Lorenzo’s annual Rippleton Schoolhouse summer camp, where boys and girls ages eight through 12 experience a week of 19th century school days, is expanding to two weeks this year with one week focused on artistic creations and one week on scientific exploration. The camp will run two non-consecutive weeks, one at the beginning and one at the end of July.
“Last year was a great success and I’m looking forward to bringing my science and art background to this year’s two camps,” said summer camp schoolmarm Kathleen Emerson, an elementary teacher in the Chittenango district who is returning for her second year in the position. “I want to give the students a rich, educational content while simultaneously allowing them to enjoy the best features of a Cazenovia summer: being outdoors, playing, observing nature and visiting the lake.”
The Rippleton Schoolhouse Camp, which is in its ninth year of operation, is located on the grounds of the Lorenzo State Historic Site. The daily routine offers typical curriculum such as arithmetic, writing, map-reading and word puzzles, and activities included anagrams, basket weaving, flower pressing, a tour through the Lorenzo Mansion, pottery, tin punching and spool knitting. Each day of camp also has a lunch break and short recess.
Some of the highlights from last summer’s camp were when students made and flew their own box kites, learned how to weave wicker baskets from local resident Bonnie Slocum and learned about hot-air balloons from a representative of Carrol Teitsworth Liberty Balloons.
While not all the specific programs and guest speakers have been finalized yet for this year’s two camps, Emerson hopes to again make kites, have a presentation by Slocum and tour the Cazenovia Public Library’s Egyptian museum and cultural museum — including learning about 19th century inventions and patents.
“It has been gratifying to see how much-loved and well-utilized our Rippleton Schoolhouse has been by Central New Yorkers since we moved it to the site in 1997 — and this year will mark our ninth season of summer camp,” said Barbara Bartlett, director of Lorenzo State Historic Site. “After an enthusiastic start with us as our new summer schoolmarm last July, Kathleen is returning to the program to include two weeks of camp offerings this year. Her teaching background and service as an historic interpreter at Genesee Country Museum in Mumford, NY, have afforded her a unique set of experiences in molding summer camp at Rippleton.”
The first session of the 2013 summer camp, called “Nature Lovers,” will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday, July 8 through Friday, July 12. Students will experience a traditional 19th Century school day with hands-on experiences focused on scientific exploration. It will consist of the study local flora, fauna and ecosystems around the Rippleton Schoolhouse. Class members will start their own gardens, capture bugs and butterflies and investigate the shores of Cazenovia Lake. There will also be various guest presenters, crafters and the staff at Lorenzo to present workshops.
The second camp session, “Artistic creations,” will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday July 29 through Friday, Aug. 2. Students will experience the study of architecture, landscape, printing, design and toy making. Various 19th century artistic techniques and mediums, including watercolor, ink, pencil and clay, will be explored. Class members will spend days sketching in the Lorenzo gardens, flying original kite designs and getting messy with artistic pursuits.
Both class sessions will offer games and pastimes characteristic of the historic period, and will culminate on their respective Fridays with an old-fashioned strawberry social.
Cost per child, per camp session is $150. Friends of Lorenzo members pay $135 per child. There is a non-refundable $35 deposit required. All required activity materials are covered by program fee.
Students must bring their own lunch, water bottles and healthy snacks. Drop off and pick up will be at Lorenzo’s South Cottage each day, with an early (8:30 a.m.) drop-off available for a fee.
Reservations and deposit are due by June 29; balance is due the first day of camp. Space is limited; a minimum enrollment of eight students is required.
For more information visit lorenzony.org or call Lorenzo at 655-3200.
Jason Emerson is editor of the Cazenovia Republican. He can be reached at [email protected].
