Saving the Past, Shaping the Future in 2024
Reliving a student-driven event and some living history at William Penn Day
Hundreds of grade-school students from area schools engaged with Delaware history statewide through “Saving the Past, Shaping the Future,” an event organized by First State National Historical Park. The program explored different bricklaying methods, iron designs through the years, art that mimics nature, the importance of local stream ecosystems and offered students the chance to create “nest baskets” with yarn during a variety of events that were held in downtown New Castle and at the New Castle Court House Museum this fall.
At the end of the program, the more-than-600 fourth-grade students earn Junior Rangers badges and an Every Kid Outdoor pass, which offers one year of admission to all national parks.
Program partners of “Saving the Past, Shaping the Future” included Old State House, New Castle Court House Museum, First State Club, Delaware Nature Society, First State National Historic Park, George Read House and Gardens, Del-One Federal Credit Union, Kalmar Nyckel Foundation, Hagley Museum and Library, Alapocas Run State Park, Cooch’s Bridge Historic Site, State Historic Preservation Office and the New Castle Historical Society. The program is held twice a year, in the spring and fall.
Reliving William Penn Day
In late October, visitors to the New Castle Court House Museum were escorted back to the time of William Penn, through music and educational programming at this year’s annual William Penn Day celebration.
The event featured Penny Dwyer from the Penn Treaty Museum in Philadelphia, speaking about William Penn’s Treaty with the Native Americans and its legacy as part of the larger Delaware Peace Week bringing together groups to host events that promote harmony, equality and justice in the community. The Suzuki Academy at the Delaware Music School also demonstrated their talents by playing music from the Baroque period. The museum also hosted public tours throughout the day that focused on William Penn and his connection to Delaware.