St. Benedict students travel to Des Moines

Third, fourth and fifth graders at St. Benedict's School in Decorah last Friday spent the day in Des Moines.

Students took a guided tour of the Capitol building and learned many facts about the building itself.  Representative Scott Racker, the uncle of St. Ben's students Andy and Jane Murphy, took them on a private tour of the House Chamber, explaining many of the daily events and procedures.

After the Capitol tours, students visited the Historical Society Museum.  They were able to study Iowa history from involvement in the Civil War to daily life of Native Americans and early settlers to the natural history of plants and animals, both prehistoric and current.
 
The students then traveled to the Living History Farms.  There they took a self-guided tour of an authentically reproduced town with a print shop, drug store, various homes and other businesses.  In each building, the students were greeted by an authentically dressed person who explained the various aspects of the business or homes.  Students also visited the three authentically reproduced working farms: a 1700 farm of Native Americans, an 1850 farm featuring a log cabin and livestock and a 1900 farm house with barn, draft horses and a windmill.