Since June 2007, Bath County history and English teachers have been working with historians and educators in an ongoing grant-funded project supported by the Virginia Hot Springs Preservation Trust and the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities. The project was designed to strengthen knowledge of Bath County’s history and to develop the skills that equip students to become responsible citizens. For three weeks in 2007 the project teachers met daily at the Bath County Historical Society to identify primary sources, photographs, and artifacts to incorporate in lessons. They returned in June 2008 for one week to finalize lessons, identify additional resources, and plan the pre-school workdays program held at Garth Newel on August 25 for division faculty and staff.
After Margo Oxendine, writer and local historian, shared "Some Exciting (and humorous) Moments In Bath County History", everyone participated in table conversations to analyze a primary source - a Ukrop's grocery receipt. (It's amazing what you can determine from studying someone's grocery purchases, at a certain location, on a certain date!)
Two additional rounds of table conversations were led by the project team - Kim Manion, MES; Kristy Pasco, VES; Tony Petrosky, VES; Jeanie Rooklin, BCHS; Bo Trumbo, BCHS; Terry Bradley, BCHS; Pete Pitard, BCHS; and Mike Wildasin, Project Director -and six community members - Ellen Reynolds, Environmental Educator, Mountain Soil and Water Conservation District; Connie Metheny, Genealogist; Sally Johnson, Director, The Virginia Hot Springs Preservation Trust; Robert Pasco, Director, Shenandoah County Library System; Keene Byrd, Executive Director, Bath County Historical Society; and Beth Hawse, Chief Ranger, Interpretation and Education, Douthat State Park.
The Bath County History Project will continue during the 2008-2009 school year as the project team works to share with colleagues resources and strategies to bring Bath County--its people and places - into all classrooms.