The volunteers and staff at Old Independence Regional Museum are excited to host its 3rd Annual Fall Home School Days on Monday, September 27th and Monday, October 4th. “Once again we are offering the same program on two different days, so families have a little more flexibility when scheduling, and we encourage all area home schooled students to attend this day at the museum that is designed just for them, “states Amanda Nikkel, Humanities Educator and Volunteer Coordinator. Nikkel goes on to say, “Many of our regular attendees are beginning to feel like members of our museum family. We always enjoy seeing returning students and really look forward to meeting new ones. This fall we have planned several hands-on and demonstration activities based on harvest traditions.”
Corn was an integral part of the frontier culture. Students will have the opportunity to work with corn in various stages, and they will begin by participating in a husking bee. A bee was a gathering of relatives, neighbors, and friends doing some kind of work. Folks are very familiar with quilting bees, but there were all types of bees, and husking bees were very popular in the 19th century. We will see who can husk his or her corn the fastest. What is the reward for finding the red ear of corn? Students will learn the answer to this question the day of the program.
After husking, students will then move on to shelling, grinding, and sampling some of the final cooked products of corn – and it’s not just corn on the cob and cornbread! What happened to the cobs and cornhusks after the corn was removed? They were reused of course! Students will wash dishes, make a craft, and play a game using the left over products of the corn.
What do you get from wood ash, rain water, and lard? Soap, of course! A museum guide will demonstrate a traditional cold process recipe from making lye soap. Students will be able to try some cured soap and experience its cleaning power.
Cider pressing, another fall tradition, will be demonstrated and students will have the opportunity to sample some fresh, unpasteurized apple cider. Students will also learn about fall and winter weather signs. How did the early settlers forecast the weather?
Please call the museum to register for one of the days. A $5 program fee per participant must be paid in advance to hold your spot in the program. There is a limit of 50 participants each day. “In the past, Home School Days have met capacity before the day of the program, so anyone interested in participating will want to reserve a space soon,” said Nikkel.
This humanities program is made possible by local support from Independence County and the City of Batesville, as well as by Challenge Grant Endowment funding from the National Endowment of the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Old Independence serves a 12-county area: Baxter, Cleburne, Fulton, Independence, Izard, Jackson, Marion, Poinsett, Sharp, Stone, White, and Woodruff. Parts of these present-day counties comprised the original Independence County in 1820s Arkansas territory.
The museum is open Tuesday-Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and from 1:30 to 4 p.m. on Sundays. Admission is $3.00 for adults, $2.00 for seniors and $1.00 for children. The museum is located at 380 South 9th street, between Boswell and Vine Streets in Batesville. During your visit, stop by our gift shop. We stock many items from local artists, authors, and crafters, as well as historical toys and games.
