Mission Statement: Providing the methods and means of presenting
McHenry County History to enrich life.
The West Harmony one-room school program and museum tours are offered beginning in the fall (usually in September/October and throughout the school year with the exception of January when no school programs are scheduled.)
On Tuesdays and Wednesdays, the society offers two-hour programs exclusively in the one-room, 1895 West Harmony School. The two-hour experience features lessons, music and games at recess. The program is designed for third-, fourth- and fifth-graders. We can accommodate about 32 students. We provide suggestions for costumes that we encourage students to wear. Prior to your visit, you will receive a cover letter. Post activities are available.A more expansive, two-hour tour, available Thursdays and Fridays, includes the 1895 West Harmony School, the museum and an 1843 log cabin. Available times are from 9 to 11 a.m., 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. or 10 a.m. to noon. Four weeks notice is preferred, whenever possible.
On Thursdays and Fridays we offer 2- hour tours of the museum including the one-room school and an 1843 log cabin. Times: (9 to 11, 9:30 to 11:30, or 10 to noon.) This program is designed for students from thirrd through fifth grades. We can accommodate up to four classrooms at one time, or about 100 students. We suggest taking two days for larger groups..
After an introduction to the museum and exhibits, smaller groups will be able to experience a trip to the past using changing technology as a tool to understanding the exhibits and various objects. There will be a packet sent to the school including 1 or 2 student page(s) that can be duplicated for each student(s). Suggested post activities are writing projects, focused group discussions and/or drawing.
Our Traveling History Trunk is out for reevaluation.
A 40- minute video entitled The History of McHenry County is available through your local library or the Regional School Superintendent’s office in Woodstock. Also available at the Regional office, is a video on McHenry County Barns. Both programs may be borrowed directly from the Society in DVD format.
The Society also operates a local history research library in the museum that may be used by students, individually or with a class. The library is open by appointment Monday through Friday from 9 to 4:30. The only costs to students are copy costs.
We are able to supply speakers/presenters for classrooms, PTAs, etc. on life in McHenry County if arrangements are made well in advance.
The museum tours and West Harmony programs are free to schools whose townships and/or municipalities take out governmental membership in the Society. These programs without governmental memberships will cost $3.00 a person.
We appreciate your interest in our educational programs. This section, including the downloads, has taken the place of the packet we formerly mailed out to schools and other interested groups.
Please contact our office if you have questions.
On Thursdays and Fridays, we offer two hour tours of the museum including our one-room school (the West Harmony School) and an 1843 log cabin. Times: 9 to 11 a.m. or 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. This program is designed for students in third through eight grades. We are able to accommodate up to four classrooms at one time. For groups of more than 90 students, we suggest taking two days.
After an introduction to the museum and exhibits, smaller groups will be able to experience a trip to the past using changing technology as a tool to understanding the exhibits and various objects.
We have prepared two student handouts, (available as PDFs for download, from the box at right) that can be duplicated for each student. A third downloadable PDF details ACTIVITIES, and is designed for docents, teachers or parents. We also suggest post activities such as writing projects, focused group discussions and/or drawing.
Our Traveling History Trunk is currently out for reevaluation and is not available at the present time.
Museum tours and West Harmony programs are free to schools whose townships and/or municipalities join the Society as governmental members. Without a membership connection, the cost is $3 a person.
Our special exhibit for 2014 is “Don Peasley” In 2013 we marked our 50th Anniversary.
Various program dates are available this fall, starting in October through December, and again in the spring – February through May. A grant from the McHenry County Community Foundation is allowing us to offer transportation subsidies to participating schools this season.
Please peruse our website for additional programs and/or projects during the year, or call us at 815-923-2267.
Home schooled students, as well as those working on special research projects, may qualify for free admission to the museum. For information or to set up a research appointment contact the office. Our “Life Before Series,” available here under the Research Library menu, provides short accounts of everyday life experiences with a local slant.
A Brief Excursion into the History of McHenry County’s Schools
The 1895 one room West Harmony School has been part of the McHenry County Historical Society Museum since March of 1988. It is a representation of the type of building and local education system that prevailed in this county until just after World War II. In 1945 this county had 127 separate school districts, each with the authority to levy a tax for school purposes. We actually had more school districts than any one of ten entire states.
Education as it developed in these county schools (a term used for the one room schools until the 1870’s) got its start in the late 1830’s. At that time “schools” were generally subscription schools. Parents voluntarily “chipped in together” to hire a teacher who often used a room in someone’s cabin for his/her school. There were no standardized books or courses of study. One such school operated near Griswold Lake. Webster’s Spelling Book was the major book used in such schools. Spelling was disproportionately prized.
Other early schools were private seminaries, often part of a religious order. There were four early seminaries in this county: the Woodstock Seminary which evolved into the Todd School for Boys, 1848-1954; the Lawrence Academy in Lawrence, west of Harvard; the Crystal Lake Academy of 1850 on the grounds of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church; and the ill-fated five-story Marengo Institute of 1855, run by the Presbyterians. This building burned to the ground not long after it opened. Schools like these generally declined when the Illinois Free School Education Act of 1855 went into effect.
“A Night at the Museum” for Scout Troops, 2nd grade and up may be made for Friday nights in February and March. Each scout must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. The museum can accommodate up to 40 individuals Arrival time – 6:30 – 7:00 PM. Bed rolls required. Activities include “behind the scenes” tour, group project, evening snacks and “lights out” with old radio shows. Saturday breakfast is provided. Cost is $20.00 per person. Eagle Scout project opportunities. Call the museum for more details.
