The Coushatii Trace Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution celebrated Constitution Week with programs at several Montgomery Independent School District’s elementary schools this past week on September 16th. The group is very active in promoting all things American Revolution, including all aspects of the American Colonial period, and members of the Daughters and Sons of the American Revolution dressed up in period dress, portraying important figures in history that defined the era. The group gave an insight to the 5th graders of Stewart Creek Elementary in Montgomery, who are just beginning to learn of the conflict that brought about the formation of the United States, and the U.S. Constitution; that is the basis for all of America’s laws.
Famous figures in early American History such as George Washington and King George III, were brought to life for the fifth graders, in short skits and short lectures, which were well received by the students, who were genuinely interested in the program. Fifty-five students of the three classes involved were asked to stand, representing the number of delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, when the document was signed on September 17, 1787. The convention spent the entire summer starting in late May, sweating it out, and crafting a document that wasn’t perfect, but it got our foot in the door, in regards to protecting Our Freedoms. It’s an incredible feat to understand the small number of times that Our Constitution has been amended, as compared to individual state constitutions, which have been changed thousands of times.
The Constitution has at times been under fire a number of times, most recently with the pandemic, with the loss of citizen’s personal freedoms, and the uncertainty as to whether the United States would remain a free society; that’s why the DAR’s program is essential in breaking down the complexities of the document, and how important it was to have a President who would serve for a certain amount of time, rather than a King that would serve for the rest of their life. Even back then, they recognized the potential for bad leaders, and to be ruled by a bad king, was not an option after King George III. Regent Jan Cook, stepped into the role of mean King George, who replaced a reenactor who was under the weather, while Regent Emeritus Kay Pontious, led the students in reading the Preamble to The Constitution, who were given a card and a bell, reenacting the moment when The Constitution was passed and bells rang across The United States of America.
Many DAR Chapters across the country have programs celebrating Constitution Week, with most having members in period dress; from the continental army, militia, constables, and ladies in the bonnets and dresses. Each of the reenactors explained their ancestor‘s connection to the Revolutionary War, which is the basis for eligibility to either the Sons or Daughters of the American Revolution.
Congratulations go out to the 5th Grade Classes of Ms. Dooley, Ms. Rosenfeld, and Ms Schade, for their amazing well-behaved students, as well as to Principal Tiffany Mathews for welcoming the Daughters and Sons of the American Revolution to share the early history of Our Nation with the students of her school.