We were up and at 'em early this morning. Breakfast was on campus and I had ham and pancakes. We have to walk by the soccer field to go to the cafeteria, and I want to walk on it barefoot so badly because the grass looks so pretty. I can't decide if it is real or some kind of turf. After breakfast, we met in a classroom for lecture. Even though I slept well last night, I struggled to stay awake. It's not that it was a boring, quite the opposite in fact, but I guess I am still adjusting. That's all right. I will probably sleep the sleep of the dead tonight.
Lecture was on what led to World War II and intelligence/counter intelligence regarding the Normandy invasion. Very interesting stuff. I liked the one about the spies and deception the best. The first lecture was trying to cover a whole lot of information in a very short time, where the second one had a more narrow focus.
Lunch was beef tips and some kind of eggplant, mushroom, corn, tomatoey (that's a real word...spell check did not underline it) casserole thing that was pretty good. After lunch, we met briefly to discuss next years National History Day theme, which is Leadership and Legacy. We talked about what characteristics make a good leader, and also about people who have really interesting stories but weren't necessarily leaders. My group's example was Jackie Robinson (a popular NHD topic). He certainly did an extraordinary thing, but was he a leader?
We left campus under an overcast sky and arrived at the National Mall to sunshine as we toured the National WWII Memorial. A volunteer from Friends of the National WWII Memorial gave us a guided tour. We laid a wreath at the memorial while a U.S. Marine bugler played taps. Each student was given a white rose to lay on our state marker in honor of our soldier. I'll do a photo walk of the memorial after the trip.
After that, we walked around the tidal basin to the Jefferson Memorial. Bad knees and vertigo force me to use the elevator here and at the Lincoln Memorial, and I started not to go up, but I really think this is my favorite memorial. I know people have become critical of Jefferson because of his private life, but there is something about the space that seems sacred. One of my favorite moments from a previous trip was being alone in the Jefferson Memorial during an evening rain shower. Mr. Caputo shared a quote from Abraham Lincoln today, and I tried to find the exact wording online, but he basically said, "America does not have a national religion, but instead a civic religion." That civic, or civil religion, is reflected in the monuments we create to great people.
After Jefferson, we did the FDR Memorial, which is neat in the way it is divided between his four terms. The MLK Memorial is next, and I have mixed feelings about it. While I admire Dr. King, I hate that he has become the face of the Civil Rights Movement, to the point where men like Megdar Evers are forgotten. In the musical 1776, there is a line by John Adams that says "Franklin then smite the ground with his incredible lightening rod and out sprang Washington and his horse. The three of them - Franklin, Washington, and the horse, then conducted the entire revolution by themselves." I feel like the same thing has been done to the Civil Rights Movement. I was glad to hear Dr. Arnesen, our historical leader, express similar sentiments.
Our next stop was the Korean War Memorial. This was the first time I had seen this memorial. I have heard it is pretty incredible at night. Interesting fact: the memorial includes 19 soldiers. They are reflected in the black wall for a total of 38. Korea is divided at the 38th parallel. We crossed to the Vietnam Wall, where I found Dannie Carr's name to pay homage. Several in our group asked me if I knew someone, and while I didn't know Dannie, I know and admire his father, Rev. Melvin Carr. Preacher Carr was pastor at Cave Hill Church. He served in the Pacific in WWII, and has spoken of his experiences and Dannie at church. Dannie's death also impacted my family. Grandmother had a clipping of his obituary in her Bible when she died. Maybe it was a reminder that my Uncle Clarence was more fortunate. I always find Dannie's name when I come to Washington though, to honor him and Preacher Carr. My cousin Bobbie Gail once said about Preacher Carr, "He baptized us all, he married us all, and now he's gonna bury us all." It's not far from the truth as we lost Bobbie Gail and her last sister last year.
We had a picnic lunch in front of the Lincoln Memorial: sandwiches and chips. I didn't go up in this memorial. I always find it too crowded. That's another reason I like the Jefferson Memorial so much. It's less popular for some reason. The setting sun was doing some incredible things with lighting, so I took a few shots. I'll share those after the trip as well.
We returned to campus where the kids started working on an abbreviated eulogy to present at the White House reception on Tuesday. It was a good day, though we are all tired and sweaty. If I don't get leg cramps, I should sleep well tonight.
Tomorrow, we are visiting a couple of museums. Today's steps: 16538.
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