Fourth Grade Field trip to This is the Place

So, after we watched Brett get his award, then I rushed off to Park Lane to help with the fourth grade field trip to "This is the Place" State Park.  Tommy was excited that I get to go with him.  I was excited that I knew some of the moms on the trip.

"This is the Place" gives you a pretty good idea of what life would be like for the pioneers after they arrived in the Salt Lake Valley.

Mrs. Johnson directs the class as the pioneer teacher greets the students for the day.

Brynn got the dunce cap for not knowing the answers....

The kids had fun learning about what school would have been like - very strict, all grades together, stand up when you give answers. The single (as in not married) teachers would have lived with each of the children for a week at a time, because she had no house of her own. (bummer!)

  We visited the Hospital where the doctors were women, sent by Brigham Young, back east to learn the practice of medicine. I thought it was interesting that it was women who were sent in a very male dominated time.   It will be interesting in 150 years from now to look back at the medicine in  2010. I wonder if we will think using Chemo therapy and radiation to treat cancer is as barbaric as we think using a saw to cut off your arm was when you injured it back then.

 The kids got a few minutes to try dancing.  It was pretty fun!

 The kids got to learn about what the pioneers would have packed in their handcarts and wagons. (and what they would have left behind....) She told us a great story about a family who started out the journey with their piano.  Along the way, it became too much to bring.  So, they wrapped it in buffalo skins, buried it, and returned for it later. It did in fact make it all the way to Salt Lake and today, it resides in the hall at "this is the Place" Park. Wow! That is someone who loves their piano. I could see my mom doing that.

The cabinet makers shop has a chair on the roof because a lot of people could not read so the chair told them the kind of shop it was.

The kids got to try all of the tools. Very fun. Here, Tom runs a lathe.

The kids got to climb a "ship" in honor of Sam Brannon who sailed with the Saints from Boston around the cape of South America, and landed in San Francisco.  It took them about 6 months. They even landed in Hawaii (a bit out of the way perhaps, but who can resist a good Hawaiian vacation....)

I think the kids favorite part was getting the chance to pan for gold.  When they found some, they could get paid for their gold in candy. What a deal!