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Dylan Stringham (left), Avontae Henry (center) and Chris Bobbitt look at one of the new Zachary Taylor dollar coins in Orange.
Andy Brunhart, deputy director of the U.S. Mint (right) and Helen Marie Taylor (center), a descendant of President Zachary Taylor, distribute new Taylor $1 coins at a 225th birthday celebration yesterday in Orange.
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BY BRYNN BOYER
The sky was gray, the weather was cold and the students were getting antsy.
An hour of listening to speakers was starting to take its toll on their patience. If they could just stand still a little longer, they could get their coins and hear the band play again.
"Do you think we can get 'Happy Birthday'?" master of ceremonies G. William Thomas Jr. asked the U.S. Army Band.
The 1,200 Orange County schoolchildren burst into a rendition of "Happy Birthday" at the suggestion of Thomas, their enthusiastic singing almost drowning out the band.
"Happy birthday, President Zachary Taylor," they sang, some of them laughing at the awkward attempt to fit the syllables into song. "Happy birthday to you!"
Taylor has been dead for more than 150 years. But, yesterday, the town of Orange came together to celebrate the 225th birthday of the 12th president.
Students from eight Orange County schools, as well as dignitaries, gathered in Taylor Park to celebrate the anniversary of Taylor's birthday, as well as the U.S. Mint's launch of the presidential $1 coin in honor of Taylor, an Orange County native.
After the ceremony, each child left with a Zachary Taylor coin and a copy of Gov. Tim Kaine's resolution marking Zachary Taylor Appreciation Day.
"It's exciting because it's special," said Taylor Kalgern, a sixth-grader at Locust Grove Middle School.
Her classmate Garrett Ellinger agreed.
"I wanted to be a part of this," he said. "I'm most excited about the band." And getting a presidential coin? "That's pretty cool, too."
The Zachary Taylor coins, which are made primarily of copper, are the 12th presidential coin released by the U.S. Mint since the Presidential Dollar Coin Act passed Congress in 2005.
Four new presidential coins will be released every year for the next seven years, with $1.4 billion worth already issued by the Federal Reserve, Andy Brunhart, deputy director of the U.S. Mint, said.
Seventy-six million Zachary Taylor presidential coins, with Taylor on one side and Lady Liberty on the other, will be put into circulation.
Brunhart said he hopes the coins will be a reminder of history.
"It's a vehicle for engaging our children and youth in the history of our country," he said.
Several political figures spoke at the event, including former U.S. Rep. John Marsh, State Sen. Edd Houck and Del. Ed Scott.
Virginia Secretary of Education Thomas Morris presented the Zachary Taylor Appreciation Day certificate on behalf of Gov. Kaine.
"I have a pop quiz for the students," Morris said. "How many presidents were born in Virginia?"
"Forty-two!" one shouted.
"I heard someone say 'eight,'" Morris said, explaining that Taylor was the seventh of the Virginia-born presidents.
"And Virginia is still making history," he said.
Some of the schools used the day as an opportunity to make a link between the textbook lessons and local history.
"Our teacher talked about it yesterday," Rebecca Gredler, a fifth-grader from Lightfoot Elementary, said. Gredler was one of 100 students present who received their coins during the ceremony from Brunhart and Helen Marie Taylor, a descendant of Zachary Taylor and president of the James Madison Memorial Foundation.
"It's time we paid tribute to him," Taylor said, referencing the devotion to the military of the president she calls "Zach."
Zachary Taylor was born in Orange County in 1784 and took office in 1848 after a long military career. Taylor died in office in 1850, after just 16 months as president.
Helen Marie Taylor worked to get the resolution passed. At the ceremony, Taylor passed out copies of the document with the coins.
"They have to also take away their history lesson," she said.
Brynn Boyer: 540/374-5000, ext. 5779
Email: bboyer@freelancestar.com
