, libraries, and historic sites. Years later, this is still his part time job while he attends college. These are some of my favorite thank-you note messages, and please forgive me if I sound like a proud mom. The point is that impressionable children are energized by making personal connections to history. We still meet many of these children at the baseball field and around town. They love to reminisce (sometimes it's funny to hear a 9 year-old talk about their "good old days".)

"Something I will always remember is the "battle." I found that fun and interesting. I found it interesting because I found out something about war that I could never, ever find in books. Not in a million years. I found out why they fight and how it feels to be on the field of battle. I thank you for giving me that gift. That's why I shall never forget the battle, or the whole day in fact."
"This was the best day of my life!"
"I learned all of the latest fashions of the 19th Century... ladies wore so many layers of clothing!"
"I really felt like a soldier."
"I especially liked the hoop skirts and the way it felt when I walked in them."
"All of you made it seem like the Civil War."
"The games that children used to play were awesome."
"I now... understand the hardships of men enlisted in an army at the time. I also heard both sides of the Civil War."
"I had the best time ever."
"I loved the drilling that we did in the morning. I never knew that the soldiers had to follow so many orders. I enjoyed how we used different tactics from the Civil War."
"I thought that it was amazing how you can bring back so much history in one day."
"Can we do this again next week?"
"I think that this was the most fun, exciting, and coolest activity we have done all year, no lie!"
"It was a lot more fun than going to a museum."
"Thank you for the best school day that I've had in a long time."
"I will remember this day for the rest of my life."

and for the future of research...

"I have been reading ahead in our Delaware history book and I am enjoying reading about it a lot."

**cwbelle** · 05-26-2004, 01:09 PM

Re: Leaving an impression

I agree with everyone, half of the fun of a presentation (especially, I find, to elementary school kids) are the eager, starry-eyed looks and the comments that are more than enough thanks to make the effort worth it. :)

**hardtack1864** · 05-26-2004, 09:01 PM

Re: Leaving an impression

I was at a little reenactment when a 4 year old boy came to my tent asking me about the gear and he was very when I was showing him the gear, then when I asked if he wanted to wear the gear, his eyes seemed to come out of his head! Then before he left, I gave him a paper back button, but he treated it like the holy grail was givin to him. That makes it all worth it.

**Drygoods** · 05-26-2004, 10:16 PM

Re: Leaving an impression

Greetings,
Yes, we reenactors really do make an impact. My husband and I were shoping in Costco last summer and some young adults came up to us and said they knew us from a CA history presentation that we had done 11 years ago in their 4th grade class! Imagine that, they still rememberd us after all that time! We were both floored.

Mfr,
Judith Peebles

**sflyankee** · 05-27-2004, 12:29 PM

Re: Leaving an impression

For the past couple of years, my wife, comrades and I have taken part in a school demonstration locally. This program coincides with the 5th Grade classes' study of the WBTS. We set up a military and civilian area and display, or demonstrate both subjects. It is very "hands-on." The kids get to drill with a Sergeant & Corporal, cook rations with a private on campaign, play with period school equipment and toys, write with a pen and inkwell and see and try on 19th century clothes.

The kids have so much fun, that they ask to come back the next year and do it again. I have yet to go home with any hardtack left over, they even ask for seconds.

The best part, however, is hearing from the kids about what they learned during the demonstrations. Every once in a while, I will be stumped by a question from them. I look forward to this event evry spring.

Humbly,

Sgt. Brian Wysong
7th Connecticut Infantry
Department of the South

**flattop32355** · 06-01-2004, 12:36 AM

Re: Leaving an impression

Two important things for me are history and my 12 yr. old son. We decided to take up CW reenacting after attending last years 140th Gettysburg reenactment (Yes, that horrible, farby, in-accurate mega-event).
This past Sunday morning, after two cold nights sleeping on the ground and having him cook our breakfast himself for the first time, drill and dress parade, with both of us stiff and sore and tired, we were walking past the sutler tents when, out of the blue, he said, "I love this hobby".
Now what more could a father ask for!

**JustRob** · 06-01-2004, 12:25 PM

Re: Leaving an impression

Originally posted by flattop32355

This past Sunday morning, after two cold nights sleeping on the ground and having him cook our breakfast himself for the first time, drill and dress parade, with both of us stiff and sore and tired, we were walking past the sutler tents when, out of the blue, he said, "I love this hobby".

Great story. I will also share that nothing makes one really love the hobby like enduring a MAJOR rainstorm.

135th Shiloh (a.k.a. Mudloh) was my first event, and after enduring heavy rain, six to twelve inches of mud (no joke), and watching two comrades succumb to food poisoning, I knew I was hooked.

As miserable as the physical conditions were, one comrade put it best - "I haven't laughed this hard over a whole weekend in my entire life."

**OleMissRebel** · 06-02-2004, 09:56 PM

Re: Leaving an impression

They should hold a reenactment in Africa, it'd rain for sure and that would solve an African drought.

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