School Lessons

Goal: to learn about families and role they played in old Cooleemee.

Kindergartners come to Textile Heritage Center with their handmade paper decorations and place them on cedar tree. One class goes upstairs to see large old toy collection---none have batteries; other class is seated downstairs to hear story by an elder about what Christmas was like when their family had virtually no money---chopping down tree, Christmas play at church, Christmas breakfast with family (fresh sausage & country ham from their hog, eggs from chickens, milk & butter from their cow). Sing carols. Each leaves with a "poke" containing an orange and stick of peppermint candy.

Goal: to learn about families, responsibilities of children, difference in household technologies.

On the museum’s grounds we have five stations. Slopping hogs, feeding chickens & gathering their eggs, walking the cow & churning butter, hoeing & planting in the garden and Washing with Mama (fire under old black iron pot, 3 wash tubs & scrub boards, clothes line, etc.) After an introduction about kids chores (which they had even if they worked in the mill), group is divided to do each chore. Two classes (up to 50) at a time. Kids leave with a coloring sheet depicting each chore.

Second Grade - "Neighbors Helping Neighbors"

Goal: to learn about families and the tradition of obligation to their neighbors

Two stations, swap. At our Fire Fighters Museum in the Museum yard (a 15x15 wood "hydrant house) filled with local fire fighting pictures like when the mill burned in 1908, fire-fighting gear and hoses, fire axes & wrenches from the mill, honor roll of all previous Cooleemee fire fighters. Kids learn how fire-fighting here is a volunteer endeavor, get to feel how heavy old equipment is and discuss why would someone risk their life to save another. Inside, hear elder tell story of the a winter fire in the 30s when a family of nine barely escaped their house at midnight with only their underclothes. By the next day at noon, the Sprys had more clothing, food, furniture and money than before the fire---all donated by their neighbors and co-workers. Kids go back to school with a plastic fire fighters hat.

Third Grade - "Cooleemee: A Great Old Place"

Goal: to learn about the social geography of the town (what was where and why) & basic map skills

Students come to the Museum for first full visit to learn basics of growing up in a mill village. There’s a giant map covering one whole wall. Learn main physical features---river, cotton mill, houses, old downtown square, churches. Two additional exhibits set up to divide group. One "Before Electricity" features household items, play, work tools. Upstairs another display features a real hand loom and students learn rudiments of how cloth was made. Leave with cotton boll, small sample of burlap.

On another day, museum staffer visits all 3rd grade classes, one at a time, for map lesson. Hands out colonial map of NC and asks kids to find Cooleemee--born in 1898 and can’t. They learn how to find this spot with physical features of map by going up Yadkin River, forking up the S. Yadkin River, and stopping before Bear Creek. An 1887 map is handed out but they’re no longer fooled. Then 1934 Cooleemee map. On yet another day, two classes at a time, kids take their 1934 map and go for a giant walking tour which lasts an hour, seeing all the things they’ve learned about. At each intersection they call and point out the four directions.

Goal: to learn about families, how the essentials of life were produced during 3 historic periods

Classes take place on the banks of the river. After a brief introduction which gives a simple explanation of what an "economy" is, students are divided into families of 5 each. They first visit the "Native American Economy," learn from guide about food, clothing, housing. They scrape a deer hide with a stone scraper and see genuine local Indian artifacts, food items. Move on to the "Backcountry Economy" where grist mill operator is their guide. Divided into "apple" and "peanut" families, then barter til all family members have some of each. Then, take corn cob to grist mill operator exchanged for small cloth sack of cornmeal tied with a string. Move on to "Mill Village Economy" Each student is given a pay envelope with their name on it containing play money. Learn from guide that many of them would have been at work in the mill at their age in 1902. Doffer boys get $2.20 for 66 hour week and girls get 55 cents. Girls get mad. Then, all students file by "Mama," giving her all their pay but a quarter which they then take to the "Company Store" buying a big pickle from a barrel, hoop cheese & crackers, stick candy. Lots of loot to take back to school.

Goal: How backcountry neighborhoods lived and why local men became patriots in the War for Independence.

Activity bus takes students 1 1/2 mile to woods. Disembark, walk through woods on a dirt road for about 1/4 mile. Told to keep quiet as there are patriot militiamen roaming the woods looking for British Gen. Cornwallis who just came through here. Shot rings out, costumed re-enactor jumps out of the woods, demanding to know whether "you be for the King or Liberty?" Gets their attention. Then group proceeds a little further to see display of pictures depicting Southern campaign in the Am. Revolution, and visit restored Pearson’s Graveyard where Captain of the local militia is buried along with family members. Take home a card with the "Liberty or Death" insignia from the old Rowan patriot militia.