News

Society to offer merit badge

The Illinois State Historical Society and Boy Scouts of America, Land of Lincoln Council, are working together to offer the "American Heritage" merit badge to Scouts in central Illinois.

The American Heritage badge, awarded to Scouts who take an active interest in local, state, or national history, is an excellent way to encourage young people to explore their communities and learn about the past, said Acting ISHS Executive Director William Furry.

"The merit badge requirements work well with the Society's mission to promote the study and appreciation of Illinois state history," he said. "I hope other Society members will consider becoming merit badge counselors in their own communities. A modest commitment could have lasting benefits for all."

The Society plans to offer an opportunity for Scouts to work on their badges at the Illinois History Symposium in December.

The handsome, red, white, and blue badge, framed in a stitched green border, features the Statue of Liberty.

On the cover

On the cover: "Meadow along the Illinois and Michigan Canal," a photograph by Willard Clay from a new book entitled Wild and Scenic Illinois (2004, BrownTrout Publishers Inc., San Francisco). Clay's photographs, with text by Robert Hutchinson, make this gorgeous new coffee-table book an armchair traveler's delight. As much a work of natural history as art, this 167-page, full-color book sells for $39.95 and is worth every penny. For details on how to order, call 800-777-7812 or visit online at www.browntrout.com.

Marker dedications

The Illinois State Historical Society will unveil three new historical markers this fall. All commemorate the lives of Illinoisans who made significant contributions in their communities, state, and nation.

The first marker recognizes the life and achievement of John Huston Finley (1863-1940), and will be dedicated in Grand Ridge on October 1 5. Mr. Finley, who grew up on a farm near Grand Ridge, attended Ottawa High School and went to Knox College going on to graduate school at Johns Hopkins University. He later returned to Galesburg as President of Knox College, and in 1899 accepted the chair of politics at Princeton University. In 1903 he became president of City College of New York and in 1913, Commissioner or Education for New York State. In 1921 Finley became associate editor of the New York Times and later was named editor in chief. He wrote 8 books, received 32 honorary degrees, and is buried in Princeton Cemetery in New Jersey. The marker is co-sponsored by the Citizens of Grand Ridge, the Walgreen Company, and the Illinois State Historical Society.

The second marker commemorates the life and achievement of Florence Fifer Bohrer (1877-1960), the first woman elected to the Illinois Senate. A Republican from McLean County, Ms. Fifer Bohrer served two terms, from 1925 to 1933, in which she led effort to revamp Illinois' child welfare laws and sponsored legislation creating the state park system. Chair of the Emergency Relief Commissio for McLean County during the Depression, Senator Bohrer was a founder of the League of Women Voters of McLean County, serving on the state and national board. The marker is cosponsored by the League of Women Voters of McLean County, the Franklin Park Association, and the Illinois State Historical Society.

Barton Warren Stone

The third marker, scheduled for dedication in early November, is the first in Illinois dedicated to Barton Warren Stone (1772-1844). Stone was a leader of the Stone-Campbell Restoration movement, which advocated the unity of all Christian churches, came to Jacksonville, Illinois, from Kentucky in 1834 to live in a free state. An educator and "church-planter," Stone published "The Christian Messenger" newspaper and lived on a farm just outside of Jacksonville. Several Christian churches around the world trace their origin to the Stone-Campbell movement. The marker is sponsored by Lincoln Christian College and Seminary and the Illinois State Historical Society.

For more information about the Society's marker program, visit our website at www.historyillinois.org.

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