In December, Camden High School’s MVCC Dual Credit US History Class got an immersive glimpse into an important era in local history. Accompanied by teacher Jessica Harney, 25 members of the Class of 2026 paid a visit to the Oneida Community Mansion House, a National Historical Landmark, to tour the facilities and learn more about the interesting events that took place at the site that continue to be studied around the globe to this day. Along the way, they participated in a variety of hands-on-history learning activities aligned with historical thinking skills and the NYS standards.
The Oneida Community was a 19th century utopian society that featured communal living. The community was based on the pursuit of a life of what founder John Humphrey Noyes viewed as perfection, and in creating what he called “A Heaven on Earth”. The community’s norms were very different from what was considered to be normal in greater society at that time, and it was regularly at the forefront of progress and innovation in the social and industrial arenas.
It lasted for just over three decades, and dissolved due to internal and external pressures in the community. When the Community dissolved, its remaining members formed a joint-stock corporation to continue its business interests. You may know that company today as the prominent cutlery manufacturer, Oneida LTD.
Before their tour, the students met with Thomas A. Guiler, PhD, Director of Museum Affairs. He provided historical context for the founding and development of the Oneida Community to the eventual breakup and transition to Oneida Ltd. Emphasis was placed on the contributions of the community to various innovations during the 19th and 20th century.
Throughout a one-hour tour, students were asked to consider the pros and cons of this historically significant social experiment. There was also the opportunity to practice lessons learned in the classroom through a document-based research exercise.
Students had an opportunity to work in groups with historic documents that explained some of the inventions and innovations that the community created to solve some of the problems they faced. Another document station addressed the experiences of women in the community that provided a greater sense of respect and equality that the women outside of the community in neighboring towns would not have. Finally, students analyzed the intersection of other antebellum reforms with the beliefs of the Oneida Community, including their changing attitudes about slavery and the abolition movement.
Students were also treated to an opportunity to come face to face with some artifacts from the collection that are not usually on display for the public. Some of those artifacts included a photo book of community life, a popular hunting/trapping guide from the late 1800s, and a jar that contained locks of the hair from founder Noyes. The day concluded with students discussing their final thoughts, weighing in on how their own perceptions may have changed after the learning activities. 
