TOUR SCHEDULE (HOME PAGE) THE PRESENTERS SLIDE LECTURES, SCHOLARLY PAPERS, FAMILY HISTORY TOURS CLASSROOM VISITS

IN-HOUSE CLASSROOM VISITS AND PROGRAMS

Mistress Elizabeth will happily appear before your class or small schoolhouse.

She will instruct them

in the proper use

and handling

of a quill pen

and sealing wax;

showing by example

how children

may best learn

to read and write.

She favors hornbooks,

primers and the

recitation of

“a-b — ab”

syllables

over other,

less efficacious

methods for

teaching children to read.

ab eb ib ob ub

ac ec ic oc uc

ad ed id od ud

ba be bi bo bu

ca ce ci co cu

da de di do du

She may require her charges

to answer for themselves

as to their conduct at home:

their diligence

in working their samplers

and assisting with chores…

… and whether they can

lay a proper woodpile,

milk the cow,

and gather the eggs

without breaking any.

She may also be induced

to bring her butter churn,

to start them on a round of churning

and to make a journeycake

with cornmeal and spices

(best eaten with fresh butter)

During her visits, she may also oversee

a candle-making enterprise

(out-of-doors, in spring of fall)

and students may learn

to card wool

and spin it,

for knitting

or tatting.

(mitts, useful for the cold,

are easiest to make)

But it is not only practical work

that young persons ought to learn.

Mistress Elizabeth will encourage them in singing line by line,

using approved

techniques of solmization…

…and in comparing

the Englished psalters:

The Pilgrim’s Ainsworth Psalter,

Sternhold and Hopkins’ “Old Version,”

The (1640) Bay Psalme Booke,

and Tate and Brady’s “New Version”

for felicity of expression

and comprehensibility

(these being much debated at present)

Willing charges may also attempt to sing a few (unobjectionable) sailing and drinking songs, such as “New England Bravery” (to the tune of Chevy Chase) and “Liberty Song,” (set to the tune “Heart of Oak.”)

They

may

also

learn

to dance

Country Dances,

and,

perhaps,

a menuet.

Or perhaps they will wish to

walk to a nearby burying ground,

to discuss the folk buried there,

the designs and patterns

upon the stones,

and the events taking place

whilst they were made.

Donna La Rue will discuss these things in the third person, conducting the activities listed above, with follow-through on later historical developments about which Mistress Elizabeth, who abides in 1773, would not be aware.

She offers slide lectures to classes, teachers or both, and will give both advance and follow-up training to class assistants before and after a visit.

She convenes all assisting teachers and parents in an onsite hands-on meeting if a group consists of more than 15 children. (But, please note: She does not visit a class at a site after Mistress Elizabeth has been there, that being too confusing for the children and a breach of independence of the two individuals.)

For safety and for monitoring purposes, class assistance by the regular teacher (to be present at all times) and by additional adults at the rate of one for every 6 children over the base number of 12 in a class will be necessary. All will be instructed in advance by mail of the expectations for their help with activities and projects. Hence, for a class of 15, the teacher and one parent are needed, for 20, a teacher and two parents, etc.)

The training given assisting parents and teachers will assure that they will be able to help with class projects economically and effectively, making it possible for all to enjoy the event without undue waiting for assistance with a part of their project. For this reason, they must attend scheduled training sessions before the event itself.

For multi-day or week-long visits, continuity of assistance is helpful; each assistant ought to help for at least two days running if at all possible to economize on time, energy and training efforts (also highly enjoyable and informative!). This can be negotiated when visit arrangements are made.