Orono pupils preserve oral history Effort lets young people experience the past, thanks to those who lived it

ORONO – Seventh-graders from Orono Middle School recently spent three days interviewing and recording the history of Orono from residents at Dirigo Pines Retirement Community. The youngsters are involved in an oral history service learning project that integrates language arts and social studies classes taught by Debra Bishop.

The project was prompted by a presentation by Scott Peterson, former president of the Orono Historical Society, who discussed the importance of recording the oral histories of seniors and as a way to help celebrate the Orono bicentennial in 2006.

After the pupils decided on a theme and developed questions, a partnership was created with Dirigo Pines Retirement Community through Activities Director Betty LaForge, who found some willing residents and provided the names to the students who in turn wrote to the residents explaining the project.

After much preparation, practice and anticipation, each seventh-grade homeroom visited Dirigo Pines. The pupils’ interviews were recorded and will be transcribed by the Orono Historical Society for the public to view on completion of the project.

According to Bishop, “It is our goal, through this intergenerational project, that the students will learn part of the history of our state, through the eyes of Maine seniors who have lived it.”