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Robinwood Lane travels back in time
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Neighbors | Shaiyla HakeemDoug Phouts (left) adjusts a vintage 18th century hat on fourth-grader Jacob Xiao. Xaio was among the students who volunteered to model the head attire of the Revolutionary War era.
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Neighbors | Shaiyla HakeemDoug Phouts (left) pulls the first layer of fourth-grade teacher Jan Zorman’s skirt to demonstrate how women in the 18th century used their clothing to carry items to free their hands.
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Neighbors | Shaiyla HakeemFourth-grader Brandon Jackson shows the entire class how trousers from the 18th century look as Doug Phouts balances him on the chair. Jackson said he plans to be a reenactor just like Phouts when he grows up.
By SHAIYLA HAKEEM
neighbors@vindy.com
Revolutionary War reenactor Doug Pfouts led fourth-graders at Boardman’s Robinwood Lane Elementary on a journey through history Feb. 19.
He took the students back to an era before electricity, when men curled their hair and women only wore skirts.
Pfouts, of Salem, has been in the reenacting business since 1988. He has collected, bought and made clothing and artifacts from the 18th century. He showed up to class fully clothed in a uniform from the king’s 8th Regiment of the American Revolution.
For two hours, students were educated on the clothing and livelihood of citizens during the Revolutionary era. He explained how social class affected what they wore and what hats were best for inclement weather conditions.
To demonstrate how long it took to get dressed, students were able to clothe themselves in the vintage fashions including trousers, undershirts, vests and overcoats.
Items such as eating utensils, cloth buttons and wool socks were passed around the class for students to compare to the more modernized versions.
This was Pfouts’ second visit to Robinwood Lane and he plans to continue his interactive, educational presentations for the elementary students.