Youngsters get their hands on history

VERNON — History came alive again as the Vernon Township Historical Society sponsored their annual program Hands on History, with various activities spotlighting life in Vernon in the 1700s and 1800s. About 20 elementary level children discovered how life differed at different chronological periods. Today’s high- tech children were able to grasp the definition of farm and manual work when they carded sheep fleece into prepared wool, ground wheat and corn into grain, carried water in oxen bar buckets like farm boys and girls and churned butter and developed muscles doing so, under the guidance of butter maker Emilie Dupont. According to Dupont, the best churning occurs if one churns quickly and adds a twist to the action.
In the kitchen of the historical society, history participants rolled dough with rolling pins and later baked the finished product into biscuits under the watchful eyes of volunteers Barbara Vance and Nancy Adam.
On Hands on History Wednesday, volunteers incorporated some of Vernon’s past famous names. Daniel Bailey’s interests included establishing gristmills and creameries and the access of the railroad in Vernon, which was necessary for successful farming.
Youngsters learned about Vernon born inventor Ross Winans. Winans invented and reconstructed many necessities for the railroad, namely, the pivoting carriage rail wagon and the eight- wheeled bogie carriage. At one of Hands on History work stations, children constructed a mini train engine out of corks in Winans’ honor.
The focus and location of Hands on History switched on the final day to the one room schoolhouse at Price’s Switch Corner. Participants became pioneer students by writing with quill pens, reading primers, ciphering math problems and participating in a spelling bee.
The Vernon Hands on History program is a volunteer manned program that benefits area children every year with historical learning activities in August.