Cherry Hill Barclay Farms Tour Goes Virtual Amid Pandemic

CHERRY HILL, NJ — For decades, a field trip to the Barclay Farm Historic Home was akin to a rite of passage for fifth graders in Cherry Hill.

Like many other things, the coronavirus pandemic did its best to derail the annual trip to the 19th-century farmhouse and grounds that’s owned and managed by the township.

But like many other things, there’s a virtual solution, as each of the township’s 12 elementary schools have had the chance to take a virtual field trip to the historic home, which sits on 32 acres located in the heart of the Barclay Farm neighborhood.

“Barclay Farm is truly a treasure in our community,” Cherry Hill Mayor Susan Shin Angulo said. “As we actively work on reopening plans for the township, I’m so glad our students have still been able to experience Barclay’s rich history and learn from our talented historians. I look forward to welcoming all the students and their families for in-person visits to Barclay in the near future.”

The township worked with local videographer and Cherry Hill West graduate Dylan Hoffman to compress the usually 2.5-hour in-person tour into an hour video presentation. It takes students through Barclay’s long history, starting with when it was built in 1816, and moving through to when the township purchased the property in 1974.

Along the way, historical interpreters discuss what life was like for the Quaker family that lived in the home, including how they cooked, slept and went about their daily lives

Students then join a Zoom call with an interpreter who can answer all their questions. Jessica Rosenblum, who oversees the tour program for the township and took the in-person tour herself as a Cherry Hill fifth grader, said the Zoom format brought out questions she’d never heard from students before, and it was great to see them feed off of each other’s curiosity. The teachers appreciated the experience as well.

“It was an excellent opportunity for our students,” Clara Barton Elementary School fifth grade teacher MaryJeanne Bellino said.

She especially highlighted the interpreters, who use the Quaker term ‘Friend’ to identify themselves.

“The video was extremely well done and truly took us back in time,” Bellino said. “Friend Peggy, Friend Betty, Friend Monica, and Friend Dave were very informative and provided a wonderful and meaningful experience for us. The students were very engaged and generated thoughtful questions.”