On Friday, February 21, chapter president Geoff Baggett went “on the road” for a speaker’s bureau engagement in Lakeland, Tennessee (near Memphis). His sister-in-law, Christy Harrison, is a fourth-grade teacher at Lakeland Elementary School. She introduced the Americanism Poster Contest to the other teachers at her school. In February they offered the poster project as an “extra credit” grade while studying their social studies unit on the Revolutionary War. 37 of their 140 students participated.
On Friday Compatriot Baggett spoke to a combined assembly of six classes in the school cafeteria about the militia in the Revolution and the role of Francis Marion in the Southern Theater. He also awarded certificates to the first, second, and third place winners. The grand prize winner also received a book, The Swamp Fos of the Revolution by Stewart H. Holbrook, and a $20 cash prize. He also presented “Certificates of Appreciation” to the school principal and all six of the teachers who participated in the poster project. The highlight of the afternoon was teaching the kids the, “Huzzah!” cheer and hearing the entire cafeteria full of kids giving the cheer as they waved their arms.
After the large assembly he reported to Mrs. Harrison’s class where he did a presentation on the elements of his militia uniform and the purpose of each piece of equipment. The children enjoyed trying on his cocked hat and posing for pictures.
Unfortunately, the posters for the Francis Marion theme were judged at the statewide level in January, so none of these posters could be entered for state competition. We are confident that the winning poster at Lakeland Elementary, one of the most creative presentations we have ever seen, would have been a “contender.”
The winning poster, in the form of a newspaper.
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