Monday March 26, 2007 Baltimore St
You couldn't ask for better weather on Monday night. But it was very hectic as a group of 50 students showed up a day early! A mix up in the paperwork had this group showing up before a much larger group was coming to town. We called in another guide and made due. The guides that took the first group said that those kids were fantastic.
The other three of us took the 8th graders from Pocatello Idaho through the streets this night. This was a pretty good group of kids but Civil War trivia was not their strong suit. They didn't know who Jefferson Davis was. I understand that a lot of people don't know who the President of the Confederacy was, but I would hope an 8th grade class visiting Gettysburg would. Why would a group spend all of that money and time and not talk about the places they were going to on a week long field trip. They spent no time studying the battle or the Civil War whatsoever before coming to town. How effective can their visit really be. "We saw a bunch of monuments in Gettysburg Mom and Dad." That is about all this group is going to take away from their visit. This is my biggest pet pieve when it comes to school groups!
Please remember to phrase your answer in the form of a question.
Sorry Alex!
"RS"
Saturday, March 31, 2007
Foggy Downtown Saturday Night!
Saturday March 24, 2007 Baltimore St
There was a very light rain with a fairly thick fog that settled in over the Gettysburg Borough right around tour time on Saturday. We sold too many tickets, so I got out my new hat and went walking. The atmosphere was great. Most of the folks were from Pennsylvania, but there was a couple of gals from St Louis that won the lollipop prize. This was a great group. It started to really rain right at the end of the tour, but thankfully there was enough room under the overhang at the old German Reformed Church and we finished up without getting drenched!
There are six new guides joining the guide force at Ghosts of Gettysburg this year and one of them came along for a training tour this night. This guy is going to be a great addition to our team, he has a lot of experience and enthusiasm. But the reason that I bring this up is that he brought two friends along on the tour. As we were talking after the walk was over, this couple asked if we used to do a long and a short tour in the same night. Back in 1998, we did. The guides would give a Baltimore and a Carlisle St tour, those were long evenings. Woah! Anyways, this couple said that they were on my tour 9 years ago and they thought I looked familiar. Crazy! A few weeks before these people remembered my name from 4 years ago and then this couple recalls being on my tours 9 years ago. Small world!
We are open seven days a week starting March 30th!
"RS"
There was a very light rain with a fairly thick fog that settled in over the Gettysburg Borough right around tour time on Saturday. We sold too many tickets, so I got out my new hat and went walking. The atmosphere was great. Most of the folks were from Pennsylvania, but there was a couple of gals from St Louis that won the lollipop prize. This was a great group. It started to really rain right at the end of the tour, but thankfully there was enough room under the overhang at the old German Reformed Church and we finished up without getting drenched!
There are six new guides joining the guide force at Ghosts of Gettysburg this year and one of them came along for a training tour this night. This guy is going to be a great addition to our team, he has a lot of experience and enthusiasm. But the reason that I bring this up is that he brought two friends along on the tour. As we were talking after the walk was over, this couple asked if we used to do a long and a short tour in the same night. Back in 1998, we did. The guides would give a Baltimore and a Carlisle St tour, those were long evenings. Woah! Anyways, this couple said that they were on my tour 9 years ago and they thought I looked familiar. Crazy! A few weeks before these people remembered my name from 4 years ago and then this couple recalls being on my tours 9 years ago. Small world!
We are open seven days a week starting March 30th!
"RS"
Thursday, March 22, 2007
California Kids in the Pennsylvania Snow
Monday March 19, 2007 Baltimore St
There was still snow on the ground for a walk with 8th Graders from the Sacramento California area. They kept taking pictures of the snow piles, telling me that they don't see that very much back home. I should have mentioned that the lightning bugs come out in a few months, but you can't have it both ways I guess.
When we made it to High St this one girl asked why they put the jail across the street from the public school. That is a great question. I really don't know. But I am sure that I will mention it on every tour from now on! You never stop learning and improving on your storytelling and guiding and help comes from all sorts of people and places!
Is it April yet?
"RS"
There was still snow on the ground for a walk with 8th Graders from the Sacramento California area. They kept taking pictures of the snow piles, telling me that they don't see that very much back home. I should have mentioned that the lightning bugs come out in a few months, but you can't have it both ways I guess.
When we made it to High St this one girl asked why they put the jail across the street from the public school. That is a great question. I really don't know. But I am sure that I will mention it on every tour from now on! You never stop learning and improving on your storytelling and guiding and help comes from all sorts of people and places!
Is it April yet?
"RS"
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Rainy Saturday on Baltimore St.
Baltimore St. March 10, 2007
The new season at Ghosts of Gettysburg is starting off strong, on Saturdays at least. On Friday night only a handful of people joined the 8:oo tour, which I was not guiding. But a few of these people were on one of my Seminary Ridge tours about 4 years ago and they remembered my name! I guess I made a lasting impression. It just threw me off a little when these people started calling me by my first name and I had no idea who they were!
The rain was on and off Saturday night but never really came down all that hard. I ended up guiding two walks mainly due to my lack ability to tell time. Boy Scout Troop 250, from Lakewood, NJ, showed up at 6:30 when they were originally supposed to post at 8:00. They came early because I mistakingly told them show up at 6:30 when I meant 7:30. Of course the guide that I called in to handle this group wasn't coming to the office until 7:30, so I threw on my outfit and away we went. Boy Scouts are always a fun group, most if not all of them are interested in what's going on, and these kids fit the bill. We went the Middle Street route where it was dark and quiet and we had some fun.
After I bid farewell to the scouts it was time to handle the regular 8:00. Over 70 people signed up so three of us went off in a light drizzle that picked up towards the end of the walk. These folks were from New Jersey, North Carolina, and Colorado as well as a few other places. They laughed at most of my jokes and since no one picked up a snowball and fired it at me I guess they weren't all that bad! We had some fun, they only thing that could have made it better is if the rain didn't pick up at the last stop. These people looked cold and wet. Rain can add some pretty cool atmosphere, but at this time of year it can drain the energy right out of a group.
It's almost bus group season!
"RS"
The new season at Ghosts of Gettysburg is starting off strong, on Saturdays at least. On Friday night only a handful of people joined the 8:oo tour, which I was not guiding. But a few of these people were on one of my Seminary Ridge tours about 4 years ago and they remembered my name! I guess I made a lasting impression. It just threw me off a little when these people started calling me by my first name and I had no idea who they were!
The rain was on and off Saturday night but never really came down all that hard. I ended up guiding two walks mainly due to my lack ability to tell time. Boy Scout Troop 250, from Lakewood, NJ, showed up at 6:30 when they were originally supposed to post at 8:00. They came early because I mistakingly told them show up at 6:30 when I meant 7:30. Of course the guide that I called in to handle this group wasn't coming to the office until 7:30, so I threw on my outfit and away we went. Boy Scouts are always a fun group, most if not all of them are interested in what's going on, and these kids fit the bill. We went the Middle Street route where it was dark and quiet and we had some fun.
After I bid farewell to the scouts it was time to handle the regular 8:00. Over 70 people signed up so three of us went off in a light drizzle that picked up towards the end of the walk. These folks were from New Jersey, North Carolina, and Colorado as well as a few other places. They laughed at most of my jokes and since no one picked up a snowball and fired it at me I guess they weren't all that bad! We had some fun, they only thing that could have made it better is if the rain didn't pick up at the last stop. These people looked cold and wet. Rain can add some pretty cool atmosphere, but at this time of year it can drain the energy right out of a group.
It's almost bus group season!
"RS"
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