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Turning back the clock 100 years was a natural thing to do for docents of the Lakeside Historical Society and Museum. Last month they took third graders from Lindo Park and Riverview Elementary Schools on a trip back in time -- the students and teachers were fascinated.
Old metal wash tubs were set up in the court yard; each one had a scrub board and hand made bar soap. The students were given an old fashion sun bonnet to wear while they scrubbed clothes by hand then rung them out on a hand wringer. Then they laid the wet clothes on the bushes or fence to dry in the sun. Docent Lee Bost told them, "Now you know why they only had two pair of clothes, it was a lot of work to wash them." She also told them that the bonnets protected their skin from the harsh sun since they didn't have sun screen back then.
Moving inside the restored Olde Community Church, the students were given the opportunity to ring the old steeple bell. President Chris Herzog was dressed in an 1880s costume and portrayed a wealthy lady, Mrs. Benjamin Hill, whose husband owned 10,000 acres of land in the Lakeside area. She told the students how the Indians lived in Lakeside area first, and then later came the Spanish cattle ranches. In 1890's real estate developers, El Cajon Land Company purchased 3,000 acres from Mr. Hill to create the town site of Lakeside. They built the Victorian style Lakeside Inn for prospective land buyers and provided recreational entertainment such as boating in Lindo Lake, hunting, golfing and horseback riding. Also, there was a race track around Lindo Lake to race cars.
Ninety three year old Edna Kouns showed the students sheep and deer skins and told them the long a labor intensive process of tanning a hide. Then they would use the skins to make jackets, pants and moccasins. The boys were especially interested in what types of weapons were used for hunting deer -- bows and arrows, spears, knives, and later guns.
In another room the students saw a wonderful display of home crafts that girls were expected to learn 100 years ago. Docents gave them demonstrations on spinning, quilting, darning, tatting, crocheting, X-stitching and embroidery. The girls and some of the boys enjoyed hand stitching and X-stitching with needle and thread.
Cathy Hanson educated students about shopping at a general store, how a person would bring in their own cloth sack to be filled with sugar or salt and bring in their own container to be filled with a scoop of peanut butter from a huge old crock. She got the boys attention when she told them about the pretty printed flower sack material and how their mother could use it to sew them a new pair of underwear.
Back outside, docent Ray Whitlock told the students about the huge old metal wheel rim that once hung on Maine Avenue. It was used as a "fire bell" to summon all the volunteer fire fighters 100 years ago. Each student got to ring the bell which sounded more like a "clank."
On the front porch of the museum old military uniforms were on display. Inside music was played on an old pump
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