By KYLE ODEGARD
Gazette-Times reporter

PHILOMATH - About three years ago, Philomath Middle School started trying to increase local history lessons in classrooms, said teacher Mark Dorr.

The eclectic mix of artifacts has been mostly hidden from the general public for 13 years, since Oregon State University mothballed the Horner Museum. But on Saturday morning, the Benton County Historical Museum will open "A Horner Homecoming," which showcases items from the 60,000-piece Horner collection. That emphasis has taken an unusual turn the last two weekends: Eighth-grade students have immersed themselves in local history through slumber parties at the Benton County Historical Museum in Philomath.

Andy Cripe/Gazette-Times Philomath Middle School teacher Mark Dorr shows his students an erector set on display at the museum, explaining that the toy was invented by Oregonian A.C. Gilbert in 1911. Dorr and his students spent Friday night at the museum.

The sleepovers, done for the first time this year, included a scavenger hunt assignment in the Horner collection exhibit, a screening of the movie "Night at the Museum," and a behind-the-scenes tour of new the collections care facility.

"Not everybody gets to go into this warehouse. This is not what the general public gets to see," said Dorr, who wore a coonskin cap to get into the spirit of the event.

"I think it's pretty interesting to learn about history that took place right here," said Ibrahim Moussaoui, who lives outside Blodgett, as he looked at Horner artifacts on Friday. It was his first time at the museum.

About 20 boys were staying that night. The previous Friday, "Out of 57 girls, we had 40 stay there," said eighth grade teacher Becki Goslow.

For many guys, the highlight of the event was seeing stuffed cougars, birds and even Bruce the Moose in the collections care facility.

"I'm a hunter," said Korey Blake, who inspected some of the creatures to try and figure out where they were shot.

Goslow said she hopes the sleepovers become part of the regular curriculum at the museum.

Irene Zenev, executive director of the Benton County Historical Society, planned to tell the students ghost stories about the museum before bedtime.

Museum employees have experienced some mysterious things, she said. One account involves an employee who was on a ladder - and way off-balance from pulling a box off a shelf.

But instead of her falling, the box somehow was "pushed" back on the shelf by something.

Then there are weird elevator malfunctions, or things left in one area that turn up in another.

Is the museum actually haunted?

"I don't know," Zenev said. Nothing spooky happened during the previous sleepovers.

Kyle Odegard can be contacted at kyle.odegard@lee.net or 758-9523.