A young man in red
suspenders raises his hand, “I have a letter from my brother in Cuba,”
he explains."The Maine was sunk. My brother was there!"
“Please read your letter to the class,” the teacher instructs.
Standing and pulling a rumpled paper from his flannel shirt pocket, the
youngster reads:
"Dear Family, I was just closing my letter to you when I felt the crash
of the explosion. It was a bursting, rending, and crashing sound, or
roar of immense volume, largely metallic in character. "
Thank you, Levi. Now, pupils, it is time for arithmetic. Please get out
your slates. When we are finished, we will hold gunny sack and
three-legged races at recess.”
In an ironic crossroads between the past and the present, elementary
students have used the Internet to gather material for their "current
events" class set in the 1890s. They also have memorized poems and
learned songs from the turn of the last century, dressed in old
fashioned clothing, and packed their lunches in pails.
History comes alive in the Vignes School at the Crossroads. What could
have been a tedious lesson about the Spanish American War becomes real
as children role-play during day-long field trips to the Village at the
Crossroads. But this is more than a one day adventure. In preparation
for their trip, students learned research skills, how to plan, and a
vast number of facts pertaining to the history of our county, state and
nation.
As the Historical Village develops, we dream of extending the
experiences to three or four day residential experiences so the youth
of today can live like those in the past. |
Currently:
- maintains the
Historical Village
- provides historical
interpretation during special events.
- hosts school groups
- hosts clubs and
organizations
- sponsors a Junior
Historical Society
Plans to:
- build an outbuilding
for storage and demonstrations
- build or move a
general store/post office to the site
- create a museum of
churches in the Chapel entryway
- host motor coach
tours
- staff the Village
with costumed characters during tourist seasons
- act as a clearing
house for historical sites in Door County
- sponsor enactments
and residential experiences
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