On April 16th, 2016, for two hours Indianola Academy 6th Grade students will impersonate different individuals interred at the Indianola City Cemetery.  A cemetery stroll is a unique and interesting way to teach history and we bring this unusual teaching strategy to the local community.  Last year was the sixth occurrence of Headstone Stories and this year it’s going to be even better.  Using our experiences from previous years and our aspirations for this year, the IA teachers and I have created an outline for the project.  We have coordinated what knowledge and experience the teachers want for the students with what historical materials for research are located in the History Room. The students write an eight paragraph paper concerning the lifetime of the interred, specifically the political atmosphere, the economic and agricultural conditions, and the cultural trends.   The students will make two visits with their class to the History Room, utilizing newspapers, microfilm and books to research these areas for their paper and personal reconstruction and one visit individually.  Then on April 16th, 2016 from 10am to noon at the Indianola City Cemetery, the students will represent the interred to the community.  Entertaining and educating visitors with personal stories, anecdotes of their time period and Indianola history.

Photograph by Jennifer Rose

Carolyn Kelley participates in Headstone Stories in the Indianola City Cemetery.

Submitted by

Jennifer Rose

Public History Coordinator

Sunflower County Library System