University of Maryland Folk Life Festival

The University of Maryland is having a Smithsonian Folk Life Festival.  This event is going on from now until July 8th.  Head to the National Mall to see presentations on sustainable life, robotics, and early photos of the history of the University of Maryland. 

WHAT:

The University of Maryland will be on the National Mall during the Smithsonian Institution's 46th Annual Folk Life Festival. Events include:

• A display of early photos and other materials from the Maryland Agricultural College (later the University of Maryland) as part of the Smithsonian's celebration of the 150th Anniversary of the 1862 Morrill Land Grant Act and creation of the US Department of Agriculture and
• The University of Maryland Extension shows how it is preparing youth for a high tech world through 4-H Robotics.
• Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering Kaye Brubaker who is also the director of the Maryland Water Resources Research Center will be participating in an informal APLU panel on "Sustainable Solutions: Coastal Connections" on Friday July 6, 2:45-3:30 at "The Commons." She will be representing Hydrology and Water Resources at UMD and the Maryland Water Resources Research Center.

WHEN:

Wednesday, June 27 through July 1, 2012 and July 4-8. Hours are 11:00 A.M. to 5:30 P.M. Point your browser to this Smithsonian General Information website for complete details.

WHERE:

The University of Maryland will be in two locations on the National Mall. Reunion Hall will house a display by University Archives celebrating the Morrill Land Grant Act and the early days of the Maryland Agricultural College. A separate tent will house the 4H robotics display. See this map (pdf) for locations.

BACKGROUND:

The Morrill Land Grant Act and the Maryland Agricultural College: President Lincoln signed the bill into law in July, 1862. The Maryland Legislature voted to accept the land grant in February, 1864. MAC to Millennium (The University of Maryland A to Z) says: "In 1864, the state of Maryland had 2 senators and 5 representatives in the U. S. Congress. Thus, according to the formula, Maryland would have received 210,000 acres under the act." Maryland was the third institution to benefit from the provisions of the first Morrill Act (and the oldest building on campus (above right) is named after Sen. Morrill). The University of Maryland, College Park and University of Maryland, Eastern Shore are the two land grant universities in the state of Maryland. UMES became a land grant institution thanks to the second Morrill Act of 1890.
University Archivist Anne Turkos says, "The University of Maryland Archives is very excited to be a part of this year's Folklife Festival. This is one of the major events of the summer in Washington, DC, a huge attraction for people in the area and for visitors from across the country and around the world. It's a tremendous opportunity for us to reach out to thousands of Festival-goers on behalf of the Archives and the University of Maryland and help commemorate the lasting impact of the Morrill Land Grant Act on higher education in the United States." Also see this Newsdesk Release on the day-long celebration of the Morrill Land Grant Act sponsored by the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities.

The University of Maryland Extension Taking 4H into the 21st Century: In an effort to prepare youth for the high-tech world, the University of Maryland Extension 4-H program has incorporated robotics into its curriculum. Come experience the variety of robotics projects that engage youth, ages five to eighteen, across the state of Maryland. Meet University of Maryland Extension faculty, volunteers, and 4-H youth currently involved in the program; and participate in hands-on, interactive robotics demonstrations.

The 46th Annual Folklife Festival is sponsored by the Smithsonian's Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage. 

For more information see the University of Maryland website.