COLUMBIA, S.C. (Jan. 21, 2014)—Historic Columbia invites all homeschool students to enjoy hands-on activities while learning and exploring different themes and historic sites at Homeschool Fridays, held on the first Friday of each month.
The Homeschool Friday schedule from February through May includes:
Feb. 6 | Columbia in the Civil War
Meet in the Gift Shop at Robert Mills, 1616 Blanding St.
As Columbia remembers the 150th anniversary of the fire that swept through the city upon the arrival of the Union army in February 1865, we will look at the role Columbia played during the Civil War. This program will explore the industries, people, and events surrounding Columbia in the Civil War.
March 6 | Schools in the 19th Century
Meet in the Gift Shop at Robert Mills, 1616 Blanding St.
From one-room schoolhouses to the colleges that occupied the Hampton-Preston Mansion and Robert Mills House at the end of the 1800s, schools and universities in Columbia were quite different than they are today. Students will take part in a variety of activities to see how students packed for college, what they ate, sports they played, and the degrees that they earned. Students can handle a 100-year-old textbook and complete an assignment using a quill pen.
April 3 | Robert Mills House as a Seminary
Meet in the Gift Shop at Robert Mills, 1616 Blanding St.
Few people realize that the Robert Mills House was never used as a private residence; shortly after it was completed, the home was turned into a seminary. This program will explore the history of the site as a seminary and other religious educational institutions. Activities will also incorporate some of the key individuals associated with the seminary, including Woodrow Wilson’s father, Dr. Joseph Wilson.
May 1 | Games of the 19th Century
Meet in the Gift Shop at Robert Mills, 1616 Blanding St.
Homeschool students will participate in several 19th century games as they learn what it was like to be a kid 150 years ago. Students will take part in games played in the past such as croquet, hoop and stick, “Shepherdess and the Wolf,” “Hide the Thimble,” “Graces,” “Up Jenkins” and more. Get ready to have fun and give up those video games for a couple of hours!
Historic Columbia’s Homeschool Friday programs are $5 per student and open to all homeschool students of elementary and middle school age levels, and reservations are suggested. To reserve a spot or get more information, visit historiccolumbia.org, email cgalens@historiccolumbia.org or call 803.252.1770 ext. 26.
About Historic Columbia:
In November 1961, a small group of individuals intent on saving the Ainsley Hall House from demolition officially incorporated as the Historic Columbia Foundation. Over the next five decades the organization, which was founded on the premise of preservation and education, would take on the stewardship of seven historic properties in Richland County. Today, the organization serves as a model for local preservation efforts and interpretation of local history. Visit historiccolumbia.org or find us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or YouTube for more details.
Carrie Phillips
Director of Marketing & Communications
Historic Columbia
1601 Richland St., Columbia, SC 29201
c: 803.530.5199
