News from the 150th Anniversary of the Kansas National Guard Committee

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE         May 4, 2005

No. 150-05-003

FIFTH GRADERS TO GET AN UP-CLOSE LOOK AT KANSAS HISTORY

Civil War re-enactor Sgt. 1st Class Jim Finneran will present a program to approximately 60 fifth grade students at McClure Elementary School, 2529 SW Chelsea Drive, Topeka, on Friday, May 6, 11:15 a.m.

The program is being presented as part of the 150th anniversary celebration of the Kansas National Guard, which was founded Aug. 30, 1855, as the Kansas Territorial Militia.

Finneran's re-enactment character is a Union soldier from the 1st Regiment, Kansas Volunteer Infantry. Finneran is the readiness noncommissioned officer for Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 35th Division Artillery in Hutchinson. He has been a Civil War re-enactor for 10 years.

"Being a re-enactor brings to life the things we read about in history books," said Finneran. "You can't smell the powder, hear the muskets or get a feel for what these soldiers endured any other way. Students learn a lot by reading the text books, but being able to see, touch, taste and hear these things from another time really helps them to put it all together and understand what life was like back then."

"Presentations like this are very educational for our youth and allow them to see how the Kansas citizen-soldiers originated," said Maj. Monte Weathers, education chairman for the 150th Anniversary of the Kansas National Guard Committee.

Finneran and other re-enactors from the Kansas National Guard are available for presentations to elementary, middle school and high school students throughout the state. For information, contact Weathers, (785) 274-1166; monte.weathers@ks.ngb.army.mil

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