Kansas History Comes to Life
Launch the media gallery 1 playerQuinter Junior High seventh grade students experienced a piece of the history they have studied all year on Tuesday, May 9. The class took a field trip to the Prairie Museum of Art and History in Colby to explore exhibits relating to Kansas History. The class was sponsored by their Kansas History teacher, Mrs. Allison Polifka, as well as Mr. Chris Lee (another history buff).
Students explored the Kuska Collection as well as other historical exhibits in the museum. The Kuska Collection features over 28,000 dolls, furniture pieces, clothing items, toys, coins, buttons, and more. Students were able to take advantage of several interactive exhibits inside as well, including the chance to ride a penny horse which used to sit outside of a store as well as dress up in old military uniforms from wars of the past. Students also visited the traveling exhibit over the Magna Carta.
Outside students enjoyed the many buildings from different eras of Kansas history. A 1930s farmstead showed students the technology used in the 1930s and the setup of a common house of the period. Students also got to explore a barn similar to the ones that were common of the era, including visits to the hay loft upstairs. Following the farmstead, students moved on to the one-room schoolhouse where they played school in the desks, worked out problems on the chalkboard, and played hopscotch while ringing the bell to establish the start of school.
Students then moved on to a recreated sod house. Inside students could see how many were furnished. Outside students viewed the bricks of sod and could see how the houses were constructed. After the sod house, students visited a country church. There they saw the hymnals that would have been used, as well as the character and charm of the building. Several students worked together to ring the church bell to signal the start of the services.
The last large exhibit was the Cooper Barn, which is the largest barn in the state of Kansas. Inside the barn sat many pieces of antique farm implements. In Kansas History, students learned how technology altered the way settlers in Kansas lived and worked, and they were then able to see some of this technology up close.
“This was my favorite thing we did all year. I really liked the museum because of all the artifacts and it was really cool,” commented Jaidlyn Ruiz-Robinson.