Glencoe Historical Society
at the
Eklund History Center & Garden

The Glencoe Historical Society’s Second Grade History and Architecture Program, done in conjunction with the South School PTO, has won an Award of Excellence from the Illinois Association of Museums.

The annual program, where all the second graders spend a week looking at aspects of Glencoe’s architecture and history, is held in late May or June. Students first receive a talk on what the village was like in the past or “before” and take a walk through downtown Glencoe to see what is located there now. They are usually intrigued with the before photos of unpaved streets and wagons carrying horse radish to be shipped by train to the city, and find other locations in downtown have not changed much over time.

What’s So Great About Glencoe? is a activity/coloring book and winner of a Driehaus Preservation Award

They visit two styles of homes: a Victorian and a Frank Lloyd Wright Prairie style to illustrate how residential architecture in the community has changed over time. And there is a visit to the historical society at the Eklund Center, which currently is showing an exhibit about Glencoe School Days, to talk about how schools have changed and learn about what a museum is. Other current exhibits illustrate Carl Eklund’s workshop, which was initially located in the building, is now the museum, and a look at Wienecke’s Hardware Store and Toy Shop, once a landmark and now no longer in the village.

Parents serve as docents in the program, which creates a strong link between the PTO and the historical society. That link was one of the factors that “impressed the committee” that acted as the jury to present the award. The committee also through the coloring book, What’s So Great About Glencoe? created by the historical society and presented to each second grader, was “well done, especially addressing the state learning standards.” Overall, the committee called the program “wonderful” and said the community “should be very proud of it!”

The program has been in existence for over five years and was originated by Ellen Paseltiner and Scott Javore, two historical society board members. It is run by the South School PTO Cultural Arts program.

The award will be presented at the Illinois Association of Museums annual meeting and awards lunch in Davenport, Iowa, Sept. 27, 2006. The luncheon is held in conjunction with the IAM’s annual meeting (held jointly this year with the Iowa Association of Museums).

For more information about the continuing program and its inception contact:

Scott Javore

R. Scott Javore & Associates, Ltd.
847.835.4442

Ellen Paseltiner

Glencoe Historical Society
847.835.0040

Catherine Wang

Principal, South School
847.835.6400

Beth Carvey-Steward (Awards Committee Chair) or
Mary H. Turner, (IAM Coordinator)

Springfield, Ill.
217.524.7080

Comments

1.  

2. On October 19, 2006 7:09 PM, Nello Lucchesi said:

   This press release appeared in an article in the October 5 issue of the Glencoe News.