History Comes Alive for Southdown Students
Second graders in the Huntington School District are visiting the historic Conklin House in Huntington village this fall. The site is operated by the Huntington Historical Society and is rich in opportunities for various educational activities.
Southdown Primary School youngsters thoroughly enjoyed their trip to the grand old house. “Our students brought with them little notepads to jot down interesting things they learned so they could discuss them back in the classroom,” teacher Tiffanie Kelly said.
The arts-in-education program sponsored trip lasted for about two hours, with half the time spent in an adjacent historic barn on the property. “They had a slide show presentation talking about all the jobs people had in colonial times, such as making soap from animal fat, shearing sheep for their wool, making their own food, clothes and medicine,” Ms. Kelly said.
Students learned about the concept of bartering for goods instead of using money. “The children got to try out some of the colonial tools they might have used as a Conklin child and toys from the past, as well as write with a quill pen and use stencils,” Ms. Kelly said. “They learned how they recycled many of the things they used like the broken pieces of flax used to make tow rope.”
Meanwhile, inside the Conklin House, the second graders went on a tour of the recreated original rooms. “They learned where the expression ‘sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite’ comes from as well as the importance of the fireplace” in colonial era homes, Ms. Kelly said. Fireplaces were routinely located in kitchens for cooking purposes and carried heat throughout the entire house.
The Southdown students came to understand what daily life was like for the Conklin children, including the substantial chores that families needed their youngsters to perform.
The tour of the house included displays of historic artifacts common in homes during that era. Students were also able to see a chair that President George Washington has long been rumored to have sat in during a visit to Huntington. There were several hands-on activities in the barn that proved to be both instructive and memorable.
“The kids in my class loved seeing the differences of what life was like back then compared to today,” Ms. Kelly said. “In class the children are writing to inform others about what they experienced at the Conklin House.”
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