Civil War Ball

For the past 18 years it has been a tradition at Lee Burneson Middle School to have a Civil War Ball for the 8th graders. There are some teachers at the school, one of the main ones has since retired, who are huge Civil War buffs. They really get into teaching it to the kids and decided to have a presentation for the kids to do. All the kids who participate (which is most of them) dress up--girls in hoop dresses and boys as soldiers. They have a processional where all the kids come in a few at a time. Then they have waltz's, Virginia Reel, Drill Team, a play called "Walls", a reading of the Sullivan Ballou letter, etc. It is quite the thing!

Several days before the ball they have an "Encampment" and eat a soldier's dinner and are told stories and have presentations from 6:30 to 10 pm.

Well, last Friday, May 23, was Stuart's turn to participate in the ball. We rented a Union soldier outfit and off he went. He participated in the Drill Team and was in the Choir singing 'Battle Hymn of the Republic'. Here are some pictures:

Stuart in his costume before leaving home:

The Processional. Stuart is in the middle of the picture.

The drill team. Stuart was chosen to be the only one to hold a "real" gun that shoots blanks. He is in the middle.

Stuart with his friends after the ball.

Stuart and Mr. Behrendt, his history teacher. He was one of the two teachers that started the tradition.

Next week to finish out the year and the unit on the Civil War they are going on an American Heritage Tour. They will go to Harpers Ferry, Washington D.C., Arlington National Cemetery, Mt. Vernon, the Smithsonian (among other places) and then to Gettysburg.