Eloyda's Chicago Blog

Welcome to Madison

6:00 a.m. for 2.5 hours on a bus.  Not my idea of a good time.  Several hours later we were experiencing a gorgeous green city, eating cheese curds (I liked the fried ones) and listening to the experts in Wisconsin history.  Stan Schultz was a hoot and, although listening to any lecturer after is difficult, he kept us all listening as he talked on about the progressive era.  I wish that I had a professor like that in my undergrad.  He made history sound so practical and common sense. 

I loved looking at the artifacts at the Wisconsin Historic Society Library.  The information that I looked at was from the Huerfano county and Trinidad area.  I was drawn to it because that is the area where I went to high school.  I found a telegraph dated August 12, 1913 written from the United Mine Workers of America to Adolph Germer (a union official, 1912 candidate of the Socialist Party for the Illinois legislature and a UMWA organizer in the 1914 Colorado coal strike in Denver).   In it he wrote, “I am glad to know the spirit of the men in southern Colorado is genuine and I believe that if everyone is true and if the crooks are kept off of the scene, we will win a sweeping victory in Colorado.  I’m sure the “crooks” that he was referring to were the “company” bosses and 8 months later the Ludlow Massacre happened.  It felt like I had discovered something that no one else had and it was probably pretty unimportant when looking at the big picture.  But, I guess that must be a tiny bit like historians feel when they find some treasure from history. 

Melissa, Eloyda, Crystal

Lunch was great and so was the sunshine (finally).  The location chosen for dinner was amazing and even if I was still full from that big lunch it was felt good to relax and enjoy the moment with new friends.

Yeah! I can blog from the 2nd floor laundry room! 

Great, even the University Center discriminates against women. 

 And that is probably a very appropriate way to start today’s blog reguarding Hull House  and Jane Addams.  Jane Addams was a remarkable women and in spite of the social work degree I hold from CSU in Fort Collins, I’m embarrassed to admit that I knew very little about her before today.  In a world that was dominated by males who felt that women’s only responsibilities were cooking, cleaning and caring for the children, she and other women working with her reversed the “domestic sphere a public one.  She took the role prescribed to women and used it for the public good.  I stand in awe of anyone who has that kind of conviction and drive. 

I know how difficult it is as a female to have a family when you spend long hours caring for other people’s need, other people’s children (like teachers do).  As we saw with Lucy Parsons, her family was second to her cause.  I admire Jane Addams and think that she made another very responsible choice to not have her own children when she was a champion to plenty of others. 

As far as the “Lesbian debate” it really pissed me off.  Why is it that anyone is wasting their time on that point when there are so many other more meaningful debates.  This kind of debate is just not important when you weight it against the fact that her Hull Houe projects changed the lives of so many people.  I would never bring this up to my students not matter what the age group.  I just feel like it detracts from the more significant contributions that were made. 

I thought I’d share these great pictures.

Happy to serve others

Frank Lloyd Wright Studio and Museum

I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed the Frank Lloyd Wright Museum and walking tour.  I was also excited to see how much there was that I could share with my students (Probably not in history except for a name, but definitely in math).  With the many pictures that I took I could work on symmetry, patterning, horizontal and vertical lines and repetition.  I could also use these for art and give students the task of being an architect and creating their pictures of homes that they create. 

At the Museum of Art and Industry there was much more than I was able to fit into the hour that was allotted us.  The section that I enjoyed the most was “Yesterday’s Main Street” and the Genetics display.  Although there was way too much information from our presenters on the World Fair for my second graders, I did get a lot of interesting facts that I could share with them.  I also took many pictures and by Tomie DePaola where its main character visits the 1893 World’s Fair.   My students never have any idea what this is and the only point of reference that they have is the state fair.  I am now going to take our social studies standard of ‘then and now’ and use the World Fair as an example.  For the ‘now’ I will have students create their own World Fair and decide what should be included.

This was one of the more difficult learning days for me because the DBQ is geared towards intermediate and secondary education.  I did however, really like the outline for using documents to investigate history.  I think that this can be done with a more simplified outline and questions. 

A child's tea set sitting on a window ledge

4 boxes of penny nails

In the afternoon we were able to see the destruction caused by the Chicago fire.  The picture of the Palmer house before and after the fire shows the elegance and devastation that the fire caused.  The other shows the magnificent job of rebuilding that was done after the fire.  These pictures and the pictures that I took of the artifacts that were shared with us would be great to show kids the devastation that fire can cause.

Today I truly discovered the “Windy City”, the “Second City” and the “City of Big Shoulders” (as described by Carl Sandburg).  After my terrifying first ride on the subway I walked to Chicago History Museum next to Cody, a native Chicagoan, who boasted about his beloved Chicago.  He maneuvered through town with such confidence while this small town girl followed hoping not to take a wrong turn and get lost while taking pictures so that I could document my adventure and share my new transportation experiences with my students from rural Pueblo, Colorado.  The beautiful buildings, the Navy Peer and Lake Michigan were definitely sights to be proud of.   

We later learned from Dr. Sarah Marcus at the History Museum about the many ways that Chicago citizen tried to make their city become the best city in America before and after the Chicago fire.  The events that occurred in Chicago at the turn of the century and the resources that were shared with us really deepened my understanding of the Haymarket, the Chicago fire and the riots of 1919.  Later, Heidi Moisan shared with us another great site to help engage students in the history of Chicago through narratives.  The follow-up activity of “historical heads” is one I could use with the book Abe Lincoln: The Boy Who Loved Books  that I picked up in Springfield.

My favorite toy!

Walking through the museum I discovered more about the tragedies, crime and corruption that might make Chicago a scary place to visit.  I also saw the diversity that makes the people who live here so difference, strange and unique.  I experienced the richness of the cultures, fashion and talent.  I felt the indulgences and greed.  And finally, I revisited memories from my childhood and realized how much Chicago’s industry contributed to the world.

Does anyone know who this is?

This morning we started out at the “replicated” old capitol building in Springfield, IL.   Once told this, I lost much of my excitement.  It wasn’t until I reached the governor’s office and the room next to it where Lincoln wrote that I talked with someone who worked there about some items there.  (I’m not sure if everyone heard this story so, I’ll share it.) 

The chain that was hanging on the back wall was a replica of the one that is now hanging in the Smithsonian.  It was apparently given to Lincoln by an eighty year old man who made it.  The chain had one link for each state.  It represented unity and how much more powerful the states were if they were linked together then separate. 

There was also a very interesting 1860 original banner that hung on the wall outside of the governor’s office.  The man there told some of us that it was one of the first from the Republican Party.  The meercats represented Lincoln: sociable, crafty and alert. 

Lincoln’s home was truly amazing.  I can really imagine Lincoln actually walking into the house and placing his hat on the hat rack to the left and holding on to that handrail as he walked up the stairs to his bedroom.  The authenticity of the pieces in the house made the experience much more powerful.  I took many pictures that I could use to teach vocabulary to my students.  One in particular that they would probably get a kick out of is “commode”. 

I continued on with that teaching idea when we reached New Salem.  I also took pictures that I could use as writing prompts or “commercial breaks”.  I simply show the picture and ask students what they think it is and what it is used for.  I would then reveal the caption including information about the item and where the picture was taken.  This is a subtle way of bringing in history on a more regular basis. 

Listening to Erin Bishop speak, visiting the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum and walking through the town where he grew up, you get a new appreciation of the impact that Lincoln had on the United States.  I was very impressed with the professionalism and knowledge that Erin shared with us.   There were various times in the morning where I was moved by the review of some information about Lincoln.  Much of the content was not new information but it was a new way of presenting material that even the primary grades could benefit from.  I could really see myself teaching much more of the history of Lincoln than I do presently.  I especially liked the disc of information, the letters exchanged between Lincoln and his brother and the way that we shared the Gettysburg Address. I will use these strategies and techniques to not only teach social studies but other subjects as well.  At the second grade level incorporating history to make it understandable for the students can be tricky.   The images that were used (maybe not all of them) will a good way to use history to teach art.

I enjoyed the museum and especially the technology that was used to simulate images.  “Lincoln’s Eyes” was especially touching for me.  I think the 3-walled screens, the smells, the smoke and the sound effects really drew me in. That was one of my favorite parts of the museum.  At one part in the presentation he spoke of Lincoln’s favorite boy-time reading being “Aesop’s Fables” and how he especially liked “The Lion and the Three Bulls” and how it taught him about standing together and how a house divided will not stand.  The concept of teamwork is one that 2^nd graders need to learn and this would be a great way to combine literacy, history and a great life lesson.  I had never heard this particular story and so I looked it up on the internet and for anyone who is interested, it goes something like this:  

The Lion and the Three Bulls

  THREE BULLS for a long time pastured together.  A Lion lay in

ambush in the hope of making them his prey, but was afraid to

attack them while they kept together.  Having at last by guileful

speeches succeeded in separating them, he attacked them without

fear as they fed alone, and feasted on them one by one at his own

leisure. 

Moral: Union is strength.

In the afternoon we had the opportunity to explore Springfield on our own.  Among one of the many treasures we found a civil war reenactment at the old state capitol building.  I like to use pictures as writing prompts for my students’ daily journaling.  I thought that this would be a great way for them to see period clothing while thinking about what might be wrong.  I could also change it up and ask, “What do you think about this woman’s clothing?”