NHD at Towle

Brittany Robinette, originally uploaded by Delaware Historical Society.  First place individual exhibit finisher at the Towle HD competition.

Last week Ellen and I spent the morning helping to judge the school competition at Towle Institute! Ellen met with the senior division students while I met with those in the junior division. We were both impressed and energized by the hard work and enthusiasm shown by the students.

I was lucky because I got to learn about a wide range of topics in a variety of formats. Students did exhibits, papers, and web-sites. I learned something new from every single entry. For example I learned about how Orville Wright used wind tunnels. (I even got to see images the student took while meeting with the curator of the Franklin Institute.) I learned that Annie Oakley was an anti-suffragist and that one of Elizabeth Blackwell’s legacies was the foundation of a medical college for women. I saw 2 different entries on Caesar Rodney (and of course was thrilled about a Delaware History topic)! One young man visited the Delaware Historical Society for his some of his research.

I was even introduced to a new historical figure – Father Demetrius Gallitzin. Father Gallitzin was a Russian prince who left everything behind to become a priest in the U.S. He was the first Catholic Bishop of the U.S. and left behind a fascinating legacy. I’m so glad that I got to learn about his story!

All of the students worked hard on their projects and I’m glad that I had the chance to spend the morning with them. I thank them all for the information that they shared. I hope those that placed at their school competition will come to states!!!

Andrea

See

Towle Students Hard at Work!

Towle Students Researching NHD projects, originally uploaded by Delaware Historical Society.

Recently a group of Towle students were researching their NHD projects in our library. Good luck on your projects! Ellen and I will be heading out to judge Towle’s school competition on February 18th.

Ellen and Andrea visit P.S. duPont Elemenatry School

Last week, we were invited by Mrs. Kelly Whitaker and the other 6^th grade teachers from P.S. duPont Elementary School to speak to the students about NHD. We were honored to be invited, happy to talk with the students, and excited to see first hand the finished renovations on the school. Wow – the school looks so good! It is beautiful! We were lucky enough to be able to speak with all of the students (115 in total) and teachers in the newly renovated auditorium, which is just amazing. (Thanks to all the staff members at P.S. duPont who set up all of our technology needs – from microphones to laptops and projectors!) Good job Brandywine School District and all the taxpayers- what a cool school it is. If you haven’t done so, make sure to drive by P.S. duPont at night and you’ll see how neat the cupola looks when it’s all lit up.

As for the students at P.S. duPont…all we can say is impressive! Watch out, Junior High School students- these kids at P.S. know their stuff! We asked them about primary and secondary sources, about the theme for this year, and all sorts of History Day trivia.  We just couldn’t stump them!

We also spent some time talking about people in Delaware history who would make a good topic- Emily Bissell (creator of the Christmas Seal and anti-suffragist) and William “Judy” Johnson (the Negro League baseball player from the 1920s and 1930s). We also talked about Judge Collins J. Seitz who was the judge who ruled that Delaware schools, from kindergarten all the way up to the Univ. of Delaware, should be integrated. His cases for the public schools became a part of Brown v. Board of Eduacation, Topeka. (THE famous case.) To tie everything together, we also brain-stormed with students about what they might want to do for History Day.  There are certainly going to be some interesting NHD projects this year!

If you’d like us to come to your school- just ask- we travel!

Andrea and Ellen