Old Independence Regional Museum invites area Girl and Boy Scouts to participate in our 2nd Annual Scouting out Arkansas History on Saturday, April 3, 2010, 9 a.m. to Noon with registration beginning at 8:30 a.m. Through hands on activities and demonstrations Scouts will have an opportunity to learn more about how our region was effected by the Great Depression and what it was like on the Arkansas home front during World War II.
“During many of our school age events last year we asked participants to fill out surveys about what they would like to see the museum focus our programs on this year. Overwhelmingly, the students wanted to learn more about the Great Depression and World War II, so this program was born out of those suggestions,” stated Amanda Nikkel, volunteer coordinator.
The Scouts will find out about and taste popular foods that were introduced to the public during the 1930s such as Spam, Kool-Aid, Ritz crackers, etc. Through a rationing game, developed by the staff of the museum, Scouts will experience how rationing during World War II affected people’s lives on the home front. Scouts will also learn to identify allied and axis aircraft, and will make and decorate a paper model to take home.
Additional activities will focus on the New Deal Federal Art project, and making homemade silly putty. In 1943, the War Production Board asked American companies to develop a synthetic rubber after Japan invaded many of the countries producing natural rubber. James Wright, a General Electric engineer, was working on a solution to this problem when he “accidently” invented the gooey, bouncy substance now known as Silly Putty. Wright sent samples of the putty to scientists around the world, but no one could find a use for it. However, marketing genius Peter Hodgson thought it would make a great toy. He was right.
Since this program is scheduled the day before Easter, we will have an Easter Egg Roll on the side lawn of the museum. The most popular Easter egg roll is held annually on the lawn of the White House. Dolly Madison began the tradition in 1814 on the lawn of the Capitol building; however, in 1877 a new lawn was planted at the Capitol and the gardeners canceled the event. Congress then passed a law making it illegal to use the grounds as a children’s playground. By the request of many children, Rutherford B. Hayes brought the tradition to the White House lawn. The event has been only been canceled for inclement weather and during World War I and World War II.
The cost for this program is $5.00 per participant and space is limited to 50 participants. Pre-registration is required by March 24, 2010. Scouts participating in the workshop will receive a custom designed Old Independence Regional Museum patch.
Old Independence serves a 12-county area: Baxter, Cleburne, Fulton, Independence, Izard, Jackson, Marion, Poinsett, Sharp, Stone, White, and Woodruff. Parts of these present-day counties comprised the original Independence County in 1820s Arkansas territory.
