February Meeting: Mountain Schools Program

Mountain Schools Virtual Tour

Alexander McNair members and seniors learned about the Mountain Schools through a Google Slideshow. The 5 mountain schools are sponsored by the DAR and are: Berry College, Crossnore School, Hillside School, Hindman Settlement School, and Kate Duncan Smith DAR School. 

Members were able to learn about some of the special programs at the schools and a fun fact about each school. (Ex. Berry College has an eagle cam!) They were then able to compare and contrast the schools, using a Venn Diagram and dry erase boards. Notes on memorable facts were added to the Slides.

Finally, the members voted that each member in attendance could send $10 to the school of their choice. The society sent $30 to Berry College, $10 to Crossnore School,  $10 to Hillside School, and $10 to Kate Duncan Smith DAR School.

The full public version of the presentation (names edited out) is viewable here: Alexander McNair Society Mountain Schools Presentation

 Attendees: 6 members (5 pee wees) and 4 seniors

January Meeting: American History

 Paul Revere's Ride

Alexander McNair members and seniors met virtually through Google Meet to learn more about Paul Revere and his famous ride. They watched several videos:

• Paul Revere's Ride - Rap
  
• Paul Revere's Ride - Muppet Version
  
• Paul Revere's Ride Bellringer
  

Members created their own lanterns while watching the videos:

The directions for the craft can be found here: Paul Revere's Lantern Craft

Attendees: 6 members (5 pee wees) and 5 seniors

November Meeting: American Heritage

 Family Recipes

Alexander McNair members and seniors met together to learn about the American Heritage program and about their family heritages. This year's program was to learn about how families keep recipes and pass them down from generation to generation. 

Mrs. Moll, Senior Vice President, shared a recipe from her childhood that was passed down from her grandmother. It was discussed how measurements were different in the past.

Members were excited that they could share some of their favorite recipes with each other.

Ms. Sammons, Senior President, shared the Sammons-Smith recipe book, which has recipes from all of the parents' families combined. Some of the recipes were written by the great-grandma and grandma of the members. Others were newer and were printed from the internet.

 Each family brought a recipe that could be shared.

Attendees: 6 members (5 pee wees), 4 seniors

Veteran's Day Service

 St. Louis-Jefferson Chapter DAR Veteran's Day Service

Alexander McNair members attended the Veteran's Day Memorial Service and helped place a wreath at this annual event. 

Attendees: 6 members (5 pee wees), 4 seniors

October Meeting: Conservation Program

 World Bird Sanctuary Field Trip

Alexander McNair members visited the World Bird Sanctuary to learn about the conservation efforts that occur there. They enjoyed finding a bald eagle to match the N.S.C.A.R. mascot, Spirit.

While there, they did have a meeting. They also had a chance for crafts. Normally members would make ornaments for the M.S.S.C.A.R. Christmas Tree at the Missouri DAR's Roslyn Heights at our State Summer Workshop. This year the event was virtual, so societies received ornaments to make at a society event.

Attendees: 6 members (5 pee wees), 7 seniors

November Meeting: Women's Suffragette March Re-enactment

Women's Suffragette March and Library Visit

Attendees: 7 members (5 pee wees) and 8 seniors

Members and Seniors learned about the Women's Suffragette March through a Facebook post before the meeting. Seniors discussed the ideal starting place for our march on Facebook. To learn more about the original march, check out this website: https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/events-will-remember-suffragists-who-lined-locust-street-in-demonstration/article_5e885b80-78ad-5d56-b355-555740af9c87.html?fbclid=IwAR3-mw-KwU7oh2vI5fInppajnQeJC1lr79PpPpv9yLz3Z6WGXijOvyoPm_k

It was determined that we would start our march at 19th Street and Locust, about the middle of the original demonstration. This was roughly where the old Art Museum was and the central point of the demonstration. Speeches were given at this location. Women stood, silent, for about a mile's length of the street. The men were walking from their hotel to the conference hall, between the walls of women.

Our members gathered in their formal wear. The ladies wore their white dresses, white gloves, and yellow sashes. They brought a yellow parasol (umbrella), like the ladies from the original suffragette demonstration. The gentlemen wore their suits and hats. As we began our march, Seniors explained the demonstration to the children. They began to understand just how big of a demonstration it was, the longer we walked. At one point, we stopped for the girls to stand along the side of the road and the boys to walk down the street in front of them.

As we approached the public library, we saw that there were two entrances. The back entrance was closer, or we could walk around to the front entrance. We stopped and took a vote. The girls voted for the closer entrance (there were 4 girls) but the boys voted for the front entrance (there were 2 boys). To show members what it was like before women were allowed to vote, we followed what the boys voted for. We went to the front entrance, even though it was further away and more people voted for the closer entrance. Once we got inside, we found out that the children's library was closer to the other entrance, so maybe we should have gone in that door!

We had a short meeting outside and then we went to find the Children's Library. There, members were challenged to find books about leadership. They learned how to use the computers to search for books. They also found books about women's suffrage, the right to vote, and the revolutionary war. The members were able to explain to other patrons and the library employees about their march for women's suffrage.

Contest Connections:

Organizing Secretary - Consider the passage of the 19th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution during the 100th anniversary and reflect on the significance of the amendment for women’s suffrage.

State Assistant Organizing Secretary - Learn about the efforts of Missourians to achieve woman's suffrage in the U.S.

Registrar - Increase member involvement in society activities by planning fun and interactive events that will engage members at the society level.

Librarian - Explore library resources and services.

Leadership Development - Promote the development of leadership skills in C.A.R.

October Meeting: Tea Party for Mary Ball Washington

"Tea Party for Mary Ball Washington"

Attendees: 6 members (5 pee wees) and 5 seniors

Before the meeting, members had a chance to read George Washington's Rules of Civility and Decent Behavior and discuss them with their parents. (Books were donated by the Reverend John Clark Chapter DAR and were given out at the previous meeting.) 


At the meeting, Ms. Moll read the book "Dear Mr. President," which animates the Rules of Civility. Members discussed these rules of civility and made a slide show to discuss how to act at a tea party and at formal events.

Once members understood appropriate behaviors at a tea party, they went to the formal dining room for their own tea party, in honor of Mary Ball Washington, George Washington's mother. They learned how to use fine china and tried hot tea with honey and milk. They also had English shortbread tea cookies. Members were able to practice their manners as they asked for seconds on the tea and cookies.






Following the tea party, female members were fitted with golden sashes for the reenactment of the Suffragette's March. Members will be reenacting the march at next month's meeting.


Members discussed appropriate attire for next month's meeting: Ladies are to wear white dresses, gloves, and their yellow sashes. Gentlemen are to wear suits and hats.

At the end of the meeting, the members were able to re-enact the Boston Tea Party. This activity was planned for last month's meeting, but the rain prevented them from completing the activity. Last month they learned about the Boston Tea Party and how it compared to Shay's Rebellion and the Whiskey Rebellion.

Afterwards, the members took the tea water outside to dispose of it in the garden. They were able to see how the water made rivers and eroded the dry soil below.

Contest Connections:

1st Vice President - Examine the contributions made by George Washington's mother, Mary Ball Washington, to mold his character. 

Corresponding Secretary - Discover the Rules of Civility and Decent Behavior and the impact it had on George Washington's development as a leader. Examine the rules and its relevance to today's society.

Organizing Secretary - Consider the passage of the 19th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution during the 100th anniversary and reflect on the significance of the amendment for women's suffrage.

Registrar - Increase member involvement in society activities by planning fun and interactive events that will engage members at the society level.

Government Studies - Learn how the Founding Fathers established the framework for the government of the United States of America and why it is used today. Learn about the Boston Tea Party, Whiskey Rebellion, and Shay's Rebellion.