"And behind the house is the kitchen and 'slave' quarters," our guide told us, whispering the word 'slave' as if its mere utterance might offend, or worse, in some way impugn the good name of the white descendants of Charleston slave-owners. When I further questioned about the slave quarters and numbers living at the Edmondston-Alston House, it was as if the very white (from the roots of her hair to her pale legs peeking out from below her skirt) docent hadn't heard me.
Then when I asked how a merchant in the 1800s could have 6 children and not even one married, I was met with a cool stare that seemed to say, "we don't talk about that dear," as her lips intoned, "no, none were married. Now notice how the interior shutters could cover the windows to keep out the sunlight."
Her reticence to utter the word slave, let alone discuss the horrendous history of slavery in Charleston stood in sharp contrast to our carriage tour guide, Matt. Matt spoke factually and at length about Charleston's influence on slavery in the United States as one of the first major slave trading ports. He told us how the rich rice merchants made a fortune selling rice to England, then returned to South Carolina via Africa where they loaded their ships with Africans to sell as slaves upon returning to Charleston harbor. He pointed out the barbed ironwork adorning several fences surrounding the majestic entryways to antebellum mansions. Matt claimed that the barbs were there for protection in case of a slave uprising and informed us that the ratio of blacks to whites in Charleston was 2:1 preceding the Civil War. The rice plantation owners, with townhouses in Charleston, lived in constant fear of a slave revolt.
Which historical perspective did each tour guide believe to be an accurate history lesson? Did our historical home tour guide really believe that slavery was an inconsequential element of the town home owned by Charles Alston? It surprises me that nearly 150 years following the Civil War, docents in the south could still have difficulty discussing slavery. For my historical edification, I am thankful that at least some, and possibly most, tour guides are able to honestly present the facts of slavery without resorting to a whisper.
Showing posts with label homeschooling. Show all posts
Showing posts with label homeschooling. Show all posts
Homeschooling on the Road for Everyone
Well two kids later and a decade of enjoying mushroom-free pizza and there we were driving on the Mass Pike in a 29 foot RV, starting out on a 7 week journey around the country.2 out of 3, not bad.
In hindsight, our 2 month RV exploration of the U.S. was one of the best experiences we have ever enjoyed as a family—and one we wholeheartedly recommend to anyone seeking time with your family learning about the expansive country we inhabit.
So how did we come to find ourselves debating a drive-through campsite versus a back-in campsite at RV campgrounds around the country? We had often mused about traveling around the country as a family and after talking to friends who had taken similar trips, we broke our vow of no RV trips and started researching the choice between a Class C and a Class A while picking up lingo such as 5th wheel and 30 amp hookup. Simultaneously we considered the merits of withdrawing our children from elementary and middle school for 2 months and home schooling them on the road, or opting for a summer trip. The summer meant more national parks would be accessible and there would be more amenities at campgrounds. Spring or summer, what better way for all four of us to learn about our country, our culture, our natural resources than first hand. In the end we decided to go in the spring to give us a chance to home school for a short time span as well as be able to spend more time in the desert (although less time in the mountains).
Our next step was to outline a basic route. I bought a large map of the United States, tacked it up on a bulletin board and the whole family had fun adding push pins to destinations of interest—everything from National Parks to friends’ homes, from a cool space museum to an ancestor’s home. I also wanted to incorporate destinations that integrated well with the curriculum I had created including the Civil War, the geology of caves, and regions of the country. Our daughters connected the push pins with a string, mimicking a possible driving route around the country. As the number of push pins escalated beyond 100 and the string started resembling a high frequency sound wave more than a smooth oval, we realized we had selected sufficient potential sites to visit and must narrow them down. Eliminating places like
By the time March 3, our date to pick up the RV, rolled around, we had a rudimentary route outline, a full home-schooling plan, bags full of AAA maps, and a web site to blog our adventures. At the RV rental agency Wendy, our rental specialist, gave us the full tour of our new home for the next 2 months making sure to emphasis that cruise control is not the equivalent of auto pilot. She showed us the RV systems which my husband noted carefully, while I, on the other hand, entered her 800 number into my cell phone and made a mental note that we wanted to stay at a campground with staff for our first camping experience. We realized we needed to factor in additional time to ‘camp’: time to change the oil, buy septic deodorizers, make campsite reservations and of course, time to de-winterize the RV (after all we were leaving
Now it seemed to me it was time for the driving lesson. What? No lesson?! We just hop in and go? You’re kidding, right? Wrong, that’s it; we were set (yeah right). My husband would drive the RV home while I would follow in our car. He got in the cab and was there awhile, I presumed adjusting the seat and mirrors, double checking driving controls etc. Then he got out of cab and went into rental office. When he returned with the serviceman. I stepped out of the car with a quizzical look. “Just learning how to operate the radio,” he called to me. “The radio! I hardly think you should be listening to the radio for your first RV driving experience!” Don’t worry, no problem, … and we were off!
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