The Valley View Voice

         Have you ever wondered what the Civil War Reenactor, Adam Proulx is like when he’s not acting? Mr. Proulx is the man who comes to Valley View every fall to reenact and explain some aspects of the Civil War for the seventh grade social study classes, and on Wednesday the 13th of April, he came to Valley View and answered a few of the members of Writing Club’s questions.

          Adam Proulx’s dad was a civil war nut, and he went to an open civil war movie set  in 1991 for a movie called Dances with Wolves by Kevin Costner, the director and star, and camped out for a few days. He took a tour of it, and he was used on the production because the director wanted some older kids as well as younger kids in the reenactment to show that there were women and children in war camps as well as soldiers.

           He loved that first experience, and, though he doesn’t get paid, chose to stick with it because his father was into it, it’s “fun, interesting, awkward, adventurous”, and “different”, and it’s unique because “you don’t really meet a lot of reenactors”. The historical period fascinates him, and he uses it as a means to get away from the “modernity of life”.

Proulx says that every class to which he has presented, at least one student has left because of the content. For example, a VVMS student threw up last fall during one of his explanations about amputations. He has visited schools since about 2000, and visits about a dozen schools per year.

          The most shocking thing that has ever happened to him was at a school (somewhere other than Edina), when the teacher stepped out for a minute and a student said that he had about a half a pound of weed, and asked if he be able to trade it for his musket (Mr. Proulx did not accept). Another dramatic experience was when he pulled up in front of a school, and started taking his guns out of his trunk. Apparently, earlier, the police had received a gun violence threat, and as he was taking out his guns, about nine squad cars pulled up and surrounded him.

          Some of the highlights of his hobby are meeting people from all over the world, and pretending. His first battle was of Antietam in Maryland, and he says, “Each reenactment is like a production done outside.” When he performs, he is just a regular Private Soldier, and enjoys this role. They don’t change anything historically, but mimic what has happened in the past. Each reenactment is planned for at least a year in advance.

          Important historical events are reenacted for important anniversaries to commemorate them. The 150th anniversary of the battle of Gettysburg is coming up in June, and Adam Proulx will be participating in its reenactment at Fort Snelling.