When I
was in fourth grade, we were scheduled to go on a field trip to a historic
house museum, Traveler’s Rest. We gathered that morning in the school
lunchroom, ready to board the buses. The
air crackled with excitement. Someone
had heard there was Indian blood on the stairs of the house from an attack! The titillation of seeing that.
And
then Miss Fannie Mae Baker, one of the teachers, came in and told us, in grave
tones that, sadly, Traveler’s Rest had burned down just last night. We were all devastated.
Turns
out Miss Baker was just teasing us (she is a lovely lady, by the way). Traveler’s Rest is still calmly standing and
welcoming visitors, mysterious red-stained stair and all (though the “Indian”
story is pretty well debunked).
I
remember that trip fondly and vividly, and I bet at least some of my White
County Elementary School classmates feel likewise.
This
morning, the Wall Street Journal ran an article about
school field trips, sharing the excitement kids felt about taking hikes, going
to plays, and visiting museums. But, as
the article continues, those trips are increasingly being cut as school budgets
shrink. Even free museums, with travel
funds to give to schools, are seeing fewer bookings as schools cut back every
incidental penny they can find.
It is
a shame, and could have long-term ramifications that will haunt museums for
years. Why? Our preliminary research indicates about a
quarter of Museum Advocates had seminal childhood memories of museums . . .
from school field trips. School field
trips appear to be a critical pathway to lifelong learning for children who may
not otherwise visit museums with their families. These cuts shut out important experiences for
children that can, ultimately, lead to a habit of learning, curiosity, and
museum-going in adulthood . . . . and in future generations.
We
have posted on this subject before, and as we continue our research on
Museum Advocates this winter, we will undoubtedly post again. Bottom line, school field trips are
important.
Do you
have fond memories of childhood field trips?
How has your museum dealt with school budget cuts? We would love to hear your thoughts.
Simply click on “comments” below to share your thoughts (and if you are reading
this from your e-mail subscription, go to our blog to comment).