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  • Like many classrooms around the area, the one-room schoolhouse classroom is empty and quiet now, but area youth will be filling the desks of the historic one-room schoolhouse on Thursday to learn what it was like for a school child in the 1800’s when the Jefferson County Historical Society presents, “A Day in the Life of a Prairie Child.” TESA CULLI/REGISTER-NEWS

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June 29, 2009

‘A Day in the Life of a Prairie Child’

By TESA CULLI

tesa.culli@register-news.com

MT. VERNON — Area youth will be able to learn about what a typical day was like in a one-room school house in the 1800’s this Thursday as the Jefferson County Historical Society presents “A Day in the Life of a Prairie Child.”

“Actually, the idea for this program came from Amy Newell, when I met with her at Girl Scouts,” said Ron Copenhaver, the director of community relations at the historical village. “She said, ‘you know, the kids really need to see what things were like on an old-fashioned school day.’”

Copenhaver said Newell began working as a volunteer to put together the event, along with Sarah DeJournett with Jefferson County 4-H and Jefferson County Historical Society members and retired teachers Sharon Nichols and Sharon Francis.

Area youth with 4-H and the Jefferson County Extension Service have been invited to come out Thursday for the event, and parents have been invited to take place as well, Copenhaver said.

Children will participate in a spelling bee, ciphering, reading with a McGuffey Reader and making Horn books, as well as old-fashioned school yard games. But the day won’t just be about fun and games, they will also learn about rest rooms and head cleaning when outdoor cooking, soap making, chores such as washing and hanging out clothes, dusting, rug beating and yard cleanup. The participants will also learn about making toys, jewelry and quilt blocks before having a nature trail lesson on tree identification and making grave marker rubbings.

“We want them to understand what life was like when their grandparents or great-grandparents were their age,” Copenhaver said. “Experience what it was like in Mt. Vernon n the 1800’s; their history and their parents’ history. We hope they can learn to appreciate what they have today and understand how lifestyles were a lot different.”

In addition to the Day in the Life of a Prairie Child event, the village will be hosting activities each weekend throughout the summer. The summer season at the village will continue on July 5, with Dee Ann Schnautz singing gospel and patriotic songs from 2 to 3 p.m.

Ron and Rusty Watson of Down Memory Lane Fine Artists will have a display of their work as well as demonstrations and sales from 1 to 3 p.m. on July 11; and a church choirs concert with Southtown Apostolic Church and other choirs participating will be held from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. on July 26.

The annual Ice Cream Social will be held at the village from 1 to 4 p.m. on Aug. 1, and a black powder guns and tomahawks demonstration will be from 1 to 4 p.m. on Aug. 16. The annual Heritage Festival is slated to be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Oct. 3 and 4.

Anyone who would like additional information about the Jefferson County Historical Society, the historical village and its events, or would like to participate in the church choirs concert may contact Copenhaver at village at 246-0033.

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