Register for the Laura Ingalls Wilder 150th birthday celebration

The deadline for celebrating the birthday and teaching career of American pioneer girl Laura Ingalls Wilder in Mount Prospect's newly restored original one-room schoolhouse is fast approaching. The deadline to register for this program is Jan. 31.

From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11, children in grades 4-6 will discuss Ingalls' book, "These Happy Golden Years," while snacking on lunch (provided) packed in a souvenir tin pail, just like Laura would have eaten.

"This is the first of many programs for children that we are looking forward to holding in the one-room schoolhouse," says Deborah Rittle, local teacher and member of the society's Living History program. The one-room school is on the grounds of the Mount Prospect Historical Society.

"Since Laura Ingalls Wilder attended and taught in one-room schoolhouses, we thought it would be the perfect way to celebrate her 150th birthday."

Participants should read "These Happy Golden Years" beforehand and come ready to chat a little about the story. (The book has a Lexile level of 840L and an AR book level of 5.6.)

The registration fee is $15 per child. To register, visit the Mount Prospect Historical Society's website at www.mtphist.org to pay through PayPal or call (847) 392-9006 for information.

The Mount Prospect Historical Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that is committed to preserving the history of Mount Prospect through artifacts, photographs and both oral and written memories of current and former residents and businesspeople.

On its campus, the society maintains the 1906 Dietrich Friedrichs house museum and carriage house and an ADA-accessible education center. The society is also in the midst of an adaptive restoration of the 1896 one-room Central School, which was moved to the museum campus in 2008.