CWRT Congress: Utilizing Civil War Organizations as an Educational Resource

Emerging Civil War welcomes back guest writer Andrew C. M. Mizsak

As it is now four-six weeks into the 2026-2027 school year, I wish to don my educator cap to offer thoughts relating how your organization can serve as a resource to schools, educators, and others who simply wish to learn.

I have written about a similar topic in a previous post, and this serves as an appropriate time to revisit this opportunity. Throughout the United States, teachers in the K-12 space must focus upon preparing students for testing to meet mandated performance benchmarks. These educators oftentimes feel hindered in their ability to teach in a manner that enables them to highlight their creative talents or do the “fun extras” that really give kids a “wow” moment.

OK, cool… We can meet them where they are.

And we should.

This outreach into the educational realm is not unfamiliar for many Round Table members. Many of our fellow members are either active or retired teachers, professors, Sunday school teachers, and/or museum interpreters.

Once you obtain a head count of educators within your group, you may begin to build a cadre of people who represent your “automatic teachers.” Granted, every member of a Round Table organization has a topic or area of history they are passionate about, but some, perhaps, are not comfortable doing public presentations.

So, Step 1a: Find out who is willing to be included in your educator cadre.

Step 1b: Does your organization have an existing speakers’ bureau? Many Round Tables do. Many living history events have an “education day” where kids can visit to see the life of a Civil War soldier or camp life. Do you have members who are in your speakers’ bureau or those who participate in those “education days?”

Step 2: What unique and relevant information do you possess that you can share?

Step 2a: My hometown, for example, has multiple Civil War connections, and if I were presenting to the kids in my school district, I’d start with one question: “How many of you like the circus?” (Most of the kids would raise their hands.) What does the circus have to do with the Civil War?

The follow-up question is: “How many of you have heard of the Ringling Bros. & Barnum and Bailey Circus?” (A few less hands go up.) And then the clincher… “In the 103rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regiment, a soldier from Bedford, Ohio, named Milo BARNUM… yes, that Barnum… served in the Civil War.” Milo Barnum was a cousin to P.T. Barnum, who founded the Barnum & Bailey Circus.

Step 2b: If I were presenting to the kids in my school district, I’d continue with John Brown (1857 visit); Sarah Lucy Bagby (last fugitive slave to come to Cuyahoga County, Ohio); James A. Garfield (of course); Abraham Lincoln; the 23rd OVI, the 41st, 42nd, and 67th OVI, and Archibald M. Willard.

Why? Relevance. All of those people have either lived, worked, or visited where these students currently live, play, etc. The object is to make the connection to where they live by making these historical figures and events local.

Step 3: Does your organization possess artifacts or nearly exact replicas that can be shared with school kids? First, remember, no firearms. But do you have uniforms or uniform components, letters, diaries, newspapers, broadsides, or any other primary sources? Can your members in your educator cadre paint a picture of a battlescape or camp life through words or by using power point? The artifacts augment the story. The story provides context to the artifacts.
Can you post photos of your artifacts or provide pdf files of documents on your organization’s website?

Step 4: Do you possess items available that can be utilized to assemble a traveling trunk that can be loaned to schools and teachers? You can also locate replica artifacts online for a nominal price.

Let’s be clear, you cannot just go into a school with your full kit or with a tote bag of Civil War memorabilia and say, “I’m here to present to the kids.” If it were that easy, well, then there might be a lot more kids interested in the Civil War. However, this is where I give you the advice of “learn how to be a gardener.” To become a resource to schools and educators, your best bet is to leverage any existing relationship or begin to plant seeds of a relationship with teachers, principals, curriculum directors, superintendents, and/or Board of Education Members. Get to know them and learn what their needs may be. Invite them to your meetings so they can get to know you and learn what your organization has to offer.

There is nothing better than that “aha” look of a child, or their parent saying to them, “I remember when I had a similar experience growing up.” As a Civil War community, we have a prime opportunity to engage a new generation of those who could become interested in the Civil War, especially when we can capitalize on both the semiquincentennial of the United States and the need to tell the full story of the most trying time in American history to those who are interested.

My Round Table and I will be pleased to be of assistance to you and yours if we can.

Andrew C.M. Mizsak is a Director for the CWRT Congress and Commander of James A. Garfield CWRT.