On March 8, Humanities Nebraska speaker David Seay of Avoca helped area fourth graders celebrate Nebraska’s Statehood Day at the Seward Civic Center. Students from Seward Elementary, St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School and St. John Lutheran School learned about American folk music and the instruments settlers and Native Americans used.
Seward area fourth graders got an active history lesson in American folk music and the instruments used as Nebraska was formed.
Humanities Nebraska speaker David Seay played music on various instruments for the students on March 8 at the Seward Civic Center to celebrate Nebraska’s Statehood Day.
Statehood Day is March 1, but Seward Public Schools was not in session that day because the girls’ basketball team was playing at the state tournament. So the event was moved to March 8.
To start, Seay told the students about signalling instruments—big horns that belonged to animals before they were used to make sounds. He explained how those instruments were the starting point for things like bugles and trumpets.
Seay also played a lap dulcimer, which is a stringed instrument that rests on a person’s lap with its strings facing up. Seay said this instrument has roots in Germany.
When Nebraska was being settled, Seay said it was difficult to get materials to the area, so some made do with what they had. He showed the students a musical saw, which he played with both a violin-like bow and a small mallet.
Seay also discussed instruments used by Native Americans, like the Lakota Sioux flute.
Throughout his presentation, Seay asked students to play the banjo, harmonicas and limbertoys, which are a percussion instrument. The kids also sang along with songs they knew and learned a few new ones.
Seay and the students ended the day by singing “Happy Birthday, Dear Nebraska.”
