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News
By Vicki Browne
During the last week of November busloads of children from both West Iron and Forest Park schools arrived at the Iron County Historical Museum to participate in four holiday-themed activities guaranteed to get them into the spirit of the season.
This year the Golden K of Iron River sponsored the buses that brought students to the museum. The holiday program is always free, but in years past the school districts have had to provide transportation.
The 50-minute program was created for students from Head Start through grade five, and included writing letters to Santa, creating a class mural, having a story read by Mrs. Claus and touring the Galleria of trees.
For some seeing Mrs. Claus was the biggest treat. For many showing off the tree they helped decorate was the highlight.
The museum had more than 50 trees and almost all were decorated by local organizations, businesses, school groups and families, according to Kathlene Long, museum director.
One group of third graders from West Iron School District got more than just the holiday program when a bobcat was sighted by a museum employee as it scrambled under Dave Frailing’s truck in the museum lot.
“We were dropping off cookies for the Galleria and buying tickets for the raffle baskets when someone walked in and said a bobcat was under a truck in the parking lot,” said Frailing “There were two buses of school kids waiting for Mrs. Claus, so they kept them on the bus.”
While local law enforcement, DNR officers and trappers problem-solved the bobcat situation, the buses pulled up close to the museum entrance and were surrounded by adults so the children could make it safely inside.
The final class to visit the museum, West Iron forth graders, had to postpone their trip until Monday, Dec, 4 as a safety precaution. Mrs. Claus had returned to the North Pole by then, so school volunteers led the activities.
The Museum also hosts a program for students in the spring. The spring opportunity is more intense, according to Long.
“The two-hour event is customized for each grade with three-four activities created specifically for each group,” said Long. “The learning is hands-on and project-based so students learn new things.