Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, Ore. Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Page A-3
Evergreen students soak in Oregon
history at Kerbyville Museum
By Darcy Wallace
IVN Staff Writer
It’s that time of year again when
Evergreen Elementary School fourth-
graders have been exploring early
Oregon history of the Oregon Trail
and the Gold Rush of the late 1800s.
On Wednesday, March 16,
fourth-grade students visited the
Kerbyville Museum for the fourth
annual Heritage Day, touring
the museum and participating in
interactive demonstrations.
According to Museum Director
Dennis Strayer, volunteers from the
Illinois River Valley Arts Council,
the Waldo Mining Association
and the Backcountry Horseman of
Oregon chapter in Cave Junction
were just some of those who helped
out Wednesday.
“I want to thank all the folks
that helped make it happen, plus the
museum volunteers too,” Strayer
said. “This is another way we can
help educate students about the local
history.”
Pat Soles from the Josephine
County Historical Society volunteered
to portray “Nanny Naucke,” dressing
in clothing of the time period. She
spoke with students about life before
electricity, TV or the other comforts
of modern life.
“They were looking at me
astounded at the things they did and
didn’t do,” Soles said. “They asked a
lot of questions, such as, why didn’t
people smile in photographs? I think
it had to do with the way photography
was in those days; you had to hold
still.”
In the back of the main museum
building, volunteers from the IV
River Arts Council showed students
how to make ‘whirligigs,’ an earlier
version of what we know as yo-yos.
Students in other parts of the
museum washed clothes by hand as
1880s Kerbyville citizens would have
done. In the kitchen, fourth-graders
churned their own butter. Behind the
museum, Waldo Association miners
showed students how settlers panned
for gold.
“When [students] were doing
Fourth-grade students listen intently to museum volunteer Bill Dunham as they tour various
parts of the Kerbyville museum on Wednesday, March 16.
hands-on stuff it was amazing to see
their reaction,” Strayer said. “One said
they didn’t realize how hard clothes-
washing was. How lucky are we with
washing machines — you just open
the lid, throw in your clothes, push
the button and walk away?”
In
contrast
to
previous
years, Strayer said there wasn’t a
demonstration about the Takelma
Indians who inhabited the Illinois
Valley for thousands of years. But he
said he plans to bring that back for
next year’s Heritage day.
“It’s important for students to
learn about Takelma native people,”
Strayer said. “They were here for
10,000 years, but during the Gold
Rush they were displaced and moved
off their land.
“I think the more students learn
things like that, the more prepared
they will be,” Strayer added. “They
become the future leaders and
decision-makers. We learn from the
past.”
The Kerbyville Museum is a
nonprofit, relying on donations and
occasional grants. Strayer said he is
in the process of seeking an Oregon
Cultural Trust grant; if awarded,
the grant will match the funds the
Kerbyville Museum is able to raise.
The museum building has
been around since 1880. Despite
renovations, Strayer said that the
porch steps badly need replacement
after years of years.
“I’m really hoping they will
understand the level of need here,”
Strayer said. “The competition is
pretty tough. We’re hoping people in
the community can help out.”
Since the Kerbyville Museum is
a 501c3 nonprofit, donations can be
used as a tax write-off, Strayer said.
After recently moving to
Southern Oregon, Soles said she
wanted to find out about the history
in her new home. Josephine County
Historical
Society
volunteers
sometimes go to other schools and
museums acting out roles of noted
people in history.
“I was an eduator in San Jose
before,” Soles said. “[Heritage Day]
was a treat for me. The kids were very
well-behaved and respectful. I found
them a joy, and I can speak highly of
the teachers. [Students] knew what
was expected of them.”
Despite the cold weather, rain
and recent storms, students dove into
the demonstrations. If anything, the
cold might have reinforced an idea of
what life was like without electricity
— and electric heat.
“It taught those kids what they
had to put up with in those days,”
Soles said.
(Photo by Darcy Wallace, Illinois Valley News)
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