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Tar Heel Junior Historian Association

Home / Tar Heel Junior Historian Association / What's Going On? / Club News

This is the place to find out what other clubs are doing!

2006-2007

Trailblazers, Christian Homeschool Association of Rocky Mount Inc.
Elm City

We had a very interesting Junior Historian meeting on January 18 at the Braswell Library. Melody Godwin spoke to us about NC inventors. We learned a lot of interesting things.

Lunsford Richardson, born near Selma, began experimenting in his pharmacy and soon invented Vick’s Vapo Rub. It debuted in 1894. We also learned what Junk Mail and Vick’s have in common! He convinced the Postal Service to allow him to mass-mail his advertising circulars to “Boxholder” instead of individual addresses. So, we can thank him for all our “junk mail” these days.

We learned all about the Gatling gun and that parts of it are still used today in certain machines. It was invented by Richard Gatling during the Civil War. He was born in Hertford County. He believed that his invention would end war by making it unthinkable to use. At the least he thought it would reduce the number of soldiers required on the battle field.

Beulah Henry was born in Raleigh. She invented snap-on colors for ladies’ parasols. She also came up with the idea of covers for pocketbooks. You know how everything had to match back then! Among other things she invented were the bobbinless sewing machine during the war, continuous envelopes for mass mailings, and the Miss Illusion doll.

Caleb Bradham, owner of Bradham Drug Company in New Bern, came up with a drink to sooth the stomach. It was also an energy drink. This was in 1898. It started out as “Brad’s Drink”, then Pep Cola. Finally it was called Pepsi Cola, a combination of pepsin and cola.

Mrs. Godwin did a great job of telling us about these inventors. It was an interesting class.

Submitted by Melissa Hartsell, adviser
(2-21-07)

Greenfield Historians, Greenfield School
Wilson

In November, the Greenfield Historians visited the Museum of History. While touring the museum, they made a special stop in the THJHA exhibit.





McGee's Tar Heel Junior Historians, McGee's Crossroads Middle School
Benson

Our first meeting for club advisers was held on October 11, 2006. We read and learned about THJHA. We also discussed possible projects and field trips for students.

Submitted by: Mary Gurley
(10-16-06)

Trailblazers, Christian Homeschool Association of Rocky Mount Inc.
Elm City

September 2006 meeting:

Tar Heel Junior Historian "Trailblazers" met for Tarboro's "History Day" on Saturday, September 30th. Local historian, author, and college instructor, Monika Fleming, provided our group with an interesting, fact-filled walking tour of the historic district. Her knowledge of the history of prominent local families and the architectural diversity of the town's older homes was amazing.



We began our day with a tour of the Blount-Bridgers home, which was surrounded by many interesting living history exhibits particularly of the Civil War era. Cannon blasts, smoke from Confederate camps and costumed re-enactors enriched the experience.

We also briefly visited a military museum that highlighted the contributions of those from Edgecombe County who have served in military service to the country. The museum hopes to expand and move into an old downtown movie theatre that is being restored. Once that is done, they hope to begin showing World War II era movies to the public, which should be a popular event for many.


The St. James Episcopal Church cemetery was another highlight of the tour. It is not only the final resting place of many prominent citizens of the past including General Pender, CSA, but the walk through the stone-enclosed cemetery meandered through an arboretum of beautiful, ancient trees; truly a peaceful place.

Our day in Tarboro served as a reminder to all of us how rich our area is in history and how many in the area have contributed in significant ways to the early development of North Carolina.

Our winning art project was on display at Braswell Memorial Library in Rocky Mount during the months of July and August in the front lobby. They also displayed our Rookie Chapter of the Year photo and our Preservation scrapbook.


In September they asked if they could keep our art project of Oak Lodge for a permanent display in the Children’s Room. We obliged and so now it is there permanently.

Some of the things have been knocked off of it from children touching it, so we will have to go in and repair it. We are just glad all the kids’ hard work won’t just be thrown away, but will be on display for others to see.

Submitted by Melissa Hartsell, adviser
(10-12-06)

Homeschoolers Unfolding History, Public Library of Johnston County and Smithfield
Smithfield

Officers for July–December 2006
President: Nicholas Revels
Vice President: Allan Beam
Secretary: Valerie Bailey and assistant Heather Thorne
Historians: Sidney Bailey and Dana Mills
Chaplain: Tyler Daniels
Sgt at Arms: Richard Bailey

Minutes from August 10, 2006 meeting:

President Nicolas Revels called the meeting to order. Allan Beam sang and played his guitar and prayed for our devotional. Carol Allen (honorary member) gave a report on the anniversary celebration and the club discussed dates for it. September 9th was chosen as the date to play human-sized Chess. A pajama party was planned for the girls and a campout for the boys. For our program, Trillian Roper gave a presentation about heraldry. We watched parts of two movies: The Tuskegee Airmen and Reflections on Liberty. Mrs. Elaine Forman made an announcement about our next meeting. Mr. Tom Magnuson from the Trading Path Association will be our guest speaker on September 7, 2006 at 1:30 p.m. We decided on committees for the Festival of Trees and the Parade committee. The Festival of Trees committee includes the following members: Elise Allen, Olivia Coleman, Amelia Manriquez, Valerie Bailey and Erica Nelson. The Parades committee includes Erin Allen and Tristany Roper. There was no other business and the meeting was adjourned. Respectfully submitted by Secretary Valerie Bailey.

Agenda for September 7, 2006 meeting:

Call to Order by President Nicholas Revels
Pledge of Allegiance
Devotions by Chaplain Tyler Daniels
Secretary’s (Valerie Bailey) Report
New Business
Program: Mr. Tom Magnuson

Committee report for 7th Anniversary Celebration Friday and Saturday events include girl’s sleepover at the Library on Friday September 8. Bring sleeping bags or air mattresses and pillows. Bring snacks for Friday night and Saturday monrning (cookies and drinks) and come prepared to help pay for pizzas.

Boy’s camping trip at the Allen Farm on Hwy 301. Bring camping and fishing equipment. Make arrangements to be responsible to a dad if yours is not camping. Human-sized Chess for Saturday September 9 at 9:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m. Bring cookies and drinks for snacks. Come prepared to have fun being a Chess piece or a Chess master!

Committee Report for “Festival of Trees:”
Theme for this year “Magic of Christmas”
Our interpretation “Magic Without Money in 1930s North Carolina”
A few possible suggestions for ornaments include miniature books with popular titles (example: Nancy Drew) from the 1930s, common Christmas gifts, miniature handkerchief dolls, hand made sling shots. Photocopy photographs from the 1930s of your older family members to go on our tree. What is a good idea for the tree topper? More detailed report at meeting on September 21, 2006.

Committee for Christmas Parades will report September 21, 2006.

Suzanne Mewborn and cameraman Jerry Taylor will be coming from the North Carolina Museum of History to the September 21 HUH meeting to film. All committees need to be ready to make an oral report. Ms. Mewborn wants to interview some of you to find out why you like participating in THJHA. (Episode 3 of Tar Heel Talk About!)

Submitted by: Elaine Forman, adviser
(09-22-06)

Clark-Carr Historians, Edgecombe Community College–High School
Tarboro

Our club members (high school history students) made a field trip to the Museum of the Albemarle in late August. There, they met some of the staff and curators and learned how museums acquire material. Tom was very helpful as was the carpenter working on the house restoration. The students became much more interested after seeing historic items. Now my students are doing artifact projects at the Blount Bridgers House Museum and the Edgecombe County Veterans Museum. They are researching various items and helping develop card descriptions. Your information about museums will be very helpful to them. The students will be doing a presentation to their parents and the public at the end of the semester. The idea of having students work at museums was presented at a conference I attended last fall. The presenter was your counterpart at the History Center in Tomplins County, New York. Check out their website www.TheHistoryCenter.net for information about their student program. Check out the 2004 Artifacts annual report on the website for examples of their student activities. Our students are taking an AP US history course in high school, and then taking my college course on Genealogy and Local History where they learn the research skills to research objects and events connected to their history course.


Curator Tom Butchko explains to Edgecombe Early College High School students how items are identified for the museum collections.





Clark-Carr Junior Historians visiting Museum of the Albemarle in Elizabeth City and learning about reconstruction of buildings from Ray Steel.



Edgecombe student Devin Simmons examines a mill stone at the Blount Bridgers House as part of her artifact research.

Submitted by: Monika Fleming, adviser
(9-13-06)

2005-2006 Club News Archives

2004-2005 Club News Archives