Judy Woodward Bates Students sit in on the 1787 Constitutional Convention, with the likes of Ben Franklin. During a typical visit, students enter the village just as the protest against the Stamp Act gets underway. Later, students are separated into 13 groups, each representing one of the original colonies, and these smaller groups participate in vignettes around the village. Based on an actual diary from the period, the soldier takes his new recruits through a daily camp routine.
Students see first-hand the skills, hardships, and dedication of a soldier's life.
Another group might wander into the dining room of an impressive replica of George Washington's Mount Vernon home, while others are whisked into the 1787 Constitutional Convention. The viewer sees that sun as either rising or setting. It was Executive Director Tom Walker who actually brought the village initiative to fruition. These were feelings shared by many Americans in all walks of life. Walker, who formerly served as assistant to the president of the University of Montevallo, pitched the village idea to lawmakers and community leaders.