Well, it finally arrived: From Framingham to the Battlefield and Back: A Civil War Teacher Training Workshop! Last week, the Framingham History Center presented a three-day workshop for teachers from the surrounding area to learn about Framingham and our connection to the Civil War. The goal of this workshop was to teach these educators, who in turn, will teach their students about Framingham’s rich history and make them more knowledgeable and excited about this town.
The workshop was a HUGE success! I had the fun of converting their evaluations into a Word document, it’s safe to say that these teachers will tell their friends and colleagues about the amazing experience they had and teach their students about all the cool historic stuff they saw. My favorite part of the workshop was when a Union Civil War re-enactor named Gus fired off his original Springfield rifle from the 1860s. The first time, he demonstrated systematically how a soldier loads his rifle. The second time he was timed because, of course, we wanted to see how fast he could do it. Gus loaded and fired the Springfield in 25 seconds flat. Very impressive! The best part? Gus is available for classroom visits to talk about his uniform and gear, and what life was like for a soldier during the war. There is no better way for a 5th grader to learn about soldier life than by having someone so knowledgeable come in and give a “show-and-tell”.
The workshop was a HUGE success! I had the fun of converting their evaluations into a Word document, it’s safe to say that these teachers will tell their friends and colleagues about the amazing experience they had and teach their students about all the cool historic stuff they saw. My favorite part of the workshop was when a Union Civil War re-enactor named Gus fired off his original Springfield rifle from the 1860s. The first time, he demonstrated systematically how a soldier loads his rifle. The second time he was timed because, of course, we wanted to see how fast he could do it. Gus loaded and fired the Springfield in 25 seconds flat. Very impressive! The best part? Gus is available for classroom visits to talk about his uniform and gear, and what life was like for a soldier during the war. There is no better way for a 5th grader to learn about soldier life than by having someone so knowledgeable come in and give a “show-and-tell”.
These teachers really got the full FHC complement. They were able to explore the Edgell Memorial Library, as well as the Old Academy. Jennifer, our Development Coordinator, staged the “In the Footsteps of a Civil War Hero” walking tour, which was loved by all. The Mass Historical Society came on the first day to launch the event, teaching about the significance of primary sources and using them in the classroom. We had several authors share their research on Civil War memory, soldier experiences, and General Gordon’s life, and it was a great group discussion. Annie, and others, put together an amazing workshop, and I am so happy I was able to help and be part of it!
More about Dennison next week!