Home School Group Explores Hardeman County with Field Trip Series
Hardeman County has a rich history that dates back to 1823 and was celebrated in 2023 with its bicentennial that included much fanfare with the exhumation of a 1976 time capsule and tours of select historic homes. An appreciation of the county history is what led home school mom, Jennifer Smeltser, to create the Hardeman County Field Trip Adventures series she offers through Homeschool Roster in partnership with the Hardeman County Homeschoolers.
“Although I am not a native of Hardeman County, I appreciate the beauty of the county and the amount of history it has. My first introduction to that history was a few months after we moved here in 2009, and I stumbled upon the A.P.T.A. Historic Home Tour on the way to the Bolivar Post Office. I mailed my letters, went back home, grabbed my children, and we headed out to tour the homes and learn about Hardeman County history,” said Ms. Smeltser, who has been coordinating field trips and events for homeschoolers across Tennessee and its surrounding states for more than 10 years. “Hardeman County has a lot of hidden historical gems and a tour of something in Hardeman County has always been on our calendar each school year. The field trips are open to all homeschoolers inside and outside of Hardeman County. We even have families that attend from out of state. For several families, their introduction to Hardeman County was on a Homeschool Roster field trip.”
A fond memory Ms. Smeltser has of her tour in 2009 is of Dr. Joe Shackelford in his period suitcoat and black top hat at the McNeal House.
“He was such a kind man and eager to share about the history of the McNeal House. We climbed the stairs all the way to the top, past the living quarters to the steeple, which my children enjoyed. The A.P.T.A. Historic Home Tour along with the Polk Cemetery Tour became an annual event we loved to attend. When my daughter, Marnina, got older, she participated in the Polk Cemetery Tour as Evalina Louisa McNeal Peters, who is buried in the cemetery,” said Ms. Smeltser. “Unfortunately, those tours and other events like the Ames Plantation Heritage Festival are no longer held in the county. I love learning about the history of the county, where I live, and sharing it with others.”
Some of the locations in Hardeman County where Homeschool Roster and the Hardeman County Homeschoolers have visited include Ames Plantation, Old Hatchie Veterinary Clinic, Choate Engineering Performance, Byler Craft, The Bird Dog Museum, UT-Extension cotton field tour, Falcon Ridge Farm, Bäckermann’s Country Market, City of Bolivar Fire Department, Lone Oaks Farm, Hardeman County Criminal Justice Complex, and the Luez Theater. Tours they did as field trips to the Magnolia Manor and the McNeal House were conducted by the owners of the homes, so they were able to learn more personal family history about those locations. They have even seen performances at the Hardeman County Arts Center where the 2024 home school prom and home school graduation were held earlier this year.
The upcoming Hardeman County Field Trip Adventures in the series include tours of the Hardeman County Courthouse and Little Courthouse, the Bolivar-Hardeman County Library history room, Bäckermann’s Country Market, Byler Craft, and Loaves and Fishes. Along with local field trips, Homeschool Roster has several field trips scheduled across West Tennessee, and the State that provide ongoing learning opportunities and fun for home school students.
“Learning does not only happen inside of four walls. My children and I have always been the “get up and go” type of people. My mantra to home school families is ‘Get Out of the House’! As many places we have visited in Hardeman County, we still have not exhausted all of the areas,” said Ms. Smeltser, who has homeschooled for more than 15 years and finds learning opportunities in every experience. “I know there is so much more to see and learn about here in Hardeman County, and I look forward to sharing what I learn with others.”
If you home school and would like to participate on a Homeschool Roster field trip, you may register for a free Homeschool Roster account and choose from a variety of field trips and events scheduled for the 2024/2025 school year. If you have questions about home school, Homeschool Roster is offering a free information home school session that will be held in Hardeman and Fayette Counties.
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