For a short while, I worked at the Riley Farm as a living historian. This farm is owned by Jim Riley and is located in Oak Glen, which is in Yucaipa, CA. You can visit his website at http://www.rileysfarm.com/. There are many activities available at the farm from barbeques, to picking your own fruit in season, to historical reenactments, etc. For example, I took my parents to a fine Mother’s Day barbeque feast this past May, and I will be taking them again this month for a Father’s Day barbeque and activity.
As a living historian at the Riley Farm, I would dress up in a costume representing the mid-to-late 1700’s. I was then part of a Revolutionary War era program in which I had one of several stations where information was presented to school groups that come to the farm on field trips. For the Revolutionary War program, the school groups typically consist of fifth-graders who are learning about the Revolutionary War. There are also home school groups that come to the farm, as well as an occasional adult group. For example, we had a DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) group come one day. The DAR group participated in our daily Revolutionary War program, and then they had a luncheon specifically tailored to their group.
When the groups come to the farm for the Revolutionary War program, they are divided into what we call “Townships”. Each township is made up of no more than 35 students and has a name such as Lexington, Concord, or Norfolk. The townships also have their own flag, with someone selected from their group to be the flag-bearer; the flag is then carried with the township throughout the day.
As I mentioned, there are several stations where information is presented. As the townships rotate through the stations, they are lined up front-to-back so that each person is facing the back of the person in front of them (versus shoulder-to-shoulder). We also have the townships lined up in this formation whenever Jim Riley is presenting information to the entire group as a whole at the beginning of the day, the end of the day and at lunchtime.
There now. I believe the previous paragraphs should have enough pre-information for me to continue with this particular entry.
One of the stations that the kids rotate through is the “Well Regulated Militia”, in which the kids learn a few soldiering skills such as marching, turning commands, and musket handling. After teaching the turning commands: Left Face, Right Face and About Face, the instructors of the Well Regulated Militia often like to have fun with the flag-bearer. While the township is lined up front-to-back, with the flag-bearer in front of the line, the command is given to About Face. The students all remain in line and turn about, which puts the flag-bearer at the end of the line rather than at the front. This effectively labels the township as cowards, so the flag-bearer must quickly run to the front of the line. At this point, the instructor then repeatedly gives the same command to About Face, causing the flag-bearer to run back and forth up and down the line. If done corretly, this process is humorous and the flag-bearer does not become discouraged.
Jon Harmon is one of the redcoats during the Revolutionary War program and he will occasionally teach the Well Regulated Militia station. He learned a valuable lesson one day about which direction to have the township oriented when the command to About Face is repeatedly given. One of his townships was lined up north-south on the green (meaning the lawn) in front of the tavern while the About Face command was given. This particular green has a north-south slope, rising in elevation in a northerly direction away from the tavern.
So there’s Jon, standing authoritatively in his redcoat uniform and repeatedly giving the command to About Face. The students are standing in line, turning about, while the young female flag-bearer runs up and down the slope in an attempt to remain at the head of the line. At one point the students had been turned to face the tavern and so the flag-bearer had to run down the slope – but she tripped on the colonial dress she was wearing as a costume. Down to the ground she went head first, sliding down the slope on her belly with arms outstretched. If there had been a home-plate, she would have been safe; however in this particular moment she was just simply embarrassed. Jon was horrified!
As a living historian at the Riley Farm, I would dress up in a costume representing the mid-to-late 1700’s. I was then part of a Revolutionary War era program in which I had one of several stations where information was presented to school groups that come to the farm on field trips. For the Revolutionary War program, the school groups typically consist of fifth-graders who are learning about the Revolutionary War. There are also home school groups that come to the farm, as well as an occasional adult group. For example, we had a DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) group come one day. The DAR group participated in our daily Revolutionary War program, and then they had a luncheon specifically tailored to their group.
When the groups come to the farm for the Revolutionary War program, they are divided into what we call “Townships”. Each township is made up of no more than 35 students and has a name such as Lexington, Concord, or Norfolk. The townships also have their own flag, with someone selected from their group to be the flag-bearer; the flag is then carried with the township throughout the day.
As I mentioned, there are several stations where information is presented. As the townships rotate through the stations, they are lined up front-to-back so that each person is facing the back of the person in front of them (versus shoulder-to-shoulder). We also have the townships lined up in this formation whenever Jim Riley is presenting information to the entire group as a whole at the beginning of the day, the end of the day and at lunchtime.
There now. I believe the previous paragraphs should have enough pre-information for me to continue with this particular entry.
One of the stations that the kids rotate through is the “Well Regulated Militia”, in which the kids learn a few soldiering skills such as marching, turning commands, and musket handling. After teaching the turning commands: Left Face, Right Face and About Face, the instructors of the Well Regulated Militia often like to have fun with the flag-bearer. While the township is lined up front-to-back, with the flag-bearer in front of the line, the command is given to About Face. The students all remain in line and turn about, which puts the flag-bearer at the end of the line rather than at the front. This effectively labels the township as cowards, so the flag-bearer must quickly run to the front of the line. At this point, the instructor then repeatedly gives the same command to About Face, causing the flag-bearer to run back and forth up and down the line. If done corretly, this process is humorous and the flag-bearer does not become discouraged.
Jon Harmon is one of the redcoats during the Revolutionary War program and he will occasionally teach the Well Regulated Militia station. He learned a valuable lesson one day about which direction to have the township oriented when the command to About Face is repeatedly given. One of his townships was lined up north-south on the green (meaning the lawn) in front of the tavern while the About Face command was given. This particular green has a north-south slope, rising in elevation in a northerly direction away from the tavern.So there’s Jon, standing authoritatively in his redcoat uniform and repeatedly giving the command to About Face. The students are standing in line, turning about, while the young female flag-bearer runs up and down the slope in an attempt to remain at the head of the line. At one point the students had been turned to face the tavern and so the flag-bearer had to run down the slope – but she tripped on the colonial dress she was wearing as a costume. Down to the ground she went head first, sliding down the slope on her belly with arms outstretched. If there had been a home-plate, she would have been safe; however in this particular moment she was just simply embarrassed. Jon was horrified!
The young flag-bearer sat up and smiled as she brushed herself off. The rest of the class laughed at the incident, but I’m told that the laughter was with their classmate and not at her. Jon immediately ran to the girl to see if she was alright and fortunately she was. Apparently the girl took it all in stride as a good sport would. When this township finished with the Well Regulated Militia training, their next rotation brought them to me and my Vice-Admiralty Court. I had no idea what had just happened to the flag-bearer of this township and was therefore clueless when Jon approached the girl during my presentation with a large cup of hot cocoa. All I knew was that on this cold, overcast and blustery day, the girl really appreciated the cocoa.
3 comments:
Oh that poor girl! But, other than her, that is a funny trick.
Looking at that picture of you reminds me that I need to scan the other one you sent home with me. I'll do that tonight. Sorry.
Thanks for updating your blog!!! I love your narratives!
That was really cute.
I want some cocoa.
Great picture of you! I'm glad you updated your blog. I love to hear your stories from your unique perspective.
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