Huston middle-schoolers get tangible Civil War lesson

The gentle clicks of a Jacob’s ladder toy fascinated Lillian Furnier.

The Jacob’s ladder toy, along with several other Civil War-era replicas spread across the classroom, were part of the American Battlefield Trust’s “Civil War Traveling Trunk” program.

“It kept them entertained,” said Lillian, an eighth grader in Brian Welsh’s American History class at Burrell’s Huston Middle School. “I think it’s so cool.”

The trunk, which teachers nationwide apply for and send to each other across the country, features reproductions of artifacts, books, music, clothing and other materials.

Welsh said it brought history to life.

“They’ve really enjoyed it so far,” he said. “I think the clothing’s been the biggest hit.”

Welsh set up his classroom with six stations: flags and documents, books, toys, weapons, clothes and a canteen, and haversack — a bag where Civil War soldiers kept and carried possessions. Students rotated through the stations and took notes on each of the items.

“It’s more hands-on, and you can really explore and touch and feel and understand everything,” student Paul Wible said.

At the end, the students would come together and discuss their findings with Welsh. Some takeaways included how uncomfortable the uniforms and footwear were, and the simplicity of the toys children played with in that era.

The Jacob’s Ladder toy, for example, is an instrument consisting of wooden blocks held together by strings. When the ladder is held at one end, blocks descend down the ladder.

Welsh said the class questioned how such a simple toy could keep Civil War-era kids entertained. He then would watch as students played with the toy for several minutes, he said.

The eighth grade American History class includes lessons from the American Revolution to the Civil War. Welsh said students often begin to lose interest in history because the subject material happened so long ago.

But students have a higher level of engagement with the trunk as opposed to a traditional lesson, he said.

Welsh said the social studies department at Burrell tries to focus on project-based learning, like the trunk, to engage students.

“We talk about it in class, but this makes it very tangible,” Welsh said.

According to the American Battlefield Trust, during the 2019-20 school year, the trunk visited 78 schools in 26 states. By the end of that school year, more than 15,000 students interacted with materials in the trunk.

“It’s a really neat opportunity to take advantage of,” Welsh said.