Archive for December, 2009

In November I visited the National Cathedral.  It is a phenomenal structure with a Darth Vader  carved grotesque, a stained glass window that contains a moon rock, and, of course, a statue of our first President.  George Washington was a life-long member of the Anglican/Episcopal Church.  Although he never traveled to Europe to see their Gothic Cathedrals, I think the General would have been awed by the structure built by his denomination today.  The National Cathedral is “a great and beautiful edifice in the city of Washington, an indispensable ministry for people of all faiths and perspectives, and a sacred place for our country in times of celebration, crisis, and sorrow.   Although it was not until 1907 that the corner stone of the Church was laid, Pierre L’Enfant, the gentleman commissioned by President Washington to create a plan for the nation’s capital, had imagined ‘a great church for national purposes.’ The building of the place of worship took 83 years!  Washington National Cathedral is the sixth largest cathedral in the world.”* Anyone who walks into the Cathedral cannot help but be moved by the serenity and harmony that surrounds you.  This idea was also expressed by George Washington:

“Peace with all the world is my sincere wish.”

                                                                                                                                                                                   . . . and mine, too.

Have a wonderful Holiday Season!

• 
• All information about the National Cathedral came from their web site http://www.nationalcathedral.org but the photos are mine.

Napoleon (that would be me) came to my AP European History Class this morning.  I am always amazed at the little Frenchman’s (Yes, I know he was born in Corsica) ego.  For World History or Western Civilization Classes it is a great learning tool to compare Napoleon with Washington.   There are a number of pictures of the two in similar poses:  Swords in hand, standing with their hands in their vests, on horseback, etc.  Have the students compare them physically, as military strategists, political leaders, and egos or humility.  It will make the students realize how fortunate we are that Washington was an American.  Vive la Liberte’!

Every December I think of Washington’s famous crossing of the Delaware River on the night of Christmas.  This was a CREATIVE idea!  The General was thinking outside the box!  He needed a morale boost for his army and he had skedaddled out of New York with Howe on his heels.  He came up with this ingenious plan to attack the British –hired Hessians.  I love imaginative, innovative and inspired people.  In fact, my favorite Christmas ornament was an ingenious creation from my youngest child.  He brought two ornaments home from school in second grade.  Why two?  His teacher did not like the first one because it “did not follow the rules”—the expected angelic look of all the other students’ cherubs.  I love it because it reminds me of that young, blonde “Dennis the Menace” that is a grown man today.  Washington won the Battle of Trenton and, as we all know, the Old Fox (as he was called after that event) won the war, too.  So teachers, ENCOURAGE CREATIVITY—-It is what made America . . . and cherished Christmas ornaments!

Union 8^th Grade Center received a special Holiday Present—-A George Washington Portrait.  Although schools can request and receive the large, FREE paintings all year long, it is especially nice to be given the General’s likeness this time of the year.  The school’s Librarian, Tracy Keeley, the Principal, Marla Robinson, and Social Studies Teacher Shelley Zevnik-Breece, received the portrait from the George Washington Teaching Ambassador.

The George Washington Teacher Summer Institute has started a rippling effect that impacts students beyond the Social Studies Classroom.  One of last summer’s Oklahoma Attendees, Lee Ann Harrelson, was so enthusiastic about her stay at Mount Vernon that she has impressed upon her classes the importance of our first president.  Her student, Kim Harms, recently won first place in the district contest of the American Farmers & Ranchers Leadership Speech Contest.  The title of her speech was George Washington-America’s Greatest Leader.  Her Agriculture teacher, who helped in the process, is Ms. Wendy Slusser.  Mount Vernon gets very excited when others catch “Washington Fever!” 

Kim Harms and Mrs. Harrelson

George Washington loved to dance.  “In fact, he paid for his own dance lessons so he would be competent and confident on the dance floor.  As noted by historian Edward Lengel, ‘Dancing grew to become one of Washington’s favorite pastimes, and his skill in the ballroom. . . made him a welcome guest in the homes of politically influential neighbors (Rees, pg. 20).’”  “During the Revolutionary War, Washington apparently danced with Kitty Greene, the wife of General Nathanael Greene, for three hours straight.  When he was president, Mrs. Washington sometimes had to greet guests at the door because there was a queue of ladies waiting for a pin around the dance floor with her husband (Rees, pg. 93).”  Thomas Jefferson once said that Washington was the “best dancer in Virginia.”  Imagine the connection I saw when I walked into Millwood Schools and saw fifth grade students doing the Fox Trot, the Cha Cha, and the Quick Step!  The students have been learning to dance for the past few months and are going to a competition this weekend.  The General will not be in attendance, but I know he would have loved it! 

Quotes taken from George Washington Leadership Lessons by James C. Rees

In late November I was at Mount Vernon.  I always try to take a tour of the Mansion and then refresh my Washington knowledge by meandering through the Educational Center and Museum.  The smell of Christmas was in the air!  I followed my nose to the hallway near the gift shop.  There, looking like Santa’s busy elves, were two chefs working feverishly on a gingerbread house—or rather a Mount Vernon Gingerbread House!  I was mesmerized as they used a circular saw to cut large slabs of the crispy brown cookie.  “When right before my wondering eyes” appeared the famous piazza that faces the Potomac.    Although I scrutinized their “lively and quick movements” as they attached the roof of the porch, I still cannot figure out how it did not collapse in a sugar-filled lump!  As I stood there with my mouth open in amazement at the creation, the Former White House pastry chef Roland Mesnier smiled and “how his eyes twinkled.”  I had to leave before the miniature Mount Vernon was finished but every night “as I lay sleeping all snug in my bed, visions of a Gingerbread Mount Vernon dance through my head.”

Speaking of dessert, we are planning to have the Second Annual George Washington Birthday Cake Contest. 

1. Two categories
   1. 3^rd through 5^th grades
   2. 6^th through 8^th  grades
   3.  Each class (NOT individual students and NOT multiple classes together) creates a FAKE birthday cake (made out of Styrofoam or some light materials-NO edible materials) that reflects George Washington.  This means the cake could represent his whole life or just his presidency or his time as Commander of the Continental Army or????  The entire cake (with all decorations) must be NO larger than 3 feet in height and 3 feet in width.
   4. Send up to three digital pictures of the creation with a 200-word (or less) description of what the cake represents to jmcclaren@mountvernon.org  by January 29.  Please include the name of your teacher, the grade level, the name of your school, and the school’s phone number.  You will receive a confirmation within 32 hours that your pictures were received.
   5. Cakes will be judged on: Reflects Washington’s life (50 pts), creativity & artistic quality (20 pts), the 200-word paper reflects the cake (20 pts), overall impression (10 pts).
   6. The top 3 cakes from each category will be selected and those six cakes are to be taken to the OKSDE Social Studies & Fine Arts Conference to be held at Southmoore High School located at 2901 South Santa Fe.   The cakes will be on display during the Conference.  Each of the finalist’s teachers will receive a $30 gas card to defray the cost of bringing the cake to the event.  Cakes are to be taken home at the end of the conference—no exceptions.
   7. The conference attendees will vote for one winner from each category (3^rd thru 5^th and 6^th thru 8^th).   Each of those winners will receive a George Washington Birthday Party Celebration in their classroom on the afternoon of either the 23^rd or 25^th of February.

If you have any questions, please email Jan McClaren at <jmcclaren@mountvernon.org>

Last Year's Winning Birthday Cakes