This may prove to be my busiest week this month. On Tuesday morning I am headed to Raleigh to conduct our History Bowl state championship. I think I've mentioned History Bowl here before, but in case I haven't, it is a competition for 8th grade NC History students that is conducted in a quiz bowl type format. Various historic sites in our Division conduct regional competitions (usually 8, but this year only 7) and the winners proceed to Raleigh for the championship. We host it at the NC Museum of History in downtown Raleigh, which has a very nice auditorium. It is a two-day affair. Tuesday afternoon the students arrive, tour the museum and the State Capitol and attend a reception at the state headquarters of the United Daughters of the Confederacy.
The UDC has co-sponsored this competition since its inception 28 years ago. They provide refreshments and plaques/trophies at many of the regional competitions, and aside from hosting the Tuesday afternoon reception, also provide the trophies and certificates for the state championship. In my opinion, sponsoring these types of activities places the UDC at the top of the heap when it comes to the various "heritage" organizations; it shows that are interested in more than flag waving and propagandizing. UDC sponsorship of this competition has been questioned by a couple of parents in the past year or two, but no strenuous protests have been lodged and I'm glad. The UDC has always been very gracious and loves this program, and we honestly couldn't pull it off without their sponsorship.
Anyway, back to the competition. The teams will spend the night in a residence hall at Peace College on Tuesday and the competition will be played on Wednesday. But wait, there's more. History Bowl isn't the only thing happening in Raleigh on Tuesday and Wednesday. This week is also National Tourism Week and Tuesday is National Tourism Day. There will be activities going on both day and evening, including a Tuesday evening reception at the Museum of History. Our Division always has a booth at this event and likes to have costumed interpreters manning the booth, so yours truly, since I'll already be there anyway, will be manning the booth for the big reception. Its always a nice event and you see a lot of folks from Department staff to legislators. Promotion is the name of the game, and I'll be promoting.
Finally, once all of the History Bowl hoopla is over I will have to retool for a living history program at Historic Edenton on Saturday. More on that later.
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