By Laurie Lindsay

Butler Eagle Staff Writer

CLAY TWP — Ask a sixth-grader at Dassa McKinney Elementary School how a Civil War soldier loaded his rifle and she can show you. Ask another why a soldier’s hat and coat were a particular style, and he can tell you.

Ask how four soldiers slept in a tiny tent and four students will tuck themselves in a snug row, alternating heads to feet.

It’s part of what students learned during Civil War Days and during the school’s 30th annual trip to Gettysburg.

The late Jim Wetzel and David Straite started the tradition in 1986 when Straite was a sixth-grade teacher. Now retired, he is a re-enactor with the 10th Pennsylvania Volunteer Reserve Corps, Company G.

“Jim Wetzel was the principal here for 25 years,” he said. “He lit a fire in me about history.”

“He was an incredible historian,” said Kim Olar, Moniteau High School staff member and also a re-enactor. Olar said this year’s trip was in honor of Wetzel who died in March.

Sixth-grade English teacher Mindy Bish has participated 12 years.This was the third time for sixth-grade teacher Amy Speigel.

They said Civil War lessons were spread out over five days before the two-day trip. On the first day, Straite was back in the classroom to set the scene using a three-dimensional map of Gettysburg.

“Mr. Straite is beyond knowledgeable and he’s great with the kids,” Speigel said. “They really respond to him.”

“Each day of the battle is broken into a day at school,” Spiegel said.

The culminating activity May 11 was outdoors where groups of students interacted with four re-enactors.

Straite, in front of a small tent, described the daily life of soldiers while students modeled coats, bags for carrying gear and hats.

At another tent, re-enactor and parent volunteer Judy Novack shared details about mail during the war.

She explained what families sent to the soldiers, described how food was wrapped in beeswax-soaked linen and, at a traveling writing desk, she showed paper, steel nibs and ink powder.

Next to camera equipment, Heidi Wirtner, an art teacher at Dassa McKinney, demonstrated photography of the times.

Meanwhile, Olar drilled students on marching and weapons.

On May 12, 86 students, along with 40 volunteer chaperones, three Civil War re-enactors, five sixth- grade teachers, the school nurse and the school’s assistant principal gathered at dawn to advance on Gettysburg by bus.

Once there, students became teachers for each other.

Dressed in clothes of the period, they gave brief speeches about monuments and historic figures. For example, they talked about Jennie Wade who was the only civilian killed during the battle.

In the cemetery, one of the topics was a honey locust “witness tree” that was alive during the battle and still stands today. There were recitals of the Gettysburg address.

“The kids take ownership,” Bish said.

“They are proud to do it,” Spiegel said.

At the Pennsylvania Monument, the largest on the battlefield, students made rubbings of names of Butler County soldiers.

Thanks to research papers completed in Bish’s English classes, students also knew about medical care, musical instruments, General Robert E. Lee, child soldiers, Maj. Gen. George Meade’s horse Old Baldy, African Americans, spies and many other relevant topics.

“I wanted them to be able to research what interested them,” Bish said.

Sixth-grade social studies teacher Ross Martin said the trip is an extension of the classroom.

“Routinely the tour guides comment to our group that they are the best behaved and have a great knowledge base as compared to others,” Martin said. “The tour guides are able to dig a little deeper into what they know instead of just giving the baseline.”

Marching and practice loading pretend wooden rifles back at Dassa McKinney prepared students to re-enact Pickett’s Charge on the Gettysburg battlefield.

Martin said Confederate Gen. George Pickett led the charge across open fields and into the center of the Union army.

“The Confederates were about a mile away when the charge started,” Martin said. “When we did it we were roughly 100 feet apart.”

Groups of students — each with a drummer and flag bearer — portrayed Confederate and Union soldiers.

“The students formed their battle lines,” Martin said. “The students took stray bullets and fell just as the Confederate soldiers and Union soldiers (did).”

Altogether, 12,500 Confederate soldiers participated in the real attack. Fifty percent of them became casualties that last day of the Battle of Gettysburg when the Union troops prevailed.

Student Alexis Hawk said, “I thought re-enacting Pickett’s Charge was pretty fun because it felt like you were there.”

Student Cody Rider said, “My favorite part was learning about the Louisiana Tigers from Mr. Olar on Cemetery Hill. He was dressed in a special uniform. Then we were surprised by four kids who charged Mr. Straite.”

The benefit to students?

Martin said, “They gain a greater appreciation for some of the events throughout history that shape us into what we are today.”

Assistant Principal Nicole Fox hopes students will look at the American flag and respectfully remember people who sacrificed for the country.

At a monument that honors a group of Western Pennsylvania soldiers, the Dassa McKinney group remembered Wetzel with a wreath-laying ceremony. The re-enactors talked about what Wetzel meant to them and prepared a video for his family.

“They all talked about how he inspired their love of the Civil War and reenacting,” said Fox. “It was good for the students to see just how much a school leader impacted the lives of employees.”