By AARON MUELLER
Niles Daily Star

There was not a single seat open at the Paris Soda Shop in downtown Niles Monday afternoon.
The small retro diner hosted 39 fifth- and sixth-graders from Granger Christian School in Granger.

The students, who are studying the World War II era, got a taste of what was on the menu for children in the 1940s. They were served peanut butter and marmalade sandwiches, carrot and raisin salad and corn chowder, along with Paris’ signature phosphate soda.

“Every other year we do a big World War II unit, in which I try to do activities that really make what happened in that era real to these kids,” said Mary Kane, the children’s history teacher.
Besides Monday’s special field trip, the students have been doing research on what it was like to be a kid during the World War II time period.

“Usually we read out of a history book, but we’ve been going to a computer room to look up the stuff and doing more activities,” Cora Bythrow said.

Kalee Murrell has enjoyed the non-traditional unit.

“I really like that we get to experience what it was really like,” Murrell said between sips of her cherry phosphate. “We’ve built cardboard bomb shelters. We’ve looked up stuff about what they did and what they ate.”

While all the students eagerly slurped down the phosphates, the verdict was not unanimous on the food.

“It was really good,” said Cody Bythrow. “It was really different.”

NaRyhan Ansari didn’t agree with his friend.

“I didn’t like it (the peanut butter and marmalade sandwich),” he said. “I think I’ll like the ice cream.”