Bicentennial Torch Relay

I have no idea if schools all follow {or still follow} the grade level study schedules I did when I was a kid, but way back then, we studied Indiana history in 7th grade.

I really don't remember many of the specifics of the class {or of anything history-related, much to the chagrin of my history-teaching father}, but I clearly remember the written/oral reports. I don't remember how often we had to do them, but periodically, we'd have to study a specific part of Indiana's history and write a report about what we learned. Then we had to read our reports out loud to the class.

As in stand up in front of classmates and talk.

The reports were much like you would expect from a group of seventh-graders: excruciating. Kids got up, slapped their stapled reports on the podium, leaned their heads so far toward the papers that you could barely hear their words, and mumbled assembled facts that sounded just like the last dozen reports.

I determined to be different. Not to show up my classmates, but just to survive history research. I turned all my reports into short stories, reminiscent of Little House on the Prairie. I created families and named all the members and threw them into whatever situation I'd researched and then for twelve or so pages {not kidding}, I'd tell their stories. They had log cabins and horses and oil lamps and the whole nine yards.

This may be why I had very few friends at that stage in life. It may also be why half my class was asleep after my reports. 2:30 p.m. and a twelve page mini-series? I can't blame them for napping.

But that's what made history interesting to me: stories. It's why I like the 92 county tour project Ryan and I are apparently devoting the rest of our natural lives to completing. There are stories hidden everywhere. Stories of how counties got their names, stories of how coffee shops came to be planted in refurbished buildings, and stories of the quirky little places unique to each county.

I can't spout off dates to you, and there's a whole lotta history I couldn't begin to teach, but I can tell you the stories.

So that's why I was excited last week to be just the tiniest part of a piece of that history. Indiana is celebrating its bicentennial this year {a fact I also had not remembered from studying all those many years ago}, and part of the year's celebration is a torch relay that is still in the middle of traveling through all 92 counties in Indiana, a trail that covers 3200 miles.

In each county, different people carry the torch in a relay-fashion. It began in Corydon, which {little known fact for you out-of-state readers} was the original state capital, and it will end in the present capital, Indianapolis. The relay started just over a month ago and will end this week! Last week, it came through Howard County, and the path of the torch was scheduled to go right by Ryan's work! It seemed only reasonable to go watch, because this is the only bicentennial the state will ever have, and I won't likely be alive for the next 100 year celebration!

I went over to his work just a little early, because I didn't want to miss it, but of course, it was running late, so I hung out in the parking lot for quite a while! {Loitering in a hospital parking lot is not terribly exciting, in case you were ever thinking of doing it.}

 Not until I arrived, did I discover the hospital was actually a "torch passing" location! The motorcade stopped right there to allow it to change hands!

{The motorcade had a lead car that stopped by ahead of time to make sure all was well.}

It came by right at the end of Ryan's work day, and his last patient canceled, so he was able to leave early and come watch with me!

The motorcade is coming!

Howard County has a huge automotive legacy, so it only made sense for the torch to arrive at the stopping point in this car:

From there, it was given to an elementary student who had been nominated by his principal. It was pretty exciting to get to see a kid get to participate!

After pausing for some pictures, the torchbearer and entourage continued on down the road to the next relay point, and we went on home.

They had a huge celebration downtown, and maybe if I had felt better, we would have gone to check it out, but the cold I have acquired was beginning to really knock me over, so I mostly just wanted my blanky and a couch. :)

I can only presume that in another couple hundred years, some nerdy junior high girl will write a twelve page essay for history class about a torch relay and how a cute therapist and his bloggery wife went to watch it.

{Tell her not to read it out loud in the middle of the afternoon. Unless, of course, she serves caffeine.}