June 2nd was a very special day on the shores of the Salmon Falls River in South Berwick. All around the beautiful and historic grounds of the Hamilton House, you would find students dressed in period attire and hikers in light blue t-shirts, for Central School’s 28th Annual Hike Through History. The children were transported back in time as they learned what childhood was like “back in the day!” They worked as servants at the Hamilton House hanging laundry and polishing silver, as weavers in the mill and took care of the sheep and harvested apples on the farm. They had fun at “Katy’s birthday party and loved playing “old fashioned” games in the field. The children visited Quamphegan Park, a popular amusement park in the early 1900’s, where they “rode the trolley” and played penny arcade games. In the garden students dressed for family portraits and learned about photography before cell phones and digital cameras. At the shipbuilding site, they learned how to tie knots, a skill needed for shipbuilding,, and floated paper gundalows. Students had fun learning about the history of New England Folk Dancing as they circled up and danced to live fiddle music. Following the hike, Miss Kim and members of our town offices provided a hot dog lunch.
Marshwood Middle School’s 7th and 8th graders, along with Central and Eliot Elementary School’s 3rd-grade students and teachers, worked in collaboration with the Old Berwick Historical Society to create a hands-on, engaging learning experience for all. MMS 8th graders brought the Hike Through History to Central School and created a memorable and engaging experience for our youngest students.
Many many thanks to Superintendent John Caverly, Principal Nina D’Aran, Hike coordinator Pam Mulcahey, Nicole St. Pierre, Tracy LaPoint, Erin Johnson, Rachel Moore, Kim Clementi, Todd Huges, our local town officials, and SB police department for supporting and valuing this one-of-a-kind community event. Thank you to our amazing and dedicated 3rd and 7th-grade teachers and our specialists! Thank you to our smart, responsible, and creative 7th and 3rd-grade students! You made this day extra special and we are proud of you!
*The Hike Through History’s mission is to connect children with their sense of place and help them become aware of the changes that happen over time.
