Comments on: Friday Happy Hour: Your Best Field Trips

By: Sarah in CA (formerly just Sarah)

Sarah in CA (formerly just Sarah) — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 08:25:00 +0000

I also remember going to the local Frito Lay factory but I can’t for the life of me remember when or why…. I mostly remember watching the filled bags come down the conveyor line to be boxed for shipping.

How about an article on “senior trips” or “senior night”… it’s kind of like a field trip, haahah.

By: Sarah in CA (formerly just Sarah)

Sarah in CA (formerly just Sarah) — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 08:21:00 +0000

When I was in high school, I was not a science-inclined and passed on chemistry and physics to take Anatomy & Physiology.

One of the field trips was to a local community college to check out cadavers.

I remember going, we had to take public transportation, but I don’t think I went inside once we got there unless I did and I have since blocked it out……

By: Lindsey

Lindsey — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 17:37:56 +0000

Assassinations tend to be part of a typical 3rd grade field trip in Baton Rouge. The State Capitol building is popular in all capitals, I imagine, but as far as I know, the one in Baton Rouge is only one to witness an assassination (Huey Long in 1937). Indentations from the bullet holes still riddle the marble walls — I’ve stuck my fingers in those.

Another memorable field trip involved an overnighter in 8th grade on the U.S.S. Kidd, a retired battleship now docked on the Mississippi River in Baton Rouge. Two of my classmates ended up having sex on the ship, apparently as part of a dare (this was 8th grade, mind you, and I went to a Catholic school). The entire class was punished for that one. I still say that stinks since I was down below, nursing carsickness after four hours on a bus.

By: arfies

arfies — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 00:40:06 +0000

Looking back, I’m so glad I got to go on some pretty memorable field trips in the pre-9/11, pre-No Child Left Behind days. A farm (several times- least favorite), Sea World Ohio when it still existed, Washington D.C., an apple orchard, a landfill (also not fun- when the school bus drove over the top of the garbage, it ran over a seagull, causing much distress) Cedar Point Amusement Park for Physics Day and various marching band outings (Outback Bowl among them. Alas, we never got to Macy’s.) The most memorable trip wasn’t a field trip per se, since it was in August of 2003, but it was with the marching band at Cedar Point when the infamous blackout of the Northeast happened. Boy, was that trippy to see everything just grind to a halt. It was just so QUIET, despite tons of people walking around confused, on their cell phones, wondering if it was a terrorist attack.

The food stands gave out free cups of water to passers-bye. Several cars were stuck at the top of rollercoasters like the Raptor and Millennium Force, and for the former, people walked down the swirly steps to safety. In the latter, where there were no stairs, people cheered when the coaster finally was pushed over the edge. I thought the whole thing was strange, but funny. Talking to people stuck on the rides: “How’s the weather up there?” “Fine. We’re just hanging around.” “See you later!” “We’ll be here!”

We listened to the radio on the bus ride back, and a spokesman for Cedar Point claimed that no one got stuck on rides. HA!

By: April

April — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 07:04:24 +0000

In 4th grade my class (with all of the other Integrated Day classes at my school) went to NYC to visit the Statue of Liberty. The power was out on the Island that day so we couldn’t go. Instead we took a vote-visit the World Trade Center or take the ferry to Staten Island. We voted to go to Staten Island but missed the last boat out there so instead forty 3rd through 6th graders sat in a ferry terminal for two hours. The highlight of the trip was watching some man fight with a deaf woman over the payphone.

By: Meghan

Meghan — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 02:46:52 +0000

Heather–my favorite trips were quite literally the SAME as yours — high school physics to six flags, and a trip to the landfill this past year with my environmental geology class.

so weird!

By: Jim

Jim — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 02:31:25 +0000

During a college summer session I took a criminal justice elective. We took a field trip to an Indiana State Prison where I had an opportunity to meet and talk to two guests of the state. One had been involved in a robbery but seemed like he’d matured since going in at age 18. The other guy had killed his parents. Very creepy afternoon.

By: Reggie

Reggie — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 02:22:23 +0000

I’m only mentioning this because it was so weird. In 6th grade, went to Fernald. It’s outside Cincinnati and they used to process uranium during the Cold War. Many people that have lived near or worked there have health problems, and at the time it wasn’t completely cleaned up. I still wonder why they took us there ..

By: Anne

Anne — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 17:11:15 +0000

In 7th grade my whole school walked down the street to see Microcosmos. The reaction from the crowd when the snails were getting it on was priceless…

As for Dad stories, I fondly remember touring the Anheuser-Busch factory with my dad when I was 8 years old. A few years later he joined AA…

By: loripop

loripop — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 15:44:40 +0000

My eighth grade class went to a taping of “The Mike Douglas Show.” My mother and I were chosen to perform in a skit and appeared on camera. Later, you can clearly hear my mom booing George Hamilton (she thought he was cheesy). Shaun Cassidy was on this episode, and in those days, that was pretty cool. (Yes, I’m *that* old.)