Children learn about Lincoln’s life through WVU-sponsored actors

More than 700 local elementary students saw history come alive at the West Virginia University's Center for Democracy and Citizenship Education's program on Abraham Lincoln.

The students heard from President Lincoln and his wife Mary Todd on their marriage, the Civil War and his work as a lawyer as part of the Lincoln Literacy Program.

Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln were played by Michael Krebs and Debra Miller, professional actors from Chicago, said Robert Waterson, director of the Center for Democracy and Citizenship Education.

"Bringing in live individuals that represent our history give us a better perception on what their struggles were," Waterson said. "It brings history alive."

Waterson got the idea to invite Krebs and Miller to WVU after seeing them perform at the Chicago History Museum, he said.

The CDCE then purchased about 800 copies of the book "Abraham Lincoln: A Photographic Story of Life" and distributed it to fifth grade teachers in local elementary schools, Waterson said.

The teachers incorporated the book and information on Lincoln into their lesson plans, he said.

"We were invited to come and thought it was a great opportunity for the students," said Diana Zelenak, a fifth grade teacher at East Dale Elementary school.

The students at East Dale have been reading the book and focused on Lincoln as a poet, said Pam McQuain, also a fifth grade teacher at East Dale Elementary school.

The children wrote original poems about Lincoln as part of their lessons before coming to see the Lincolns in person, she said.

Krebs read some of Lincoln's original poems to the children during the event as well as excepts from the Gettysburg Address.

The Battle of Gettysburg was the toughest loss to the Union with more than 50,000 soldiers dying over three days, he said.

After the battle, Lincoln was approached to say "a few appropriate words" and wrote a speech of 272 words, Krebs said.

Every loss of a soldier, no matter what side they were fighting for, was a hard loss to bear for Lincoln because they were all Americans, Miller said.

"It is for us, the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they have, thus far, so nobly carried on," Krebs recited from the Gettysburg Address.

Although not prejudice against Southern people, whenever he hears someone arguing for slavery, he wishes that person go through it, he said.

"They are just what we would have been in that situation," Krebs said.

Krebs explained that Lincoln had suggested that the government buy all the slaves to free them but couldn't get support from Congress and the states.

That was when he decided to issue the Emancipation Proclamation freeing all the slaves, he said.

The event was important to both WVU and the elementary students because it reinforced the education of American history, provided an alternate form of learning and introduced the children to WVU, Waterson said.

The Lincoln Literacy Program is part of the CDCE's "Heroes in History" program which helps to bring important American history figures to life.