Traditional Muzzleloading Association
Shooting Traditional Firearms and Weapons => General Interest => Topic started by: RedOneFive on February 25, 2025, 09:27:49 AM
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Last night I put on a show for the local scouts about the rocky mountain fur trade era. They had lots of good questions. Most showed a good deal of interest. I was worried if I could keep their attention for an hour, but I had to wrap up early to give them some hands on time.. Other than having to threaten to skin one kid that got mouthy and rude everyone was well behaved..
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Red,
That was a terrific thing to do for the kids. I will bet that that will stay with them for a lifetime. Heck, you might even see one or two of them at an event somewhere down the line.
It reminds me of a time years ago (more like decades ago) when we lived in North Idaho. The local grammar school contacted me and asked if we could do a similar thing. I said sure, no problem. I contacted another fellow in our club who was an AMM member and asked if he would be interested in joining in the fun.
The first year, we had about a half hour class room session, then we went outside and did a fire starting class and Bob and I loaded blank charges in our rifles and showed them what it was like to shoot a muzzleloader.
We did that for three or four years in a row until the last year we were told that the school policies had changed and could we do our presentation without bringing our firearms? I told them no, and that was all. Too bad, I think the kids really enjoyed it.
Again, good on ya.
John (Bigsmoke)
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John, I hear you completely on the firearm thing. Scouts is held in our church and we have a very pro 2a church family, so it's no issue. If a school asked me to do it, I would probably decline if I couldn't bring all my regalia (within reason). The kids love everything from the smell of wax candles to seeing how a flintlock works. (even had volunteers to stick their hands in a steel trap haha) The way the BSA policies are changing so rapidly I won't be surprised if they would frown on this. But I don't really care.
Ive done this twice now and do a history "lite" version without much of the warfare history aspect.
I think they'll need to know about all of it from both sides, but wait till they are a little older. We also have a heavy native population here, so sensitivity in those areas is a fine line to walk without causing issues.
I hope to work at making a better presentation. Maybe a little more streamlined and be better about holding off questions till the end of a section. The excitement they have is great, but finishing a single thought was hard at times.
Joe
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You get an " atta boy Joe" from No Powder. Keep up the good work. :hairy