Presenting Colonial Times in Frankenmuth and for High School Kids

July 9,  10,  and 11 were busy days in the past for me.

Saturday,  July 9 found me in 1862 at Charlton Park  (read all about that event HERE).

July 10 had me in Frankenmuth,  Michigan for the Rev/War - French & Indian War event,  and on July 11 - a Monday - I was back in my 18th century clothing for a school presentation.

It wasn't just any school presentation;  it took place at my summer employment job.

But more on that shortly.  Let's begin this week's posting in Colonial Frankenmuth,  where the temperature was hot...and muggy.  It started off pretty nice but as the day went on,  the temps and humidity climbed.

A sort of panoramic view of  American and British soldiers.

One of the battles took place at the bridge,  where the Continentals were crossing.

But the British seemed to have the high ground - a better position...

...as you can see.

My good friend Ben Franklin was there with his daughter,  Sarah.
Okay,  actually this is Bob Stark with his daughter Abby.
Bob,  of course,  portrays Benjamin Franklin.
Though Abby does not  portray Sarah Franklin,  she does do presentations
on historic teas,  including the tea that was thrown into Boston Harbor
during the Boston Tea Party in December of 1773. 

Now,  I'm not a tea drinker,  but its place in world history - and in America's Revolutionary War history -  is solidified.  

According to researcher and historian Benjamin Woods Labaree, the tea that was tossed into Boston Harbor nearly 250 years ago was all loose tea because the colonists had no taste for tea bricks,  and tea bags were still 150 years in the future.

In Labaree’s well-researched book,  The Boston Tea Party  it says the three tea ships contained 240 chests of Bohea,  10 of Souchong,  15 of Congou,  (all black teas),  60 of Singlo,  and 15 of Hyson  (both green teas),  all produced in China.  The teas mentioned here can be seen in the photo below in the same order as written.

Bob,  or should I say,  Bob's daughter,  Abby,  was selling this very cool collection
of  Boston Tea Party tea at her father's Salty Lantern sutlery.  Naturally,  I had to
get it to add to my American history collection of cool stuff.

So,  I did.

I love collecting Americana and American history almost as much as I enjoy "living" it!

Susan has her Carrot Patch Sutlery,  where she sells all things wool.
Yes,  she also spins yarn on her spinning wheel.

She has been teaching her boyfriend's daughter how to knit.
I love when I see talents being passed on to the next generation;  too many of our
young people have little-to-no knowledge of  the traditional crafts.

And there was axe tossing.
I did absolutely horrible this time around.
I need to practice...and practice some more.

I will be totally honest here:  it was miserably hot for me.  I've tolerated worse heat before,  but this time - this day -  it was intolerable for some reason.  At one point I felt like I was going to pass out,  but Abby saved me from that embarrassment by getting me some cold water.  It was at that point when I decided I'd best head back home.  It was unfortunate because I do really enjoy this event.  But,  yeah,  it was one of those rare moments where I felt I had to leave...and I didn't take nearly as many pictures as I normally do.  For this I apologize to all involved.

On the way home,  with the wind helping me to remain cooler,  we  (my son Robbie and I)  stopped at a local Frankenmuth air-conditioned diner on the outskirts of town - yes,  dressed in our period clothing - where I was immediately called George Washington.  I responded with,  "I appreciate the high compliment,  he being such a great man and all,  but..."  (I bowed)  "...Paul Revere at your service."  They loved it,  and showed us to our booth where Rob and I both proceeded to order the  "All-American Burger"  (as it was titled on the menu).

"Of course that's what you'd order!"  the waitress laughed.

It was very good. 

The following day was Monday,  and though school is out for the summer,  for three weeks in July I work for the Building Bridges Camp for autistic kids.  This is my fifth year doing this and really enjoy it quite a bit.  I work with high school-age kids,  and we have areas where they can do arts and crafts,  play in the gym,  cook,  work on pictures - drawing and painting and coloring - and go on field trips,  including to a horse farm,  the cider mill,  canoeing,  and numerous other places.  In other words,  this camp gives the kids experiences they might not otherwise have the opportunity to try.

Well,  it just so happens that this year Larissa & I were part of their experiences:  we did our Year in the Life on a Colonial Farm program for them.  We brought along many items in our combined historic collection,  including yoke with water buckets,  candles at various dipping stages,  scythe  &  sickle,  dinner ware,  flail,  flax,  cotton at various stages,  and other period items,  most of which we passed around.

I explained about writing by way of  quill and ink, 
and explained how oftentimes they would have to
even make their own ink.

Larissa explained the use of carding paddles after showing
the different stages of  processing wool.
Note the yoke & water buckets.

While we were in textiles,  I spoke on flax and showed
what it was - raw and after being processed. 
Now I did not bring my flax break - it would have made
quite a mess!  But they did notice the difference between the
hard raw flax and the softness once it was processed. 
We also had some flax thread that was spun at the cabin a while back.

Colonial dinner ware - what do you mean  'eat with the knife?'
Yep,  Larissa explained the differences in eating and table
manners from colonial times to modern times.

Larissa and I with our collection of period accessories.
Besides what I listed earlier,  I also see a butter churn,  a wrapped sugar cone,  
lanterns,  a hat for men and one for women...
quite a caboodle of colonial collectibles.

Though I was  "warned"  that the kids would be bored and difficult to keep attentive,  we most certainly held their attention!  Of course we did---we've been doing this for nearly a decade to such a variety of people,  from pre-schoolers on up to senior citizens.

In fact,  for the rest of the day the kids continued coming up to me and telling me how much they liked it and how much they learned.  One young man even brought in a feather he found while he was outside and gave it to me to  "dip into the ink and write with!"

Another told me I looked like I  "should live back then!"

My heart is full.

Well,  it just so happened that a couple days later our group went to the cider mill,  which is also a farm and grows a variety of fruits and vegetables.  While there,  the kids were able to pick summer apples,  raspberries,  and,  as seen in the picture below,  beans.

I was out there picking beans with the kids.  One of the teachers I was with
asked me,  "Did you hear that?"
"Hear what?"
I guess a student responded to another's comment about picking beans in the
summer by stating,  'weren't you listening to Mr.  Ken the other day?' 
How cool is that,  that they recalled when I spoke on summer harvest while
picking beans on this hot summer day?  You bet that made me feel great!

I like to think at least some of what we teach the kids during our presentations sticks with them.  It's us bringing a sort of museum to them,  and they do show their appreciation.  But to hear it in action,  well,  that just made my day.

And then we received this!

I absolutely love doing historic presenting.  If I could make my living doing this,  I most certainly would.  The past cries out to those who will listen.

And,  as you have just seen,  some truly are  listening.

Until next time,  see you in time.

 ~   ~   ~