In developing ideas for the Lincoln Treasures exhibit, we got stumped when trying to create the context for the Gettysburg Address. We wanted that section to be especially meaningful to students ages ten to eighteen, who are the primary audience. Finally, team member Debs Cane suggested leadership as the section’s focal point, allowing us to use Lincoln’s most famous speech as a good example of his leadership.

Out of this idea came the leadership interactive. Two questions prompt visitors to write their thoughts about leadership on sticky notes and post them on giant Lincoln pennies in the exhibit. One asks what people think leaders’ most important qualities are while the other invites guests to name leaders in their own communities. After taking out the love and “I-was-here” notes, reading them is pretty fascinating.

Many named people very close to them, including parents, grand parents, siblings, spouses, and teachers, as leaders in their communities. One young person specifically named his/her community leader: Grandma McGillis. Others thought of community on a higher level naming presidents from George Washington to Barack Obama. A few athletes, like LeBron James, appeared along with human rights leaders Rosa Parks, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and Desmond Tutu.

On the leaders’ qualities side, writers focused on honesty, kindness, coolness, intelligence, loyalty, and responsibility among dozens of other characteristics. Many visitors put a lot of thought into their comments. One teacher seeing the exhibit on a field trip responded: “being [a leader means being] the best teacher I can be for my students, challenging them, honoring them, guiding each and every one.” One young student thought “standing up to a bully” was the most important quality of a leader. My favorite out of all the responses, though, was this person’s statement of independence: “I am my own cook.”

What do you think are the most important qualities of a leader? Who are leaders in your community? We’d like to know.

> Learn more about Lincoln Treasures
> Learn more about the Lincoln Bicentennial

Tags: Gettysburg Address, Leadership, Lincoln Treasures, Peter Alter, Presidents

This entry was posted on Friday, July 17th, 2009 at 1:51 pm and is filed under Education, Exhibitions. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.