Erin White
Urbana
Editor's note: Alas, the answers to the entrance exam were not printed in the 11th Annual Report of the Superintendent of Public Schools for 1869, presumably for the same reason they wouldn't he printed today: Someone would copy the answers and give them to students.
Unreal sky
To the editor:
One glance at the photo on the back of your July-August 2004 Illinois Heritage and I thought, "that sky can't be real." On closer examination, If you look through the needles of the pine and other glimpses of the sky through the trees, you sec the true color of the sky. Then I thought, "what other changes to the photograph, as well as other photographs in the publication, were made to make them pretty?" I would encourage-you to treat all your photographs as documentary material, and have a strict policy on not making any changes. Any changes you make to photographs cut down your visual credibility, and make it more difficult for researchers in the future to have accurate information about the way things really looked today.
Steve Aarmowski
Jacksonville
Editor's note: Thank for your letter. The photograph yon mentioned was received as a digital file and had already been "tampered" with before we saw it. Readers should know we try1 to represent all images we print as accurately as possible, hut that old photographs occasionally need help in the digital darkroom.
Society seeks outstanding teachers
"The Olive Foster Award was established in 1988 in honor of Olive Foster, former Illinois State Historian, Director of the School Services Program, and originator of the Illinois History Program for students.
The award is designed to recognize and reward full-time teachers for outstanding contributions to the study and teaching of state and local history. Recipients of these awards actively promote Illinois history in schools as well as in their local communities, using the resources of one or more local historical societies, museums, Illinois State Historical Society, and other Illinois historical groups. Documentation of the teacher's work will be required.
Three $500 awards will be given annually—one each to teachers at the elementary, middle/junior high, and high-school levels. The awards will be presented and winners given their checks at the Illinois History Symposium in December.
Nominations may be made by any group or person, including the nominee and should include the following information: The nominee's name and address The subject(s) and grade(s) that the nominee teaches The nominator's name and contact information The school where the nominee is employed The name and contact information of the nominee's principal The nominee's educational background The nominee's professional experience
A narrative description of the nominee's outstanding classroom accomplishments. This should include specific history units taught by the nominee and information about local museums or historical societies that were involved. Commentary on the results or impact of the programs and also how they were developed may be included. Other awards won by the nominee or nominee's students may also be listed. Letters of support or recommendation (optional) The Society's Education and Awards Committees will judge all nominations and select the winners. Deadline: July 1, 2005. For more information, call the Illinois State Historical Society at 217-525-2781, or visit the Society's Website at www.historyillinois.org.
Illinois Heritage 5
