School Programs

Tales of Christmas Past

All classes will view the Prouty-Chew House period rooms on the first floor, which will be decorated for Christmas. Students will find out how the Prouty family celebrated Christmas in the late 1800s and see the kinds of toys the children received.

Grant funding supports attendance from Geneva City School District classes. To register for the 2023 sessions, click here.

Grade 1

We focus on the holiday traditions of the Prouty family, the roles and responsibilities of the Prouty family members, and how the Prouty family was similar to/different from families today. Students learn how technology and ways of life have changed.

Grade 2

We focus on the ways in which the Geneva community has changed since the 1800s, including changes in household technology, holiday traditions, landscape, and in the production and consumption of goods. Students will spend time in the children’s Discovery Room learning about how we know about the past and how it can be represented on a timeline. Classes will also view the period rooms and discuss how the Prouty family celebrated Christmas in the 1800s.

Grade 3

We focus on the holiday traditions of the Prouty family and how we know about them through family diaries. We compare and contrast these celebrations with other traditions and celebrations in Geneva and around the world and learn how the celebrations in Geneva have changed as new people came here to live.

Please note that most of this program takes place on the main floor of the museum, which is not wheelchair accessible. If you have students for whom this will be a problem, please call and we can arrange a comparable in-classroom program.

For a preview of what you might see on the trip, you can watch this virtual tour of the house.

NYS Standards Covered

  • Social Studies Standard 1
  • English Language Arts Standard 1 Arts Standards 2