History Comes Alive: in Mrs. Heskett's Classroom Steps Back into the 1860s
History Comes Alive: Mrs. Heskett’s Classroom Steps Back into the 1860s
Mrs. Heskett’s classroom this week as history transcended the pages of textbooks. Through the Traveling Resource Trunk program provided by the Kansas State Historical Society, students were granted a rare, hands-on encounter with the daily life of a Civil War soldier.
A Trunk Full of Secrets
The traveling trunk is essentially a "museum in a box," containing high-quality reproduction artifacts that allow students to see, feel, and touch the past. Mrs. Heskett utilized these items to bridge the gap between 19th-century survival and 21st-century understanding.
The students explored a variety of replica items common to camp life and the battlefield, including:
- The "Betty" Lamp: A simple, grease-burning lamp that provided a flickering source of light in dark encampments.
- Hardtack: This notoriously tough, square flour-and-water biscuit was a staple ration for soldiers. Students learned firsthand why it earned nicknames like "tooth-dullers".
- Percussion Caps: Small, copper caps used to ignite the powder in muskets.
- Scabbard & Steel: Students examined the weight and utility of the scabbard, the protective sheath used to carry a soldier’s blade.
Why Hands-On Learning Matters
According to educators who utilize the Kansas Historical Society's resources, these trunks are invaluable for making history "feel" real rather than just a collection of dates. By handling the same types of equipment used by Kansas soldiers over 160 years ago, students developed a more personal connection to the struggles and domesticities of the Civil War era.