Students learn more about local history at Holy Family.
The seventh grade class toured the original Holy Family Catholic Church on Tuesday and Wednesday.
History teacher Ryan Jacobs focuses on Kansas history and uses Eudora as a mirror of what was happening both across Kansas and the nation in the early 1900s.
“We try to look at Eudora and ask, ‘Is Eudora a reflection or is it antithetical to what’s going on in Kansas at the time?’” Jacobs said. “This matches up to our curriculum as we’ve been talking about immigration to Kansas.”
Jacobs said the church is an important example of something the German immigrants built in the early days and a symbol of the different beliefs people held onto that are still relevant today.
The class of 120 was split into six groups to take part in a walking tour organized by Eudora Community Museum Executive Director Ben Terwilliger.
Terwilliger collected various artifacts from immigrants for the students to see, touch and smell and began the tour at the history museum. After their visit with artifacts, the students walked downtown to see the buildings, visited CPA Park and ended at the church for the tour.
“I think it’s a great experience, and I think it makes history come alive,” Terwilliger said.
Janet Campbell led the students to the front pews to teach them about the stained glass, the history of the church and the altar built by her great-grandfather. After a lesson with pictures passed around, the students made their way to the loft to see the original stencils on the walls and ring the church bell.
Student Lori Brooks said she learned about the relics on the altar.
“I liked coming here because I’m Catholic, and it’s just nice to see a cool old church,” Brooks said.
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