On Saturday, October 5, Mr. Eric Goodson and five Dana Hall students went on a trip to the Freedom Trail in Boston. The 2.5-mile walk covers 16 important historical sites in the city. Some students went to earn extra credit for US history class, and some went simply for an enjoyment.

Mr. Goodson, the Social Studies Department Head, said, “Many students see only parts of Boston (Newbury Street, Quincy Market, China Town) and never get to explore much.” He has run this fieldtrip for many years, six or seven times so far, sometimes using National Parks Service guides and sometimes running the trip himself.

Jessica Xie ’15, who went on the Freedom Trail, appreciated the trip. She suggested an addition to the fieldtrip: “It would be nice to have lunch in a traditional American restaurant.” She also suggested changing the date of the trip to a day not conflicting with the SATs so that even more people can participate. Xie also commented she would like to go on another US history trips because she would like to learn more about US history. She stated, “I went on this trip both for extra credit and for fun.”

The Social Studies Department will run these trips every year that they can, according to Mr. Goodson. Mr. Goodson said that future trips this year include “Salem in November, the Mansions in Rhode Island in December, the Americas Wing at the MFA in January or February, and the JFK Museum sometime in the spring.” Moreover, with enthusiasm, he noted that the Social Studies Department likewise plans on running another weekend trip to New York City.

Mr. Goodson is delighted to be teaching in Boston because the city has numerous advantages. “The universities, the museums, the history–it makes it a really rich place to learn and teach.” He has been teaching at Dana Hall since 2000.

Photo: Five Dana Hall students enjoyed Boston’s Freedom Trail on a Social Studies fieldtrip. Photo credit: Eric Goodson.