Kirby Smith Field Trip

On Tuesday, we journeyed back in time 112 years ago to the one room school house of Schoolmarm Smith. Schoolmarm Smith taught us to sit up straight in our desks and to write with quills and ink. So, really we just traveled by bus to the History Room at the Kirby Smith center. The History Room is a 112-year-old classroom, with some slight modifications (like lights with lightbulbs instead of lanterns with candles). After learning about being a student at the turn of the century, the class acted as detectives in the hall to do some sleuthing for clues. The bulletin boards in the hallway are full of photographs and information about Gainesville in the late 1800s and early 1900s. We had a great time.

Comment with your answers to the following:
1. What was your favorite part of the trip?
2. What was different about life 112 years ago?
3. What was similar about life 112 years ago?

Field Trip to the Kirby Smith Center

On Monday the Lipsky Team traveled back in time 100 years to experience life as a student in Gainesville in 1911. Our time machine is out for repairs, so instead we rode in a school bus to the Kirby Smith Center.

The Kirby Smith Center was originally built in 1900 as a public graded (elementary) and high school. It served as a school for 80 years and then became the School Board of Alachua County headquarters. It retains an original classroom from those early days for students to discover what life was like back in those days.

While back in time the girls got to wear pinafores, and the boys wore suspenders and collars. We went by old-fashion names such as, Hiram, Ezra, Amos, Ruth, and Grace. We read from a "Level 3 Reader" that was published in 1897. We practiced writing our new names in script on slate with chalk. Our school marm, Mrs. Smith, taught us about life in the early 1900s. And then students were split into groups to act as detectives and discover information about life in Gainesville over 100 years ago.

We had a great time! What was your favorite part?

Field Trip to the Thomas Center

On Thursday, we visited the Historic Thomas Center to learn more about the history of Gainesville. Construction began on the Thomas Center in 1906 and was completed in 1910. It was named "Sunkist Villa" and Major Thomas and his family moved in on February 9, 1910. On that day the youngest of the five Thomas children, Margaret, was born.

The Thomas family made Sunkist Villa their home for 15 years. The large estate had 21 rooms and 12 fireplaces all made from terra cotta. We saw five of the fireplaces while we were there. In the 1920s Major Thomas decided to convert the home into a hotel. They added on another building, creating 94 guest rooms, three dining rooms, and four lounges for guests to enjoy.

The Thomas family sold the property in 1968, and its new owners leased it to Santa Fe Community College for seven years. The city of Gainesville purchased it in 1974 and it now houses art galleries, and government offices.

When we toured the Thomas Center the docent told us the stories that Margaret Thomas had told her about growing up there. We saw an example of a 1920s living room, and got to hear a record play on a phonograph. We saw a replica, or a copy, of Major Thomas's bedroom. We had to be careful walking around the Thomas Center because it had many antiques, such as an old telephone, typewriter, camera, binoculars, and piano.

Due to stormy weather we didn't get to go on a walking tour of the surrounding neighborhood, however the weather didn't rain on our parade. We walked around the art galleries inside. And the boys got to try on collars, bow ties, and arm bands, and the girls enjoyed fanning themselves, wearing necklaces, and clutching hand bags.

After reading about our field trip comment with your answers to the following questions:

(Remember to go back and reread parts of the story to search for answers.)

1. What was the original name of the Thomas Center?

2. When was Margaret Thomas born?

3. How did the Thomas home change when it became a hotel?

4. What happened AFTER the Thomas Center was a hotel, but BEFORE it became a building with art galleries and government offices?

5. Why did we have to be careful while walking around the Thomas Center?

6. Read this sentence from the passage, "Due to stormy weather we didn't get to go on a walking tour of the surrounding neighborhood, however the weather didn't rain on our parade." What does rain on our parade mean?