By Sarah Matthews
Special to the Express
Who said history isn’t fun? This past week, Aug. 20-24, Geneseo’s Wadsworth Library and the Livingston County Historical Society and Museum hosted “Civil War Days” led by 20-year veteran reenactor and Ellis B. Hyde Elementary teacher Joseph DeBell.
More than 40 children from Dansville and elsewhere in Livingston County spent the week learning about the American Civil War and local communities’ involvement. The children marched, drilled, watched movie clips, heard ghost stories, and enjoyed browsing through DeBell’s personal collection of books, maps, battle figurines, and Civil War replicas.
Each child learned the manual of arms and received a mock musket to practice. DeBell also took the children on a walking tour of Geneseo to visit places with significance to the Civil War. They visited the site of Camp Union, General James Wadsworth’s statue, and General James Wadsworth’s gravesite where DeBell fired his musket. On the final day of the program children demonstrated their battle skills for their parents and friends by marching and drilling in formation concluding with a marshmallow battle using marshmallow shooters. Support for this program was given by the Friends of Wadsworth Library, The Livingston County Historical Society and Museum and Wegmans.”
By Sarah Matthews
Special to the Express
Who said history isn’t fun? This past week, Aug. 20-24, Geneseo’s Wadsworth Library and the Livingston County Historical Society and Museum hosted “Civil War Days” led by 20-year veteran reenactor and Ellis B. Hyde Elementary teacher Joseph DeBell.
More than 40 children from Dansville and elsewhere in Livingston County spent the week learning about the American Civil War and local communities’ involvement. The children marched, drilled, watched movie clips, heard ghost stories, and enjoyed browsing through DeBell’s personal collection of books, maps, battle figurines, and Civil War replicas.
Each child learned the manual of arms and received a mock musket to practice. DeBell also took the children on a walking tour of Geneseo to visit places with significance to the Civil War. They visited the site of Camp Union, General James Wadsworth’s statue, and General James Wadsworth’s gravesite where DeBell fired his musket. On the final day of the program children demonstrated their battle skills for their parents and friends by marching and drilling in formation concluding with a marshmallow battle using marshmallow shooters. Support for this program was given by the Friends of Wadsworth Library, The Livingston County Historical Society and Museum and Wegmans.”
