Students from several local schools went to the San Benito
County Historical Park on Friday morning to learn about the Civil
War era firsthand as part of the Civil War re-enactment, which will
be taking place at the park over the weekend.
Hollister – Fingers plugging their ears in anticipation, the students watched as a man, costumed in full 1860s soldier gear, poured gunpowder into his rifle and used the ramrod to push the powder down.
“Fire in the hole!” shouted one of the men, as the other man shot off the gun.
A few of the students jumped. Then many laughed and spoke excitedly about the gunshot.
Students from several local schools went to the San Benito County Historical Park on Friday morning to learn about the Civil War era firsthand as part of the Civil War re-enactment, which will be taking place at the park over the weekend.
The field trip meant a morning of hands-on learning for the students, who talked to men and women from the National Civil War Association dressed in the era’s garb. The children learned about the clothes from one woman as she dressed the layers on a mannequin explaining each article of clothing.
“Wasn’t that very uncomfortable to wear?” asked one child, looking skeptically at the outfit.
The students also learned about what doctors during the time would do, as well as – perhaps the most popular – the weaponry of the Civil War soldiers.
Jose Delreal, 12, from Maze Middle School said his favorite part of the trip was the gun.
The field trip gave students an opportunity to ask questions and learn more about their school lessons. Sadie Robusin, who teaches the special day class for sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders at Maze Middle School, said it helped students really learn their lessons. Learning about the Civil War is one of the standards for seventh-graders, she said.
“They’ve been reading a couple books about the Civil War, but it’s better to see it hands on,” Robusin said. “It makes it more interesting when they read.”
She took her class last year, she said, and it really stuck with the students.
“Watching movies is the number one things they do, but this is so much better and more tangible – they really relate to it,” Robusin said. “I can give them a book to read, and they’ll read about it, but they will always remember this.”
