Over two hundred students explored the past at the History Day held in Nunda on Wednesday November 8^th. Sponsored by the Nunda Historical Society, the new event filled the Society’s grounds with the sights and sounds of history.
The event had been planned by Society members and a committee of teachers from Keshequa Central School.

In addition to the Society’s Museum and Art Gallery, several area craftspeople, historians, and folk artists
The day long event started in the morning when 8^th graders from the Keshequa Middle/High school arrived to visit each of the five stations the Society members had prepared. They were soon followed by Third and Fourth Graders from the Dalton Elementary School led by teachers Mrs Sue Long, Mrs Jennifer Amrheim, and Mrs Stacie Nageldinger.

The sounds of history echoed throughout the Museum and grounds of the Nunda Historical Society on November 8^th. The whirl of the spinning wheel, the ring of the banjo, the clang of old tools and the crisp shouts of military commands were all part of Nunda’s first “History Day”.
History Day was organized by the Nunda Historical Society with the cooperation of teachers from Keshequa Central School. The day long event included presenters, museum tours and scavenger hunts, a Civil War cemetery walk, and a special evening presentation.
The morning and afternoon programs feature local folk artists, craftsmen, and reenactors. Members of Cushing Battery A, 4^th US Light Artillery recreated a Civil War era camp near the Museum building. Dressed in period uniforms and costumes, the soldiers and their wives talked about life during the Civil War. Nearby West Sparta Town Historian Dave Palmer and his wife played “whats it” guessing game with the students using colonial and 19^th century tools.
Inside the Nunda Museum students participated in several activities. Missy Clark of Barkertown Sutlers in Mt Morris had the students clean cotton which she then spun for them on her spinning wheel. Nearby in the Rose Shave Gallery folk artist Sue Hengelsberg led the students in Civil War era songs on the banjo, guitar, and hammered dulcimer. Students also took part in a museum scavenger hunt created by their teachers.
Over two hundred Keshequa students from the 3^rd, 4^th, 7^th, and 8^th grades took part in the historical activities. The event was also open to the general public and several visitors took part in the “Find Your House” activity using maps from 1858, 1872 and 1902 Nunda area maps.
Later in the afternoon the activities continued with a walking tour of nearby Oakwood Cemetery. The group visited the graves of Civil War soldiers, heard their stories, and laid flowers on their stones. The tour ended at the Civil War monument known as “Soldier’s Rest” where taps were placed by David Pattridge, Chief Bugler of Cushings battery.
Mr. Pattridge and other members of the unit, including…