The large wheel that is used to grind the corn kernels can be a little difficult to use. Students also get to use the ground corn catch bucket to pour the grindings into a storage bucket. (Photos by Virginia Ekstrand)

In the one room schoolhouse, teachers sometimes spent a lot of time in front of the classes keeping each on task. Iowa’s original law was that there was to be a school within 2 miles of every child.

Three classes of second-graders walked from Clark Elementary up to the Dover Museum. Each class came at a different time of day. The class when it arrived was divided into three groups.

One group went to the Depot, another went upstairs to the One Room Classroom and the third went to the main room for Hands On activities from the past. The groups then rotated so that every student got to do every activity.

I brought the groups in and out and also covered the agent’s office.

Ken Vandevoort met his group at the museum and led them to the depot where Marvin Klos and Dustin Bachtell were waiting.

On the way, Ken pointed out the outside display and showed them where they could read about everything on display. When explaining the mural, he told them it was a picture of a real engine.

It was built here in Southeast Iowa close to New London. It was built in the West Burlington Shops in Burlington. (Yes, the West Burlington Shops are not in West Burlington.) The weather was cold so he quickly led the students inside.

Ken asked the students if they knew what a railroad engineer was. One youngster did because his father was one. The engineer question was asked because there are a couple of internet groups that track problems on railroad property involving the general public or derailments.

Media across the country seems to think the conductor runs the train. Ken wanted to make sure that 57 New London second-graders were going to be smarter than the national media. He has contacted many newspapers and TV stations with the misinformation and requested an explanation of their terminology. None have responded.

Ken then introduced Dustin, a real BNSF engineer. This is Dustin’s first year presenting to our second grade and they enjoyed meeting a real railroad person. He lives in New London and his train comes through New London every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday with a train from Burlington to Mt. Pleasant and back.

Dustin presented the Operation Lifesaver program in the waiting room. Each child was presented with a Sly Fox and Birdie coloring book and a box of marked BNSF colored pencils. As a trained presenter of the Operation Lifesaver program, Dustin went through the book with the children and asked them safety questions.

The answers from the students were GREAT! Our New London kids have more safety smarts than many of the adults around our railroad tracks. Dustin asked the children to share their information with everyone at home.

After the presentation, the group was divided in half. Half went with Marvin and Dustin to the baggage/freight room and the other half with Ken to the agent’s office. Of course the groups switched so all experienced everything.

In the agent’s office, kids were introduced to the telegraph. It was a bit mind boggling to comprehend this method of communication as being “fast” and to think about how things were done before the telephone.

However all were fascinated by dots and dashes and the sound of the instrument. Each child was given a sheet of Morse code letters and the got to hear their first name on the telegraph key. They were also shown how messages could be given to moving trains that didn’t stop at the depots.

Marvin showed many of the tools that were used to work on the train tracks, cars and engines. Dustin assisted Marvin but mentioned that he learned a lot himself from Marvin that. Day.

Dustin also got a chance to present the material as well. One of the favorite items to present is how a coupler works and of course Marvin has immense knowledge of each and every item in the back room. Marvin and Dustin really enjoyed visiting with each other and all the changes that have happened in the years since Marvin started at BNSF in the 50s. Dustin took a day off work but says he plans to join Dover Depot again next year.

Darlene Lutes and Jane Simmons greeted students in the One Room Schoolhouse. Students got to experience what it would be like to have every class K-8 in the same classroom.

Everyone was amazed and asked excellent questions. It was hard for them to believe that if you didn’t pass second grade, you came back next year and started in the same book with the same material all over again.

In the main room of Dover, a number of activities were manned by volunteers. These activities have evolved a bit over the years and have become more “modern.”

When you think about it a bit, these children were born around 2014 and some of the activities actually belong in their great and great grandparents generation. One of the most popular and enduring experiences offered is processing dried corn.

Students get to shuck the leaves from the ear, place it in a sheller to get the kernels loose from the cob. One of the things they like to see is the naked corncob being thrown out.

Last on the list is to put the kernels in a grinder and get the corn ready to use in baking. At the end of the session, students can sample the cornbread if they wish. After shucking, the work is turning the wheel to make everything work. The children really love this part.

Continuing around the room, students make cracker crumbs using a hand grinder and learn to grate carrots and us a grater without cutting their knuckles. Kneading bread is also something students get to do and churn butter to go on the baked bread. This is another treat they get to try as they leave the museum.

The bread is baked ahead of time so it is sanitary. The other thing learned is the residue from butter churning is buttermilk. Students also get to try some of this if they wish.

At the “modern” table, students get to use a manual typewriter and type their name. All agree they like the sound of the typewriter. Different styles of old phones are also on the modern table.

Many children have never seen a rotary phone and a few have played with a push button phone.

The last activities are washing on a washboard and ironing with cast iron (not heated). The washboard activity is well liked until the math is done.

When asking about how many in your family, it question had to be rephrased to ask how many in your house.

The math goes like this: 5 x 7 (one shirt a day) = 35 shirts, 35 pants, 70 socks, and so forth through all the clothing items and then adding bedding, towels for baths and kitchen.

The children for the most part decide they don’t want to be responsible the wash but they do see that the towels on display that say Monday = Wash make sense as well as designating regular chores to be done certain days. Not discussed are all the other daily chores that must be done daily in pioneer living as well as walking your two miles to school.