Fifth graders from Koenneke Elementary school wrapped up their
study of the Civil War by reenacting the battle of the
Wilderness. “We’ve gone over the Civil War for about two or
three weeks,” said social studies teacher and event organizer
Kenny Mulkey. “This was the culminating activity.” The 10- and
11-year-olds teamed up in the woods, forming pockets of three or
four — organizing miniature ambushes from the brush. A hit to
the torso from a “bomb” — more commonly known as a flour-filled
Kleenex knotted off with a rubber band — meant certain death. A
white flour explosion to the leg or arm meant the student
couldn’t use the limb for the remainder of the 30-minute battle.
“If you get hit in the leg, you can walk, but you can’t run
anymore,” Mulkey said during prewar instructions. “You get hit
in the right arm, you have to use the left arm. You get hit in
both arms and legs, you’re out.” Let me see if I understand
this. The "culminating activity" is to have these kids run
around the forest throwing "flour-fill