Press Release              Event Date:  February 12, 2018

For further information contact Mary Chrastil, 260-982-0672 nmhistory@cinergymetro.net

Presidents Month Program at NM Historical Society

On Monday, February 12, the North Manchester Historical Society is very pleased to host teacher and historical interpreter Matt Barnett, who will appear as Young George Washington.  The program will be held in the Assembly Room at Timbercrest Retirement Center, 2201 East Street, at 6:30 p.m.  It is open to the public at no cost and will be enjoyable for audiences of all ages. 

The Historical Society finds that speakers portraying historical characters are among their most popular programs each year.  Barnett appeared last year for the Historical Society as Thomas Lincoln, father of Abraham Lincoln.  “This was one of the best programs we had all year,” said Mary Chrastil, Historical Society President.  “Matt even gave a demonstration of how to notch logs for log cabins!  He really knows how to include all those little details that really bring history to life.”

Matt Barnett is a Junior High and High School teacher at Lewis Cass Jr. Sr. High School in Walton, IN and lives in Peru.  Barnett has taught history in the public school system for 10 years.  When Matt is not teaching he enjoys writing and playing music.  He also enjoys reenacting historical characters for his students such as William Wells, a French and Indiana War militia member, George Washington, Lewis and Clark Expedition member Henry Clay, Thomas Lincoln, and a 19^th Indiana Infantry Civil War Soldier.  He does many hands-on projects with his US History students, including building a Miami Indian wigwam and a 14-foot dugout canoe, and playing 1860s baseball with students at a reconstructed Civil War campsite.  Matt approaches teaching history from a storyteller perspective and declares “we have a great story to tell and it needs to be told well.” 

Matt says he is excited to come to the North Manchester Historical Society as “The Young George Washington.”  Come and hear about the influences that created the man who was to become our first President.  You are sure to learn things you never knew about him.