History is a lot more than just names and dates and events that happened a long, long time ago.
History is about memories, and also artifacts, which provide a tangible connection to the past.
That’s what second graders at Lincoln Elementary School in River Forest learned this month through the Living History Project, an event in its eighth year at the River Forest District 90 school.
The youngsters were encouraged to find a historical artifact important to their family, perhaps something that has been passed down through generations.
But more significantly, they were also invited to ask family members about it … what the artifact is, and what it means to their family.
The event culminated in Friday’s Living History Fair, when family members visited to hear the students present about their projects, created with poster board.
“We love seeing the students proud and excited to share about their family history,” second-grade teachers Tristan Rogers, Jill Kruger and Jennifer Jenkins said in a joint statement. “Sometimes the Living History Fair helps kids grow a deeper appreciation for each other.”
Second-grader Vincent created a poster with photos of his great-grandfather, Joseph Durmin, and the planes he flew for the United States Navy. But it’s the story behind it that is intriguing.
“I was surprised to learn that my great-grandfather taught Ted Williams to fly,” Vincent said, referring to the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame outfielder for the Boston Red Sox.
Another second grader, Juliette, brought a photo of an American flag from her own great-grandfather, Bob Hudson, who served in World War II. It hangs inside a glass frame in her brother’s room.
Once again, the story adds context to the artifact.
“My great grandfather gave the flag to my dad and he passed it down to my brother,” she said. “It has been in our family for almost 80 years. My grandfather raised this flag at a German prison camp in World War II when the Germans surrendered in 1945. The flag is important to our family because it reminds us of everything he did to help the Allies win the war.”
Did she learn anything interesting about her family? Absolutely.
“I was surprised to learn my great grandfather loved math, just like me,” Juliette said.
Mirayah brought a photo of her mother’s Itar Daan, a box used to hold and dispense itar, which is a natural essential oil-based perfume made from different types of flowers like rose, jasmine and sandalwood. Itar has been used for centuries in India. The act of offering itar from an Itar Daan is a traditional gesture of hospitality.
That wasn’t all. One student brought in a cast-iron pan that his great-grandmother used. Another brought a recipe for mandel bread passed down by his grandparents. Still another brought a photo of his great-great-grandfather’s citizenship documents, which are more than 100 years old. He sailed from Poland to Germany to Brooklyn, N.Y. in 1914.
“The fair helps students develop curiosity for history,” the teachers said. “It also helps students build their confidence with public speaking and presentation skills that will be invaluable for them in their academic futures.”
An interested observer of the Living History Fair was Lincoln School principal Casey Godfrey.
“The thing that struck me the most is how many of these artifacts are generationally passed down, and the kids listed themselves as the next inheritor,” Godfrey said. “Those are the powerful ones, to me.
“One of the amazing benefits of this particular project (is) it requires families to literally sit down and discuss history; when it comes to family history and their origins and who they are as individuals.”