Rich in history

Christine Carrillo

Hidden behind a red bandanna, black cowboy hat, a big buckled belt

and, of course, white Reeboks, Gold Grabbin’ Gus added to the mass

hysteria of the gold rush that struck Lincoln Elementary School on

Thursday.

Fourth-graders scoured the field, money-hungry for gold nuggets to

fill their personally fashioned satchels -- all in the name of social

studies.

It was a reenactment of the California Gold Rush of 1848.

“It’s called experience learning. When they studied the colonial

times, they all dressed up in colonial attire. When they studied the

Greek culture, they came to school in togas,” said Rita Goldberg, a

parent of three children who have gone through the daylong event at the

Corona del Mar school.

Like many of the other 45 parents lending a hand, Goldberg offered her

services because she believes the event benefits the students.

“As a parent, when you see activities like this . . . you know it’s an

important lesson,” she said.

And with each lesson, the goal remains the same.

“It’s an enrichment. . . . It makes the experience of social studies

more fun,” said Season Leech, a fourth-grade teacher at the school.

Over the past two weeks, the students collected “miners bucks.”

Earning the money for their good behavior and participation in the

classroom, the students could then use it to buy a plot of land on which

to mine for gold. At the same time, students could also lose their miners

bucks for bad behavior, which could make them lose out on a chance at the

most desirable plot of land, Grizzly Flats.

“It was really fun because you get to grab your gold,” said

fourth-grader Matt Doka, who earned 11 miners bucks, allowing him to buy

a plot in the flats.

Students with less ended up in Rattlesnake Gulch, or -- if bucks were

really scarce -- Poverty Hill.

Regardless of whatever plot they bought, the students had to avoid

getting caught by the bandit Gold Grabbin’ Gus, played by a parent who

dubbed himself Gus “Jamboree” MacArthur.

If caught by the bandit, the students had to relinquish their gold.

Matt got caught.

“I’m a merchant now,” he said. “But merchants can make more money.”

A three-month lesson learned.

The day began with the students making covered wagons, learning to

darn socks and, of course, making the leather satchels to carry their

gold. They also enjoyed a horse presentation and ended the day making

wanted posters of the gold-stealing bandit.

With an almost seven-year history, Gold Rush Day remains a memorable

experience for everyone involved.

Goldberg’s oldest child, who participated in Gold Rush Day when he was

in fourth grade, relayed his memorable experience to his younger sister,

she said.

“When he found out she was going to [Gold Rush Day], he told her,

‘You’re going to love this,’ because he remembered how much he did,”

Goldberg said.

* Christine Carrillo is the news assistant. She may be reached at

(949) 574-4298 or by e-mail at o7 christine.carrillo@latimes.comf7 .