News and Features
Landis Homes Visit
In December about 20 Lancaster Mennonite High School students had a chance to visit and interview Landis Homes residents and learn, firsthand, how life-changing events such as the Great Depression and World War 2 affected them on a personal level.
Landis Homes Director of Activities Marva Godin said it was a positive experience for the residents.
“This interaction is just wonderful for the residents here,” she said. ”As I told the students, there seems to be something magical about teenagers and elders getting together. The younger generation learns so much, and they seem to represent hope to the residents.”
For the LMS students, the visit fulfills a U.S. History assignment. At LMS, U.S. History is a survey course that begins with the 1870s and continues to the present. One goal is to acquaint students with major events of American history and how their accumulative impact affects life today. Course themes include the impact of changing technology, American culture, ethnic diversity, religious movements, and economic and political development.
Interviewing the residents helped students understand how ordinary folks lived a long time ago. They asked questions such as: What was it like to live before computers? What was the most important event when you were a child? What was the church like during that time and how is it different now? Who was the most important person in your life? Who was your hero? What was your first car? What were some old radio shows you listened to? What was most rewarding about your career? and What is your secret to longevity?
The visit also gave insight into what it is like to live in a retirement community. And it provided an opportunity for the students to learn about career possibilities in long-term health care. The visit was part of an ongoing relationship between Landis Homes and Lancaster Mennonite School with the goal of providing intergenerational opportunities for both. Students from the Locust Grove Campus shared their hand bell music at Locust Grove in December, and there are plans for Landis Homes residents to attend Locust Grove’s middle school drama in February.
