Twenty-eighth annual W.H. Seward birthday celebration set for May 19

By Gary Randall
FLORIDA — On Saturday, May 19, the Florida Historical Society will be honoring William Henry Seward’s life from his birth on May 16, 1801, in Florida, N.Y.
The presentations will start with a wreath laying at his monument at 53 North Main St. in the village at 9:30 am.
From the Seward Monument, guests will proceed to the S.S. Seward Institute Cafetorium.
In the entrance to the school, they will view paintings, depicting many aspects of W.H. Seward’s life, by first and fourth grade students at Golden Hill Elementary School.
They are part of a “Village Wide Art Show” that has been displayed in numerous local businesses since May 11, set up by music teacher Kristin Risedorph and art teacher Nicholas Camia.
Inside the Cafetorium there will be tables displaying years of the Seward family history, in particular W.H. Seward and his numerous contributions to the creation of this country, a model of the Seward Birthplace and models of the Monitor and the Merrimac, ships that fought each other at Hampton Bay in the “Battle of the Ironclads” in the Civil War.
The program will begin with the Pledge of Allegiance led by Mayor Daniel Harter.
The program presentations will include a message from Assemblyman Karl A. Brabenec.
A Power Point program will be shown of the Golden Hill Elementary School’s Fourth Grade Historic Walking Tour through the Village, including the WH Seward Monument, Veterans’ Memorial, Seward’s Birthplace, Fire House, Village Hall and the Seward Family Cemetery Vault.
The tour was attended by teachers and their students and led by members of the Florida Historical Society.
Another Power Point presentation shows what Maura Rowan’s seventh grade United States History Class learned from a virtual tour of the Seward House Museum in Auburn. The Power Point includes the museum tour, W.H. Seward’s early life in Florida, his achievements as governor of New York as Secretary of State in the Abraham Lincoln presidency and his participation in the Underground Railroad.
The program will conclude with a special book presentations to the Florida Public Library, Golden Hill Elementary School and S.S. Seward Institute.
The traditional Seward Song, created by Dianne Leo more than 20 years ago, will be sung by all. Refreshments will follow, ending approximately 11:30 a.m.

Gary Randall is the president of the Florida Historical Society.