News from the frontline: Wor Lass, First World War news correspondent
2014 marks the 100th anniversary of the start of the First World War and commemoration activities which will take place regionally, nationally and internationally. This is the first of a regular blog tracking the First World War activities for children and young people around the North East. It is aimed at teachers and museum, heritage, archive and library educators developing programmes and activities to engage young people in the Commemoration.
There will be lots of new exhibitions opening, activity days and awareness raising events over the next year. If you know of anything coming up please send it across to Wor Lass (Eileen at Bridge North East), your local War correspondent on the frontline of museum and heritage engagement in the Region.
One of the real stories that will be highlighted across the Centenary activities will be the role women played in the War. It seems appropriate in this first blog to mention Alice Schalek, a real First World War news correspondent. She was an Austrian Wartime photographer and journalist accredited by the War Press Office (a very rare thing for women back then). She reported right from the front line and observed some of the bloodiest battles. She used articles and lectures to tell the story of life for the ordinary soldiers.
Image of Alice Schalek from 1915
Alice’s experiences and accounts really reflect the realities of War, as do so many of the first hand accounts which are being made more accessible during the Centenary through lots of great projects. All these resources will help us to acknowledge, recognise what happened, understand the silence, and help students ponder the loss of life and the consequences.
Spotlight on Sunderland
Planning for the Sunderland Air Show in July is underway now and there will be First World War activities, talks and information for all ages. The Show takes place on 26th and 27th July and organisations around the region are teaming up to create a themed area about the Commemorations.
This month, the War Games exhibition opens at Sunderland Museum. It will run from the 10th May to 14th September 2014. It is a national touring exhibition from the V&A Museum of Childhood and covers the theme of children’s games based on war from the 1800s to present day. The exhibition raises the question of is it appropriate for children to be playing games related to War, which has been quite topical over recent years with the perceived rise of realistic violence in computer games. There will be a special War Games Family Night on Saturday 17th May including activities, games and re-enactment groups aimed at 6 year olds upwards and their families.
Wartime Art
Paintings and photography from the War are a great way of building in more cross curricula approaches in the classroom as well as having a very visual and instant impact.
The Laing Art Gallery are running a teachers’ CPD event on 13th May about the paintings of WW1 in the lead-up to an exhibition at the Gallery later in the year. The Hatton Gallery’s anticipated Screaming Steel exhibition opening in September is being pre-empted with a series of specialist seminars about art during the War across May, see link for more details:
http://www.twmuseums.org.uk/hatton-gallery/whats-on/events/seminars-on-the-first-world-war.html
Fusiliers Museum in Alnwick
Nicola Day has now started in post at the museum and will be working on the ‘Call to Action’ project which will include an exhibition and programmes for communities and schools. They are currently recruiting volunteers to help out with the schools and public engagement programmes. For more information and to register to volunteer visit: www.fusiliersmuseum.org.uk or call Nicola Day 01665 602152, email activitiesfusnorthld@aol.co.uk
Breaking news from Darlington
Head of Steam, Darlington Railway Museum, have been successful in their HLF funding bid to run activities around the role of the North East railways in WW1. It will include memories and the heritage of railway workers during Wartime and a comprehensive programme of related schools workshops and loans boxes.
The next Wor Lass blog will focus on some of the great digital resources being launched in the region and more news on forthcoming exhibitions. If you have anything you want highlighted in the blogs please get in touch.
Written by Eileen Atkins, Museums Manager Bridge North East. If you would like to get in touch with any news and ideas for future Wor Lass blogs please get in touch: eileen.atkins@sagegateshead.com
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