Curie Institute students get to see history in the making ... for television

Several dozen of our 4th and 5th grade students recently visited Old Fort Johnson to watch the filming of a PBS documentary about Benedict Arnold.

The students were accompanied by several teachers and Mary Mathey, principal of the Marie Curie Institute for Engineering and Communications.

As honorary invitees, we were treated to an educational experience that most of us had never been a part of. Needless to say, we were awed by the depth of knowledge and friendliness of the crew members, who went out of their way to show us how the movie was being made and the historical context behind it. The crew included the producers, actors, technicians, WCSS DJ Joe Alteri, and James Kirby Martin, author of the book the movie is based on.

The crew did a tremendous job of educating us on how much actually goes into making a movie. They also did a wonderful job of helping all of us learn about what life was really like in the American Revolution, and that Benedict Arnold was an extraordinary man, even if he is our country's most famous traitor.

Old Fort Johnson is the original limestone house built by Sir William Johnson, a wealthy businessman and politician. It was built in 1749.

We were all amazed at just how much time, energy and patience goes into filming just one scene. The crew was still working on the one scene when our busses arrived to take us home. Although some of us were a little cold, none of us wanted to leave.

We were extremely lucky to have been able to watch this historic documentary be filmed. We are very grateful to have been invited, and we wholeheartedly thank WCSS and Talon Films for making the experience possible.

If you would like to learn more about the documentary, visit www.talonfilms.com.