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Local History champs determined at ELHS

By Staff | Nov 29, 2011

Local History students vied for championship status at the November meeting of the East Lycoming Historical Society. They included first row (l-r): Tyler Potts, Devon Shannon, Scott Myers, Jake Fry; back row: Greta Newhart, Matt Dill, John Poust and Levi McCarty.

HUGHESVILLE – A first event of its kind was well received at the November meeting of the East Lycoming Historical Society Monday, November 21. Eight students representing nearly 80 members of Hughesville High School’s Local History class vied in a contest to determine a winner. Mr. Machmer, the teacher, served as moderator posing questions.

Similar to the game Trivial Pursuit, each team of four answered questions in rotation form. If time was called or the answer was incorrect, the opposing team was awarded double points when answered correctly.

The winning team consisted of Tyler Potts, Devon Shannon, Scott Myers and Jake Fry. The runner up team included Greta Newhart, Matt Dill, John Poust and Levi McCarty.

The winners then faced an adult team whose members were Shirley and Bill Boatman, Pauline Montgomery, Nancy Hodge, Chalmer VanHorn and the Rev. Robert Berger.

After the adults lost in a close contest, a set of 20 questions were posed for fun. Examples included the Indian names for the lime kilns near Pennsdale, and the trail passing Huntersville through Shrewsbury Township extending northward. The answers were Chippewa and the Genesee. Hughesville’s first settlers and persons for whom the borough was named were David Aspen and Jeptha Hughes. The town was first called Hughesburg. Clarence “Dad” Foust invented the fifth wheel and Eight Square is the county’s first school. “Creekside Dairy” was the milk delivery business operated by the Price family, while the Croman’s purveyed ice. The southeast corner of Main Street was the site of the former Laird building.

Many audience members were nearly unable to keep from bursting in, their heads nodding in the affirmative when responses were correct.

Local History is an elective subject at HHS open to juniors and seniors during the fall semester. Outside the classroom, activities include walking tours to historical sites around town including Christ United Methodist, the oldest church in town; the former theatre, now the Country Fork restaurant; and the East Lycoming Historical Society an 1850’s structure originally built as a Lutheran Church.

Guests are invited to class to share their knowledge on various subjects, and among others they’ve included Robert Webster, Ann Townsend Bulkley, Charles Hughes, the Rev. Robert Berger.

As a final assignment, each student is required to research a subject, interview two senior citizens and file a report, many done in power point form. Tyler Yocum was a recent researcher at the ELHS museum. The outlining seven townships are the current subject matter. Beginning Dec. 12, reports will be due in class, giving students experience in public speaking.