Outstanding Achievement

Earlier this month representatives from the local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution came to the elementary school and distributed certificates of participation to the fifth grade students who submitted essays to their American History Essay Contest earlier this year.  We were thrilled to learn that Emily, took 2nd place!  It's a great essay ... each of the winners essays were written in letter format.  Emily wrote it all on her own and it wasn't until the librarian (pictured right) read her essay to the group (all the girls were too shy to read them aloud themselves), that we heard it for the first time.  So thrilling.  

Emily really loves history and reading historical fiction.  She had really wanted to base her essay on a woman from the American Revolution, but she got really discouraged when she couldn't find one.  Despite that little set back early on in her research, she had a great time researching the time period and history and writing her essay (which I've included at the bottom).  

The three winners, along with their parents, were invited to attend the chapters end of the year luncheon this morning to have lunch and read their essays to the group.  Diane and I attended with Emily and were so proud of her willingness to read her essay to a couple dozen women after sitting through a long chapter meeting.  She was nervous, but did such a great job and read with great pose and maturity.  

We sat with a delightful woman who has lived in the area for many years, but is a relatively new member of the DAR and was instated in the chapters 2012-2013 leadership at the end of the meeting.  She made the entire morning so enjoyable thanks to her warm and friendly personality.  She also did a fabulous job of telling us about the DAR and what they do locally and nationally.  It was fascinating to sit in on one of their meeting.  They do a lot of good work, but the rituals, and rules seem a little over the top to an outsider.  If Emily ever wanted to she could join the DAR she could via Diane's line ... Nathaniel Babcock.   Diane was a junior member as a girl and left upon principle - given their antics during the civil rights era, it's quite impressive an 11 year-old saw through the politics and racism and choose to walk away.     

Emily with the outgoing Chapter Regent, Ms. Johnson & the incoming Chapter Regent, Ms. Meyers. 

Emily's Essay: 

October 14th, 1816

Dear Family,

Sorry I have not written in so long. I would have gladly written a long while before, but I had no time. So much has been going on in New Orleans. Ever since I moved here three years ago, news of the war that so recently ended has just begun to stop as well. Now I have some good news, and I do not wish to say any more bad, but I may bring some up as I talk about the man I met a few weeks ago. He is magnificent, tall and proud, with a few scars on his head and his left hand. When he saw me, I was very shy indeed. He said that his name was Andrew Jackson, and that his nickname was Old Hickory, because once one of his soldiers said he was as tough as hickory.

He was born on March 15, 1767, a few weeks after his father died. He had no more family except for his wife. Then I finally got the courage to ask about his scars. He said when he was 14; he and his brother, Robert, were captured during the fighting of the Revolutionary War. The British commander wanted his boots cleaned, and he instructed that Andrew should do so. “I said then I refused, having rights of a prisoner of war,” Andrew said. I then gasped, and said “You refused a British commander! But what does that have to do with your scars?” “I haven’t finished yet. The commander lashed out his sword, for his anger had gotten a hold on him. It cut to the bone, and the officer also lashed my head. That is how I got my scars.” Afterward, he and his brother both caught a case of smallpox, and Robert died. A short time later, his mother died from helping sick and wounded soldiers. I can’t believe he went through so many deaths. I feel so bad for him. I wish so much to be able to help him.

When he fought in the war, Andrew once fought against a band of Creek Indians with 2,000 soldiers on his side. He said earlier, he was told to reinforce troops in New Orleans, and when he got to Natchez, Mississippi, he was told to demobilize his forces on the spot. Andrew said he was so furious and frustrated, for he had been sent no pay, food, transportation, or medicine for his reinforcements. So he led his troops through 500 miles of wilderness back to their homes. That was also where he got his nickname, Old Hickory. During the Battle of New Orleans, he killed thousands of British soldiers with the Kentucky Army and the Tennessee Militiamen. Then I realized why he was being honored so. They were all being perfect, some even bowing. I hope you have enjoyed this letter. I wish I could have written more, but I have guests coming over shortly, and I have much cooking to do.

Your loving daughter,

Anna