Fifth Graders and the Civil War Sesquicentennial

My story Mystery at the Loyd Homeplace is

based around the centennial of the Civil War,

which I recall vividly from 1961-1965. The

 sesquicentennial celebration, or 150th anniversary

 is from 2011-2015.  But the 150th remembrance

of the Battles of Peachtree Creek and Atlanta

will be this coming summer, just a few weeks

after school is out.  

That fact has made this year's reading to the fifth

graders of Farm Life School even more special

to me.  Two classes heard the book just before

Thanksgiving.  This week, the remaining three

classes gathered in the library for the final reading

of 2013.  All told, nearly 150 students took part.

I was particularly touched by a student who bought

a book for her father I had taught years ago.  Another

student bought a book yesterday, then today purchased

another for her brother I had taught.

Since new information is continually coming

to light, these students heard revelations that

I was not even aware of a year ago.  I recently

read the definitive historical book on the Battle

of Atlanta and have now ordered a 2011 book

which will tell me all about the Georgia First

Regiment in which my great-great uncle James

Loyd, Jr. enlisted in the early days of the war.

The students were an exemplary audience and

took to heart the various messages of the book.

These include:

• Each of us is a living part of our own family history, which is well worth investigating.
• The Civil War was a critical junction in American history which helps us understand both the past and the present.
• Both written literature and oral literature can be quite exciting and bring the past alive for us.
• Wisdom is a treasure worth more than silver or gold, and our parents and grandparents have much wisdom to share.

                        Below is a brief video of the students singing this song featured

                        in the book: "The Circuit-Riding Preacher."

                       The circuit-ridin’ preacher used to ride across the land

                        With a rifle on his saddle and a Bible in his hand;

                        He told the prairie people all about the Promised Land,

                        As he went riding, singing down the trail.

                        Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms;

                        Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.

                        The circuit-ridin’ preacher traveled through the mire and mud,

                        Told about the fiery furnace and of Noah and the flood;

                        He preached the way to heaven was by water and the blood,

                        As he went riding, singing down the trail.

                        There is power, power, wonderworking power

                        In the blood, of the Lamb;

                        There is power, power, wonderworking power

                        In the precious blood of the Lamb;

                        Now his rifle may be rusty as it hangs upon the wall,

                        And his Bible, old and dusty, may be never read at all;

                        But until the resurrection, when we hear God’s trumpet call,

                        His truth is marching on.

                        Glory, glory hallelujah!  Glory, glory hallelujah!

                        Glory, glory hallelujah!  His truth is marching on.

I expect to be sharing the book with some

other groups in the spring, and look forward

to stirring some enthusiasm for the remembrance

of the Civil War's sesquicentennial.