34th Annual History and Social Science Teachers Conference

On Thursday, October 24, 2013, upwards of eighty teachers gathered for the 34^th Annual History and Social Science Teachers conference. The theme of this year’s conference was “Read All About It! Using Primary Documents, Library Resources, and Local History to Foster Social Studies Literacy.” Attendees heard a keynote from Dr. Catherine Denial, lead historian for the Bringing History Home program in Iowa, which worked to integrate primary sources into k-12 social studies education. After the keynote, attendees chose three of six professional development sessions, including three sessions on the Midwest during the Civil War by Dr. Terry Barnhart, Dr. Bob Sampson (Millikin), and Dr. Shannon Smith (The College of St. Benedict & St. John’s University); a session by Catherine Denial on the SOCC approach to primary source analysis; a session from Ann Brownson (Booth Library) and Dr. Jeanne Okrasinski (CEPS) on the Common Core, library, and media; and the traditional Swap Shop, where participants shared teaching ideas and learned from Penny Jones, veteran teacher at Thomas Jefferson Middle School in Decatur.

Terry Barnhart leads teachers in discussing how they might teach about Copperheads and Peace Democrats in the north during the Civil War. (photo: Cathy Brachear)

Bob Sampson lectures on the story behind the Charleston Riot of 1864. (photo: Cathy Brachear)

The History department offered great support for the conference, with Dr. Barnhart offering a session on Copperheads and Drs. Ed Wehrle, Michael Shirley, and Charles Titus serving as facilitators for other sessions. History with Teacher Certification students Tom Griffith and Lucas Voudrie also served as facilitators. Dr. Anita Shelton welcomed conference attendees during the concluding luncheon (as did President William Perry), and many faculty members attended the conference.

Shannon Smith discusses rioting in the midwest during the Civil War and how teachers might incorporate discussion of riots (anti-draft and otherwise) into Civil War lessons. (photo: Cathy Brachear)

Jeanne Okrasinski (pictured standing) and Ann Brownson (sitting at front) led a session on the use of library and media resources linked to the new Common Core state standards (photo: Cathy Brachear)

Next year’s conference will take place in fall 2014. If anyone has ideas they would like to see covered—or presentations you might wish to make yourself!—please contact Bonnie Laughlin-Schultz.

Film & Discussion: The 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake and the Massacre of Koreans 90 Years Later

On October 26 & 27, Dr. Jinhee Lee participated in the 62nd Midwest Conference on Asian Affairs at Michigan State University by organizing two film screenings and chairing a related roundtable discussion. The films and roundtable focused on the Great Kantō Earthquake of 1923 and the subsequent massacres of Koreans and other minority nationalities in Japan. This event was one of seven film screenings and symposia Dr. Lee is organizing across the United States this fall to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the natural and social disaster that shook the Japanese empire to its core.

Following the screening of two unreleased, seldom-seen documentaries, Professor Lee led a panel of historians and literary scholars in a discussion which shed light on the legacy of the tragedy and the forms of remembrance and commemoration it has occasioned. The two films shown were “Hidden Scars: The Massacre of Koreans from the Arakawa River Bank to Shitamachi in Tokyo, 1923” (1983) and “The Disposed-Of Koreans: The Great Kanto Earthquake and Camp Narashino” (1986) both by Choongkong Oh.

History Major Named Lincoln Academy of Illinois Student Laureate

With great pleasure the EIU History Department announces that history major Zachary Samples has been named a Lincoln Academy of Illinois Student Laureate for 2013.  Nominated by Professor Lynne Curry, and seconded by Dan Nadler, EIU’s VP for Student Affairs, Zach received this award for his exceptional work inside and outside the classroom.

Each year the Lincoln Academy of Illinois presents Student Laureate Awards to seniors from each of the state’s four-year, degree-granting colleges and universities for excellence in curricular and extracurricular activities. At the Student Laureate Convocation to be held in May at the Old State Capitol Building in Springfield, Zach will receive a Student Laureate Medallion, an honorarium check, and a certificate of achievement. He will also attend a luncheon at the Governor’s Executive Mansion. Please join us in congratulating Zach on this outstanding achievement.