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Download Official Rules and Peck Background Info (PDF or Word)
Download Teacher Information (PDF)

All fifth grade students in Lombard are invited to participate in the annual "Pretend you are Sheldon Peck writing to Abraham Lincoln in 1848" letter writing contest. Students may win the first prize of $40, a $25 second prize, or a $10 third prize and may have letters published in the local media.

Project information:

This local history project is sponsored by the Lombard Historical Society’s Sheldon Peck Homestead and is open to all students enrolled in fifth grade in any Lombard private or public (such as district 44 and 45) elementary school.  Fifth grade home school students, who have a Lombard mailing address, can enter with appropriate fifth grade level student identification.

Directions:

As a fifth grade student, pretend you are the pioneer Sheldon Peck writing a letter to Abraham Lincoln.  Challenge yourself to “step back in time” to 1848 and pretend you live in Babcock’s Grove (now Lombard). What might you, as Sheldon Peck, write to Mr. Abraham Lincoln in a personal letter?  Would you talk about being an artist, your family, life on a pioneer farm, or how you help people escape to freedom on the secret Underground Railroad? Pretend you live in 1848 and create a letter to enter this history project.

Rules:

1.  Letters should be 250 to 400 words on 1 or 2 pages and must be your original handwritten work.
2. Complete and attach the entry form to your letter. Fill in all of your information on the form. You and your parents should sign the entry. This information will be used to contact winners and invite them to the award ceremony.
3. The contest begins on Feb. 1, 2010, and ends Sunday, Feb. 28, 2010, at 4 p.m. All entries must be received by Lombard Historical Society office, 23 W. Maple Street, Lombard by the closing date.

Prizes:

Prizes are awarded by the Lombard Historical Society (LHS) Peck Homestead to winning historical letter entries: 
1st Prize:     $40.00 and publication of winning entry
2nd Prize:    $25.00 and publication of winning entry
3rd Prize:    $10.00 and publication of winning entry.

An Award ceremony will be held at the Peck Homestead Sunday, March 14th, at 2:00 p.m.  Winners, their family, and teachers will be invited by phone to attend the ceremony. Refreshments will be served.

About Tours:

Schools, scout groups and teachers seeking information about special tours, hands-on pioneer programs, Underground Railroad exhibits and related local history information can contact the LHS Museum Director Jeanne S. Angel and the museum staff at 630-629-1885 or by e-mail at lombardhistory@att.net.