Educational Programs

Mission Statement:  Providing the methods and means of presenting
McHenry County History to enrich life.

Schools

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 1895 West Harmony one-room school is available for 2 hour visits (9 to 11, 9:30 to 11:30, or 10 to noon.) Students participate in a 2- hour 1900 school day complete with lessons and games at recess. The program is designed for 3rd, 4th and 5th graders. We can accommodate about 32 students. We provide suggestions for costumes that we encourage students to wear. Games and music of the day are also included. Prior to your visit, you will receive a cover letter. Post activities are available.

On Thursdays and Fridays we offer 2- hour tours of the museum including the one-room school and an 1847 log cabin. Times: (9 to 11, 9:30 to 11:30, or 10 to noon.) This program is designed for students from 3rd grade though the 8th grade. We can accommodate up to 4 classrooms at one time.

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. We also suggest taking two days for groups over 90 students.

Additional Educational Programs

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.