Thursday Recap

Madison Smith
Jul 10
6 min read

Camp Freedom is wrapping up, and it's hard to believe how fast the time has passed! The kids have been fantastic, and we've had some incredible presenters. We are so thankful to our presenters who visit each year and make Camp Freedom unforgettable.

George Washington and his daughter (granddaughter) Nellie

George Washington’s life was full of miracles. The following are a few examples that he shared with us today:

During the French and Indian War, George Washington served under General Braddock. The British had 1,200 soldiers and were going against only 500 French Soldiers and Indian Warriors. The General was sure that this battle would be an easy win. The British were used to fighting in neat and orderly rows. Washington, being more familiar with the territory and the tactics of their foes, tried to warn the General that fighting in rows would be a disadvantage. The General scolded Washington and refused to listen. He then led his men into battle, all lined up in neat rows. In 3 hours they lost 965 soldiers. Every leader was killed except Washington. After the battle was over, Washington noticed that he had multiple bullet holes in his hat and coat, but no wounds. He knew that he had been preserved by God. Years later, and old Indian Chief sought an audience with him. He said he wanted to meet "the man that God would not let die." The Cheif had been at that battle. He knew that if they could take out all of the British leaders, the rest of the men would easily fall into their hands. He had told all his men to aim at Washington, but they could not hit him. The Cheif himself tried 17 times and missed each time. He prophesied that Washington would become the leader of a great nation.

George Washington hated slavery. In his will, he declared that the enslaved people he directly owned would be freed upon his wife Martha's death. He also immediately freed his former valet, William Lee, and granted him a $30 annual pension. Washington's will also included provisions to care for elderly or infirm slaves who were to be freed, ensuring they would be supported by his estate.

Eleanor Parke Custis Lewis, known as “Nelly,” was the youngest of Martha Washington’s three granddaughters. After her father passed away, she and her siblings went to live with George and Martha. Nelly was lively, spirited, and determined. She would slide down banisters and, when hunting with George, refused to ride side saddle like a lady, instead letting her dress flow behind her. She was intelligent, speaking seven different languages, and at 16, she became America's first ambassador to France.

Nelly encouraged the children to look in the mirror, speaking to them about their worth and potential, urging them to pursue their dreams.

Thomas Jefferson and George Wythe

Thomas Jefferson received an excellent education. As part of his upbringing in high society, he learned to play the violin. At 16, he attended the College of William and Mary. His favorite professor was William Small. Professor Small invited Jefferson and his friend George Wythe to dine with the governor, who had heard of Jefferson's beautiful violin playing and wanted to hear him perform. During dinner, the men discussed science, philosophy, and government.

Jefferson was exceptionally intelligent and later used his extensive knowledge to draft the Declaration of Independence. Although he strongly supported the Constitution and contributed significantly to it, he could not sign it because he was in France at the time.

Jefferson believed that knowledge and education were essential for participating in government. He famously stated, "If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be." He envisioned a three-tiered public education system: primary schools, academies for advanced learning, and a university. He advocated for free primary education for all children, both male and female, and for the most talented students to have access to higher education at public expense. Morality was very important to Jefferson, and he made it was taught a required subject in the academies.

Craft- Sacred Honor

When the founding fathers signed the Declaration of Independence, it was a significant event. They understood that the King would be furious and that their lives would be at risk. However, honor was crucial to them, and they regarded it as their sacred honor to fight for the freedom of their fellow men, believing it was God's will that all men should be free.

One of these men was Caesar Rodney. On June 30, a motion for Independence was proposed, with nine colonies voting in favor, two voting against, New York abstaining, and the Delaware delegates splitting their vote. Delaware delegate Thomas McKean supported independence, while George Read opposed it. Rodney, another delegate from Delaware, was absent during this vote. Although there was technically enough support to pass the motion, the Continental Congress wanted unanimous support before declaring independence. Caesar Rodney was ill and suffering from cancer, but he learned that Delaware needed representation. On the night of July 1, 1776, and into the following day, Rodney rode 80 miles through a lightning storm, a journey that took him 18 hours, to represent Delaware and cast his affirmative vote.

After learning about the significance of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the kids were each given their own feather pen and copy of the Declaration to sign!

Apothecary

The kids also got to visit an Apothecary.

Back during the revolutionary war, they didn't have all the medical opportunities that are available to us now. They had to gain a knowledge of the plants around them and use them to help their people. Here are a few of the old remedies that were shared with them:

When a soldier was wounded and the wound became infected, they didn't have antibiotics. So they would put leeches on the wounds to suck out the infection in an attempt to save the soldiers from death or loss of limbs.
They didn’t have bandaids back then, so if someone was bleeding, they would pour powdered cayenne into the wound to stop the bleeding, then they would wrap it with wet linen.
Martha Washington was an herbalist and she made cherry bounce for the soldiers. If they were wounded and drank it, it helped to prevent shock.
They used coffee beans to stop migraines. The coffee beans work as a vaso dilator.
Powdered Slippery elm mixed with water was used for lung issues. It would provide a coating and soothe the pain. It was also a good option for people who were vomiting because it was easy on the stomach and full of nutrients, so people could keep it down and keep thier body fed.
They used fennel and raisins for digestive issues. Fennel was also made into candy and tea to help children with stomach aches.

To preserve their medicine, they used fruit scrap vinegar.

Only boys were permitted to become apothecaries. They would then train their sons to succeed them. If they did not have a son, they would take on an apprentice, who would eventually inherit the apothecary.

They also taught the kids how old fashioned scales worked, since the apothecaries used them to measure the ingredients for their medicines.

Wow! We learned so much this week! We are so excited for the kids to have a chance to showcase some of what they have learned for you! It’s going to be so much fun!! Here’s the plan for tomorrow:

Please arrive at 8:30 so we can get the kids up on the stairs and ready to perform. We want to try and stay ahead of the heat as much as possible.
Make sure your kids wear their red camp shirts tiptoe for the program.
Have your kids wear their swimsuits under their camp shirts so they are ready for the water games after the program.
Tomorrow is our family day so your other kids are welcome to come in their swimsuits as well.
There is not formal seating for the program so please bring blankets and chairs to sit on while you watch.

We also want to thank our sponsors that donated or gave discounts to help us provide a great Camp: