THE McHenry County Civil War Round Table-- Part 2

Attendance at meetings averages between ten and fifteen, while discussion groups are smaller.  We also have ZOOM in both venues. 

"COVID took a toll on us as well as other groups and we are still recovering," says Jim Stannis.  "But we are starting to grow our membership again."

Several members of the McHenry group have presented Civil War topics to adult education classes at McHenry County College and they've assisted the McHenry County Historical Society in restoring artifacts and writings.

Membership dues are $25 a year, and part of the money is used to support a $1,000 scholarship to the annual high school winner of a historical contest.

--Old Secesh

MCCWRT Meeting This Tuesday: Battle of Ball's Bluff

This Tuesday the McHenry County Civil War Round Table of Illinois will meet at the Woodstock Public Library at 7 p.m..  

This month's presentation will be preceded by the announcement of this year's recipient of the Round Table's Dr. Edward Wilt  Jr. 2022 Scholarship with the formal presentation given next month.  This will provide a McHenry County high school senior with a $1000 scholarship for college next year.

This month's presentation will be the Battle of Ball's Bluff by Fred Recowkicz.

The meeting is both live and by Zoom.

Everyone is welcome.

--Old Secesh

McHenry County CWRT Meeting, June 8, 2021-- Part 2: Scholarship Winner and Don Purn

We had 15 people there in person and some others via Zoom.

Our president Robert Frenz opened the meeting and we presented a scholarship to a McHenry County high school student for $1000 to further her career in college.

This year's topic for the Dr. Edward  F. Witt Jr. Scholarship was a comparison of todays Coronavirus pandemic and Civil War medicine.  We had nine entries and they were all good (I was on the judging committee).  After reading each one, we ranked them, then had a meeting of the committee to reach a winner.

This year's winner was Julia Vogt of Cary-Grove High School in Crystal Lake, Illinois.  She intends to continue schooling at McHenry County Community College with studies in Library Science.  At high school, she was involved in youth leadership and was on the Teen Group of the American Battlefield Trust.

A very poised young lady.  Congratulations.

We also presented a plaque to Don Purn who was our treasurer and webmaster for many years and was in charge of the Round Table's many McHenry County Civil War gravestones.  I doubt anyone knows more about Civil War graves in our county.  In accepting the plaque, he said he got involved with the Civil War while working on the history of his village, Algonquin.

He will be much missed.

--Old Secesh

McHenry County Civil War Round Table October Meeting

The McHenry County Civil War Round Table meeting was held Tuesday October 9 at the Woodstock Library in Woodstock, Illinois,   We meet here every second Tuesday of every month except January and February.

Elections to be held at next month's meeting.

Again we will be offering a $1,000 scholarship to students from McHenry County   They will be writing an essay on a Civil War-related theme.  Volunteers needed for a committee which will have two meetings.

The discussion group topic for October will be "Divided Loyalties" about families who sent soldiers to both sides.  I have been doing research on the Clay family in Kentucky which is one of those families.

Our Christmas party will be held December 2 at the Pinecrest Golf Club in Huntley.  It will be a buffet which a special appearance by Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln.

Charlie Banks gave a presentation on the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal during the war.

--Old Secesh

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 67: Taking "Racist" Money-- Part 2: The "Unlikely Scholarship"

EMILY ZOFFE'S REPLY:

She agreed that college is expensive and that scholarships help.  "However, I agree that this money is tainted, especially as it comes with the strings of requiring some kind of promotion of the grandness of the Confederacy from its recipients.

"Surely to apply, you have to do more than just give genealogical proof that you are related to someone who fought to keep slavery intact.  You would likely have to write an exam about how you will use your scholarship funds toward the glory of it.

"That would be fraud and you should not engage in it.  Your letter is a reminder of just how many unlikely scholarships there are out there.

"So you and your parents should start researching whether you are eligible for financial help from a source that you can honestly embrace."

I definitely agree with the last sentence and the high school student might further write the organization that was offering the scholarship a letter explaining why she didn't want their money.

Just Goes to Show How Far Our Anti-Confederate Friends Will Go.  The Keeper of the "Unlikely Scholarships."  --Old Secesh

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 66: Taking "Racist" Money-- Part 1

On yesterday's Confederacy Under Attack, I found the headline about the high school student not wanting to take a scholarship from a "Confederate Organization" of somewhat interest, so went to the article in Slate Magazine.  The site was essentially a "Dear Abby" one where advice is given, in this case by Emily Yoffe.

The high school student wrote: "Help! Should I Accept Scholarship Money From a Confederate Organization?  I Don't Want Racist Money!

I think it would imply that I was proud of my Confederate ancestors, which I am not, and that I support this organization, which I don't.  Am I being 'too PC?"

His/her parents had said to take it if she got it.

Actually, I wonder why he/she even bothered to write Emily as her intent is fairly easy to see.  I know our local Chicago area Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp #506 at one time offered scholarships to high school students in Illinois of Confederate descent.  I imagine some United Daughters of the Confederacy groups do as well.

Personally, I never donated a single "racist" dollar to any of those scholarships.

Emily Zoffe's Reply in Next Post. Do You Think She Said Yes or No?   --Old Secesh