St. Michael's Immersion students visit Kootenai Brown Pioneer Village

St. Michael's Grade 1 and 2 French Immersion students at KBPV Pie Social
T. Lucas photos

Toni Lucas

Twenty four students from St. Michael's Grade 1 and 2 combined French Immersion class spent the week of June 10 - 14 taking lessons at Kootenai Brown Pioneer Village (KBPV) in Pincher Creek.  They left with a better understanding of the history and the lives of area pioneers through lessons, games, and hands-on activities.

Many of the children dressed the part in pioneer style clothing.  Their regular teacher Manon Dyck and KBPV Educational staff members Dana Connelly and Shannon Scherger dressed in period clothing to help enhance the experience.

Dana Connelly,Manon Dyck  and Shannon Scherger teaching class

in the historic Cyr Schoolhouse

"It was extraordinary," said Dyck.  "The students were learning so much, and retaining the information so well."  The children walked to a historical one room school house on the grounds with their lunches packed in a tin bucket.  There they made candles, autograph books, lemonade, bannock over a fire, and washed clothes on a scrub board.

The Cyr Schoolhouse was recently moved to the KBPV grounds, and for a long time served as storage King's restaurant (and its predecessors) on Main Street Pincher Creek.

Sheep shearing with Fran Cyr 

Kids watched a demonstration of sheep shearing with non-powered clippers.  Lessons from KBPV Curator Farley Wuth gave the students a historical context to appreciate their town, their history, and the modern life they lead.

Summer staff at KBPV played with the kids during recess They played some games that were developed before electricity, before the era of the Xbox.  A few of the games were developed by the kids that were there, and looked a lot like games that were played many years ago.

Good bad-guy Garrit Terpstra attempts to escape

One example was evident during recess on Friday. Garrit Terpstra was being chased by the kids with skipping ropes.  Depending on which kid you asked, he was the bank robber, the bad guy, the giant, or a wild horse.  What each perception had in common was that the kids had to get him.  This is a variation of many games that have happened for generations.  The joy of the kids who were involved with this play, and the care that Garrit took with them was incredible.  "I have a five year old brother," Tepstra said.  The children were heroes when they brought him down, and the game began again whenever he broke free to run again.

There was square dancing and an old fashioned pie social that the kids could invite their parents and siblings to for the end of the visit.  Some of the children walked their parents through the village, acting as tour guides before they went back to school and the modern world.

Hannah R. and Mackenna

Perp Terpstra escapes again!

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