AMS students experience Civil War
Neighbors | Shaiyla Hakeem .Austintown's Rhonda Reynolds holds a bar of soap that was made by her mother in 1930. She educated eighth-graders on how soap was made during their Civil War reenactment day.
Neighbors | Shaiyla Hakeem .Coast Guard personal affairs officer Bob Wilson (back) prepares to cover his ears as Teresa Smereka-Petrilli lights a mini canon replica with a slow match. Wilson built the replica that is one-quarter size of an actual cannon.
Neighbors | Shaiyla Hakeem .Austintown's Jim Mills (left) show eighth-graders various bullets that were used during the Civil War. He also enlightened them on the field living conditions during the war.
The smell of gunpowder and sounds of exploding canons echoed through the halls of Austintown Middle School May 14 during its Civil War reenactment day.
The event was targeted to eighth-graders and featured reenactors from the Confederate and Union states. Students were able to light a mini canon, learn about how soap was made, explore soldier living quarters and were even able to watch their teachers fire a musket.
Students rotated through stations, each focusing on a different aspect of the war, and were educated by the reenactors. The eighth-graders also viewed Gettysburg as a part of the day’s activities.
Eighth-grader Claire Beadle said it is nice to learn about the war in another way other than just reading about it. She enjoyed viewing the artifacts and antiques, but could have passed on the canon demonstrations.
“I think it was terrifying,” Beadle said.
Civil War day was initiated by eighth-grade American history teacher Ron Johnson more than 10 years ago. The plan is to keep this annual event an Austintown Middle School tradition.
“They need to touch and feel things to be a part of it,” Johnson said. “It gives students something to look forward to.”