December Field Trip

Nationality Rooms, Cathedral of Learning, University of Pittsburgh. December 17th

 December's field trip will be a tour of the University of Pittsburgh's 29 Nationality Rooms, which are specially decorated for the holidays each year.

Each room depicts and was donated by the ethnic groups that have settled and helped to build the City of Pittsburgh. 27 of the rooms are in constant use as functional classrooms, while the other two are display rooms which can only be explored via a guided tour.

At this time of the year, the rooms are decorated to reflect the national, traditional and religious holidays of the nations represented.

The tour cost is $4 per person.

After the tour, we will have lunch at the Carnegie Museum Cafeteria (cost extra). This will be followed by a visit to the Museum's Christmas Tree display (optional).

November Field Trip

Visit the Amish Country - Tuesday, November 12.

We will travel north to Volant to tour the Amish inhabited area near New Wilmington, PA. The Amish emigrated to the United States beginning between the 1700’s and 1800’s to escape religious oppression. Objecting to industrialization and worldliness they have retained their simplicity throughout the centuries. In plain functional garb these Old Order Amish do not own anything motorized or electrical: no cars, tractors, telephones, or any electrical appliances. A German dialect is still spoken at home and at church meetings. They are very hard workers and very community oriented. 

A guided tour will take us through the countryside where the Amish people farm, build furniture, study and pray. We will visit food shops, a quilt shop, furniture shop and a tack shop to meet the owners and see their handmade products. Afterward we will eat an Amish lunch at a restaurant that was once the home of Dr. Seth Poppino, a medical doctor and abolitionist. His home was a stop on the underground railroad which took American slaves to Canada in the mid 1800’s. Amish accept cash only. 

For car-pooling: Meet at 8:30 AM at Bayard St. next to the First Baptist Church. 

We must leave by 8:45 AM!

Pay $25 for our Amish meal and guide by Tuesday, November 5, choosing your meal at the time of payment.

Choices are: 

1. Chicken and Biscuits, Salad, Sticky Bun, Dessert, Coffee or Tea

2. Ham Loaf, Salad, Sticky Bun, Dessert, Coffee or Tea

3. Homemade Pierogies (vegetarian), Salad, Sticky Bun, Dessert, Coffee or Tea