A Churchful in Oysterville

     For an hour and a half yesterday, Oysterville’s population increased by seven-fold.  Seventy seventh graders from Sunnyside Environmental School in Portland, plus their teachers and parent helpers, gathered in the church to learn something about how Oysterville’s history and oysters have been intertwined.
     As a culmination to their seventh grade school year, these lucky kids come to our peninsula for a four-day, three-night stay at the Ocean Park Retreat Center.  They spend their days doing art projects on the beach, visiting local points of interest, and learning about our area where the relationships between humans and nature can still be clearly seen and understood.
     My part in this exciting venture was to tell about Oysterville and the three types of oysters – Natives, Easterns, and Japanese (now called Pacifics) –  that have been harvested from Shoalwater Bay and how the human and natural environments have influenced one another here historically.  As a veteran primary teacher, I had ‘show and tell’ ready in the form of shells from the three types of oysters.  And, of course, along with the history, I told a few stories about the pioneers and their travails in this wilderness area.
     Seventh graders – at least the idea of seventh graders and especially the thought of seventy of them! – can be daunting.  But I couldn’t have asked for a more respectful, attentive group.  Even my positive memories of last year’s Sunnyside seventh graders hadn’t prepared me for the enjoyable experience of yesterday.  It was almost enough to entice me back into the classroom!  Almost…but not quite.