Stepping Back In Time At History Camp

By Laurie Borst

The Newtown Historical Society held its History Camp at the Matthew Curtiss House on Main Street the week of July 16–20. A dozen 7–10-year-olds took part, learning about live in Newtown in the 18th Century.

The History Camp, in its second year, is the brainchild of Historical Society trustee Gordon Williams.

“This was my dream when I was president [of the society],” explained Mr Williams, “but I didn’t have the time. When Lincoln Sanders became president, it freed me up to organize the camp.”

The first day of camp, girls receive a mop hat and apron that they can decorate with buttons. Boys receive a hat and cut out and sew a vest.

Campers made marbles, a favorite game of children in the 1700s, and learned to play marble games, including one called Rounders, played in a circle.

Many of the activities centered on food. The children made lemonade one day and another day, they made butter. They learned the labor-intensive task of making ice cream, which involved turning a crank by hand. The ice cream was vanilla flavored and they had many toppings on hand.

The youngsters learned about hearth cooking, making apple cobbler and blueberry cobbler, greasing the pans with the butter they had made.

Quill pens were used for writing. The children made hornbooks, a type of primer, usually made of wood with paper on top. A thin slice of horn or mica covered the paper. A virtue would be written at the top of the page and the alphabet would follow below. Virtues were discussed before the activity.

The art of tin punching was taught, as was faux painting. The campers also learned basket weaving, still a staple of summer camps today.

During a tour of the Newtown Meeting House, the campers played a cryptogram game, the solution to which gave a clue about the next activity they would take part in, which was making butter.

Mr Williams praised the “really good group of volunteers” who help with the camp. Nancy Bocian was the lead teacher this year. Amanda O’Shaughnessy, who teaches art at George Fischer Middle School in Carmel, used to teach with Ms Bocian. Ms O’Shaughnessy helped with the basket weaving class.

Lorraine van der Wende taught the children faux painting. Docent Patty Graves does hearth cooking demonstrations. Trustee Shari Rowe helped out with the cobbler baking. Nannette Maturi and Barbara Gorham helped throughout the week.

Several junior docents helped out with the camp also. Mairin Hayes, 10 years old, was a camper last year and liked it so much she returned as a docent this year.

“I just love history. I wanted to come back,” said Mairin. “The basket making was so much fun. There were lots of different styles.”

Julia Preszler, age 9, is also a junior docent this year whose favorite activities included the hearth cooking and making butter.

“I’m interested in history, especially the colonial period,” she stated. “I love Laura Ingall Wilder’s books.”

Brooks Frey, a tenth grader at the Wooster School, is a docent. During the camp, he gives a barn tour for the youngsters.

Camper Jenna Friedrich, 10 years old, had visited the historical society on a class field trip.

“I really liked it and thought this camp would be fun,” she said.

Mr Williams said he has had a number of requests from campers to become junior docents. Among the activities for junior docents is conducting tours of the Matthew Curtiss House.

The camp has turned out to be very successful. This year, students had to be put on a waiting list.

Mr Williams added that the Newtown Lions Club will help fund the camp next year.