You will not want to miss this meeting!
If you are looking for something to do on Saturday, you will find many options. However, if you are interested in the U.S. Constitution or are familiar with contributions of Dr. Duane G. Meyer, you may want to make your way to the Crystal Room in Kentwood Hall at 2:30 pm for the Greene County Historical Society's upcoming fall program, which is admission free and open to the general public. Dr. Kevin Pybas The event will feature a presentation commemorating the 225th Anniversary of the U.S. Constitution, "'If Men Were Angels:' The U.S. Constitution and the Problems of Majority Tyranny and Governmental Despotism," presented by Dr. Kevin Pybas. An alumnus of Oklahoma State University, Dr. Pybas holds a Ph.D. from the University of Georgia and a law degree from the University of Tulsa. He teaches in the Department of Political Science at Missouri State University. Dr. Duane G. Meyer The Society will also honor Dr. Duane G. Meyer with a Lifetime Achievement Award. President Emeritus of Missouri State University and a distinguished historian, Dr. Meyer is a longtime member of the Greene County Historical Society. Additional tributes will be given by national, state, and local officials, including Greene County Commissioner Harold Bengsch and State Senator Bob Dixon. This event will include greeters from the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Sons of the American Revolution in period costume, including the uniform of a Revolutionary War soldier, as well as music from the period. Kentwood Hall Kentwood Hall is located at 700 E. St. Louis Street in Springfield. Free parking will be available in Lot 34 near the entrance of the building.
You will not want to miss this meeting!
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Nathan Boone Homestead Days Festival In our effort to support local organizations and to help spread the word about resources and events related to history that might be of interest to the homeschooling community, we would like to make you aware of a very exciting opportunity for your family coming this weekend. The Nathan Boone Homestead is holding its annual Homestead Days Festival this Saturday and Sunday, October 20th and 21st. The Homestead would like to invite you to join them in their celebration of this historic site and the invaluable history preserved there. According to Amanda Rego, a MSU anthropology student who works at the site, "The Nathan Boone Homestead State Historic Site tells the story of the great pioneer Nathan Boone and his family. Nathan, born in 1781, was the youngest son of the legendary frontiersman Daniel Boone. Throughout his life, Nathan was a hunter, an entrepreneur, a surveyor, a negotiator, a military leader and a father. He assisted William Clark in the negotiation of a treaty and the establishment of Fort Osage in 1808, defended the Missouri frontier as a captain of the Missouri Rangers in the War of 1812, and served as one of the forty-one delegates in the Missouri constitutional convention in 1820, to name a few of his accomplishments. He continued his military service after the war as a captain of the Dragoons, a mounted ranger force, eventually climbing to the ranks of lieutenant colonel. When he finally retired from the military, he was seventy-two years old, and had assisted in the establishment of a number of forts in territories that at the time formed the border of the American frontier, as well as facilitating several treaties between the US government and the local tribes. The Homestead not only preserves the memory of Nathan Boone; the beautifully restored cabin and expansive fields also memorialize Nathan’s family and the frontier lifestyle they maintained. The cabin was built in the 1830s by Nathan’s three sons and two of the family’s slaves. In 1837, Nathan and his wife Olive moved the family from their home near St. Charles, Missouri to join their sons in the cabin in Ash Grove, following the frontier as their families had always done. Although most of the buildings that would have composed the Boone farm have been lost to time, the cabin still stands proudly, a testament to the persevering spirit of the American pioneer. The site is also home to several species of native plants and grasses, a garden containing various fruits, veggies, and herbs grown from heritage seeds, the site office which houses several artifacts from the Boone property and neighboring farms, approximately three miles of well-maintained walking trails, and two historic cemeteries: the Boone slave cemetery and the Boone family cemetery, final resting place of Nathan and Olive Boone. Between the months of March and October, the 400-acre historic site is open for guided tours seven days a week. The park stays open during the winter months as well, although at a reduced schedule. During the summer, the site hosts an event highlighting some aspect of frontier life on the third Saturday of each month, with our premier event being the weekend-long Homestead Days festival in October each year. This is a fun and educational experience for the whole family, with living history re-enactors, craftspeople, food vendors, live music and frontier lifestyle demonstrations. This year’s festival will be held Saturday, October 20 and Sunday, October 21 from 10:00am to 4:00pm. Stop by for some whole-family fun and learn about one of the great figures from local history! We hope to see you there!" We hope that area homeschoolers will shoe there support for fine work being done at the Nathan Boone Homestead and will show up in large numbers for this very important event.For more information about the Homestead, visit the website at http://mostateparks.com/park/nathan-boone-homestead-state-historic-site. The historic site is located at 7850 N. State Hwy. V, Ash Grove, MO 65604-8159. You may reach the park office by phone at 417.751.3266. Rachel Donelson Chapter DAR Occasionally, one will encounter homeschoolers frustrated with a relative dearth of programs available for older home-educated students. These folks observe that there are a host of activities and events designed to appeal to younger children, but once children pass a certain age, the opportunities become increasingly infrequent. This may be the reality facing parents of older students, or it may be a reflection of inefficient communication by parties who would take an interest in the needs and desires of the homeschooling community. One of the goals placed before fair organizers has been to make local civic organizations dedicated to humanities education aware of the vibrant homeschooling population living in the area and help these organizations begin to develop more lasting fruitful relationships within it. To that end, we are pleased to help the Rachel Donelson Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution announce an exciting program that local homeschoolers should become involved in. In the academic year 2012-2013, the DAR will be holding two essay contests. The first is the DAR American History Essay Contest, open to students who would be in grades five through eight. Young essayists are instructed to "Focus on the often unrecognized people and groups, including African Americans, Native Americans, Hispanics, and others who provided military, patriotic, and public service in support of the American Revolution. Describe a particular person or group and how they supported the cause for American Independence. Explain why it is especially important to honor the unsung heroes and often forgotten patriots." The title of prospective entries should read, "Forgotten Patriots Who Supported the American Struggle for Independence." The deadline for the DAR American History Essay Contest is December 1st. Further information can be found here. The second opportunity sponsored by DAR is the Christopher Columbus Essay Contest. Open to students who would be in grades nine through twelve, students are challenged to explain the ways in which "high faith and indomitable courage" were "demonstrated in the life and actions of Columbus." Inspired by the inscription of a monument dedicated to the explorer in Washington, D.C., one hundred years ago, the DAR asks that submitted essays be titled and respond to the following question, "How did the faith and courage of Christopher Columbus give to mankind a new world?" The deadline for the DAR Christopher Columbus Essay Contest is December 1st. Further information can be found here. In the case of both contests, one essay submitted to the Rachel Donelson Chapter of the DAR will be selected to participate in the state-wide competition. Please consider getting involved in this wonderful opportunity, brought to us by a venerable organization. Questions concerning these competitions should be directed to Mary Christiano at [email protected] or by telephone at 417.887.6235. And remember, the 2012 Southwest Missouri Homeschool History will feature numerous programs designed to appeal to older students. Even if you were unable to submit a project, do not miss this opportunity to engage historians and civic organizations interested in preserving and celebrating our shared heritage. October 7, 1949: Following the creation of the Federal Republic of Germany in Western Germany, the soviet-occupied zone in East Germany is reorganized as the Democratic Republic of Germany. The nation's first president was Wilhelm Pieck. October 8, 1871: The Great Chicago Fire began. The fire lasted two days and killed between 200 and 300 people. Over 17,000 buildings were destroyed, costing $200 million dollars in damage, an equivalent of $3 billion today. October 9, 1934: The Gashouse Gang wone the World Series. This St. Louis Cardinals team, led by Ozark native Dizzy Dean, defeated the Detroit Tigers in the seventh game of the series. October 10, 1935: Porgy and Bess premiered on Broadway. George Gershwin, partnered with novelist DuBose Heyward, created what many people consider to be the first great American opera. October 11, 1968: Apollo 7, the first manned Apollo mission, launched on an 11-day orbit of earth. Astronauts Walter Schirra, Donn Eisele, and Walter Cunningham were aboard. October 12, 1870: Robert E. Lee, commander of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, died at the age of 63. Following the war, Lee served as president of Washington College in Lexington, Virginia, where his body was interred. October 13, 1775: The Continental Congress authorized the construction and administration of the first American Naval force. We are pleased to announce that the Missouri Humanities Council (MHC) has awarded a grant of $1,000 to our partner organization, the Greene County Historical Society (GCHS) in support of the upcoming, 2012 Southwest Missouri Homeschool History Fair. The MHC is the only state-wide agency in Missouri devoted exclusively to humanities education for citizens of all ages. It has served as a state affiliated of the National Endowment for the Humanities since 1971. The grant will help to ensure that organizers are able to offer fair visitors and participants.a first-class educational experience. On the day of the fair, families are invited to the Strong Hall for what will amount to a full “day of history.” Besides the wonderful projects developed by area students, visitors will be treated to a variety of presentations and workshops featuring local scholars, historical societies, and civic organizations, including the National Endowment of the Arts’ Picturing America program, demonstrations by experts in historical clothing, presentations by the Titanic Museum Branson, and musical performances by Roy “Dusty” Rogers, Jr., The Back Porch Players, and The HonkyTonk Renovators. It will be a day both fun and informative. And, of course, admission is free to all. Organizers would like to thank the MHC for their generous support. We hope the friends of the fair might take few moments to express gratitude to this fine organization, as it continues in their work to nurture the study of the humanities in our region. For information about the grants program of the Missouri Humanities Council, call 314/781-9660 or 800/357-0909 or write to the MHC, 543 Hanley Industrial Court, Suite 205, Saint Louis, Missouri 63144-1905 or visit the MHC online at http://www.mohumanities.org/ |
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