Waterloo Farm Museum & Dewey School Educational Programs for Children

The Waterloo Area Historical Society conducts special educational programs for children. Through this program, elementary school children come to visit the Waterloo Farm Museum and Dewey School where they step back in time and recreate experiences of children in a 19th century pioneer farm and attend class in a one-room schoolhouse.

The Education Program runs in the Spring and again in the Fall. Typically, two classes of 20 -28 of first, second, or third graders come each day, one class spending the morning at the Farm and the afternoon at Dewey, switching with the other class after lunch.

Experiences at the Farm Museum

At the Farm Museum, children become pioneer farm children. The actual content will vary slightly due to the docents, the children’s ages, and time available.

At the Log House, “Mrs. Realy” will tell them about life in the one-room log house. They will do chores, such as cooking, hauling water, doing laundry, and cleaning. The children will visit the Realy Barn and help “Mr. Realy” shell corn, gather eggs, saw wood, and do other chores. In the Workshop, they will learn about pioneer farmers’ tools.

Experiences at Dewey School

At this one-room country schoolhouse, the Schoolmarm or Master will use teaching methods and materials of the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. They will sit at antique desks, write on slates, read from McGuffey Readers, or sit on the “dunce stool.”

Program Costs

The current fee is $6.00 per person per day, for both children and accompanying teachers and adult chaperones.

Contacts & Scheduling

To schedule a school tour, please contact Mary Spaan, Education Program Coordinator, at mcspaan@umich.edu. or at 734. 476. 8366 (text or leave a voicemail message).

To volunteer to serve as a docent (Mr./Mrs. Realy, schoolmarm/master) contact the Private Events Coordinator, Arlene Kaiser, at arlene@wahs-mi.org or at 517. 392. 3195. For further information call the Waterloo Farm at 804. 596. 2254.