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Third-graders take historical walking tour
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Neighbors | Abby Slanker.Suzie Merz (right), a volunteer at the Mahoning Dispatch Museum, explained the old newspaper printing process to Hilltop Elementary third-grade students in Amanda Thacker’s class during their visit to the museum during the school’s Canfield History Walking Tour May 31.
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Neighbors | Abby Slanker.Hilltop Elementary third-graders visited the Canfield Historical Society’s Bond House during the Canfield History Walking Tour May 31. Their teacher, Jenny Beil (back right) is one of the originators of the historical walking tour.
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Neighbors | Abby Slanker.Hilltop Elementary School third-grade students in Alexis Novotny’s class had a brown bag lunch on the green in between visiting local historical sites during the school’s Canfield History Walking Tour May 31.
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Neighbors | Abby Slanker.Laura Zeh (far left), Canfield Historical Society curator, spoke to Hilltop Elementary School third-grade students in Karen Pavlov’s class at the Bond House during their Canfield History Walking Tour May 31.
By ABBY SLANKER
Hilltop Elementary School third-graders learned a lot about local history during the Canfield history walking tour, during which they visited several historical sites and buildings on the village green and surrounding areas on the day-long tour May 31.
Stops on the tour included the Ruggles-Coope House, Old Courthouse, Christian Church, Odd Fellows Hall, Methodist Church, the Green and bandstand, Farmers National Bank, Mahoning Dispatch, Township Hall, War Vets Museum, Canfield Historical Society’s Bond House, Presbyterian Church, Christian Church, Village Cemetery, Canfield Village Middle School, Old Turner School, WPA Building and the Old Texaco Station.
With the exception of the Mahoning Dispatch, War Vets Museum and Bond House, the third-grade teachers relayed the history of the locations to the students, highlighting the Ohio Historical Markers at the sites. The students received tours of the Mahoning Dispatch, War Vets Museum and Bond House, with presentations from volunteers at those buildings.
While the students visited the Mahoning Dispatch, volunteer Suzie Merz gave the students an in-depth tour of the old newspaper presses and machines in the museum. Merz even let a student create a galley proof on the linotype machine which read, “Welcome Hilltop Elementary.”
At the Bond House, students were treated to a history lesson of the house from Laura Zeh, Canfield Historical Society curator. Zeh told the students the story of how the society came to own the Bond House and the history of the families that owned it prior to the society obtaining it.
Zeh pointed out several historical objects to the students, explaining the historical significance of each one. She first showed them a clock on which was called a wag on the wall and showed the students the society’s Waterford crystal collection and the Chickering piano, which was brought to Canfield by ox cart.
“The difference between a piano you might have in your house and this Chickering piano is that our piano does not have as many keys and octaves as your piano,” Zeh said.
Zeh also highlighted several ladies bonnets and Civil War-era dresses which caught the students’ eyes.
Prior to the walking tour, both Hilltop and C.H. Campbell third-grade students created post cards of historical locations in Canfield. The post cards were on display at the Bond House and while they were there and the students were able to vote on their favorites ones created by their peers.
The students also participated in the “Where’s Snoopy in Canfield” project, which required the students to pick a historical location in Canfield, from 30 possible locations. The students then visited their selection, including the historical marker, and had a picture taken of themselves, along with their Snoopy, and wrote a riddle about the location so other students could guess the location.
This year marked the third year of the tour, which was originally created by Hilltop Elementary School third-grade teacher Jenny Beil and C.H. Campbell third-grade teachers Marian Bailey and Heidi Snyder. The teachers researched the historical stops to correlate with third-grade content standards, which includes learning about your community.