Student Civil History Walk set for May 5
Lincoln District 27 Fifth Graders Will Portray Historical Figures

 

[May 01, 2023]    The annual Student Civil War History Walk will be Friday, May 5 at the Lincoln Heritage Museum.

The event this year features nearly 100 fifth graders from Lincoln Elementary District 27 portraying historical individuals of the Civil War era.

“This is one of our favorite activities we host at the Lincoln Heritage Museum,” said Ron Keller, director of the Lincoln Heritage Museum. “Through these living history portrayals, students make our nation’s past come alive, and the museum provides an intimate setting and an appropriate historical backdrop for the presentations.”

The fifth graders from Northwest, Washington-Monroe, and Central Elementary Schools will be in the museum’s first and second floor galleries. Northwest School fifth-graders will perform at 9:00 a.m., followed by Washington-Monroe School students at 10:30 a.m., and Central School students will start their presentations at 1:00 p.m.

The students prepare weeks in advance in selecting a Civil War era historical figure, then they write a monologue. After honing and practicing their portrayals, they are set to provide their first-person interpretations in period looking apparel to the public.

Ashley Phillips, Curriculum Coordinator at LESD #27, stated, "Our Lincoln Elementary District 27 staff, 5th graders, and our families look forward to this day every year. The students study the Civil War time period and choose their historical figure to research and write their own speeches to perform in character at the Lincoln Heritage Museum.”

Phillips noted her appreciation to the Lincoln Heritage Museum in assisting the students. “They spend time with our students to get them ready for their big day!"

“I am always impressed with the tremendous effort these students bring to their presentations and I encourage everyone to come and watch these young scholars in action,” Keller added.

Admission to the Lincoln Heritage Museum is free during the Civil War History Walk, and the public is invited to watch and enjoy the presentations.

The mission of the Lincoln Heritage Museum is to interpret for the public the life and legacy of Abraham Lincoln and the world in which he lived—particularly as it pertained to Illinois—and to be an academic resource for students from elementary school through adulthood. The Lincoln Heritage Museum is a part of the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area. For more information, visit museum.lincolncollege.edu.

[Lincoln Heritage Museum]