The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
Learning about animals who went to war
ONEIDA, N.Y. » Gathered on the front lawn of the Oneida Public Library on Saturday was an unusual sight -- three horses and a donkey quietly eating grass while children learned that not only people go to war.
“I wanted to do something with children” about the 100th anniversary of the United States entering WorldWar I, said Youth Services Coordinator MeganGillander. “We were trying to think of a way to include children in the conversation.”
To that end, the library settled on discussing animals who went to war, Gillander said. They found Jet Williams, 14, and Trevor Rounds, 11, through Cornell Cooperative Extension’s 4-H program, and invited them to bring their horses Sassy, Jake, and Buck, as well as donkey Ashley, to give kids a hands-on experience.
“It’s a good experience,” said Williams. She’s been raising horses since she was a child, and has a particularly strong bond with Sassy.
Horses are dependable, strong and incredibly intelligent, the two explained, whichmade them ideal for helping transport heavy munitions or get soldiers from place to place. Their role has largely disappeared on the battlefield because of the time andmoney it takes to train and care for them, however.
For Williams, raising horses is difficult but also rewarding.
“You can enjoy it, but at the same time you have to work for it,” she said. “They’re really smart, so sometimes you have to battle them, and other times they work with you.”
Trevor agreed, noting how his horse, Jake, can be mean, but they still click with one another.
“I think it’s neat that we had all the animals come in,” said Alyeska Gillander, 9. “I think it’s nice that we don’t just hear about them, we get to see themand touch them. I love how they try making learning fun for kids.”
“I learned what they do in the war,” added Javarin Daniels, 8.
“Having the animals was a great thing, because it makes it more real,” Gil- lander said.
Alyeska, Javarin and Ella Ridgeway, 7, were three of several children who took part in Saturday’s event. After spending time with the horses outside, they gathered in the children’s room in the library to learn the real-life story of Winnie the Pooh, a bear cub adoptedby Canadian veterinarian and soldier Harry Coleburn. They also learned about other animals that have helped human soldiers in war, including dogs, pigeons and -- to the surprise of many -- slugs. Soldiers would bring them into the trenches during WWI because they could detect mustard gas early enough that soldiers were able to get their gas masks on.
Ella, Alyeska and Javarin said they all knowveterans, including several family members, and each felt celebrating Veterans Day was important.
“I think it’s a good thing to do,” said Ella.