Written by Marvin Tupper Jones

The idea for the traveling trunk project began when Susan Claffey and I attended a 2-day workshop in Reston, hosted by the Americana Corner and the American Battlefield Trust.

Then the grant-writing team of Blake Lindsey, Melanie LaForce, Laurel McFarland, and Marvin Tupper Jones began work in December 2024. Blake was the lead grant writer. The grant proposal was submitted in February, and we were awarded the $10,000 grant in April.  I am the grant's project director, and the project is the Education Committee’s responsibility.

The traveling trunk project started on May 1.  Thanks to Dr. Carolivia Herron, the Chairman of the Alliance’s Education Committee, we were able to speak with DC Public Schools in late September.  On Oct 10, we presented our plan to 5th-grade teachers and began receiving invitations to classes.  Our first classes began in November.

That plan was to offer five topics that Alliance highlights in our FSD programs: Circle Forts, Elizabeth Proctor Thomas, Battle of Fort Stevens, Military Road School, and USCTs.  We also bring a trunk of Union Army jacket and cap replicas, and give each school a print package of Circle Fort maps and other photographs. 

We worked within the time frame given by the teachers - classes were 40-50 minutes long; I opened each class visit with the Alliance's mission and explained the five topics, accompanied by a PowerPoint.  This takes about 6 minutes.  Then, our reenactor partners give the main talk based on their strengths.  We closed the session with students wearing, in rotation, the four caps and four jackets from the trunk.

In every class, the students were excited about the clothes. Frequently, they asked more questions than we had time to answer. One student asked her teacher to return, which we did.  For privacy reasons, we only take photographs from the rear of the classrooms, but some teachers have shared their photographs.

We have praise for the DC school teachers, students, and facilities (smart board, laptops, document cameras, modern interiors).

Our numbers:

416 students

25 classes

11 schools done

11 sets of prints given

9 visiting volunteers (Anthony, Bernie, Blake, Bob, Carolivia, Ed Gantt, Loretta, Pat, and me)

Our survey from six respondents out of eleven gave us high marks and worthy comments.

Going forth: pull-up banners  - for use at FSD, DC History Showcase, and elsewhere.

-Participating in the annual showcase at The Arc in April.

Closing the grant by April 30. 

Next Year: 

We will have the trunk and clothes, leftover print packages, PowerPoint/PDF, and maybe pull-up banners

Keep in touch with DCPS and teachers, some of whom have said they want us to return. 

We are free to present at private schools in MD and VA.