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Each year the
Cleveland Civil War Roundtable sponsors The Jon
Thompson Poetry Contest at Lee Burneson Middle
School in Westlake. The contest is named in honor of
Language Arts teacher (and CCWRT member) Jon
Thompson who devoted over 35 years of his life to
the students of Lee Burneson before retiring in
2006.
During his tenure
there, Jon created the annual "Civil War
Days" event
which immerses the 8th grade students in all aspects
of the Civil War era. The students study the period,
work on related projects and attend an
"Encampment Night" where they hear a
number of talks on topics relating to the era and
then attend a Civil War Ball in period gowns and
uniforms. At the ball they perform a play,
drill as soldiers, dance to period songs and sing as
a chorus.
Those entering the
poetry contest are asked to consider a picture
called "The Widow" showing a woman
in black mourning garb kneeling next to a headstone
of a Confederate soldier while a ghostly image of
the soldier hovers over her. Over 2000 poems have
been entered in the contest since its inception.
See past poetry prize
winners.
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