FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  March 17, 2008
CONTACT:  Marvene Riis, (605) 773-4233, Marvene.Riis@state.sd.us

Washington fifth graders learn history from newspapers at State Archives

PIERRE, S.D. -- Twenty-two students from Washington Elementary School in Pierre recently visited the South Dakota State Historical Society-Archives at the Cultural Heritage Center in celebration of National Newspaper in Education Week. 

The students were encouraged to look up an article in microfilm of a newspaper and make a copy. Since most of them were born in South Dakota, the majority chose the newspaper from the town where they were born and looked for the announcement of their birth. 

Some students who were not born in South Dakota chose the Pierre Capital Journal or another newspaper and made a copy of a sports article, the comics, or another article of interest to them.

“The students really enjoyed seeing their names or their parents’ names in the newspaper, or seeing what events were happening on the date they were born,” said Marvene Riis, archives librarian for the State Historical Society. “It was a great opportunity for them to learn the value of the information that can be found in newspapers.”

“My class had a wonderful time using the microfilm machines,” said Lisa Coppess, Washington fifth grade teacher. “They really enjoyed seeing the headlines of the day they were born. I could tell it was fun for them to see their parent's names in the paper as well.”

The state archives has more than 15,000 reels of microfilmed state newspapers – the largest known collection of South Dakota newspapers today. The South Dakota State Historical Society began microfilming newspapers in the 1950s and continues to film current newspaper from throughout the state.

Archives hours at the Cultural Heritage Center are 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and the first Saturday of each month. The museum is open 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 1-4:30 p.m. Sundays and most holidays.