Educational Travel Blog | From Sea to Shining Sea

Memorial Day

This Monday, May 31, marks Memorial Day, which is always celebrated on the last Monday of May.  Memorial Day is a time to remember those men and women who died in service.  The holiday originally began by memorializing the Union and Confederate soldiers after the American Civil War ended.  The soldiers’ friends and families celebrated their memory by placing flowers at their gravesites at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C. 

To this day many Americans still observe the holiday by visiting war memorials and cemeteries.  They also honor soldiers by flying the flag at half-staff and by participating in the national moment of remembrance.  For our travelers currently visiting Washington, D.C., and Arlington National Cemetery, they will be able to witness the annual Memorial Day ceremony, which includes a wreath-laying at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and a program in the memorial amphitheater. 

Great Pennsylvania FlavorFest

To many Americans the weekend before Memorial Day signifies the start of summer. 

In Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, home to Amish Country and a stop on our Philadelphia tour itinerary, this weekend will be the third annual celebration of the Great Pennsylvania FlavorFest.  This weekend-long festival showcases Pennsylvania’s various cuisines, musicians and artisans.  There will be cooking demonstrations, musical performances and unique crafts for purchase.  There will also be various contests including a baking competition featuring old family recipes and a flower arranging competition.      

How will you celebrate the beginning of summer?  Does your town hold a festival?
 

The Smithsonian's offbeat expertise

Have you ever wondered who takes care of the butterflies in the Butterfly Pavilion at the National Museum of Natural History?  Holly Morris, a Fox News reporter in the Washington, D.C., area, speaks with the Smithsonian's resident butterfly hatcher.

The Jonas Brothers visit the National Museum of American History

Recently The Jonas Brothers visited the National Museum of American History.  So how did the museum’s curators and staff manage to show the famous brothers the museum during regular hours while keeping all the exhibits open to the public? 

The Jonas Brothers came into the museum through the Presidential Reception Suite entrance, and from there they went straight up to the Star-Spangled Banner exhibit.  Although they were able to enjoy an explanation on how Francis Scott Key came to write our national anthem as they viewed the almost 200-year-old flag, Kevin, Joe and Nick faced screaming, starstruck fans as they exited the exhibit.  They kindly posed for pictures and signed autographs before the group moved along to the popular culture exhibit on the third floor. 

Upstairs the brothers were thankful to find a relatively empty exhibit room so they could enjoy listening to commentary on Dorothy’s ruby red slippers and Archie Bunker’s chair.  After moving along to the Abraham Lincoln exhibit, where there were plenty of “The Jonas Brothers, look!” whispers, the brothers were again greeted in the lobby by their adoring fans.

The NMAH staff were sure to mention that the young celebrities were grateful that they got to see the unique artifacts the museum holds; they truly appreciated learning more about American history.  For the hundreds of teenagers at the museum that met the brothers, they had a visit they will never forget!

Top hat worn by Abraham Lincoln the night he was shot

Photo courtesy of the Smithsonian Institution

Metreon’s Hollywood memorabilia collection

Have you ever wanted to see, up close and personal, the belongings of the rich and famous? 

The Metreon in San Francisco, Calif., a technology and entertainment marketplace, is hosting a Hollywood memorabilia exhibition.  The collection, which is on loan from collector Barry Barsamian, includes gowns, costumes, jewelry and accessories from Hollywood celebrities including Grace Kelly, Elizabeth Taylor and Audrey Hepburn.  Some of the highlights at Metreon's Hollywood memorabilia collection include a dress Judy Garland donned as Dorothy from “The Wizard of Oz,” one of Barbara Eden’s costumes from “I Dream of Jeannie” and Lucille Ball’s wig from “Yours, Mine & Ours.”  Barsamian considers Judy Garland’s dress to be one of his prized possessions in collection. 

Also on display at the Metreon is Barsamian’s extensive collection of TV Guides, which he began collecting as a child back in 1972, thus starting his passion for collecting Hollywood memorabilia.  While he purchased some of the items in the collection at auctions, other items he collected through his friendships.  Barry Barsamian’s celebrity friends include Tippi Hedren, Patty Duke, Jane Russell and Shirley Temple Black.  The exhibit will be on display at the Metreon through the end of May. 


Ali Thanawalla / SFGate

The Curse of Tippecanoe

Do you believe in curses?  There are some famous ones out there – the Curse of the Bambino, Montezuma's Revenge and the Curse of King Tutankhamen are just a few.  But have you heard about the Curse of Tippecanoe?

A strange coincidence has plagued United States Presidents elected every 20 years between 1840 and 1960 – each of them has died while in office.  It began in 1840 with William Henry Harrison.  After delivering the longest Inauguration speech in history, Harrison succumbed to a severe case of pneumonia on April 4, 1841.

The next president to fall victim to the alleged curse was Abraham Lincoln.  Elected to his second term in 1860, he was assassinated in 1865.

The list continues:

• Elected in 1880, James Garfield was assassinated in Washington, D.C. in 1881.
• Elected in to his second term in 1900, William McKinley was assassinated in Buffalo, New York in 1901.
• Elected in 1920, Warren G. Harding died of an uncertain cause in 1923.  His official cause of death has been listed as a heart attack, respiratory illness or pneumonia.  After his wife refused for an autopsy to be performed, some speculated Harding had been poisoned by her.
• Elected to what would be his final term in 1940, Franklin D. Roosevelt served four terms as president before succumbing to a cerebral hemorrhage in 1945.
• After being elected in 1960, John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas on November 22, 1963.

Why call it the Curse of Tippecanoe?  It goes back to the first victim – Harrison.  As governor of the Indiana Territory in 1811, Harrison used bottles of whiskey to bribe Native Americans to cede their land to the United States government.  Angered by this trickery, Shawnee Chief Tecumseh organized his tribe and others against the Americans. Harrison successfully squashed the rebellion by attacking Tecumseh’s village on the Tippecanoe River.  Tecumseh’s brother, Tenskwatawa, is said to have set a curse upon Harrison when he used the phrase "Tippecanoe and Tyler, too!" in his presidential campaign in 1840.

Ronald Reagan may have broken the presidential curse.  Elected in 1980, John Hinckley, Jr. attempted to assassinate President Reagan on March 30, 1981.  Reagan suffered a punctured lung from the shooting, but he fully recovered.  The next president in line for the curse was George W. Bush, elected in 2000.  Considering he has been living peacefully on his ranch in Texas since finishing his second term in 2008, it looks like the curse may be broken.

Introducing our latest author

I'm Shannon, and I'm excited to join Melissa on the Smithsonian Student Travel blog! I work with Melissa in the marketing department at Smithsonian Student Travel, and I will be adding a new twist on our history posts.  I'll be bringing you more stories from American history that you might not know about.  Look for my first post on the Curse of Tippecanoe tomorrow!

Thanks for reading, Shannon

Mother's Day

This Sunday marks Mother’s Day, a holiday to celebrate moms and all they do for their families.  Mother’s Day started in 1858 when Anna Reeves Jarvis campaigned for a Mothers’ Work Day.  Jarvis wanted to improve the sanitation and health conditions in West Virginia, and she worked with a group of women to raise money for medicine, take care of household chores for women with tuberculosis and inspect food and milk.  In 1905 Jarvis passed away, but her daughter, also named Anna, took over her campaign.  Finally, in 1914 Mother’s Day became recognized as a national holiday. 

Mother’s Day is a time for dads, uncles and grandfathers to round up the kids and to treat the women they love to a relaxing day.  How about bringing her breakfast in bed?  Here are a few recipes to get you started.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Strawberry and Banana Stuffed French Toast
Makes 8 slices

Ingredients
1 loaf of French bread, approximately 12 inches
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
¼ cup chopped strawberries
¼ cup chopped banana
2 tablespoons strawberry jam
6 eggs, lightly beaten
¾ cup milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Strawberry sauce (see accompanying recipe)

Cut French bread into eight 1½ -inch slices. Make a pocket in each slice by cutting through the top crust of the bread, almost to the bottom, with a serrated knife. Make sure the bread slices are still intact on the bottom.

Combine cream cheese, strawberries, banana and jam in a small bowl to make the filling.

Place a large tablespoon of the filling into each pocket, pressing back together, but be careful to not squish bread.

Beat eggs and milk in a wide, shallow bowl. Add the bread and let it stand to coat the bread for a minute, then turn and coat the other side.

Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over low-medium heat. Add as many bread slices as will fit comfortably. Cook until lightly brown. Turn and cook the other side. Remove and place on a platter and cover with foil. Repeat with the remaining butter and bread slices. Serve with Strawberry Sauce.

Strawberry Sauce
Makes 1½ cups

Ingredients
1 pint strawberries, rinsed and hulled
2 to 3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon strawberry jam

Combine strawberries, sugar and strawberry jam in a blender or food processor. Cover and process until the strawberries are puréed.

 (From Janet Burgess of Culinary Adventures Cooking School)

Homemade Granola
Makes about 4½ cups

Ingredients
2 cups rolled oats, such as Quaker Oats
2½ teaspoons whole-wheat flour
3 teaspoons nonfat dry milk
½ cup light brown sugar
¼ cup sesame seeds
¼ cup sunflower seeds
¼ cup chopped almonds
1½ teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon orange zest
3 tablespoons pineapple juice
1¾ tablespoons honey
⅓ cup dried currants
⅓ cup golden raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, mix the first 10 ingredients (oats to orange zest) together — don’t be afraid to use your hands! In a separate bowl, whisk together the pineapple juice and honey. Stir mixture into dry ingredients until well combined.

Evenly spread granola mixture onto a large baking sheet with rim and bake 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown, stirring every 6 to 8 minutes to keep the browning process even. Remove from oven and allow to cool until just slightly warm.

Stir in the dried currants and golden raisins until evenly distributed. Store granola in a sealed, airtight container in a cool, dry place, such as a cupboard, until ready to use. Granola can be stored for up to two weeks.

Chef’s tip: This recipe is user-friendly and fun for all ages, can be made ahead and makes a great snack on its own.

(From Pastry Chef Melissa Logan, The Grand Del Mar)

 
K.C. Alfred / UNION-TRIBUNE

Teacher appreciation week

It’s teacher appreciation week and time to thank the teachers that have inspired us through their wise words, engaging classes and through showing us our country by taking an educational class trip.  Teachers, we cannot thank you enough for what you do!

The history of education in the United States started in 1635 when the Pilgrims established the first public school in America, Boston Latin School.  In 1642 Massachusetts passed a law which declared that all children who were not being properly educated must be apprenticed in a trade.  Virginia followed suit with a similar law passed in 1646.  Around the 1820s and 30s agricultural boarding schools popped up, but by the beginning of the 20^th century there was a demand for a more classical, sophisticated curriculum. 

So, let’s thank our teachers this week for all that they have done.  Whether it’s a gift or a meaningful note, let’s make sure they know how much we appreciate their hard work!

 
Ruth Fremson/The New York Times/File 2008

Connecting through Facebook

Jim Carter has been traveling with Smithsonian Student Travel and EF Tours since 2005, alternating between both domestic and international tours.  Here he tells us how he began using social media, and specifically Facebook, to connect with his students about his tours.

 

If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.  That’s certainly how I began my relationship with Facebook.  I resisted and resisted, but the allure of that blue, lower-case ‘f’ eventually entrapped me.  Since joining, I’ve learned that not only can this be a fun way to stay connected with friends, family and colleagues, but it’s also a fun way to promote your tours with students who use Facebook as their primary mode of communication.

 

One of the great tools for me, as a group leader, is the Smithsonian Student Travel fan page.  They keep this up to date with interesting factoids that help as we prepare for our trips.  Recently, I saw that Michelle Obama’s inaugural gown is now displayed at the Smithsonian Institution, I checked out the cherry blossoms along the Tidal Basin, and I saw photos of a monstrous snow storm that engulfed our capitol.  I shared these images with my students as an exciting reminder of our upcoming trip to the Eastern Seaboard.

 

Seeing the power of this social media outlet, I decided to branch out and establish my own group.  Prior to our journey this year to Puerto Rico, I created a group called “Traveling with Carter” and asked my current travelers to join.  On that page, I posted pictures from all of my previous trips, and within days my group grew to over 75 members, mostly travelers on previous tours.  I see this as a great tool, as the past travelers often become repeat travelers, and this constantly generates excitement.

 

Additionally, I added an “events” tab to the left of my page where I placed enrollment information about upcoming tours.  Within days, I saw that my students were inviting each other on Facebook to attend our tour, which has already yielded one or two new enrollments.  I plan on using this tool to remind students of deadlines, group meetings and to keep them excited about trips. 

 

As for Facebook privacy, I must say that I do have a personal practice of not adding students as “friends” on my Facebook account.  By establishing this group, I am able to be in keep in contact with them using this powerful medium. 

 

Feel free to check out my little home on Facebook and let me know what you think.  Happy travels!

 

Jim Carter

Belton High School   


Jim Carter's group in Puerto Rico