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Sender: American Memory Fellows <AMFELLOWS@RS8.LOC.GOV>
Poster: Howard Lurie <hlurie@MASSED.NET>
Subject: A history for the future
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Hi AMFellows, I wanted to just hold a few more truths to be self evident, in
the vein of Judy, Arnold, and Ron
I heard an excellent piece on NPR this AM about the Johnson impeachment, and it
got me wondering how future historians will construct their versions of our
current debacle. At Greylock, many of our members of the history department
combined the use of the Harpers site, previously mentioned in this list, with
an inquiry assignment asking what sources should be used to study Clinton's
impeachment.
Perhaps there are lessons here for all of us and our students as we live
through these momentous times. Think about sources, and the tales they tell.
Are we "oversourced" with 24/7 coverage? Have we trivialized the
Constitutional crisis?
We're living through an amazingly powerful opportunity to deepen our students'
understanding of the historical method, its pitfalls and promises. Seize the
day.
Howard Lurie
Mount Greylock Regional HS
Williamstown, Mass.
Judith K. Graves wrote:
> Hi all,
> I'd like to add a personal note to this discussion. My middle daughter is
> a legislative aide in Tom DeLay's office. Yep, she's been in on this from
> the beginning so we've been getting an insider's prospective on EVERYTHING.
> We even have our very own copy of the Starr report!
>
> Where did her interest in government begin? In part with our dinner table
> discussions and our challenges to think beyond what she read in textbooks,
> but also through her government teacher in high school who challenged the
> students to leave the classroom and see government in action. His project
> requirements led her to an internship, a major in college, active
> participation in Model U.N., and work on the Hill.
>
> We were at my youngest daughter's college graduation this weekend and were
> watching CSPAN after the ceremony (The middle daughter had already called
> her office for an update; checking CSPAN was a formality!). Some of my
> youngest daughter's friends - college educated (with masters' degrees
> already) were not aware of the impeachment process and how it worked.
>
> We have a golden opportunity to breathe life into history, just as my
> daughter's teacher did. I enjoyed watching my daughter expand her horizons
> in her government class and I know that is happening also in the classes
> y'all are teaching as well.
>
> This is real, this is serious, this is affecting the lives of countless
> numbers of people, and deserves discussion. I, too, would like to be a fly
> on the wall in Arnold's class - that's our next generation at work, forming
> the attitudes and interests that will influence the country's future.
>
> Happy Holidays,
> Judy, m.h.
> -------------------------------------------------------
> Judith K. Graves
> Education Resources Specialist
> National Digital Library Program
> Library of Congress
> Washington, D.C. 20540-1320
> jgrav@loc.gov
> (V)202/707-2562 (F) 202/252-3173
> http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/ndlpedu/
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