from The Forbes House Museum

The Forbes House Museum’s Lincoln Committee has announced the topics for this year’s annual Lincoln Drawing & Essay Contest. Children grades Kindergarten through 3rd grade are invited to participate in the drawing contest and children in grades 4th through 8th are invited to participate in the essay contest. This is a free event where winners will be selected by the FHM Lincoln Committee, an independent group of scholars, educators and Lincoln aficionados, the winners will be acknowledged in a ceremony planned for the spring. The Museum is pleased to announce that the Milton Village office of Citizens Bank is generously sponsoring the Lincoln Essay Contest, by giving a $25 Savings Bond to each of the 1st Place Essay winners!

Essay Contest, Grades 4-8: March 4, 2011 marks the 150th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s 1st Inaugural Address. At that time Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina and Texas had already seceded from the Union and formed the Confederacy. In April the War began and four additional states; Arkansas, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia seceded from the Union. Chose one of the four States that had not yet seceded, as of March 4, 1861, and tell us what you think Lincoln could have said or done to convince this State to stay in the Union.

Drawing Contest, Grades K-3: Draw a picture of Abraham Lincoln’s 1st Inauguration on March 4, 1861.

Deadline for submissions is February 18, 2011 at 3pm. All entries MUST have on the back the following: student name, grade in school, home address, home phone number and school name. Submissions should be mailed or hand delivered to the Forbes House Museum, 215 Adams Street, Milton, MA 02186 to arrive no later than Friday, February 18, 2011. The Lincoln Committee will then commence their review process and entries will be judged on creativity, originality of thought, quality of and pride in work.

On February 13th, the annual Lincoln Birthday Celebration is planned at the Forbes House Museum. The Forbes House Museum has a long standing tradition of celebrating Abraham Lincoln’s Birthday. The day will include Civil War re-enactors, music, hot chocolate and selections from the Museum’s Lincoln Collection. We hope you will consider participating in the essay and drawing contest and plan to join the Forbes House Museum on the 13th of February to celebrate the Birthday of Abraham Lincoln, our 16th President.