Local historian wows Sanfordville students with collection of artifacts

On Tuesday, the Sanfordville Library became something of a satellite location for Museum Village, as students got to experience an up-close, show-and-tell style history lesson with local historian Sheldon Stowe!

Mr. Stowe was visiting from Museum Village in Monroe, which provides educational programs, hands-on-exhibits and special events... dedicated to exploring and interpreting 19th-century rural life as well as inspiring an appreciation for the evolution of industry and technology in America. _{(https://museumvillage.org/)}

Mr. Stowe brought with him more than 1000 artifacts -- many small, some quite large -- for his presentation about what Colonial and Revolutionary Wartime life looked like in New York. As something of a performative docent, Mr. Stowe delivers his talks wearing some pieces of period-correct clothing, and his collection of artifacts serves to both illustrate and illuminate the information he shares. By seeing a tangible example of an item (illustration), a tool for example, students are better able to grasp the broader concept behind that item (illumination). 

"All of our fourth grade students study American history topics, including the explorers, Native Americans, colonial life, the Revolutionary War, and immigration into New York," shared Sanfordville PIE 3/4 teacher Veronica DeGuisto. "This kind of event builds student excitement and creates valuable anchoring experiences and knowledge they will have as they do their own research."

Which artifacts ranked among the most intriguing of Mr. Stowe's traveling exhibit?

His selection of tools fashioned from stone and wood raised many questions. Of course, arrowheads always seem to be crowd favorites that draw a lot of interest. However, it was his Native American corn husk mask that got the most wide-eyed responses. Often associated with the Iroquois Confederacy, the masks are also known as Husk Faces and Bushy Heads. It was interesting to learn that these masks were often worn ceremonially, representing agricultural spirits -- a nice parallel to Warwick's own deep agricultural roots. 

"Students learn new information better when they have existing experiences or knowledge to relate it to," Ms. DeGuisto said. 

Thank you, Mr. Stowe and Museum Village, for taking us all on a walk back through history today. We look forward to the next time we get to look back in time with you again!