Christine loved hauling water. The kids would dump their pails in a cement trough and go back down to the creek for more water. When the trough was full Pioneer Dan would very quickly kick the trough over so they would just keep filling it up. Pioneer Dan runs this program along with other volunteers and he is also an 8th grade teacher. He loves what he is doing and it was great watching him with the kids.
You could only write about three words with the quill, and there were so many steps involved in writing. First you dip the quill and wipe any excess off the tip. You write your words, blow on the paper to dry it and then blot the paper with a thicker sheet of paper to soak up any excess ink. The nubs on the quills had to be sharpened on a regular basis and the teachers would get upset if the students broke their nub. Times certainly have changed. Most people would find it hard to hand write a letter with a pen.
Christine went on a field trip to an environmental center where she experienced what it was like to be a pioneer in the 1800's. Eight of us moms and dads taught at different stations throughout the day. The kids spent time in an outdoor classroom being taught like the pioneer children. They made candles, hauled water, churned butter, made ice cream and biscuits, chopped wood and went down to the stream to pan handle for gold. The man that runs the program (Pioneer Dan) told us that they spray paint gobs of rocks for the kids to find in the stream. Those kids would have stayed for hours in search of gold if we would have let them. On the way home Christine asked me how much I thought she could sell her gold for. I told her that I would need to know how many ounces she had and what gold was selling for per ounce. Once we were home she was telling her sister about the gold, and of course just as I knew she would, she said "Christine that is not real gold, those are painted rocks." Christine came running to me and said "mommy that's not true is it?" I told her that Pioneer Dan had told us that is was "100% real pioneer gold." Everyone had such a good time and the kids were worn out when the day was done. I'm sure they all slept well that night.
Christine loved hauling water. The kids would dump their pails in a cement trough and go back down to the creek for more water. When the trough was full Pioneer Dan would very quickly kick the trough over so they would just keep filling it up. Pioneer Dan runs this program along with other volunteers and he is also an 8th grade teacher. He loves what he is doing and it was great watching him with the kids. 
You could only write about three words with the quill, and there were so many steps involved in writing. First you dip the quill and wipe any excess off the tip. You write your words, blow on the paper to dry it and then blot the paper with a thicker sheet of paper to soak up any excess ink. The nubs on the quills had to be sharpened on a regular basis and the teachers would get upset if the students broke their nub. Times certainly have changed. Most people would find it hard to hand write a letter with a pen.
Christine went on a field trip to an environmental center where she experienced what it was like to be a pioneer in the 1800's. Eight of us moms and dads taught at different stations throughout the day. The kids spent time in an outdoor classroom being taught like the pioneer children. They made candles, hauled water, churned butter, made ice cream and biscuits, chopped wood and went down to the stream to pan handle for gold. The man that runs the program (Pioneer Dan) told us that they spray paint gobs of rocks for the kids to find in the stream. Those kids would have stayed for hours in search of gold if we would have let them. On the way home Christine asked me how much I thought she could sell her gold for. I told her that I would need to know how many ounces she had and what gold was selling for per ounce. Once we were home she was telling her sister about the gold, and of course just as I knew she would, she said "Christine that is not real gold, those are painted rocks." Christine came running to me and said "mommy that's not true is it?" I told her that Pioneer Dan had told us that is was "100% real pioneer gold." Everyone had such a good time and the kids were worn out when the day was done. I'm sure they all slept well that night.
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