I Have a Few Questions

[L Verge]

This is strictly a sidebar, but I have to share one of the charming moments of working with children in explaining the Civil War. This past Monday and Tuesday, my education staff members worked with a total of 103 fifth graders -- all of them average or TAG students.

On Tuesday, a staff member was asking who fought in the Civil War, and one student said the North and the South. She then asked for another name for the North, and the children said "Union." Her last question was what was another name for the South. No one answered, so she gave them a hint, "It's a big word that starts with a C." Immediately, one young man yelled, "Caucasian."

When you stop and think about it, he was 99% correct!

The class did arrive finally at the answer "Confederacy." I was listening from my office across the hall and it made my day. Frankly, I was amazed that students even know the word Caucasian or the correct words to describe race of any sort. I thought that detail had gone by the wayside in today's society.

After a general class session on the assassination and a tour of the historic house, the students then went to our meeting room in the research center and did the mock trial. On Monday, Mrs. Surratt was found guilty by a count of 16 to 15 with some students not being able to make up their minds. They were still arguing when they got on the bus (these were the TAG students).
Tuesday's students voted overwhelmingly that she was guilty.

The best part of the day came when one young student announced to my staff that "this has been the best field trip ever!"