It was totally groovy to be a student at Langdale Elementary School last month as the students and staff celebrated the '60s in honour of the school's 50th birthday.
Langdale Elementary School officially opened in September 1961 and teachers wanted to celebrate the year in a way that would help students connect with what life was like back then.
"We were trying to think how to make this meaningful to the children because that's such a span of time, especially when you're young. Fifty years seems like forever," said Langdale Elementary School principal Bob McCubbin.
They decided to take the '60s theme and create lesson plans around it.
"Normal studies were integrated. So social studies looked at what people wore, the different styles. We listened to music from the '60s every morning, and it was carried on in classes. Some classes did quite a bit," he said.
But the studies didn't just focus on fashion and music.
"We looked at some of the social developments that were occurring at the time, the peace movement, the hippies and what they were all about. It wasn't just about long hair and peace medallions. They were protesting the Vietnam War. Some of the older students got into learning about the civil rights movement as well," McCubbin said.
After a few weeks of the '60s themed classes, on Jan. 25 the students all came together to celebrate and throw themselves into the spirit of the '60s.
During the day-long celebration, students tie-dyed their own shirts, watched an episode of the Beverly Hillbillies and practised their moves at a sock hop.
"We had a woman here who demonstrated some dance steps - the stroll, the twist and some jiving too," McCubbin said.
With the '60s theme over now, teachers will turn their attention to the '70s and create lesson plans around that in February. Then March will delve into the '80s and April the '90s.
"We'll be looking at every decade up to the present, so that will tie in with what they've already learned and they can compare and contrast trends and hopefully do some linkage of the past and present," McCubbin said.
At the end of May, the school of about 90 students hopes to open its doors to the public for a community celebration of the 50-year anniversary.
"We hope the community will attend. We're going to try to get it out there that we're having a celebration, that we've turned 50, and invite alumni and maybe people who actually attended to come and visit and see what school is like today," McCubbin said.
He hopes the event will help people remember the little school at the end of the Coast.
"We're sort of on the far end of the Coast here, and we just want people to know that we are here and have been here for a good long time and part of the community for a good long while now," McCubbin added.
