Humanities Iowa Speakers Bureau Presentations
Welcome to the Humanities Iowa Speakers Bureau! In the following listing you will find many interesting, informative and entertaining humanities presentations from people from all over the state of Iowa and the state border areas. Please contact the speaker first before sending an application, along with the sponsorship contribution, to Humanities Iowa. Humanities Iowa is pleased to present a large number of new programs we're sure you will find exactly what you need! Call (319) 335-4153 if you have any questions.
Directory
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Roy R. Behrens, University
of Northern Iowa
Roy R. Behrens is a professor of Art
at the University of Northern Iowa, he teaches graphic design and design
history. He is an editor and writer for periodicals and books and his
writings have been featured on Nova (PBS), Equinox (BBC), Living in
Iowa (IPTV) and BBC Radio. He most recent book is False Colors: Art,
Design and Modern Camouflage (2002). He can be contacted at ballast@netins.net or at (319) 273-2260.
Seagoing Easter Eggs: Art, Design
and Modern Camouflage Everett
Warner, an artist born in Vinton, Iowa, supervised US naval camouflage
in World Wars I and II. He made important contributions to the development
of "dazzle painting," a method of ship camouflage in which
confusing, colored shapes were applied to the sides of a vessel to prevent
German submarines from aiming at it accurately from a distance. These
deceptively painted ships, which the public likened at the time to Cubism,
resembled, as one writer called them, "a flock of sea-going Easter
eggs." This and other stories of camouflage artists, designers
and architects are told in a slide-illustrated 45-minute talk. Participants
will come away with an understanding of the relevance of visual perception
to art, the function of protective coloring in nature, and how the principles
of camouflage are used in print design, paintings, architecture and
more. Grant Wood and Frank Lloyd Wright:
Little Houses on the Prairie
Grant Wood and Frank Lloyd Wright had similar influences: Japanese-inspired
esthetic principles, the Arts and Crafts Movement and Gothic Revival
architecture. During this slide-illustrated, 45-minute talk, participants
are invited to explore the parallels between the works of Wood and Wright,
and how artists express human values, whatever the medium. |
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Galin Berrier, Des
Moines Area Community College
Galin Berrier has been an adjunct instructor
in history at Des Moines Area Community College in Ankeny since 1994.
He is the author of the chapter on the Underground Railroad in Iowa
in Outside In: African -American History in Iowa, 1838-2000,
published by the State Historical Society of Iowa in 2001. He interprets
the Law Office and the Bank to visitors to the 1875 "Town of Walnut
Hill" at Living History Farms and conducts tours at the Des Moines
Art Center. He makes interactive presentations on the Underground Railroad
for school classes over the Iowa Communications Network. He can be reached
at (515) 965-8242. The Underground Railroad in Iowa The Underground Railroad, historians agree, is shrouded
in myth and legend. Did it really exist in Iowa, and if so, when and
how? Was it highly organized or did its "conductors" and "station
agents" mostly improvise? Were fugitive slaves usually hidden beneath
trap doors in cellars or were they more likely to be concealed in attics
and garrets or outdoors in heavy brush and timber? What part did African
Americans themselves play in helping fugitive slaves find their way
to freedom? How many fugitives are likely to have passed through Iowa
and how do we know if reputed "safe houses" actually existed
in our own communities? These are some of the questions addressed in
this inquiry into a sometimes controversial but always fascinating episode
in Iowa's history. Where did they go from here?The
Underground Railroad from Iowa to Canada Where did black freedom seekers go when they left Iowa? Only in rare
cases can we trace their steps all the way to Canada, but we can be
fairly certain that some were sheltered by Owen Lovejoy at Princeton,
Illinois or hidden on board Great Lakes steamships at Racine, Wisconsin
or aided by Quakers like Zachariah Shugart in southwestern Michigan.
What challenges faced them along the way and what kind of life did they
build for themselves after they reached safety in Canada? |
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Richard Caplan, The
University of Iowa
Richard Caplan is Professor Emeritus
of Dermatology at the University of Iowa College of Medicine. While
serving for 21 years as Associate Dean for Continuing Medical Education,
he founded and developed the Program in Biomedical Ethics and Medical
Humanities, where an endowed chair has been established in his honor.
Medical ethics, medical history and literature-and-medicine are among
his areas of interest, along with matters musical (he is an accomplished
performer of piano and clarinet). He is also a recognized expert on
Sherlock Holmes and he is the founding leader of the Younger Stamfords,
Iowa City's Sherlock Holmes Society. He can be reached by e-mail at
richard-caplan@uiowa.edu,
(319) 335-6584 (w) or (319) 338-0394 (h). Medical Ethics, Moral Dilemmas Should you have yourself cloned if you can't have
children or need "spare parts" to prevent or repair a fatal
illness? If genetic testing reveals a probability of your developing
diabetes, would you change your lifestyle? These and many other ethical
questions arise frequently for health care professionals. This program
offers an opportunity to discuss these important questions with the
founder of the Program in Biomedical Ethics and Medical Humanities at
the University of Iowa. Sherlock Holmes in Turn-of-the-Century
Britain The stories of Sir
Arthur Conan Doyle have inspired generations of readers devoted to Sherlock
Holmes. Dr. Richard Caplan, an authority on Sherlock Holmes, recently
published a book concerning Doyle's famous detective. This special interest
in the subject also allows exploration of life in Britain at the start
of the twentieth century, as well as providing much enjoyment. Using
his background in medicine and his love of literature, Dr. Caplan explores
the persisting phenomenon of the great detective's astounding longevity.
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Michael Carey |
Michael Carey, Poet, Farragut *Michael Carey farms 800 acres in Farragut
and is the author of four books of poetry, a teaching manual, and two
historical plays. Carey is also a co-founder of Loess Hill Books, a
fine-arts subsidiary of Mid-Prairie Books. His work has been published
in anthologies and magazines across the United States, Great Britain
and Ireland. His life and work have been featured by the Wall Street
Journal, Time, and The Associated Press, as well as
on Christian Science Monitor Television and Iowa Public Television's
"Living in Iowa" and "Touchstone" programs. (712)
246-3453 (h). Reading and Writing the Land/Farm
Poetry Michael Carey will
read from his popular essays, "Reading and Writing the Land"
and "Translations," the latter of which concerns his move
from New York City to a farm outside the small town of Farragut, Iowa.
He will also present selections from "Local History, Poetry and
Myth," which deals with how we mythologize our local histories
through art. His humorous and insightful prose explores how culture
and "agri"-culture cross-pollinate in the fertile Iowa soil.
After reading the essays, Carey will read a selection of his poetry
from his acclaimed books The Noise the Earth Makes, Honest
Effort and Nishnabotna. All three books are inspired by the
Iowa farm landscape. Carpenter of Song- Poems of Trees Mr. Carey will read a cycle of poems based on the
Celtic alphabet of ancient Ireland. Every letter represents a tree,
a month of the year and an aspect of being. Carey gives a rich and personal
talk on the redemptive qualities of Irish natural, spiritual and poetic
symbolism. He also writes and talks about trees native to the Iowa landscape.
The ancient word for "poet" literally translated meant "Carpenter
of Song." * |
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Hal Chase |
Hal Chase, Des Moines Area Community CollegeHal S. Chase was born in Des Moines
during WW2, but grew up in legally segregated Frankfort, KY from eight
to eighteen. He recently retired as a professor of U.S., African-American,
and Iowa history at DMACC. He coordinated and contributed a chapter
to Outside In: African-American History in Iowa, 1838-2000. He
can be reached at hschase@dmacc.edu or (515) 255-8410 (h). Outside In: African American History
in Iowa The program is a
15 minute audio-visual survey of the major people, organizations, and
events in Iowa's African-American history from its territorial beginning
in 1838 to the present. It also emphasizes the African-American history
of the place where the presentation is made, and Dr. Chase works with
local people prior to the presentation to uncover and incorporate this
material into the program. In addition, audience members are encouraged
to bring their stories, scrapbooks, and family albums to the presentation
and share their content. Additional Resources: Outside In: African-American History
in Iowa, 1838-2000 ($40,
including shipping, from the State Historical Society of Iowa-Des Moines.
515-283-1757) All receipts from the sale of Outside In go into
an account in the State Historical Society Foundation and can only be
used to acquire, preserve, and promote the African-American history
of Iowa. None of the authors has or will receive any compensation for
their contributions. |
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Robert Dana |
Robert Dana, Iowa Poet LaureateRobert Dana, was born in Boston, served in the South Pacific in the Navy in World War II and then bought a one-way bus ticket to attend Drake University in Des Moines. It was in Iowa where he got hooked on poetry and has lived ever since, retiring to Coralville after teaching for 40 years as Poet-in-Residence at Cornell College in Mount Vernon. He has published thirteen books of poetry, beginning in 1957 and ending most recently in 2004 with his latest book "The Morning of The Red Admirals." In Dana's two-year term as Iowa Poet Laureate, he will deliver poems at official events and develop a signature project to advance the public's appreciation for poetry. He can be reached at (319) 354-2171. Poetry, Teaching, and the Public Iowans can learn a lot about the contemporary world by studying the classic poetry of Frost, Shakespeare, Homer or Chaucer. |
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Rudolph Daniels
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Rudolph Daniels,
Western Iowa Tech Community College
Rudolph Daniels is Assistant Dean,
Department Chair of Railroad Operations Technology and instructor of
railroad history at Western Iowa Tech Community College in Sioux City,
Iowa. He likes to travel throughout Iowa. Dr. Daniels has written the
official history of US railroads, Trains Across the Continent.
He may be reached at (712) 276-3185 (h) or (712) 490-4881 (cell). Trains Across Iowa Rudy Daniels describes the past, present and future
of the Hawkeye State's railroads. The program explores Iowa's unique
position in the construction of the first transcontinental railroad
and Iowa's great contribution to railroad safety. The talk also describes
the famous streamliners that rode Iowa's rails. All aboard for an Iowa
rail adventure! Additional Resources:
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Debra DeLaet |
Debra DeLaet, Drake UniversityDebra DeLaet is a Professor of Politics and International Relations at Drake University. Professor DeLaet holds a Ph.D. in Government and International Studies from the University of Notre Dame. She has written several publications on international migration, US immigration policies and human rights. Professor DeLaet can be reached at debra.delaet@drake.edu or (515) 271-1844 (w). Justice, War Crimes, and Human Rights Abuses War-torn societies face several difficult questions as they seek to pursue justice in the aftermath of violent conflict. To what extent shall individuals guilty of war crimes and human rights abuses be punished? How should new leaders balance potential tradeoffs between the goals of justice and peace? How can renewed cycles of violence best be prevented? This presentation will explore these questions while providing an overview of the wide variety of mechanism that have been used in an effort to pursue justice in war-torn societies, including trials, truth commissions, reparations, and official apologies. Universal Human Rights The idea of human rights first achieved a prominent place on the international agenda of states in the aftermath of World War II. Since that time, a large body of international human rights law has been created. Nevertheless, states with egregious human rights records are often parties to major human rights documents, and human rights abuses continue to be perpetrated across the globe. This presentation will present an overview of international human rights law and will consider the current status of universal human rights in international relations.
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Darrel Draper, Omaha
Darrel Draper, a fifth generation Nebraskan,
retired Navy Officer, and graduate of the University of Nebraska at
Omaha, uses his talents as a storyteller and actor to educate and entertain.
He has performed for national and state government agencies, museums,
schools, youth groups, festivals, and is a popular banquet and luncheon
speaker. Darrel specializes in costumed portrayals of historical figures
that played major roles in the events that shaped our state and nation.
Having personally retraced thousands of miles of the Lewis and Clark
Trail by canoe and on foot, Darrel is considered an expert on the history
of the expedition. His George Drouillard reenactment has received standing
ovations from coast to coast. Audience members themselves are invited
onto the stage during the presentation to dramatize various episodes
of the Lewis and Clark expedition. Darrel is the most requested performer
on the Nebraska Humanities Council's Speakers Bureau. He and his wife
JoAnne, live in Omaha. Darrel can be reached at (402) 553-8117 (h) or
PeterSarpy@aol.com George Drouillard: Hunter, Interpreter,
and Sign Talker for Lewis and Clark
Drouillard (1774-1810?), half French and half Shawnee Indian, was the
most valuable member of the Lewis & Clark Expedition. When the two
Captains needed someone who could shoot straight, talk to Indians who
had never seen white men before, provide the 400 pounds of game needed
each day, bring back a deserter, or stand his ground in the face of
a wounded and raging grizzly bear, they almost always chose this amazing
frontiersman. Adapted from the James Alexander Thom novel, Sign-Talker,
this 45 minutes presentation, in full costume and French accent gives
the audience a taste of Shawnee culture and spiritualism as you join
Drouillard in the excitement of the Lewis & Clark Expedition. The Life and Times of J. Sterling
Morton This two-act living
history program introduces the audience to the life of J. Sterling Morton,
from his birth in New York to his death in Nebraska City. Within five
years after his arrival at Bellevue, Morton was twice elected to the
Territorial Legislature, appointed Clerk of Supreme Court, became Territorial
Secretary and was made acting Governor at the age of 26. The founder
of Arbor Day would later become secretary of agriculture. Draper lends
insight into Morton's failures and successes. |
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O.J. Fargo |
O.J. Fargo, Green Valley Education Agency, CrestonO.J. Fargo has recently retired as the Director of Media Services and a Social Studies consultant for the Green Valley Area Education Agency in Creston. He is the author of two books on Iowa history, a book on the everyday life of a Civil War soldier and 27 booklets on all aspects of Iowa and Western US history. In addition to this writing and work, he is also president of an Iowa regiment of Civil War Re-enactors. He can be reached at ojfargo@iowatelecom.net, (641) 782-8625 (h). Just Before the Battle Mother- A Visit from a Civil War Soldier After a brief overview of Iowa's involvement in the Civil War, the audience is introduced to a returning Civil War soldier (played by O. J. Fargo). The audience is encouraged to ask questions and engage in a dialogue with the "soldier" who will stay in character while answering. The speaker will bring along a full roster of all men who served in and from Iowa in the Civil war to enable the participants to check for ancestors who served. Mr. Fargo dresses in full Union Army regalia for the presentation and focuses the presentation on an individual soldier's experience. Greyhounds and Hawkeyes- Iowa in the Civil War The program details Iowa's involvement in the Civil War from Ft. Sumter to the surrender at Appomattox. Although he focuses on the everyday experiences of a soldier in the field, Mr. Fargo also describes the situation on the home front and politics of the era. Audience questions are welcomed. |
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Dennis Goldford, Drake UniversityDennis Goldford has been at Drake University since 1985, teaching in the areas of political and constitutional theory. With his active interest in American politics, Professor Goldford regularly serves as a political analyst for KCCI-TV in Des Moines and is asked frequently to comment on current political matters by various media organizations. Dr. Goldford can be reached at dennis.goldford@drake.edu, or (515) 225-7291 (h) or (515) 271-3197 (w). Prayer in the Schools- Religion and Politics in America Despite, or perhaps even because of, the lack of an established church in the United States, religion has always been a factor in American politics. Is a truly secular society possible? Does a government have the capacity to be neutral regarding religious belief, or does any government in effect amount to the establishment of a set of religious beliefs? Additionally, in what sense and to what extent is it legitimate to appeal to religious doctrine and belief when engaged in political argument? Audience members are invited to discuss these questions and raise other issues. Politics and Elections 2008 With the end of the two-term Bush presidency, the 2008 elections will mark a significant change in the American political landscape. With an eye toward the meaning of these elections for American democracy, this talk will explore the electoral dynamics and the historical and political context of the 2008 races for control of the presidency and Congress.
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Michael P. Harker |
Michael P. Harker,
Photographer, Iowa City
Michael P. Harker has been a professional
photographer for over thirty years. The first twenty-five years of his
career he worked as a commercial industrial photographer and the last
six years as an ophthalmic photographer at the University of Iowa Hospitals
in the Ophthalmology Clinic. He began working on his documentary, the
"Barns of Iowa" project in November, 1993. Mr. Harker has
published a book from his documentary, Harker's Barns: Visions of
an American Icon through the University of Iowa Press (2002). Contact
him at (319) 356-0392 (w) or harkers5063@mchsi.com Visions of an American Icon Iowa's barns are disappearing and with them a way of life. Michael Harker drove past old barns on gravel roads and blacktop highways for years. He generally dismissed them as obsolete outbuildings until November 1993, when he felt compelled to photograph a windmill in Clutier, Iowa. This single photograph launched him on a seven-year mission to document Iowa's barns and all they represent. Harker's photos capture the glory and impending demise of one of rural America's most enduring icons. In his slide-illustrated talk, Harker provides insights into the quality of agrarian architecture in Iowa, the many forces at work in the loss of Iowa's barns and the histories that the barns can tell us. |
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Phil Hey |
Phil Hey, Briar Cliff
College
Phil Hey, winner of the Literacy Award
from the Iowa Council of Teachers of English, teaches English and writing
at Briar Cliff College in Sioux City. His interests in the field range
from poetry writing and natural history to business communication, and
he has been a frequent presenter for Humanities Iowa and the Iowa Arts
Council. He owns and manages a native prairie in the Loess Hills, and
he teaches several classes using the Internet. Contact him at hey@briar-cliff.edu, (712) 277-8211 (h),
or (712) 279-5477 (w). From Clay Tablets to Chatrooms:
Writing, Society, and Technology
Would society be better if all our poems and documents were written
with quill pen on parchment, as the Declaration of Independence was?
Could Dashiell Hammett have written "The Maltese Falcon" on
a word-processor instead of a manual typewriter? What we can be sure
of is that our writing media make more difference than we can measure.
Phil Hey, an Iowa writer and "writing coach" for over thirty
years, demonstrates the unique qualities of writing instruments such
as quill pens, rubber stamps, and calligraphy pens and talks about the
history of writing and how its technology has changed our society. Learning Where We Are: Natural History
as Science for the Common Reader
Twentieth-century science has increasingly become abstract, theoretical
and removed from experience—a subject "not for amateurs."
However, an older, more direct view of the world—natural history—is
an area of science where the average person may easily explore the questions
and values that have made science a great adventure for the human mind.
This presentation introduces some of the most interesting questions
raised by natural history writers and by the study of science. |
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Beverly Hinds |
Beverly Hinds, Sioux CityBeverly (Bev) Hinds of Sioux City is a graduate of the University of Iowa College of Nursing, and a devoted Lewis and Clark historian. She has followed the Lewis and Clark Trail since 1974, and has been a member of the Lewis and Clark Heritage Trail Foundation (LCHTF) since 1971. Bev is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the Foundation, and is president of the local Sgt. Floyd Tri-State Chapter of the LCHTF, Inc. Her personal L&C library greatly facilitates her research. She can be reached at (712) 252-2364 and at bjhinds@pionet.net. Sacajawea and the Lewis and Clark Expedition Sakakawea, Sagagawea, “Bird Woman”, or “Janey”: Shoshoni Girl/Woman of History - however you pronounce it or spell it, this strong young woman had a unique place in the history of the Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1803-1806. What is myth? What is fact? What is fiction? One Sacagawea, or two? Guide, Interpreter, Wife, or slave? A fascinating young woman and what the past almost 200 years and the records have told us about her. Sgt. Charles Floyd: Who Was or Wasn't He, and His Untimely Death One of the "9 Young Men From Kentucky" who joined the Lewis and Clark Expedition in Oct. of 1803, time and genealogical studies have given us more insight into his parentage and his life. The first American soldier to die West of the Mississippi, buried on a bluff (4 times!) near what is now Sioux City, IA, Sgt. Floyd has a never to be forgotten place in the history of the 1803-1806 Expedition. The Medicines of Lewis and Clark The Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1803-1806 that
took approximately 28 months, covered nearly 8000 miles and lost the
life of only one member, had a very interesting medical supply list.
What were the medicines and the medical practices of the time? Why didn't
Thomas Jefferson send a doctor along? What allowed the members to survive
the incidents that occurred? Could this feat be accomplished again today?
What we know, what we surmise, and what time and records have given
us, can make history fun. |
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Edwin Holtum |
Edwin Holtum, University of Iowa Ed Holtum has been a librarian at the University of Iowa for over 35 years and is currently the curator of the John Martin Rare Book Room at the Hardin Library for the Health Sciences. The Hardin Library houses one of the finest collections of historical medical books in the country. Ed's passion is making Iowa citizens aware of the rich resources that are to be found in these rare works that date from 1470 to the present. In doing so, he offers audiences a lively and up-close view of the volumes themselves- an opportunity to handle the books and to literally turn the pages of medical history. His presentations are enhanced by the development and use of animated views of some of the more striking images in the collections and of video clips of Dr. John Martin. He will begin taking bookings in late November and can be reached at (319) 335-9154 and edwin-holtum@uiowa.edu Revealing an Iowa Gem - The John Martin Rare Book Room The history of medicine comes alive as audiences see the images of and hear the stories behind the most important works in the collection, including Andreas Vesalius' epoch-making 1543 anatomy atlas and the fist edition of William Harvey's humble little book on circulation that overturned years of entrenched tradition and authority. Modern medicine is the story of bold initiatives, blind alleys, outlandish notions, discouragement and perseverance. Seeing the works and learning their significance engenders in us a much needed sense of wonderment, humility and gratitude. Fearfully and Wonderfully Made The human body has been a source of mystery, curiosity, and amazement since antiquity. Our curiosity continues today as evidenced by the interest we take in displays such as Gunther von Hagens' widely attended "Body Worlds." This presentation offers a glimpse at the human body as depicted by anatomists and artists through a firsthand look at images taken from the great anatomical atlases of the past. From the sometimes crude drawings of the early incunables to the lavish and striking engravings and lithographs of subsequent generations, these depictions parallel our increasing understanding of the structure and function of the most complex of all creations. |
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Gail Geo. Holmes |
Gail Geo. Holmes,
Historical Writer
Gail Geo. Holmes, has worked as a reporter
and editor for The Minot (ND) Daily News, The Leader-Post,
Regina, Saskatchewan, and The World Herald, Omaha.
An avid historical writer, he is Past President of Kanesville Restoration
Inc., Board member of the Nebraska Mormon Trails Association, Advisory
Board member to the Western Historic Trails Center, and Nebraska Chair
of the Lewis & Clark Heritage Trail Foundation. Mr. Holmes can be
reached at gailholmes@aol.com or (402) 558-4081 (h).
Lewis and Clark's Perilous 1804
Middle Passage The Middle
Missouri Valley between Iowa and Nebraska and halfway through South
Dakota was a severe 1804 test for Captain's Lewis and Clark. Burdened
with the responsibility of informing Indian tribes of the shift from
French and Spanish to American government oversight, they found it was
difficult to find tribes at home during the hunting season. Here they
experienced their only desertion and death of the entire expedition
and, unbeknownst to them and due to their prompt dispatch, they escaped
a Spanish military attempt to arrest or destroy the Lewis and Clark
Expedition in Nebraska or Iowa. With the aid of audio-visual material,
audiences at this presentation will learn many facts about the expedition
in the Middle Missouri Valley that are traditionally overlooked or dismissed.
Lewis and Clark's Footprints in
the Middle Missouri Valley Many
famous men have traveled up and down - and across- the Middle Missouri
Valley in the last 300 years. Few have left more than a reported note
of their passage. American Captains Lewis and Clark, however, left foot
prints which are still visible or calculable 200 years later. Burial
sites of American presidents are hardly known, but the one Corps of
Discovery burial is popularly known and constantly visited yet today.
These good captains casually noted a good Nebraska spot for a fort overlooking
the Missouri River. The next generation of U.S. military built a fort
there - and it has been restored in our day as a memorial. Lewis and
Clark broke a native blockade in south central South Dakota which had
prevented the French and later the Spanish from reaching the American
northwest by way of the Missouri River. Native American and United States
history yet today reverberates from that showdown. The Lewis and Clark
legacy still generates historic keelboats, visitor centers, and the
trooping of numerous school children, families and history enthusiasts. Historic Pioneer Trails Bleeding West Out of Iowa Fur traders, explorers, scientists, and artists first reached the American West in boats by way of the Missouri River. That river traffic continued, but covered wagons crisscrossed southwestern Iowa and blazed trails over the Missouri River into the land of sunset. Iowa's pioneer history was engraved on the land by wheels and etched in sweat and blood. Those willing to sacrifice all in their travels were hoping for trade, discovery , a new home, refuge, speculation or military achievement. Fifteen distinct Iowa trails were cut by wheels. Three only by horse, mule, or human footprints. Historic Pioneer Trails Through
Southwestern Iowa This presentation
on trails of southwestern Iowa covers the explosive years between 1804-1857
for the still relatively new American republic. Descriptions of great
river traffic and covered wagon trails of Southwestern Iowa will demonstrate
how broad Iowa's heritage really is. Some of the trails to be discussed
include the 1804-1806 Lewis and Clark Trail, 1811 Overland Astorian's
Trail, 1837 US Dragoon Trail, 1846 Mormon Trail, 1846 Mormon Battalion
Trail, 1849 California Gold Rush Trail and the 1856-1857 Handcart Trail.
American Indians & Mormons in
the Middle Missouri Valley, 1700-1866
The seven-year stay in southwestern Iowa of migrating Mormons, 1846-1853,
is a watershed in its history. Indian fur trade business, 1700 -1850,
was replaced in those seven years by farming, milling, light manufacturing,
and massive merchandising to Gold Rushers, Oregon migrants, etc. in
more than 90 temporary Mormon communities. After the Mormons moved west
to the Great Salt Lake Valley, permanent settlers flooded in and Indians
were moved to small reservations. Gail Holmes, for 50 years, has lectured,
written about, and helped memorialize this history. |
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Loren Horton |
Loren Horton, Independent
Scholar, Iowa City
Loren Horton was employed by the State
Historical Society of Iowa in 1972. Prior to that he was a teacher in
various levels. Since his retirement in 1996, he has concentrated on
research in 19th century social history and comparative funeral and
burial customs in the United States. He may be contacted at (319) 466-3092
(h). Through the Eyes of Pioneers: Iowa
As Described in 19th Century Diaries
Hundreds of thousands of people immigrated to Iowa during the 19th century.
Additional hundreds of thousands of people crossed Iowa on their way
to new homes farther west. Many of these pioneers kept diaries and wrote
letters, which offer a wonderful view of this period. These documents
describe the land, the people, the towns, and the experience of traveling
across the prairie. This program presents 19th century Iowa in the words
of the people who actually traversed the state. Additional Resources: · Emily and Sarah (Video): Presentation of the diaries of mother-daughter Emily Hawley Gillespie and Sarah Gillespie Hufalen This is Your Heritage During the past 150 years many aspects of life in Iowa have changed. These aspects include, among others, the origins of the people, the technology, the occupations and social customs, as well as the economy and politics. This presentation examines the significant factors among these topics, and analyzes the causes and effects of the changes. Sponsoring organizations may select the topics that best suit their interests.
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Danuta Zamojska Hutchins |
Danuta
Zamjoska Hutchins Danuta Zamojska
Hutchins, of Storm Lake, was born in Warsaw, Poland and experienced
the ravages of Nazi occupation, their reprisals for the Warsaw Uprising
of 1944 and Poland¹s fall to communism after its liberation by the Soviet
Army. Dr. Hutchins left Poland in 1962 to study American literature
and language at the University of Minnesota. She received her Ph.D.
in Modern Languages, Education and Linguistics from the University of
Minnesota, Minneapolis. Dr. Hutchins has taught Slavic Languages, Literatures
and Cultures at Buena Vista College (now University) at Storm Lake,
Iowa, Indiana University at Bloomington, Indiana, Iowa State University
at Ames, Iowa, and Ohio State University at Columbus, Ohio. She has
also taught courses in German Language, Literature and History and Russian
Language and Literature at Teikyo-Westmar University and Westmar University
at Le Mars, Iowa from which she retired at its closure in 1995. She
has authored many papers and book chapters in her field and has written
four books of general interest. Her early retirement enabled her to
devote full time to her artwork, resulting in several successful group
and solo exhibits of paintings, etchings, and sculpture. Dr. Hutchins
and her husband, professor of Chemistry at Buena Vista University in
Storm Lake, have two grown children, Edward and Maria. She can be reached
at (712) 732-6779 or hutchinsd@bvu.edu. Presentations
offered include: The Butterfly
Effect Why Do We Feel Empathy with the Victims of War, Hunger, Terror
and Natural Disasters? Herbert
Hoover's Role in Distributing Food in Post WWI and WWII in Europe Sacred
and Profane Art Presented in Power Point are the issues and images of human body in European
art of the Middle Ages through the present. Images selected include
examples of figurative paintings, drawings, and caricature as well as
sculpture. Discussion centers on both the aesthetic and the philosophic
considerations of human image as a vehicle of veneration and beauty
versus that of scorn and distortion. Flowers
of the Prairie With a copy of the "Prairie and Woodland Flowers
Coloring Book"
as reference this presentation identifies prairie wildflowers, their
common English names and Linnaeus based classification in Latin. It
informs when they blossom, where they grow, and in what medicinal and
food uses have they served during the times of early pioneers and Native
American Peoples. With the "hands-on" component of drawing/coloring
images of those flowers this presentation can be taken to the local
prairies or prairie gardens and tailored to specific ages and interests
upon request. Understanding
and Reading Slavic Poetry in English Translation Recitation and discussion
of poems and short poetic works written by the most outstanding contemporary
Slavic authors has centered especially on women poets. Discovering some
intimate details in their biographies and significant events surrounding
them and their epoch enhance the understanding of selected works and
bring those poets to life. Some humorous commentaries on the idiomatic
and cultural differences between the works¹ original language and that
of the English translation provide a glimpse into the task of literary
transposition from a very personal vantage point by Danuta Hutchins
herself a poet and published translator of many poetic works into and
from English language. |
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Martin KellyMartin Kelly, a former plant manager of Thomas & Betts and President of Iowa City Area Development Corp. has been a collector of cowboy movie memorabilia for over 45 years. He recently was guest curator for the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library's exhibit of "Hollywood Cowboys." He not only shared some of the objects he has collected, but also shared his many stories - to the delight of visitors and audiences. He can be reached at (319) 338-3003 or kellys07@msn.com Hollywood Cowboys Remember singing cowboys? Western serial movies? Shane? Hopalong Cassidy? Roy Rogers and Dale Evans? Even if you are too young to have experienced the era of Westerns in movie theaters, you will "thrill" to the tales of heros, villains, stuntmen and the many characters that portrayed the pioneer days on the silver screen.
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Wayne Kobberdahl |
Wayne KobberdahlDr. Wayne Kobberdahl is an educator, author, and researcher who spent most of his professional career at Waldorf College, the University of Nebraska and Iowa State University. Dr Kobberdahl was recently appointed by Governor Vilsack to the Iowa State Board of Education. He is currently retired and lives in Council Bluffs, Iowa. His new "career," portraying Captain William Clark, keeps him busy as a tour guide and speaker at many events in Iowa and Nebraska. He can be contacted at (712) 323-9363 or wkobber@cox.net The Lewis and Clark Expedition:
Captain Clark's Perspective
Captain Meriwether Lewis and Captain William Clark were real people.
They had their faults, and they made mistakes but their perseverance
and dedication to the ideals of President Thomas Jefferson and a new
America culminated in a saga of historic proportions that will be told
and retold. It has particular relevance for Iowans because this multicultural
Corps of Discovery traversed western Iowa from one end to the other.
This presentation will give special emphasis to Captain William Clark,
as Dr. Kobberdahl reenacts, in costume, segments of the history of the
Lewis and Clark expedition. He has a dramatic flair and a great sense
of humor that enables him to connect very well with his audiences. |
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Bill Koch |
Bill KochBill Koch received a Ph.D. in American Studies from St. Louis University and is an adjunct professor in the Department of English Language and Literature at the University of Northern Iowa. He has been a Whitman re-enactor since 1997, appearing at various Civil War encampments in Iowa, and presenting his show "Walt Whitman Live!!" in numerous venues, including the Old State Capital in Springfield, Illinois. A portion of this show can be seen online at Mickle Street Review website, http://micklestreet.rutgers.edu/1.mov. He can be contacted at w.koch@mchsi.com or by calling (319) 290-3911. Walt Whitman Live!! In this one hour program, Walt Whitman, portrayed by Dr. Bill Koch, will highlight major poems from his collection Leaves of Grass, as he celebrates 2005 as the 150th anniversary of the publication of Leaves of Grass. In addition, Whitman will pay tribute to Abraham Lincoln, on the occasion of the 140th anniversary of the Lincoln assassination, with a description of the nation's obsequies, and recitations of the Gettysburg Address and "O Captain, My Captain." Prairie Whitman Walt Whitman's poetry of nature is highlighted. In this presentation, we see an older Whitman, as portrayed by Koch, hobbled by a stroke and watch him as he finds strength from his contact with trees, babbling brooks, the prairie and the night sky. The show can be done with little technical support, though it can be staged in theatre like settings. |
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Brooks Landon |
Brooks Landon, The
University of Iowa
Brooks Landon, Chair of the University
of Iowa Department of English, is an expert on science fiction literature
and film. He not only wrote the book Science Fiction After 1900:
From the Steam Man to the Stars, but also created the Humanities
Iowa library reading and discussion series "Journey to the Future."
During the 80's he hosted "Watch the Sky" on Iowa Public Television,
a series on science fiction film. He earned his Ph.D. from the University
of Texas at Austin. Contact him at (319) 335-0454 or brooks-landon@uiowa.edu Nanotechnology in Science Fiction As Michael Crichton's recent best-selling novel,
Prey, suggests it's high time we start thinking about nanotechnology—about
what it can do and about how it can go wrong. Of course, science fiction
has been thinking about nanotech long before Crichton got there. Nanotechnology
is the mechanical or biological engineering of incredibly tiny, self-replicating
machines that can rebuild the human body from the inside out. Indeed,
some visionaries claim that nanotechnology can rebuild or reshape everything,
changing every aspect of the world around us. Advances in the sciences
of nanotechnology are coming so quickly that it's hard to keep straight
the line between nanotech fictions and nanotech realities. While nanotech
researchers strive for the next big breakthrough, nanotech science fiction
writers strive to imagine the wonderful and the terrifying possibilities
this technology may create. This presentation will explore both the
ways in which science fiction has imagined the impact of nanotechnology
and the ways in which nanotech gives new life to some of science fiction's
oldest dreams. Current science fiction novels and short stories may
be recommended for reading prior to the presentation, but the reading
will not be required for audience members to participate in this futuristic
discussion. We have met the Aliens and they
are us: Sex & Gender in Science Fiction
It took a long time for science fiction to confront directly issues
of sex and gender, but once it did the results were incredibly provocative.
Feminist science fiction transformed the genre in the 1970s and turned
what had been a "boy's club" into one of the most celebrated
areas in literature for exploring our cultural constructions of and
assumptions about sex and gender issues. This discussion will focus
on the importance of the implicit and explicit attempts in science fiction
to think through issues of sex and gender. This will also involve a
consideration of the ways in which women have been portrayed in science
fiction and of the ways in which women science fiction writers have
shaped the genre. Participants may be given a list of suggested readings
to prepare them for the discussion, but pre-reading of the texts is
not required for there to be a potential for a lively discussion. |
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Helen Lewis, Western
Iowa Tech Community College
Helen Lewis, an Eastern transplant
to the Midwest, teaches at Western Iowa Tech Community College in Sioux
City. She has taught English and Humanities courses since 1971, and
her special interests include Westerns, women artists, Medieval mysteries
and square dancing. Ms. Lewis portrays Jane Addams for the Great Plains
Chautauqua Society, Inc. Ms. Lewis can be contacted at lewish@witcc.com
or (712) 274-8733, ext. 1423 (w). Voicing a Cause, Voicing a Self:
Jane Addams at the Hull House
Throughout her long career advocating the needs of impoverished immigrants,
exploited laborers, youth criminals, and war victims, Jane Addams valued
Hull House, her settlement house in Chicago, as the center from which
she and her colleagues could assist others, improve society, and benefit
themselves. She trusted social democracy to restore dignity to the marginal.
Her many publications reveal a person finding identity and purpose through
her causes. The presentation, done in costume of the period, helps the
audience to understand the path chosen by this Nobel Peace Prize recipient.
Women of Warmth, Wisdom and War:
Images of Native American Women in Westerns
Although film critics and viewers frequently dismiss Native American
women in Westerns as stereotypes providing background for the action,
a reexamination of Westerns reveals that Native American women characters
often have more than a mere setting or sexual purpose. Despite the lack
of Native American actresses in the films, the Westerns have depicted
the Native American cultures with women as healers, counselors, and
even warriors. This presentation considers those Westerns readily available
on video in order to offer the audience a new way to view old Westerns.
(Includes film clips.) |
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Living
History Farms |
Living History Farms
Historical Interpreters
Living History Farms is a 600-acre
outdoor agricultural museum in Urbandale where historical interpreters
recreate the daily routines of Iowa's rural heritage. Three or four
costumed performers weave passages from diaries, letters, and Midwestern
poetry into presentations at the Farms and around the state. The cast
is drawn from Living History Farms historical interpreters at (515)
278-5286 ext. 157. A Year with a Pioneer Family Pioneers often saw the passing of times as cycles
of reoccurring activities—planting, summer, harvest, winter—each
coming around again with its chores and pleasures. "A Year with
a Pioneer Family" explores the rhythms of farm life and those who
settled Iowa's fertile prairies through readings from their diaries,
newspapers, and journals. Characters dress in typical pioneer clothing.
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Barbara Lounsberry,
University of Northern Iowa
Barbara Lounsberry is a Professor of English at the University of Northern Iowa. She was named the University's Distinguished Scholar in 1994. She is particularly interested in the subjects of Midwestern life and literature. Born and raised in Iowa, Professor Lounsberry believes Iowa culture, like its soil, is incredibly rich. She can be contacted at Barbara.Lounsberry@uni.edu, (319) 268-0502 (h), or (319) 273-2639 (w). Yup...Nope...and Why Midwesterners Don't Say Much The writer Ernest Hemingway made a virtue of Midwestern reserve. Reticence became part of the Hemingway "code" and the strong, silent type came to be associated with honor and heroism. This half-in-jest, whole-in-earnest presentation (with slides) explores the historical roots of Midwestern reserve, along with contemporary illustrations. As one Midwesterner deadpanned on return from the East: "We think we are being polite; they think we are slow-witted." Nancy Drew: Iowa's Heroine to the
World Nancy Drew is the most popular female detective in
fiction. Few know, however, that Nancy is an Iowa heroine and that her
creator was Mildred Augustine of Ladora. Because of this secrecy and
neglect, 75th and 100th birthday parties for Nancy and her creator are
in order throughout 2005. Nancy Drew and Mildred Augustine are extraordinary
role models for Iowa girls and boys, women and men. An academic pioneer
(the first woman to earn a master's degree from the University of Iowa's
School of Journalism), Augustine earned 6 airplane pilots' licenses,
including one for seaplaning; wrote 130 stories for young people; and
continued her newspaper column "On the Go" through her 98th
and last year of her life. Augustine wrote in the first Nancy Drew volume,
The Secret of the Old Clock published in 1930, "Nancy Drew
took pride in the fertility of her state and saw beauty in a crop of
waving green corn as well as in the rolling hills and the expanse of
prairie land."Celebrate the 75th anniversary of the first Nancy
Drew mystery and the centennial of Mildred Augustine's birth with Barbara
Lounsberry's multi-media presentation. |
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Kenneth Lyftogt |
Kenneth Lyftogt
Kenneth Lyftogt is a lecturer in the
Department of History, University of Northern Iowa and author of Left
For Dixie: The Civil War Diary of John Rath and From Blue Mills
to Columbia: Cedar Falls and the Civil War. Mr. Lyftogt spent many
years as a Civil War re-enactor. He can be contacted at (319) 266-8121.
Iowa Stories of the Civil War The program has two major themes: The first is that
one can understand both the causes of the war and the battle history
of the war by studying Iowa's role in that struggle. The second is that
the stories of Iowa's participation are too often overlooked. Stories
are gleaned from diaries, letters and personal accounts and include
soldiers such as John Rath, George Butler and Matthew Mark Turnbull
as well as influential citizens like Annie Turner Wittenmyer and Zimri
Streeter. To tell such stories is to address the major issues of the
war: slavery, racism, heroism, tragedy, politics and patriotism. Iowa
ranks second to none in this part of the nation's history. |
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Steve McGuire |
Steve McGuire, The University of IowaSteve McGuire is an Associate Professor
in Curriculum and Instruction and in The School of Art and Art History
at the University of Iowa where he teaches "What Is Storytelling
For?" He is a contemporary traditional storyteller and has performed
across the United States and in Mexico and Canada. He can be reached
at (319) 335-3011. You can email Steve at s-mcguire@uiowa.edu Brimming with Stories Iceland exists as a landscape thick with place names,
many dating from the Age of Saga, approximately 930-1030. In 2002 and
2003 Steve traveled Iceland by cycle, completing 1400 miles along the
route of the "ring road" and into the North Fjords, West Fjords,
and Snæfellsnes Peninsula. Along the way residents shared their stories.
For instance: Axel, a farmer at the farmstead Bjarg, dating back to
before the year 1000, took Steve to the place on his farmstead where
saga hero Grettir The Strong's head is buried; Einar, whose family has
lived on Hofsnes farm since before 1400, told him of Ingolfshofdi, where
Ingolfur Arnason, Iceland's first settler made landfall; at Helgafell
on the north of Snæfellsnes Peninsula Steve was taken to the grave of
saga heroine Gudrun dating 1085. What is remarkable is that every person
Steve visited with wove place and saga, their daily experience of the
relationship between landscape and story. In this presentation, Steve
will tell these stories and show some of the still images and video
of Iceland. The American Discovery Trail: Iowa
Route This program consists
of stories of Iowans and the landscape of the 504 miles of the American
Discovery Trail, part of Iowa's Millennium Legacy Trails system. |
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Tom Milligan |
Tom Milligan, Professional
Actor, Des Moines
Tom Milligan an award winning professional
actor, portrays Grant Wood and Henry Wallace. Tom has appeared in literally
hundreds of plays across the state, and for ten years, appeared at Charlie's
Showplace, Iowa's first dinner theater. Tom also offers workshops on
acting throughout Iowa, and also appears on Iowa Public Television.
He can be contacted at (515) 779-9775 or TMilliganActor@aol.com.
The Not So Quiet Librarian. What state fired the shot heard round the world - the library world, that is? Iowa! Who was the man that fired that shot? Forrest Spaulding. In 1938, Forrest Spaulding wrote the Library Bill of Rights, which was adopted by the American Library Council in 1938, and in Spaulding's own words "means as much today as it did yesterday and will tomorrow." Spaulding served as director of the Des Moines Public Library from 1917 to 1919 and again from 1927 to 1952. His story, however, is bigger than Des Moines, bigger even than Iowa. A recognized leader in the library world, Spaulding's words and his life touched everyone who loves not just books, but freedom of expression. This one man play about Spaulding, written by Cynthia Mercati, nationally known playwright, and performed by Tom Milligan, runs about 30 minutes and portrays Spaulding with the gentle, good humor, he was known for, as well as his devotion to the library and to civil rights. Spaulding was a very unquiet librarian and the play shows what good one man can do in the world. Grant Wood: Prairie Rebel In this 45-minute, one-man show, Grant Wood chats
with the audience as if talking to an old friend across the backyard
fence, or maybe at his home at Five Turner Alley in Cedar Rapids. He
tells us about his life and how he changed the art world forever with
his work. It is the man behind American Gothic that we hear and see,
and the story of how he took the moments, the memories, and the people
of our state, and showed the whole world the specialness of this Iowa.
After the presentation, the audience is encouraged to ask questions
of the actor about Grant Wood and his life. American Dreamer: The Life and Times
of Henry A. Wallace In this
one-act play based on the award-winning book of the same name by Senator
John C. Culver and John Hyde, actor Tom Milligan portrays Henry A. Wallace,
the agricultural innovator and founder of Pioneer Hi-Bred seed corn
company who became US Secretary of Agriculture and later Vice President
under Franklin Roosevelt. Admired by many and later branded as a Socialist
during his controversial 1948 campaign for the presidency, Wallace always
held out a vision for the future. |
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Tom Morain |
Tom Morain, Graceland
University *
Tom Morain is a native of Jefferson,
Iowa and is currently Vice Provost at Graceland University in Lamoni,
Iowa. He was director of history at Living History Farms from 1981-1995
and then served as administrator of the State Historical Society for
five years. He is author of three books on Iowa history. Prairie
Grass Roots won the 1989 Benjamin Shambaugh award as the year's
most significant book on Iowa history. In 2002 he received the Distinguished
Service Award from Humanities Iowa. He can be reached at (641) 784-5053
or tmorain@graceland.edu.
Hymns and Herds: A Year on the Iowa
Frontier While a slide show
takes the audience through the planting, cultivation, harvest and winter
seasons on the 1850 Pioneer Farm at Living History Farms, Morain plays
a background of popular 19th century folk hymns that would have been
familiar to Iowa pioneer families. Following the 20-minutes slide show,
Morain leads a discussion that compares the strengths and challenges
of pioneer and contemporary life. Dr. Morain provides the slides and
projector and asks the local site to furnish a piano and screen. |
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Lisa Ossian |
Lisa Ossian, Des Moines Area Community CollegeLisa Ossian completed her doctorate in Agricultural History and Rural Studies from Iowa State University in 1998 and now teaches history at Des Moines Area Community College. Her current research areas within Iowa history center on the early depression years and the era of the Second World War; her most recent publications include "'Too Young for a Uniform': Children's War Work on the Iowa Farm Front" in Children &War (New York University Press, 2002) and "October Echoes: The 1929 Wall Street Crash in Iowa" in Iowa Heritage Illustrated (Fall & Winter 2002). She also writes about teaching children's history in the Society for the History of Children and Youth newsletter and will begin work on a national study of children's experiences during WWII. Ossian currently serves on the State Historical Society of Iowa Board of Trustees, and the Higher Education Committee of the Iowa State Educational Association. She can be reached at (515) 250-8542 or LLossian@aol.com The Home Fronts of Iowa, 1940-45 The home front contributions of Iowans and Americans divided into four historical fronts: the farm front, the production front, the community front, and the kitchen front. Food for Freedom directed American farmers in the all-out production needed for the war effort and the Allies' relief, and Iowa farmers lead the nation in crop and livestock production. Iowa's small businesses and industries such as Maytag added to the "Arsenal of Democracy" by filling many military sub-contract orders while the two newly constructed ordnance plants in Burlington and Ankeny produced thousands of bombs and millions of machine gun bullets. Iowa's small towns and cities matched and exceeded records in the eight War Bond Drives as well as the numerous scrap drives for iron, paper, rubber, and tin, and Iowa's women met the rationing and production requirements demanded from the federal government in all home kitchens. The Early Depression Dilemmas of Rural Iowa, October 1929 to November 1932 The early depression years from October 1929 through November 1932 during President Herbert Hoover's administration marked the depths of the Great Depression for the United States. For Iowa and other Midwestern States, these years actually marked the middle of two decades of agricultural depression which began shortly after the Great War. The years imply desperation—both economically and emotionally—but Iowans—rural and urban—met the challenges often with great wit, humor, and intelligence. Rural Iowans especially wrestled with several economic and social dilemmas—the aftermath of the 1929 New York Stock Exchange crash, the increasing tariffs and agricultural consequences, the politics of farm children's health, the continuation and effectiveness of Prohibition, the demise of the soft coal mining industry in Iowa's District 13, increasing rural violence, changing perceptions of rural artistic creations, and the consequences of the 1932 presidential election for rural Iowans. Iowans not only met the challenges but developed different ideas and plans which proliferated in the agricultural landscape—truly depression dilemmas. Equipment required: overhead projector |
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Denny Rehder, Author,
Musician and Photographer, Des Moines
Denny Rehder, is a local historian.
His avocation for nearly fifty years has been music. Now that musical
ability is combined with another avocation - Iowa railroad history -
to offer a program on this overlooked part of Iowa's past. Rehder has
been involved as author, editor, publisher, photographer or researcher
in the publication of seven books on subjects from Iowa history. A native
of Gladbrook who grew up watching the trains of the Chicago Great Western
mainline, Denny Rehder may be reached at home at (515) 277-4354 or drehder@crosspaths.net. Grass Between the Rails The program celebrates Iowa's railroad heritage with
a unique blend of stories and original folk songs about the development
of railroads in Iowa. The subjects cover events of national importance
such as the race across Iowa to connect with the transcontinental railroad
to the West, and local history, including the poor service offered by
the "Slow Norwegian." Other topics include the somber "Worst
Wreck Ever," a farm boy's remembrance of "The One Elephant
Circus," and the rollicking "Doodlebug." Additional Resources:
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Mary Kay Shanley |
Mary Kay Shanley,
Author, West Des Moines
Mary Kay Shanley is the author of nine
books, including She Taught Me to Eat Artichokes and The Memory
Box. She is a regular contributor to numerous magazines, a public
speaker and an instructor at the University of Iowa's Summer Writing
Festival. She can be reached at shanley43@msn.com
or (515) 225-8425. For more information visit the website at www.marykayshanley.com. The Magic of our Memories Iowans are a people with roots. We grow well in the
black soil that blankets our state, in this land between two rivers.
Here are our homes, our families, our memories. This program will discuss
the importance of our memories, delighting in the commonality we share,
and we'll discuss ways of interpreting the past - through oral histories,
story telling and journalizing. Our State Fair is a Great State
Fair, but then you already knew that!
Our State Fair - Iowa's Blue Ribbon Story is the book that chronicles
150 years of Iowans who have made up that unique August experience.
Read their stories and you'll discover a bit of yourself - from watching
two locomotives collide in front of a packed Grandstand to riding the
Roller Coaster or sneaking a smooch with your sweetheart while gliding
through Ye Old Mill, from parading your Charolais around the ring to
watching judges test your piecrust, from camping in Tent City to eating
your noon meal beside your car. Join author Mary Kay Shanley in a discussion
of some of the book's very best tales, then share some of your own.
Everybody, after all, has a great State Fair story to tell. |
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Bill Sherman |
Bill Sherman worked as a publications/public relations specialist for the Iowa State Education Association for more than 35 years. Now retired he continues to research, write and speak nationally and internationally on topics related to country schools. Sherman has organized annual conferences on country school preservation for the Iowa Historic Preservation Alliance for the past six years. He works with the groups to localize his presentations to include information about significant schools that remain as museums in their area. Audiences are encouraged to share experiences they have had with country schools and to bring teaching certificates, maps showing locations of country schools, books, photographs, diaries and related items which can be displayed and shared with participants. He can be reached at 1-800-434-2039 or wsherman@networkiowa.com. The Recycling of Iowa Country Schools This presentation provides a historical overview of Iowa country schools and describes how Iowa's one and two-room schools are used today. More than 180 schools have been preserved as public museum facilities and 1,000 more have been converted to homes. You may be surprised to learn that Iowa has more than 50 operating one-room schools enrolling more than 1,000 students. While the majority are private schools operated by religious groups (Amish and Mennonite), there are seven public one-room schools operated for Amish students by the Jesup and Wapsie Valley School districts. (A slide projector is required for this presentation.) Innovative Programs and Inspirational Leaders Impacting Iowa Country Schools Jessie Field created boys and girls clubs at the Golden Rod and other Page County schools that evolved into the 4-H program. May Francis championed the cause of one-room schools and became the first woman elected to statewide office in Iowa. Sara Huftalen helped get rural teachers organized and pioneered the landscaping and beautification of the grounds surrounding country schools. Charles Fullerton developed the school choir plan to help rural teachers teach children how to sing and appreciate music. Agnes Samuelson pushed for consolidation of country schools but also developed programs to improve educational opportunities for rural students. Bill Sherman presents the stories of many Iowa leaders. How "Good" Were Iowa Country
Schools? This presentation
reviews major research done in the 1920s, 1950s and since 2000 that
compares academic performance as measured by standardized tests of elementary
students in graded schools and ungraded one-room schools. Bill Sherman
also discusses major legislation impacting country schools, how country
schools continue to influence education today, and how such innovations
as cooperative learning, peer teaching, and an emphasis on community
relations were born out of necessity in country schools. Finally, Sherman
discusses how a country school image was selected for the Iowa quarter
and why it is appropriate for our state | ||||
