A day of historic proportions
By KALEY LYON
Ellis County Historical Society's A.A. Reisig Park was transformed for an afternoon of good old-fashioned fun Wednesday to commemorate Pioneer Day.
At one end of the park, children of all ages lined up to pet horses, goats, dogs, rabbits and birds.
Across the yard, however, the children were the animals. To the tune of a simple country sing-along, kids slithered like snakes and crawled like turtles as "Old McDonald" was played on an acoustic guitar.
"We were acting like animals, and I thought it was really cool," said Michaela Dreher, a second-grader at Holy Family Elementary School.
"I thought it was funny," chimed in Karee Dinkel, also a second-grader.
Dinkel said she's sang "Old McDonald" many times before, but never quite the way she sang it yesterday.
About 10 booths and demonstrations were set up for the day's festivities, including butter churning, doing laundry on a metal washboard and playing with old-fashioned wooden toys.
The historical society has hosted the annual celebration the last seven years, hoping to give children the chance to experience history in a new way, said co-director Sharon Behrman.
"It's a fun thing," she said. "It just gives them an idea of what maybe their ancestors went through in the 1800s."
The event lasted from 9:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m., attracting students from Hays and the surrounding area. More than 700 students were expected to attend, Behrman said.
Theresa Flax, a second-grade teacher at Holy Family Elementary, just finished reading Little House on the Prairie with her students, and said the day's activities were a perfect fit with the curriculum.
"We've been studying pioneers, and a lot of the activities remind them of the book," Flax said. "They recognize some of the terms."
There was a steady flow of students to the park's back corner, where Patricia Duffey, La Crosse, was volunteering to show the children her horses, Roman and Sugar.
Sugar, a miniature pony, seemed to enjoy the attention. At least five small hands constantly stroked her muzzle. She even showed off her tricks for the audience of youngsters, shaking hands (and hooves), and stomping the ground six times to signify her age.
"My favorite part was when I got to pet Sugar," said Miles Armbrister, a kindergarten student at Stockton Elementary School.
While some students had little experience with horses, others were more comfortable with the horse grooming and tack cleaning.
"I'm a horse fan, so I know a lot about horses," said Lakin Eckroat, a fourth-grader at Lincoln Elementary School.
Eckroat also was eager to share her experience with her fellow classmates. When Duffey asked what kind of horse Roman is, Eckroaot didn't have to think for long.
"I know! I know!" she exclaimed, waving her arm. "He's an Appaloosa."
Duffey, one of about 40 volunteers for the day's events, long has been volunteering her time -- and her horses -- for pioneer day activities.
"I love coming out here and working with the children," Duffey said. "It's a great way to share my passion."
