Why give to ECHS during Erie Gives?
Because students need to visit the museum.
Jane Ross is a 4th grade teacher at McKinley Elementary School, 933 East 22 Street. Ross was instrumental in arranging a field trip for all 4 classes of fourth graders at McKinley to come to the Hagen History Center.
Ross and 3 other teachers brought a total of 100 students which included academic students, Life Skills students (students with special academic or physical needs) and DSL students (students with English as a second language).
Ross advised that all four teachers loved the tour of the Watson-Curtze Mansion/museum. In addition, the 9 and 10-year-olds were amazed. The students were very impressed to see how wealthy people lived at the turn of the century. These inner-city students had never seen a mansion like this before. They also had never been to a museum before. And many had never visited the west side of Erie before. This was certainly an experience they would not soon forget.
The students took pictures with their phones so they could share their experience with friends and family.
This field trip was a big hit and one that the McKinley teachers hope to repeat again next year. Ross has even recommended this field trip to other teachers in the Erie School District. Many thanks to the donors for their help making this possible.
Your donation to the Erie County Historical Society during Erie Gives will help fund student field trips to the Hagen History Center.