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By Sheila Wickouski

MARJORIE TANKERSLEY read with particular inter- est a Free Lance-Star story about Hugh Mercer being honored in his native Scotland. Tankersley, principal of Hugh Mercer Elementary School in Fredericksburg, keenly believes in the importance of history in the lives of her students.

The 2005 newspaper story reported that Mercer, a Revolutionary War general and resident of Fredericksburg, had been recognized in his hometown of Aberdeen, Scotland.

Irene Furneaux, a Scotswoman visiting Fredericksburg in 1975, came upon Hugh Mercer's Apothecary. When the Aberdeen City Council held a concert in 2004 to commemorate a historical figure with local connections, Furneaux remembered Mercer and her 30-year-old souvenirs from Fredericksburg.

Furneaux nominated Mercer for the honor and it was approved. A plaque was placed at Marischal College that recognized his role in the American Revolution.

The wheels started turning in Tankersley's head that morning about how important it is for children to know their history and how easily significant connections can be lost through generations.

She began to plan a trip to see the place of origin of Hugh Mercer. Things started to fall in place, for it turned out that her sister Janie Mellor of Atlanta and her husband, Jim, were planning a trip to England to visit Jim's relatives. Last summer, Tankersley and her husband, Jerry, joined them in England, and the four of them took the train north to Aberdeen, Scotland.

Furneaux met the Tankersleys and Mellors and guided them around old Aberdeen to see where Mercer attended college and medical school. They saw the small chapel at Marischal College and the cathedral at the university where Mercer worshipped. Tankersley was enthralled with the ceremony and traditions in Scotland, from the handsome Scotsmen in their kilts to the lovely weddings in the churches they visited.

On their second day in Aberdeen, Furneaux took them to the tiny fishing village of Rosehearty, about an hour and half north of Aberdeen on the North Sea. The American visitors met Hugh Mercer buffs, who were in Tankersley's words, "all very bright, well-read people who really knew their history."

They went to Pitsligo Church where Mercer's father had been a minister. Mercer's parents' graves are in the churchyard.

The American visitors toured the original church where the Rev. Mercer preached. While it is now a "ruine," the "new" church was built right next to it in 1899.

It was here that they would make another connection that was a surprise. "We went inside and were saddened to learn that it is no longer used for worship services," Tankersley said. " They are making a gallant effort to preserve it and of course we made contributions to their preservation fund and signed their guest book. Imagine my huge surprise when, as I signed the guest book, I noted someone from Fredericksburg, Virginia, who had been there only the week before!"

That visitor was W. Brown Morton, head of the Historic Preservation Department at the University of Mary Washington who was there with a group of students from the university on on archaeological tour.

The visit continued to the site of the ruins of the castle that belonged to the Laird of Pitsligo, an ancestor of tycoon Malcolm Forbes. At one time Malcolm Forbes owned the property and had plans to restore it. Now it belongs to the National Trust of Scotland.

Tankersley describes "the culmination of our day in Rosehearty" with a "visit to a local historian by the name of Peter Duthie who is very involved with the history of Hugh Mercer. Mr. Duthie has been to Philadelphia and Princeton to do research, see the places he knew, and visit his grave."

Duthie was "extremely enthusiastic about our interest in and admiration of Hugh Mercer," she said. "He and his lovely wife concluded our visit with the traditional afternoon tea. His wife is a wonderful cook and an exceptional gardener, and had prepared a bountiful array of savory sandwiches and delicious cakes and desserts. It was the perfect conclusion to a day in Rosehearty."

Tankersley said the trip to Scotland and meeting these interesting people has spurred her to learn more about Hugh Mercer.

She has twice watched the movie, "The Crossing," about Washington crossing the Delaware on Christmas night 1776, in which Mercer is with Washington. Now as a result of her travels and explorations, she has met people who make that story become alive.

After she returned to school in the fall, Tankersley made plans to share with others what she had discovered herself, the excitement of history.

Tankersley firmly believes that "it is very important for children to know their history." While everyone is not aware of "their own genealogy," there is a common heritage that all Americans share with our past historical patriots, she said.

She particularly believes it is important that the students of a school should know about the character traits of the hero for which it is named. Mercer was brave, loyal, fair, responsible, persevering and dependable, she said.

She said he was a person who "fought for his beliefs," first in Scotland as a supporter of Bonnie Prince Charlie. When that campaign was unsuccessful, he left for America "a hunted man."

His association with Washington and the other Founding Fathers included his fighting at the Battle of Trenton, and his ultimate fatal wounding at the Battle of Princeton.

Beyond the facts of history is the relevance of what happened at that time, and how they relate to the present day.

Tankersley said "We want our students to know who this person their school is named for was and why he was important to our country."

Last month, the school celebrated Hugh Mercer's birthday. Among the guests were the Scottish Society of Fredericksburg and several bagpipers.

There are also plans to recognize some of the heroic acts of Mercer at appropriate times throughout the year, she said.

Mercer is buried in Philadelphia--another possible "field trip" for Tankersley.

SHEILA WICKOUSKI of Washington is a freelance writer.