Learning
HISTORY by LAND and by SEA by CAROLIN COLLINS Education Program Manager STAR ISLAND, NEW HAMPSHIRE, IS A RATHER remote place. It is one of the nine rocky islands clustered at the border of New Hampshire and Maine that form the Isles of Shoals, located about seven miles off the coast. It looks almost as natural as it did centuries ago when America’s indigenous inhabitants and later, British and French colonials, fished there. It was England’s Captain John Smith who, after sighting the islands in 1614, named them in his own honor. Smyth’s Isles was eventually changed to the Isles of Shoals, most likely in reference to Students and staff make their way to the docked M/V Thomas the abundant shoals, or schools, of fish. Laighton, the vessel used for field trips to Star Island, New Each May and June, Historic New England’s education Hampshire, in the Isles of Shoals. staff is invited to join the Blue Ocean Society for Marine Conservation and the Isles of Shoals Steamship Company Historic New England museum teachers. We provide an in facilitating field trips to Star Island for youngsters in illustrated timeline and information on topics ranging from elementary and middle school. The Blue Ocean Society Abenaki settlements to piracy to urban renewal. We work for Marine Conservation is a non-profit organization with each group of students to find the correct answer. that protects marine life in the Gulf of Maine through When there are large groups of students or several schools, research, education, and advocacy and works to encourage half of them play the question challenge on the way out citizen commitment to environmental stewardship. The and the other half takes its turn on the return trip. organization is based in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, at Once we arrive at Star Island, students take a walking Historic New England’s Governor John Langdon House. tour with crew members of the M/V Thomas Laighton. The Students begin their field trip when they board the M/V island is a historic district and has many paths to traverse Thomas Laighton in Portsmouth for a one-hour journey and captivating architecture to see. After the walking tour, into the open ocean to reach Star Island. While on board the students have lunch. they form teams to participate in a question challenge. The For many of our youngsters, taking the trip to Star teams choose one question out of a jar. Once they have Island is their first time on a maritime vessel. This field trip come up with the answer they receive a ticket, then select is just one in the wide range of educational programs that another question. The team with the most tickets at the end Historic New England offers for schoolchildren. Providing of the question challenge gets a small prize. this unique experience for youngsters is an important part Questions concern either maritime ecology, the vessel of our commitment to engaging diverse audiences and itself, or the history of Portsmouth and the Isles of Shoals. encouraging the public to get to know the many stories of To answer the history questions, students confer with New England’s past. 22
Historic New England Winter 2019
