Goodness, generosity and a great time
By ALLAN TINKER
With a “no name please” donor covering the cost of the trip, those students who wished to attend, visited the North Dakota State Historical Society on May 19. These ranged from the smallest, dubbed the “Yellow Team,” to the graduates, all enjoying a day of loose but careful supervision and guidance. The donor remarked that, after the past year of stress,
changes, illness and isolation, the trip seemed a good place to put things back into perspective at the end of a school year. It appeared to observers that it was, indeed, a chance
to see that things go on, are remembered and recorded, and there will be tomorrows of promise and tomorrows of challenge in life. Getting on the bus, knowing their lunches were packed and waiting the right time, let students enjoy a ride to Bismarck, where they unloaded and waited outside the huge building full of history, for everyone to be assembled.
Historical visitor staff was on hand for advice on when to wear masks, or not, what to see, where it was, how to get tied up with string, what was it on display from Sheridan
County, where were the bathrooms, who was Peggy Lee, why would anyone wear shaggy chaps, and other questions only children can think of to ask. There are monitors overhead
with directions, changing photos, who is attending, and places to sit and watch, or rest, it was easy to find a favorite place to see what were individual interests, and to surprise with things one never thought or knew about. A huge silver service for formal events is, surprise, still used. Staff noted that for special, very special, occasions it is taken to the ceremonial scene, to serve Very Special People. The staff noted that the service is carefully cleaned by historical society staff and volunteers upon its return.
