Preserving the Past by Kim Nelson

Kim Nelson is the executive director of the Freeborn County Historical Museum, Library and Village, 1031 Bridge Ave.

On May 2 and May 3, the museum was host to over 300 fifth-grade students from around the county for the 20th annual Discover History Days program. Over 70 11th-graders, along with the help from 35 mentors, presented topics they researched.

In March, the students from the high school, under the direction of Jim Haney, started coming to the museum to conduct research and get their areas in the museum/village ready for the presentations.

Haney has been instrumental in the success of this program since its inaugural year in 1998.

Haney, along with Bev Jackson, executive director at the time, and volunteer Gary Koeder organized the first ever Discover History Day. That year, students presented on one day in April, and later that year additional presentations were done on two days in October. For the next four years there would be presentations twice each year until 2001, when the current process was implemented — presentations in the spring.

Over the 20 years we have had 12 to 18 different topic areas for the students to choose from. Some of those topics include, occupations, professions, medical, communication, general store and manufacturing.

Linda, our librarian, prepares the materials for the students to research. She also provides the students with additional information or where to find it as they need assistance.

Some statistics that are quite impressive about this program include: over 1,400 11th-graders have participated, almost 6,000 fifth-graders participated and over 1,400 volunteers have made it possible.

Thank you, Jim Haney and District 241, for allowing us to be part of your curriculum for the past 20 years. By doing so, you are supporting us and our mission of preserving history for future generations.

For more information about the museum, call 507-373- 8003,  email fchm8003@gmail.com or visit the museum from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Watch for my weekly Facebook live video, too. Also, you can hear me on KATE and The Breeze radio shows Sunday morning for updates from the museum.