The sweet melodies and dulcet tones which emanated from the chorus room during mid-term exams were not accompanied by the voices of the room’s typical occupants; for those couple days a new class had taken up residence within it’s soundproofed walls: AP US History.

Those who enroll in Mr. Peterson’s AP US class have come to expect the unprecedented results of his often theatrical and always challenging research projects, and his midterm was nothing less. The class of more than 30 students were treated to a couple hours of each others musical talents.

Each student was required to select and research one song of the Antebellum Era (the years from the start of the 19th century to 1861, the start of the Civil War). They must then perform their own rendition of the song in period attire.

Songs ranged from the well known, like “Blow the Man Down” and “The Arkansas Traveler”(otherwise known as “Baby Bumble Bee”), to the more obscure, including old tavern songs and presidential campaign anthems alike. There were heartbreaking laments and spirituals like “Poor Old Slave” and “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot”, and even show tunes such as “St. Clare to Little Eva in Heaven” from Uncle Tom’s Cabin.

Teachers and staff perhaps drawn by musical magnetism began to appear at the sessions, some even aiding students with their performances. Mr. Graves, RHS choral instructor, and Mr. Tuerk, an English teacher, both stopped by to lend their hands and varied musical talents, as well as Principal Olsen, who dabbles with the skins and accompanied an AP US student and violinist with her performance (see picture above).

Mr. Peterson related many times throughout how very impressed he was with the way each student had met the challenging assignment head on, especially when he had been so close to canceling the project earlier on this school year. Fittingly, every student seemed to strive to make the most of this opportunity to stretch creatively in their classroom, stealing their courage to sing and speak without shyness in front of their peers, and even picking up some new skills, with one student going so far as to learn to play harmonica to complete the assignment. This is representative of the unique versatility that presents in RHS students and classrooms.

Story contributed by Sam Lucci, 11th grader at RHS