History at play

The smile on Kaeleb Giovanelli's face was as bright as his red shirt as he went for a leisurely ride on the back of Red, an American quarter horse, led by volunteer Gracie Mobbs.

It was his first time riding a horse.

"It was amazing! It was fun!" the enthusiastic new equestrian said Friday morning after he stepped off the horse.

"I've always wanted to ride one," he said.

His classmate, Bently Gillham, was equally excited about the horse riding, which was one of the activities at the Idaho history rendezvous at Seltice Elementary School.

Fourth graders across the Gem State spent the school year studying Idaho history as part of the statewide curriculum. Those lessons were augmented at Seltice Elementary as students participated in several hands-on stations to learn about the trades, practices and tools used by Idahoans of yesteryear.

"I kind of want to go back in time to eat all these foods and try these things, how they did it before we were born," Bently said. "This is really, really, really fun."

Archery, mining, Dutch oven cooking, mountain men demonstrations and rides in a horse-drawn wagon were among the activities that gave the fourth graders an understanding of what life was like in Idaho before the internet, before cell phones, before motor vehicles and even before electricity.

"So far, it's been amazing," an animated Enoch Benson said, discussing how he enjoyed the horse rides as well as being pulled in a wagon drawn by Belgian horses. "It was awesome."

The history rendezvous has been a tradition in Post Falls for at least three decades. It was started by the late Pat Triphahn, who was a fourth grade teacher at Ponderosa Elementary School for many years. Now-retired teacher Sharon Wagner and P.E. teacher Tim Rice then led the history rendezvous for 11 years at Ponderosa.

It was then led by now-retired teacher Sharon Wagner, who worked with current organizer, P.E. teacher Tim Rice, for 11 years when he was a fourth grade teacher at Ponderosa. Rice brought the tradition to Seltice Elementary when he moved there six years ago. His wife, Becky Rice, started the tradition where she works at Greensferry Elementary, which will host a rendezvous Monday.

This was the second year for the history rendezvous at Seltice.

"I'm excited for the mining, because my dad works at a mine," fourth grader Aubree Orsburn said. "I'm excited for the archery — maybe it can help me with my hunting, because I go hunting with my dad. And I love horses, I love to ride them. I was super happy there was a dog, I loved petting the dog."

Rice said the goal of the event is to introduce students to activities that might develop into future hobbies or interests, whether it's mining or archery or something related to horses.

The memories, Rice said, are really the biggest part of the rendezvous.

"We all spent 12 years of our life sitting in a public school classroom, and we remember very few of those details. We remember the teachers that impacted our lives the most, and we remember the impactful moments," he said. "This is my 17th year (teaching), so my oldest students are 28 this year. And when I run into them, they tell me things like, 'I remember the rendezvous, I remember the only time in my whole life I got to ride a horse,' or, 'I casted a fishing pole for the first time,' or 'I remember shooting an arrow at the deer target.'"

He said students won't remember when the concept of double-digit multiplication clicked for them, "but they are going to remember riding a horse today."

Rice said the volunteers who contribute their time and talents to the event are all passionate about the particular activities they bring to the rendezvous.

"Any chance we have to share our knowledge with the next generation, giving back gives you a great feeling," he said. "We enjoy doing it."

Volunteers and stations included Friends of Spokane, Mountain Men; Joy Crupper, horse-drawn wagon; former Post Falls school board trustee Dave Paul with cattle dog Duke, horse rides; Nate Davenport, archery; Seltice/Mullan Trail Elementary music teacher Brittany Burris, campfire songs; Idaho Fish and Game regional communications manager T.J. Ross, fishing; Paul Wagner, logging; and Sharla Wilson, Dutch oven cooking. Yoke's Fresh Market also donated granola bars.