Medfield cancels colonial costume tradition for third grade students
MEDFIELD - A highly anticipated trip back in time for Medfield students will look a little more modern-day this year. For decades the town's third graders have enjoyed an authentic historical field trip to nearby Rocky Woods, to "explore interactions among Massachusetts Native Peoples and European settlers."
An email from school leaders informed parents: "...in lieu of wearing traditional "Colonial" costumes all of our 3rd grade students and staff will be wearing matching t-shirts that read "Third Grade Crew."
"I just feel like it's erasing history in a sense," said Barbara Cloney, whose three children enjoyed the field trip in the past.
This has been a treasured tradition and a special shared memory for many siblings and families. The food they prepare that day is planted by the same kids the year prior.
"The fire's all ready, they cook full chickens, they dig a pit where they cook underground cornbread. They do some fishing, archery. It's the cutest experience for parents and everyone to see them," Cloney added.
"They're immersed in a role play situation. The really weird thing about this though, despite the inappropriateness if you will, of dressing up, the same kids are going on a field trip to Plimoth Patuxet where everyone there is dressed up in this period clothing," said current 3rd grade parent Rick Fink, who wishes the kids who'd like to dress up still could choose to do so.
"I think it's a great experience for them to go and have this sort of a field trip and hear from someone from the Wampanoag tribe," another dad pointed out.
This father actually went as a 3rd grader himself. But he doesn't remember the dress up, nor did it stand out to his own child.
"He did enjoy the fishing and the cookout and activities the school had planned. The attire was in his mind not relevant," he explained. His older son did dress up, but his two younger children presumably won't if the change sticks.
It's those other activities - which will remain the same - that many older students more vividly recall.
"She remembers not being able to cast her own fishing rod. She's independent that way! My son remembers cooking over the open fire, the stew. I'm not sure the costumes are going to take away from that," said parent Leo Brehm, who also serves on the school committee.