Students and staff from
Laraway School’s individualized program traveled to the Vermont State House in
Montpelier on November 5th, the day before midterm elections. This was an
effort to combine English Language Arts with Social Studies in a fun way, using
local, primary sources.
The tour was arranged through Angelica
Caterino, State House Tours Coordinator. Kirk Gardner, our guide, met us in the
lobby for an orientation before leading us along the hallowed halls. He told us
about the history of the building, and of prior State Houses used to govern
Vermont since it became the 14th state in 1791. He explained how, shortly after
the Revolutionary War, people began settling Vermont in greater numbers.
Students listened politely as Mr. Gardner explained how the first State House
was built in 1808 where the Vermont Supreme Court is now. The building became
too small by 1833, due to dramatic population growth.
A larger State House was built in 1838.
However, it suffered a devastating fire in 1857. Some of the architectural
elements---including external Doric columns---survived and were incorporated
into the new building.
Mr. Gardner explained that the gold dome
is covered in real gold leaf. He said it is less expensive to cover the dome in
gold, which has to be replaced every 30 to 40 years, than to repaint it with
greater frequency. We learned the black squares on the checkerboard floor came
from 480-million-year-old fossilized rock from the quarry at Isle La Motte. Mr.
Gardner told us that the rock was once a coral reef in an ancient sea that once
covered part of Vermont.
Mr. Gardner guided us through notable
portraiture, including paintings of Vermont-born U.S. Presidents Chester A.
Arthur and Calvin Coolidge. We also viewed portraits of former governors
Madeleine Kunin, Howard Dean, Jim Douglas and Peter Shumlin. We then entered the
dark, jewel-green Senate Chamber to learn about legislative processes. We continued
to the ruby-red House Chamber, where staff and students were invited to sit in
the seats occupied by members of the House of Representatives. Mr. Gardner explained
how a bill starts with an original idea that must pass through numerous steps
to become a law. Students and staff
asked questions and shared ideas.
Sliding into the red velvet chairs in the
Governor’s Ceremonial Office, we sat in the room where Governor Scott signs
high-profile bills into law and hosts visiting dignitaries. We ate a picnic lunch provided by our
wonderful cafeteria staff, Lisa Rock and Dave Doerr, before returning to
Laraway.
The field trip was organized to make government
and civics more relevant. Mission accomplished!
~By Carla Occaso, Teacher, Laraway School
