May 2, 2024 will be a day not soon forgotten by Lakin Middle School’s fifth and sixth grades. That was Pioneer Day, and the two grades came to Kearny County Museum for a day of pioneer activities which included quill pen writing, candle making, quilting, string games, making butter, leather skills, tin punch and branding. School Nurse Jessica Lohman-Fuller spoke on pioneer medical practices while her husband, Toby, brought the family’s donkey, Ranger, and talked to the kids about how animal-drawn implements were used for farming. LMS Principal Cody Calkins gave horse-shoeing demonstrations. Students also played “kick the can” and horseshoes.
Wendy Anderson, LMS social studies teacher, planned the event for the 63 sixth graders and 37 fifth graders while teachers, paras, parents, middle and high school students, and community volunteers came together to give the students this fun and educational opportunity.
Pioneer Day has a long history at Kearny County Museum going back to when the museum was still located on Main Street. According to Sandy Wanklyn, former museum director Lucile Dienst invited Carol Panzer’s and Barbara Broderick’s 5th grades for scavenger hunts to encourage students to learn about Kearny County’s history. When the current complex was opened, the students dressed up in pioneer fashion for the day and toured our facility.
In 1988, Sandy Wanklyn replaced Mrs. Broderick, and work began to make Pioneer Day a living history day which included live music by local fiddlers and pickers and stations ranging from making lye soap and washing clothes with a washboard to making biscuits and butter. Pioneer Day has often included guest speakers like the late Carroll Wainwright who talked about the orphan trains, mountain man Steve Germes and Steve and Judy Moyer who erected their Indian tipi on the Museum lawn and explained its parts. As Pioneer Day activities continue to evolve, the Museum looks forward to hosting the event for many years to come!
