St. Michael's grade 4-5 French students visit the past at KBPV

Julian gets the hang of calligraphy
T. Lucas photos

Toni Lucas

Saint Michael's French immersion grade 4-5 class planned for a 4 school-day outing to Kootenai Brown Pioneer Village (KBPV) to learn about local history and culture. That was somewhat dampened by the recent inclement weather.  However, on Monday (which was drier) many of the students got into the spirit of history and dressed in costume, with cowboy hats, pioneer bonnets lending an air of authenticity to the adventure.

Students at wooden desks practicing penmanship

"We have historic tours in the morning coming from school," said teacher Manon Dyck. KBPV Curator Farley Wuth explains about the history of that area of town as they walk.  Staff and volunteers such as Shannon Scherger and Garrit Terpstra offered the students  a chance to learn and experience something new and different about the past.

Front of the class:  Garrit Terpstra, Shannon Scherger and Farley Wuth

"Earlier today we did a little bit of history on the First Nations," said Dyck.  "How they used to live, and how they would use everything from the buffalo."  The students learned about how the buffalo were used to make teepees, clothes, equipment, tools, and how decorating personal items such as clothing or teepees could be decorative and create status within the community.

Shannon Scherger demonstrates how to use a split nib pen

Afterward the students went to the Fishburn School on the museum grounds and engaged in lessons inside that demonstrated differences from one era to another.  "They learned how students got to school, if they had the opportunity to go to school.  they learned about the different forms of discipline they used in the school, for example the strap.  They are learning how the boys lined up on one side and the ladies, and the ladies got to go into the school first.  They learned how we payed homage to the British flag, because we were under the British Empire at the time.  They are learning all that today."

Ronan had neat printed and cursive writing 

"Now they are doing a lesson in penmanship.  Students these days use computers," said Dyck who recognizes that legible, intelligible communications can come instantly with texting and emails these days.  "They don't know how important it was."  The students were challenged to write with split nib pens and blotting the excess ink.

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