White Sulphur Springs Ranch
Living History School Days

2018
Posted 9-25-18       Photos by Linda Cooley

Third grade students from C. Roy Carmichael stepped back in time again by attending the 5th annual “School Days at White Sulphur Springs Ranch” field trip. Mohawk Valley Stewardship Council (MVSC) volunteers showed what it was like at the Ranch in 1858 when it was a stage coach stop on the way to Quincy.  Teachers Alex Cone and Tenaya Kooynan used the trip as an opportunity to inject a little local flavor into their California history curriculum for the 44 - 3rd graders in attendance.  The MVSC hosted the field trip as a part of its community outreach effort.  The day was organized by Karen Fraser and assisted by a dozen volunteers manning six stations where hands on demonstrations were conducted.

A highlight of the day was a lunchtime music fest led by Ranger Pat O’Reilly who played the guitar and was accompanied by kids banging on washboards, string bases and other improvised instruments.

All in all it was a great day for the kids and for the MVSC volunteers who were delighted to experience the energy and enthusiasm of the C. Roy Carmichael 3rd graders.

2016
Posted 9-25-16       Photos by Linda Cooley

OUR LARGEST CLASS OF 3rd. GRADERS EVER with 58 students attending this years White Sulphur Springs Ranch "Living History School Days program", on September 15th.  

2015
Posted 10-6-15    Article by John Lulo    Photos by Linda Cooley

KIDS LEARN ABOUT LOCAL HISTORY... White Sulphur Springs Ranch hosted its fourth annual Living History School Days on Friday, September 18.  It was a busy day of great fun and learning for the 3rd grade classes at C. Roy Carmichael Elementary School. A series of six stations run by White Sulphur Springs Ranch volunteers gave the children a look at life on the Ranch in 1858 when it was a stagecoach stop. Prior to the settlers, only Native Americans gathered here and some of the activities dealt with how they did things.  The day included bits of local California history to fit the curriculum for teachers Tenaya Kooyman and Kim Williamson.

White Sulphur Springs Ranch hosted the field trip as part of its community outreach.  Janice Cross, retired 3rd grade teacher from C. Roy Carmichael, organized the event.  The 55 kids rotated in groups around six stations manned by teaching volunteers. Bill and Sally Tantau showed kids the old fashioned way to haul water and wash clothes.  Annie Fischer demonstrated kids playtime back then by using marbles and she helped the kids craft dolls from scraps of fabric.  Patrick O’Reilly, a ranger at Plumas Eureka State Park, taught the kids how to play music with washtubs, wash boards and other everyday items.  Janice Cross showed how Native Americans, who gathered in the Valley, used plants, animals and stone tools for all their needs.  She pointed out the grinding holes where they worked.  Janet and Leo Reihsen, with several helpers, helped the kids to construct miniature fruit boxes, complete with labels, to illustrate the activities of the old fruit exchange in Graeagle.  The final station was manned by John Work, a volunteer at Plumas Eureka State Park, who demonstrated how a blacksmith made metal items for the horses and wagons that stopped at the Ranch in its early history.
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At the end of the day, the kids took home the items they had made along with a lot of enthusiasm about what they learned.  New this year, thanks to an idea by volunteer Tim Buckhout, each student received a certificate awarding them a calendar year membership in the Mohawk Valley Stewardship Council with the title of “Ranch Apprentice”.  Beginning in October, each student will receive the first part of a three part series on the history of the Ranch. The series will tell about contributions White Sulphur Springs Ranch has made to Plumas County and California history.

2014
Posted 10-19-14         Article by John Lulo    Photos by Linda Cooley

A Step Back in Time... 2014 marks the third annual White Sulphur Springs Ranch Annual School Days where 47 3rd grade students from C.R. Carmichael Elementary School in Portola participated in a "Living History" of life on the Ranch in the 1850's.  Program Coordinator Janice Cross, a retired 3rd grade teacher from C.R. Carmichael School organized the day.  Upon their arrival students were taken into the historic ranch house for a brief history lesson on life in 1858.  From there they participated in six living history activities which included, blacksmithing, laundry, indian lore, making fruit boxes, leather crafting and play time where students played games, played musical instruments they made and worked on crafts like kids did in 1858.  The day was fun for everyone and a great learning experience for the kids.

Many thanks to Janice Cross for organizing the day and to Bill and Sally Tantau, Leo and Janet Reihsen, Dave and Dink Rife, Kathy Hall, Dennis Black, Annie Fischer, Patrick O'Reilly and others for operating their living history activities.  A special thanks goes to 3rd grade teachers Katie Dollard and Tenaya Kooyman and their students for all the hard work they did to prepare for this important day.

2013

2012

School Days "Outdoor Ed" - Portola Reporter 9/26/2012 (in pdf)
Member comments and photos from School Days (in pdf)
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