History's Importance in Life and Learning

When I was a student I loved going on field trips. Cram me on a bus with my friends and let me escape the confines of my desk for a new and exciting place. I’ll be honest, I’ve heard my share of “be quiet,” “settle down,” “don’t touch that,” and “do you want to go back to the bus/do I need to call your mother?” Let’s face it, field trips have the potential to be very hard for teachers to facilitate and maintain. And what’s the payoff? Time away from school, a few less lesson plans to create? What do the students learn, or maybe more importantly, what do the students remember?

In my experience field trips can bridge the gap of learning something to remembering it. I think it is essential that students get to experience history physically; to smell the smells, feel the grits, taste the flavor of life that was before. This is crucial for bridging the gap between learning and awareness to understanding and remembering.

At a historic fur post I experienced economics, math, physics, and science in a way that I remember and appreciate those concepts when observing small businesses and fabricators. Through participation in Ranger demonstrations I learned to appreciate the simplicity of heating a home, buying clothes and food, travel and communication. I’ve seen how cultures have achieved great things when they work together and I’ve seen how horrible things can get when they don’t.

I don’t know if my teachers will ever know just how much those trips enhanced their lessons or the lifelong impact and memories I have from them. All the smells and tastes, things to touch and manipulate, the original weapons, tools and documents, the many things I saw in a book that was now physically right in front of me helped take my education

from just reading and learning to remembering and understanding. To take any part of a school subject and make it tangible, relatable, something a person can possess should be considered a high form of intellect and an example of one’s dedication to passing on education.

Today I have a hobby. I’m called a Living Historian. I study early parts of American History and tell that story by dressing, eating, talking, and living like people of that era: miner, teacher, hunter, musician, mountain man, trapper, or even snake oil salesman. Depending on where you see me, I may have a rifle, guitar, buffalo robes, early school books, or even a blackpowder rifle. My clothes, mostly homemade in the period fashion, may have patches, smell of the campfire or blackpowder, and may have faded from all the time out in the sun. I generally sleep in a canvas tent in wool blankets and buffalo robes and eat from tin cups and plates. I do all these things to keep my character as close to “real” as the day they were alive. When I communicate with the public I do my best to stay in first person character, unless the need arises for me to address or clarify something. Living historians strive to give you the best and most authentic glimpse of a time long past; wet/dry, dirty/clean, smooth/rough, clear/smokey. Only when you are able to activate all five senses can you truly get past book learning and have an experience to remember. We enjoy your participation and encourage questions. It is a pleasure and an honor to preserve Early American History and pass it on.

So much of the world today is digital: work, school, even relationships. And though our digital world is very necessary, I think we are in danger of losing some of our “reals.” I like to help preserve those “reals” and pass them on; it would be a tragedy if our history was forgotten.

Why am I a Living Historian? I suppose the fastest answer is fulfillment and enjoyment. I love research and making things. I love doing this with my family and friends. I love the look on the face of a person, no matter their age, when they have learned or enjoyed something I’ve shown them. I get to preserve and pass on American History in as real of a way as anyone can; and that is a real honor.