Connecting ESSEX LINCs

Exploring Essex County Populations in Andover

On a rainy day at the Andover Historical Society, our cohort of 25 local educators met to explore the topic of Populating Essex County and the Nation. Essex LINCs staff helped teachers think about where and why groups of people came into and moved out of Essex County and how that has impacted the history of local towns and the U.S.as a whole. From the start of communities that date back to the early 17th century, up through the mid nineteenth century, Essex County towns have played a major role in U.S. history. Other populations mentioned, which are often difficult to track, include Native peoples, slaves and people of color and the poor.

“I continue to really enjoy the use of art in the presentations. It is a different and compelling approach to history for me," stated one participant.

Following up on the morning discussions, the main lesson of this session involved a power point presentation designed by our Museum Educator, Rebecca Zimmerman, to highlight many of the exciting local monuments which can be found in Essex County communities. Her lesson encourages students to examine more closely the notion of who is remembered in a community and why. Included are both famous monuments like the Gloucester fisherman statue and lesser known memorials, like the Civil War monument to the "Unknown Dead" on Ipswich common. After the power point students are asked to create an acrostic poem for their own town based on one found in an 1840s autograph book from the Andover Historical Society.

“The powerpoint presentation was excellent. It makes me want to stop and read plaques and markers! This use of artifacts within my community is so obvious and practical.I will definitely use this! ”

This workshop completes the Spring 2008 session of workshops. Our upcoming Summer Institute for the same participants will take place from July 7 - 11. The topic will be Governing in New England and the United States, and it will be an in depth look at that particular topic. This institute contains a graduate credit component and will require teachers to create a more thorough lesson plan as opposed to the activity plans created for the workshops.

“Many thanks for your time and efforts -- I am impressed by the visible attention to detail paid by all instructors. As a teacher I really appreciate the quality, dedication, and passion of the professionals involved. This was time well spent! ”

Connecting ESSEX LINCs: Connecting Elementary Teachers, Sources, and Scholarship to Explore Local History in a National Context.

Beverly Public Schools (BPS) in partnership with Salem State College (SSC), the Essex National Heritage Commission (ENHC) and the National Archives and Records Administration—Northeast Region (NARA) presents Connecting ESSEX LINCs: Connecting Elementary Teachers, Sources, and Scholarship to Explore Local History in a National Context. This project increases elementary school teachers’ knowledge, understanding and appreciation of events and topics in American history through an intensive professional development program. The project combines historian-led content sessions with training in how to use local prmary sources/resources.