Stories for schoolkids
By Victoria Hughes
The Vermont Historical Society is committed to providing high-quality Vermont history content and resources to K-12 students, teachers, and parents. One of the ways we do this is through our award-winning Vermont History Explorer website (vermonthistoryexplorer.org), geared specifically toward elementary-aged students.
VHS staff are continually adding new content, activities, and resources to the website. We are currently prioritizing additions as part of a project called Vermont’s Past for Vermont’s Future: Recovery through Stories of Resilience, Diversity, and Community. This work is supported by an award from the American Rescue Plan Grants Program of the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
One of the new stories, under the category “Weather Stories,” discusses the impact of Tropical Storm Irene on Vermont’s landscape and people. Many adults clearly remember this historic storm in August 2011, but most children in elementary school were not yet born. Although the aftermath of the storm is history to these students, their young lives have been greatly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. We hope these students find inspiration in Tropical Storm Irene’s stories of resiliency and take comfort in learning how communities worked together to help each other out and recover after the devastating storm.
Other new content helps students learn about the lives of Black Vermonters in history. One article challenges students to consider, “How should Alexander Twilight be remembered?” Young historians can learn about Alexander Twilight, a remarkable educator at the Orleans County Grammar School in Brownington, now the Old Stone House Museum. Twilight is also famous for being the first Black man to graduate from college in the United States. He is also remembered as the first Black man to serve in the Vermont legislature. But his racial identity is ambiguous and his story is complex. Our goal is to provide age-appropriate and engaging content so all students can see themselves in Vermont history. We also appreciate the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues across the state, including William Hart at Middlebury College, Molly Veysey at The Old Stone House Museum and Historic Village, and David Schutz at the Vermont State House.
Another new section on the website addresses the theme of community history by focusing on ways dairy farming has changed over time. Students can read diary entries from Porter Perrin, a teenager who worked on a farm in 1874. Quotes from the diary of Luvia McLaren, written in 1911, provide another perspective about farm work. And “learn more” links to contemporary materials, including The Most Costly Journey, help students learn about the experience of immigrant farm workers today. Work on these articles has also helped build community on an institutional level, through a joint educator workshop with colleagues at Vermont Folklife and Shelburne Farms.
As we uncover and evaluate more stories about Vermont’s rich past, we will continue to distill these stories in age-appropriate materials for Vermont’s schoolchildren. Visit the Vermont History Explorer website to read the articles mentioned and explore other activities and primary sources. Check back often for more resources coming soon!
Support for the new additions was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services ARPML-250487-OMLS-22. The views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this website do not necessarily represent those of the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Also supported in part by the Vermont Humanities.
This article originally appeared in the Spring 2023 issue of our member magazine, History Connections. To get it and support the Vermont Historical Society, sign up as a member.
