Freshmen Go to Gettysburg

The Battle of Gettysburg, also known as the “turning point” of the Civil War, is where thousands of people gave their lives for their nation and their cause.

On 4 October, the freshmen of Fleetwood Area High School were given the opportunity to see for themselves the history of Gettysburg. The field trip was all day, starting at 6:30 a.m. and ending at 5:00 p.m.

Chaperones for this trip included teachers Ms. Sue Nagle, Mr. Edward Carr, Mr. Todd Weiss, and Ms. Laura Treichler. While at Gettysburg, students toured the battlefield and visited infamous areas, such as Little Round Top and Devil’s Den, as well as the local museum.

“I hope students are better able to understand and appreciate the sacrifices that were made on this day. From both Union and Confederate soldiers,” Weiss said. 

However, the point of this trip is not solely for educational purposes; Treichler believes there is a moral lesson that can be learned here as well.

“Soldiers in the Civil War were mostly your age. I hope that you [students] realize how lucky you are today compared to what it was like back then,” Treichler said.

Often times, Nagle believes that areas of this trip are overlooked. Her advice to students attending would be to take their time and appreciate the history that is surrounding them.

“There is always something new to learn there. Whether it be anecdotes or facts about what happened after the war, these peoples’ jobs are working here, and they have an incredible wealth of knowledge to share,” Carr said.

Carr views the Civil War as one of the most important moments in history and sees this trip as a unique experience.

“Unfortunately, we cannot do this for every history lesson. Being so close to Gettysburg and knowing what happened, it would almost be silly not to go,” Carr said.

The field trip was a memorable moment for all those who chose to attend.

“The field trip gave me the opportunity to better connect with the lesson, but also with my fellow students. It was something that I was lucky to be a part of,” sophomore Abigail Lutcavage said.

While it is important to learn about Gettysburg, history as a whole is also an essential element in today’s school curriculum.

“Through history, we learn more about ourselves, about society, and why we are the way we are today,” Carr said.

Without history, it would be impossible to understand why and how things work the way they do.  History is cyclical. If we can learn from past mistakes, maybe we can better manage our future,” Treichler said.