Buddy Tripp of Plymouth, Mass., dressed as Captain Myles Standish, a Dutchman who landed in America on the Mayflower, talks to fourth graders Friday at McQuistion Elementary School. Tripp is a teacher at Plimoth Plantation, a museum in Plymouth, and during the museum's offseason, teachers visit schools around the country to educate students about life in New England in the 1600s.

BUTLER TWP — Miles Standish, a Dutchman straight off the Mayflower, went around the room of students introducing himself.

"Mijn naam is Miles Standish," he repeatedly said to the puzzled fourth graders.

He got a variety of blank stares and giggles. One girl thanked him.

Finally, a student responded "My name is Alex."

Standish, who Friday was played by Buddy Tripp of Plymouth, Mass., was in the classrooms of McQuistion Elementary School teaching students about life in New England in 1627. He is part of Plimoth Plantation, a museum in Plymouth. During the museum's offseason, the teachers visit schools across the country. The Society Mayflower Descendants of Pennsylvania Western Colony sponsored the visits.

In character, Tripp explained to the students the problems he had finding food and work in his native country and the religious persecution he underwent.

"Does it make sense, then, that we would move where there is enough work and we can go to the church of our choice?" he asked referring to a trip to the New World.

The students gave a collective "yes."

But then, perhaps changing their minds, he demonstrated the conditions of the Mayflower's journey in 1620. Making the students scrunch their faces and make noises of disgust, he made them stand shoulder to shoulder as they would have on the ship and told stories of chamber pots.

He shared the history of trading with the natives and celebration of the first Thanksgiving.Then, he got the students out of their seats to play dress up.Standish had two daughters, Remember and Mary; and a son, Bartholomew. For the day, students played those characters with traditional clothing.Cloie Trufley, playing the part of Remember, dressed with a shift, petticoat, waistcoat, apron and cap."All the buttons and pieces of clothing are a lot different," she said after the demonstration.From the presentation, she learned girls had to a lot of work and "boys have fun," she said.Plimoth Plantation also had plans to visit Center Township, Broad Street and Summit Township schools in Butler School District; St. Luke Lutheran School; and Buffalo Elementary School in the Freeport School District.

Buddy Tripp dresses Cloie Trufley in traditional clothing worn by settlers of New England. After his presentation, Tripp had the children play dress up and play characters in the traditional garb.