Lansing - Caleb Haddad said he doesn’t really know what Michigan Statehood Day means. But as he waved his corn husk doll in the air, he grinned and said he would definitely go back to the museum.
The 9-year-old Traverse City resident celebrated Statehood Day on Saturday with visitors at the Michigan Historical Museum, 717 W. Allegan St. Statehood Day commemorates the 165th anniversary of Michigan’s entry into the Union in January 1837.
Events included the Toledo War debate, period music by Wanda Degan, Michigan’s Archival Treasurers, a “Travel in America in the 1840s” video and assorted crafts. Haddad said his favorite activity was making the doll.
“They’re just fun to make,” he said.
His mother, Dawn Haddad, said it was their first time at the museum and there was an extra incentive to go on that day.
“We did learn a lot of stuff,” she said. “We got to go into a 1880s classroom and the teacher showed the kids that they weren’t allowed to be left-handed. People back then slapped kids with rulers.”
Even teachers learned from the event.
“It was great,” Battle Creek resident Dianne Low said. “I teach school and it was really interesting because I didn’t know some of those things about the Northwest Territory Ordinance.”
Walter Sneider, Jack DeFord and Ray Voss presented the Northwest Territory Ordinance in the Toledo War debate. The debate was about the 1835 border dispute between Michigan and Ohio over the ownership of Toledo.
Sneider, a Toledo resident, presented the side of Ohio during the debate. The Ohio Historical Society member said it was important to create an interest in history and the debate was one way for history to come alive.
“History tends to get sidetracked into dates rather than what happened to people,” he said. “We’re more interested in what people were like. They’re enjoying it and I have fun doing it. This is who I am.”
DeFord, a Charlotte resident and Michigan Historical Museum tour guide, has been involved with the museum for four years. He said it was important to know about the Northwest Ordinance because it encouraged organization and required acreage to be devoted to education.
“We try to make it as interesting as possible but I’m always surprised by the turnout,” Voss said.
But Okemos resident Lien Hsu said she wasn’t surprised. Her 7-year-old daughter, Roan Ma, was looking forward to making the corn husk dolls.
“We told her Statehood Day was special and she wants to introduce it to her friend,” she said.
“You can touch and make things here,” Roan Ma said. “It’s special because it only comes once a year.”
