Wilmington Historical Society President Karen Peters, kneeling, takes photos of Lake Placid Elementary School fourth-grade student Taika as she gives a History Fair presentation while Lake Placid-North Elba Historical Society Director Chris Malmgren, right, and others watch. (News photo — Andy Flynn)

LAKE PLACID — It was Thursday, June 6. The school year was wrapping up for Lake Placid Elementary School’s fourth-grade students, and it was time to take part in the annual History Fair — a chance to learn about local history and public speaking.

The assignment was simple. Choose an artifact from the collections of the Wilmington Historical Society or the Lake Placid-North Elba Historical Society; research the history of the artifact; and give a presentation on the history of that artifact for fellow students, teachers and special guests.

Artifacts were represented in three eras of local history: Early settlement (1800-1900); grand hotels (1880-1945); and attractions and events (1932 to present).

Wilmington Historical Society President Karen Peters and Lake Placid-North Elba Historical Society board member Margie Gallagher showed students the artifacts they brought from their collections and asked them to make a guess as to what the objects were.

“It’s not a bobsled, but you’re on the right track. Ha, ha, ha,” Gallagher said after pointing out a white sled on the floor with a USA Luge sticker on it.

Lake Placid-North Elba Historical Society board member Margie Gallagher shows Lake Placid Elementary School fourth-grade students a duck decoy on June 6 during their History Fair. (News photo — Andy Flynn)

Artifacts included medals won by Wilmington’s Olympic speedskating medalist Jeanne Ashworth when she was a child, a duck decoy, a hat made of ermine fur, an oil can used on trains, the whistle from the Doris tour boat, a photo from the former 1000 Animals attraction and a packbasket.

Gallagher and Peters also showed students how to carefully handle artifacts, how to give an effective presentation and how to be a member of the audience.

“What’s a good thing to do at the end?” Gallagher asked the students.

“Bow,” one girl said.

“Clap,” another girl said.

On June 6, Wilmington Historical Society President Karen Peters shows Lake Placid Elementary School fourth graders the importance of wearing gloves while handling artifacts. She worked with students for their History Fair, which ended on June 12 with presentations about the history of certain local artifacts. Bryleigh is shown here watching Peters. (News photo — Andy Flynn)

“Cooper, what’s a good thing to do at the end?” Gallagher asked.

“Like kind of conclude it,” Cooper said.

“Conclude it. And perhaps …” Gallagher said. “Where I was trying to get to was ask if there are any questions.”

The History Fair, presented annually in teacher Allison Smith’s fourth-grade class, concluded on Wednesday, June 12 with the students’ presentations and a pizza party for lunch.

“There are a few things left to do before we chow down on pizza,” Smith told the students. “One is going to be the mystery object.”

Lake Placid-North Elba Historical Society board member Margie Gallagher shows Lake Placid Elementary School fourth-grade students a sign from the Stevens House on June 6 during their History Fair. (News photo — Andy Flynn)

Just before the pizza was served, Gallagher unveiled the mystery object, which was a hat pin holder.

“We had lots and lots of guesses,” she said. “Somebody thought it was acupuncture therapy. Stick it in your back, and it relaxes your muscles. … We had lots of guesses that they were needles for sewing.”

After the reveal, the winner of the contest — Henri — earned a bag of Tootsie Pops. He didn’t guess hat pin holder, but he was close; he said it was an old hairpin holder. There were more than 30 guesses, including Olympic torch, sound maker, porcupine quills with beads on the end so it can be an instrument, old-fashioned candle and “a lamp back in the day.”

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LPHS juniors

On June 6, Lake Placid-North Elba Historical Society Trustee Margie Gallagher, top left, and Lake Placid Elementary School fourth-grade teacher Allison Smith, top right, watch students on June 6 choose local artifacts from Lake Placid and Wilmington to research for their History Fair. (News photo — Andy Flynn)

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Special guests during the week of History Fair included the nine students in Keith Clark’s 11th grade AP U.S. History class, a college-level course. In addition to watching the fourth-graders’ presentations, they gave three presentations of their own to the elementary school students, one on Civil War nurses, another on Navajo code talkers and a local history lesson highlighting Lake Placid World War II veteran Dusty Smith’s story

“They interviewed Dusty. They went and talked to him,” Clark said.

Clark also watched the fourth-grade presentations and had a lot of questions for the students. After a talk from Griffin and Carraig about the history of a T-bar from the Mount Whitney Ski Center, operated by the Lake Placid Club, Clark asked them how a T-bar works. Their answers were swift and thorough. The research seemed to pay off.

“What’s more fun, riding a T-bar or riding a gondola?” Clark asked.

On June 12, Lake Placid Middle-High School teacher Keith Clark, left, and students watch Lake Placid Elementary School fourth-grade students Griffin and Carraig give a History Fair presentation about a T-bar from the Mount Whitney Ski Center. (News photo — Andy Flynn)

“A T-bar,” Griffin and Carraig said in unison.

Clark was impressed with Griffin and Carraig.

“These boys were very well rehearsed,” he said. “They kind of knew their stuff without even having to look and read the sign. I like when there’s some passion behind history or you find a way to involve yourself in maybe a different way to build the liking.”

Taking a break from watching the presentations, juniors Kelsey and Maya spoke about their reaction to the History Fair. Both had participated in giving a lesson on Civil War nurses to the fourth-graders a week earlier.

“I think it’s really interesting because you get to see a different point of view,” Maya said. “When we had to teach them also, you have to think more simple and teach them the basics. … It would definitely be different if we were to present these versus how they would present them.”

Kelsey was impressed with the fourth-graders.

“They seem like so right on how they handled this,” she said. “They have no problem answering questions, and they’re really interactive.”

“Very comfortable,” Maya added.

“They know their information,” Kelsey said.

“And I don’t know any of those artifacts. I think it’s really interesting to see them,” Maya said.

The fourth-graders could either write a story about the history of the artifact, make a poster presentation or a skit. Most chose to tell their stories with a poster board exhibit.

“I really like when you’re able to take history and then bring it into other areas of your thought,” Clark said. “So maybe you’re not that interested in history, but there’s a way to make it come alive. For them to do that, to write a little skit was really smart.”

Clark, who also serves as the coordinator of the Lake Placid Community School program, said it was important to connect the school district’s two buildings for the History Fair: the elementary school and the middle-high school.

“For the fourth graders, they’re seeing us and we’re old in their minds,” he said. “But for the 11th graders to come down, I just think they’re being good role models, good examples, and they show interest in what the kids are doing. I just think it makes a good connection between the ages.”

The History Fair is not just about learning local history. Students get the added benefit of learning public speaking skills.

“For kids to be able to present to others and work that skill is really important,” Clark said. “Every teacher should, in my opinion, be making sure kids are presenting their material, so they’re owning it, and they’re building other skills besides what they learn about. An old T-bar, that’s important, that’s cool, but those other skills that go along with it — on display here — are probably more important for them as they move forward.”

Lake Placid Elementary School fourth-grade students Bryleigh and Heaven watch a History Fair presentation on June 12. (News photo — Andy Flynn)

Lake Placid High School 11th-grade students Kelsey, left, and Maya, pose between Lake Placid Elementary School fourth-grade History Fair presentations on June 12. (News photo — Andy Flynn)

On June 12, Lake Placid Elementary School fourth-grade student Cooper takes a break between History Fair presentations about a candlestick telephone. (News photo — Andy Flynn)

On June 12, Lake Placid Elementary School fourth-grade students Callahan and Samantha give a History Fair presentation about a candlestick telephone. (News photo — Andy Flynn)

Lake Placid-North Elba Historical Society board member Margie Gallagher shows Lake Placid Elementary School fourth-grade students the mystery object — a hat pin holder — on June 12 during their History Fair. (News photo — Andy Flynn)