Thirty-five McAlester ninth grade GEAR UP students recently toured the Atoka Museum and Civil War Cemetery. The tour began in the museum where students saw various exhibits. There were a series of exhibits, which showcased the lifestyles of the late 1800s and early 1900s, including a doctor’s office, post office, barbershop whom not only cut hair but pulled teeth, and classroom. Students were fascinated by how far things have changed and what they are used to today in our society. The tour concluded outdoors in a walking tour of the Civil War Cemetery, which was first established by travelers on the Butterfield stage road when measles swept through the area.
The field trip was sponsored by Eastern Oklahoma State College GEAR UP. Eastern received a $17 million federal GEAR UP grant in 2017, and will serve more than 3,000 students in 39 area schools for seven years.
