Immersion Excursion

by Richard Edwards, NFTM Education Coordinator

The crackling fire in the hearth intensified the already oppressive heat of the tavern kitchen as ladies in 1850s style dresses bent over to stir the beans simmering in the iron pot suspended over it. A gentle and merciful breeze caressed the faces and hands of helpers seated at a table next to the kitchen window as they sliced fresh baked bread for the dinner about to be served. For those attempting to cool off during a break from their chores on the porch, relief was found not only on the comfortable benches, but in absorbing the wonderful smells that promised a hearty meal after hours of labor.

Thus a moment in time is captured at Missouri Town 1855 during the very busy week of “Social Life on the Missouri Frontier, 1821-1861.” This teacher seminar was hosted by the Friends of the National Frontier Trails Museum, July 19-23, 2010, with funding from the Missouri Humanities Council.

“Social Life” began with a comment made by Kathleen Vest, NFTM Friends President and seminar Instructor of Record – “What if we could provide teachers the opportunity to actually “live” in the mid-19th century? Wouldn’t that be a wonderful experience for them that could inspire them to create more meaningful lessons for students in their class rooms?”

For six years the Friends of NFTM and MHC have partnered to offer graduate level courses for regional K-12 educators focusing on aspects of Missouri history. At first the focus of the classes was on the role Missouri played in the opening of the American West via the trails – Santa Fe, Oregon, and California – that originated in our state.

Responding to requests from teachers and wanting to explore new areas we broadened our horizons to include other aspects of Missouri history and culture such as American Indians of the Midwest, the Border Wars, and the early French presence in Colonial Missouri. In each seminar our objective was to provide opportunities for participants to be completely immersed in the subject matter. Noted scholars have provided all-important context. Visits to historic sites or reservations, getting to know “people of the past” with first-person interpreters, and using appropriate primary sources such as diaries, journals, and letters have helped class members to get as close as possible to the thoughts and feelings of their ancestors.

Teachers SawingOne of the goals in support of that objective was to provide a unique total immersion experience in the routines and rituals of daily living of 1850s western Missouri, so that teachers could understand as completely as possible what it actually felt like to live at the time. We are fortunate to have a wonderful living history museum operated by Jackson County Parks and Recreation available for just such an activity.

Missouri Town 1855 is a collection of period vernacular buildings dating from 1820-1855 that has been open to the public for over 40 years. The Friends of Missouri Town have dedicated themselves to accurately interpreting the decade of the 1850s, providing visitors with insight into the life of a country crossroads village.

Teachers LaundryingWhen we approached them with the idea, the staff and volunteers jumped at the chance to provide a day full of activity for seminar participants. The 28 class members dressed in period clothing, and worked through rotations that included meal preparation (and eating!), laundry, woodworking, shopping, dancing and other pastime amusements, blacksmithing, and animal husbandry. All in 96 degree heat!

By the end of the day everyone was in need of a cool shower, but all agreed that it was absolutely worth it to have had such a unique experience. This day, along with in-depth lectures, demonstrations, discussions, and teaching strategies sessions during the other four days of the class, prepared the teachers to produce lesson plans based on their experiences that will bring this era of our state’s history to life in their classrooms.

The Friends of the National Frontier Trails Museum and Missouri Humanities Council have been able to reach thousands of people (teachers and through them students) through these exciting and memorable teacher seminars. The museum has also been able to create lasting working relationships with other museums and organizations in our region that hadn’t existed before. This sense of shared mission among these small groups allows all of us to expand our horizons. This seminar was a wonderful and unique way to educate the people of our state about their inspiring shared legacies that shape our state’s character and identity.

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