Exercising My Teacher Chops

Since she is taking her students on a field trip to The Feast of the Hunters' Moon, Teacher Daughter Lisa invited me into her classroom to teach about 18th century history before they went. Yesterday was the day.

(Never put your pocket hoops on before driving your car. Trust me on that.)

Since Fort Ouiatenon was established by the French, I began by introducing myself in French and teaching them a few phrases.

I'd brought some things I'd made so that the kids could experience some of the clothing from the 18th century.

The kids loved seeing the pocket hoops ("panniers" in French) and thought it was hilarious when I shared that a lot of 21st century women who wear them hide Hershey Bars in them. (Guilty!)

They discovered why so many women's clothes had pleats in them when a girl tried on this bedgown over the pocket hoops. (Despite the name, bedgowns were never worn to bed but were considered day-wear.)

Pocket hoops cause many a "I can't put my arms down!" moment and so women often clasped their hands in front of them rather than go about looking like a penguin ...

... or like Randy in A Christmas Story.

The principal popped in to watch and was a very good sport when I asked him to try on the voyageur's shirt I'd brought with me.

Lisa got to demonstrate, too. This is the bum roll that women also wore under their petticoats. 

We had a good discussion as to why 18th century ladies wanted to appear bigger than they were through the use of pocket hoops and bum rolls.

When I retired, I gave Lisa all the artifacts I'd used in my classroom and she had them out on the table for the kids to see. 

It was fun to step back and watch her teach - she even played a song on the fife for them. The kids will hear Hell on the Wabash played by the various fife and drum corps that will be in attendance.

This song connects me deeply to not only The Feast, but to the river as well. And how on earth do those fifers play that piece while marching? Talk about nimble fingers!

My chatelaine with a needle case, pill box, mirror, locket, and perfume ball. I wear this on the waistband of my petticoat. (I love that it jingles when I walk.)

Lisa's students were so well behaved and so interested in everything that we spent the entire morning learning together. I went home happy to have spent time with kids who loved learning and (even better) my daughter and having an opportunity to teach with her.

I didn't get home until lunchtime but it was definitely time well spent.