Something I wrote for a Yahoo Group this week. It is based on my 7th grade project in Texas History.

I was in my 7th grade year at Colleyville Middle School in Colleyville, Texas.  It was still a very small quaint town back then. There were a lot of people however in the neighboring towns and the population was growing and Colleyville was starting to join in that process! I was taking Texas History my 7th grade year and was really enjoying it. We had  to do a project however and it was going to State finals and there would be ribbons and rewards. I was very nervous. I was interested in so many things. My Mom helped me to pick out something for my project.

I picked out something from a book that Mom had gotten from "Barnes & Noble" bookstore. It was a book of old tools dating back as far as the 1800's! In the book, I found a description of how the wheelbarrow was born. I decided to use that as my school project! I did not have the enthusiasm of the history teacher however as I completed the task. She wanted me to do the project on a historical cemetery! I said a firm "NO" and believed I was doing the right thing!

Next came the task of building the little miniture wheelbarrows as they were in the 1800's! Talk about complicated at the time for a 7th grader! I did it all though and Mom helped me a little bit. It was almost like my hands became someone else as I worked on the wood board and drilled and sawed the figures that were outlined in pencil. I remember hammering the nails into the sides of the wheelbarrow to make everything fit just right! I had to have Mom help me put the wheel on though! The rest I did myself!

Well, after all this, it turns out I won First Place for the category of Transportation in the History Fair! The year was 1983. That seems like eons ago! I still have the ribbon to prove that I won and to show how very proud I am of that thing! That is one for the History books!

Written by Rebecca (Becca) E Henry March 24th, 2004 5:38pm Central time All rights reserved