There was a news item in my hometown newspaper over the weekend about a national essay contest about "Lincoln And Liberty" being held by The Lincoln Highway National Museum and Archives organization, which is based in Galion, Ohio.
This contest is the first annual essay competition being put on by the organization and is loftily titled "Liberty Enlightening The World." Unfortunately, not much guidance is given to would-be essayists other than the basic "Lincoln And Liberty." I suppose it's open to interpretation, but were I to enter an essay, I would base it on how Lincoln's leadership molded a divided collection of states, half-slave and half-free, into a true nation based on liberty and freedom. For me, Lincoln's very gradual road to Emancipation led to America at last fulfilling its promise of "all men (and women) being created equal."
The website contains rules about the essay, the most intriguing of which is that it must be 272 words or less, 272 being the length of the Gettysburg Address, of course. The contest contains various categories of age and is open to everyone. The Grand Prize winner will have his or her name engraved on a bust of Lincoln.
The Lincoln Highway was America's first true National Road, going from coast-to-coast along more than 3,000 miles. It predates the famous "Mother Road," Route 66, but is not nearly as famous.
4 comments:
Hi Geoff,
Your pickup of the essay contest story caught my eye and I've been enjoying your blog - very nice! I'll add it to my blogroll and hope you might do the same with my Lincoln Highway News.
BTW, my workplace, the Sen. John Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh, is planning events and exhibits for the forthcoming Lincoln and Civil War anniversaries.
Thanks,
Brian Butko
http://www.lincolnhighwaynews.com
Hi Brian,
I will definitely add your Lincoln Highway News site to mine.
My buddy and I live in Canton, Ohio, right along the Highway. He and I have been discussing taking the road from end-to-end once we retire, or can find enough vacation time to do so.
Thanks for the heads-up about the Heinz History Center. I didn't know about the Center, and certainly didn't know about the events and exhibits. I'll be sure to drive over to Pittsburgh, just a couple of hours away, to see them. Pittsburgh's a great city, even if the Steelers do reside there. :-)
Seriously, thanks again!
Geoff Elliott
Do you have a site displaying the winners of your 2011 essay contest winners yet? Thanks.
Is there a site yet which displays the winners of your 2011 essay contest?
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