From the desk of Jan Hommel, Museum Director: Q: Which President had three and a half tons of Jelly Beans shipped to the White House for his presidential inauguration? A: Ronald Wilson Reagan. Three and a half tons of Jelly Belly Jelly Beans were shipped to the White House for Reagan’s 1981 presidential inauguration. The […]
From the desk of Jan Hommel, Museum Director: Q: Which president was the first to have electricity in the White House? A: Benjamin Harrison. Electricity came to the White House as part of a plan for wiring the State, War & Navy Building next door. The Edison Company installed a generator for both buildings and […]
From the desk of Jan Hommel, Museum Director: A majority of America’s presidents came to office as Veterans. Twenty-six of our 45 Presidents served in the military. Presidential Veterans often coincided with America’s military engagements. Until World War II, a majority of our presidents had served in the Army. Since then, most have served in […]
“Our visit to the museum was our first visit in 2nd grade so it was mostly just to expose our students to the museum and allow any students new to Brook Hill to see the museum,” Heidi Berry said. “Of course it is always full of American history, so there’s that, too!”
Q: What president’s birthplace is celebrated in a best-selling building set for children? A: Abraham Lincoln’s log cabin. One of the most successful toys associated with the presidency is Lincoln Logs, which lets children build log cabins that look the way the public imagined the early home of Lincoln. John Lloyd Wright, son of renowned […]
The 7th grade boys choir spent a class period in the American Freedom Museum recently learning about Texas songs. The students learned the history of songs such as The Eyes of Texas and Deep in the Heart of Texas, as well as the present state song, Texas Our Texas. After the lesson, they voted on […]
Q: What popular stuffed toy was named for a president? A: The Teddy Bear. The adventurous Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt was a great outdoorsman and loved to hunt. However, a 1902 newspaper cartoon by Clifford Berryman showed the president in a different light. In Berryman’s drawing, Roosevelt refuses to shoot a defenseless bear cub that had […]
From the desk of Jan Hommel, Museum Director: Q: Which President was given a speeding ticket for riding his horse too fast down a Washington street? A: Ulysses S. Grant. The former general loved to ride – and he loved to ride fast. Grant brought his favorite horses with him to the White House and enjoyed […]
The JV Choir spent a class period in the museum recently hearing about the history of the five military hymns. The students learned how each of the five branches of the military developed their songs, highlighting the history and purposes and ambitions of each branch. One of the highlights of the lesson was learning about […]
From the desk of Jan Hommel, Museum Director: Q: Which president’s dog had his initials? A: Lyndon Baines Johnson’s Little Beagle Johnson. Most families have some kind of tradition, and in Johnson’s family, everyone had to have the same initials…even the dog. While in the Senate, Johnson had a pup he called Little Beagle Johnson. […]
From the desk of Jan Hommel, Museum Director: Q: Which president was offered professional football contracts by the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers after college? A: Gerald Ford. Ford was a star center for the South High Trojans football team in Grand Rapids, Michigan. At the University of Michigan he grabbed the spotlight as […]
From the desk of Jan Hommel, Museum Director: Q: Which president was the first to throw out the ceremonial first pitch of the baseball season? A: William Howard Taft. As a child Taft loved the game of baseball. His large girth made it difficult for him to be a competitive base runner, but he was […]