As reported in Tuesday’s Niles Daily Star, the Buchanan Preservation Society has launched its new Junior Miller Program.

Through the program, one child each week gets a hands-on history lesson by working in the mill to turn corn into cornmeal, opening the sluice gating and bagging the finished product. Along the way, the junior miller gets to learn about the history of Buchanan mills, their machinery and their importance to the town. Afterward, the junior miller graduates and receives a certificate.

We think this program is a great way to engage youth with their town and to give them a firsthand appreciation of Buchanan’s history.

History is a vital aspect of a community’s identity — especially in a town such as Buchanan that has more than its fair share of history to spread. If actions are not taken to preserve that history, it will be lost — a prospect that seems ever more likely in today’s age.

We applaud the Buchanan Preservation Society for creating the Junior Miller Program and for targeting children through it.

Too often, children only learn about history through a textbook. While textbooks are necessary, they can rarely inspire the same type of awe and interest that experiencing something firsthand can. However, through projects like the Junior Miller Program, children can step into history themselves and learn by doing, which can produce a love of history. If children learn to love history young, that love will follow them into adulthood, and, hopefully, they will grow up to protect the history of their hometowns.

We hope that the Junior Miller Program will continue to be a success, so that the Buchanan Preservation Society can instill an appreciation for history in children that can be passed down for generations.

Opinions expressed are those of general manager Ambrosia Neldon, managing editor Sarah Culton and sports editor Scott Novak.