After watching the really, really, really long “Gettysburg” movie at school Tuesday evening, the juniors were back at GWCS at 6:00 am Wednesday morning for the annual junior class field trip to the Gettysburg National Military Park.  After arriving at Gettysburg, we visited the National Military Cemetery where the remains of thousands of Union and Confederate soldiers, most unknown, are interred.  The dedication of this cemetery was the location of President Abraham Lincoln’s immortal “Gettysburg Address”.  Cemetery Hill was also a central location of the Union lines, and the area is full of cannons and memorials dedicated to those who fought there. 

Our next stop was to the Visitor Center, where we watched a moving film called “A New Birth of Freedom”, viewed the amazing Gettysburg Cyclorama, and toured through the museum.  (Not enough time – need to return!)  We then piled back into the school van and Mr. Wallace’s car to tour the battlefield directed by an audio tour guide.  With an open call between Mr. Goldie’s and Mr. Wallace’s phones, Mr. Lindner holding Mr. Goldie’s phone against the car speaker, and Mr. Wallace’s phone plugged into his car’s audio system, we all listened to descriptions of the battle as we drove around the battlefield.  We stopped at get out at the Eternal Light Peace Memorial, the State of Virginia Monument, and Little Round Top. 

From the Virginia Memorial, we repeated the annual GWCS Pickett’s Charge, walking the mile from where General Lee observed mounted on his horse to the Bloody Angle on Cemetery Hill where the Confederacy reached its “High Water Mark”.  And back!   

Following the car tour, we retired to General Li’s Buffet for a yummy, filling and fun meal before driving back to GWCS.  We had fun, learned a lot, and returned with a greater respect for the courage and commitment of those who fought there.

GW Community School
Junior Gettysburg Trip
Mr. Goldie, History Teacher
November 14, 2018