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Civil War Camp Day 9
Peter Andrews, top right, 13, seen through cutouts at the Civil War Photography station, walks back and forth as part of his duties as a sentry to protect the Confederate camp, during the 11th Annual Eighth Grade Civil War Camp Day, at "Camp Wescott," on the campus of Sarasota Middle School, in Sarasota, Fla., Friday afternoon, March 28, 2008. Peter was guarding the Confederate tent area because students switch duties, but admits that he prefers the CSA area "because it's in the shade," he said. Many of the projects within the event were funded by grants from the Education Foundation of Sarasota. A record 280 students, seperated into four teams, participated to learn about the Civil War by spending a school day in period costume, doing live activities at stations such as the "Mustang Field Hospital," "Brownsville Inn," a Civil War photography area, paymaster's and mess tents, a lemonade stand and at an artillery cannon. Students from other grades were given tours by their peers, mainly girls dressed in crinolines, or hoop dresses, corsets, jewelry and topped with wide-brimmed hats. Many boys dressed as Union or Confederate infantry soldiers, some carrying muskets made of pipe and carved wood, who also served as perimeter or camp sentries. To prepare, students spent six weeks researching the Civil War, writing papers and studying mid-1800's science and medicine. "And when they're done, they know a tremendous amount about American History, because they lived it," said event "Supreme Commander," founder, director, and Sarasota Middle School American History teacher Jan Ehart.
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