By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — Third-graders got a special treat last week — they were immersed in Putnam’s history with a field trip to the Putnam Town Hall, the Aspinock Historical Society, the Putnam Public Library and the Gertrude Chandler Warner Boxcar Children Museum.  This is the second year and there were 84 third graders, according to Boxcar Director Pat Hedenberg.
Their visit to the Aspinock Historical Society offered them a chance to see and use rotary phones, antique typewriters and cuddle in fur coats from the 1950s, along with learning about the history of the town. The students then had a chance tour the children’s section of the Library along with a chance to let off steam on new playscape.
While at the Boxcar students learned about school life in Putnam at the turn of the century, created their own spool pet and bookmark, had a walking tour of Ms. Warner’s Putnam and challenged each other to a game of corn hole.  As one student said, it would be so much fun living in a Boxcar but I would want electricity – another chimed in that she plans on being a mystery writer and creating more adventures with Watch, the dog, Hedenberg said.
Hedenberg said at the conclusion of a fun-filled morning, Mike Alberts and the team, from Jewett City Savings Bank, provided each third grader with a copy of Gertrude Warner’s book, “Snowbound Mystery.” (above left)
Roger Franklin, who was a student of Gertrude Warner’s, said the author often put children in her books. Franklin’s Market was included in “Snowbound Mystery.”
The students all said they can’t wait to return.

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