History Burgoo

Confessions of a Costumed Interpreter

Historic Locust Grove is a Regency style home built around 1792 in Louisville, Kentucky. Home to the Croghan family, this National Historic Landmark welcomed three presidents, the famed members of the Lewis and Clark expedition, and General George Rogers Clark. Owned by William Croghan (a surveyor and one of the wealthiest men in Kentucky) and his wife Lucy Clark Croghan (the sister of George
Rogers Clark and William Clark), Locust Grove was a major gathering place in Kentucky. Today, Historic Locust Grove hosts many events including: 18th Century Market Faire, Antique Fair, 18th Century Thunder Revolutionary War Encampment, patriotic picnics, lecture series, KJHS club, and an opportunity for visitors to tour the home and experience the magic of an 1800’s Christmas celebration.

On December 9-10, 2011 I participated in Candlelight Christmas at Locust Grove. Candlelight is a popular event at Locust Grove, during the second week of each December, where visitors connect with history through costumed interpreters (CI) like me! The house is decorated in Regency Style Christmas splendor while visitors participate through dancing, playing card games such as Whist, and conversing with the interpreters.

About three and a half years ago, my best friend introduced me to the world of costumed interpreting opportunities at Historic Locust Grove. To prepare for my CI role, I attend monthly meetings to learn from other interpreters and guest speakers. The group also learns current events of the early 1800’s, clothing styles, children’s activities, food preparation and presentation, day to day activities, and conversation points to use to engage visitors in enjoyable topics. Select members also participate in rehearsals of Regency period dances. Through the CI meetings I have made friends my age, and have met seasoned interpreters who have amazing storytelling talent and a passion for history.

When I began costumed interpreting I portrayed Eliza Croghan, the youngest daughter of William and Lucy Croghan of Locust Grove. However, she was only eight years old and I had recently turned 14 years old and grew six inches, which squashed the believability of me being a little girl. I was then given the character of Ann “Nany” Clark. Nany was the youngest daughter of Jonathan and Sarah Clark, the wealthiest family in Kentucky and the niece of George Rogers and William Clark.

To research my new character I discussed my “family” with the other interpreters, and researched and shared my new knowledge from the internet and meetings with local historians, on the CI blog. My favorite parts of the CI learning process are researching clothing styles and the dancing practices. Due to my recent growth spurt, a new dress was in order. I purchased authentic period fabric at the Jane Austen Festival (hosted annually at Locust Grove) and a friend sewed the dress for me in Regency style. To complete my transformation, my mom fixed my hair in “the latest Regency fashion,” and I wore my great-grandmother’s cameo necklace, which is almost a hundred years old, strung on a beautiful ribbon.

The final touches were placed around the grounds, the halls were “decked” with holly and greenery, the luminaries were lit, showing the way to the house, and the cold air urged the visitors toward the music and candlelight filled house. A large crowd of my family, friends, and members of my KJHS group arrived to enjoy an evening of history and treats from 1809. I spent most of the night dancing with short breaks to “introduce” myself to the guests. Both evenings went by so quickly and were full of music, dancing, and storytelling. Now, I can’t wait for next year!

Written by Clare Egan (KJHS Board Historian)

a.k.a. Nany Clark

For more information on Historic Locust Grove and costumed interpreting go to www.locustgrove.org or call (502)897-9845.

For more information on the Kentucky Junior Historical Society contact Cheryl Caskey at cheryl.caskey@ky.gov.

Exploring the KJHS Archives (conclusion)

While exploring the KJHS archives I have come across every sort of document, photograph, and artifact but there is one last untapped resource I had yet to explore: oral history.

During the last few weeks of my internship, I had the pleasure of interviewing a past KJHS member, Sarah “Suzie” (Orrahood) Hall who, in 1971, was the second female president of KYHA (Kentucky Young Historians Association - it wasn’t known as the Kentucky Junior Historical Society until 1976). Sarah was very active during high school in her Owensboro KYHA chapter, organizing projects to clean up local cemeteries and entering projects into the essay contest at the state convention.

Campaigning for state office was always one of Sarah’s favorite activities in KYHA. She campaigned very hard in high school to be elected state historian, then state secretary, until finally she became state president in 1971 in the twelfth grade.  Sarah’s campaign slogan was “A quitter never wins, and a winner never quits.” Becoming president was one of Sarah’s fondest memories, and one of her greatest achievements.

After leaving KYHA, Sarah continued to be active in the organization by mentoring women that also wanted to become state president. Sarah continued her interest in the past by majoring in history at Western Kentucky University and eventually practicing law. Sarah said that she became a lawyer because the campaigning in KYHA inspired her to pursue that profession. In the 90’s Sarah would return to the Kentucky Historical Society to provide legal council.

I asked Sarah why she thought it is important for today’s students to participate in KJHS. Her answer helped to put me to put history into a better perspective. “History is cyclical,” and “only with an understanding of global events in history can children understand what is going on in the nation.” Sarah is a substitute history teacher in Lexington and she is worried that current students might not be able to connect the past events of history with the present.

Sarah is currently organizing a walking tour of an African-American cemetery in Lexington and an outreach program for young African-American school children to visit historic sites. Programs such as this give children a chance to view history in their community.

Interviews help to prove that history isn’t simply just an event—it’s an ongoing process involving the entire community. While interviewing Sarah I remembered a book I read in graduate school called Presence of the Past by Roy Rosenweig. In the book, Rosenweig explains that there are two types of history; History (national and global events that effect us all, that are recorded) and history (events that shape all of our lives, though on a much more local or mundane aspect of life, that aren’t necessarily recorded). For me the connection came when I realized that everything we do is history. The events, documents and organizations that we create as a society may not make the history books, but they are just as important because they shape the lives of future generations of people in our community. Organizations such as KJHS and the Kentucky Historical Society, though created years ago, still continue to influence members of the community through their actions.  

In the case with Sarah Hall, her passion for history still influences the community today. It is this passion that will continue to serve the community, and also inspire other children to pursue their interest in history.

--Derrick Ranostaj

 

Images:

1.) KYHS chapter outside building in Hodgenville, ca. 1963.

2.) 1974 Harrodsburg High School Yearbook of KYHS chapter.

Exploring the KJHS Archives, pt. 4



In April 2012, the Kentucky Junior Historical Society (KJHS) will convene its 50^th Annual Convention at the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History. While we are celebrating KJHS’s 50^th anniversary on this occasion, the quest to create a program that would connect Kentucky’s youth with their history began a little more than 50 years ago when the Kentucky Historical Society (KHS) published a magazine in 1957 called The Junior Historian. Simultaneously, the governor of Kentucky, A.B. “Happy” Chandler, wrote letters to history and English teachers in order to promote interest in forming Junior Historical Society chapters at their schools. Governor Bert T. Combs continued Chandler’s work by helping to pass legislation that created the Kentucky Young Historians Association (KYHA).

In 1961, the first issue of Kentucky Heritage was published. This magazine published the work of KYHA members featuring the projects they created in their chapters. During the early years, KYHA had 720 members and 28 clubs in the state of Kentucky.

The first state convention occurred in 1963, and was held at Franklin County High school in Frankfort. A bit of trivia about KYHA during this time:

·         Membership was open to any student in primary or secondary school in Kentucky.

·         Dues were $0.50 for club members and $1.00 for individual members.

·         The first president was Bill Zarrett, from Bryan Station High School in Lexington.

During this early period, one of the most important achievements was creating the organization’s first constitution. Officers were to be elected at each convention. At this time the state officers included: President, First Vice-President, Second Vice-President, Secretary and Historian.

This constitution did not allow Junior High and Elementary district representatives as state officers. The next constitution was later amended to solve this issue. Not everyone could vote: only members in the first 11 grades of school could vote.  

Kentucky Young Historians would meet yearly at State conventions. These conventions were to be held annually at a place approved by the Executive Committees of the Kentucky Historical Society and the Young Historians Association. In 1962, a new competition was announced for KYHA members to enter: the essay contest. Ribbons were given out for the winners. Starting in 1964, KYHA members were admitted to state historical sites and museums. By 1966, KYHA membership had grown to 5,016 students and 110 clubs.

 
During the 1970’s, the organization continued to grow. In 1976, during the nation’s bicentennial, the Kentucky Young Historical Association changed its name to the Kentucky Junior Historical. KJHS began to sponsor summer programs for its members in the mid 1970’s. One of these programs was  weekend camps at the Wickliffe Mounds, where students learned how to dig for artifacts at an actual archeological site.

The 70’s also saw KJHS form relationships with other state junior historical societies such as the Indiana Junior Historical Society and the Tar Heel Junior Historical Association from North Carolina. The IJHS and the KJHS met frequently during the 1970’s to exchange ideas and form friendships.

During the 1980’s, the state convention flourished with many new events available to students. These included: art, photography, research, scrapbook, video, exhibits, crafts, speeches, performances, and the ever popular History Bowl. By 1987, KJHS consisted of 3,700 students and 175 clubs. 1987 also saw KJHS celebrate its 25^th anniversary and Frankfort was chosen as the site for the state convention.

In the 1990’s, KJHS had several exciting new opportunities. Kentucky celebrated its bicentennial in 1992, and KJHS members participated with local programs and activities. In 1997 KJHS members were introduced to the National History Day program to increase opportunities for competition beyond the state level. At this time KJHS and National History Day were both separate entities. During the 2009-2010 school years KHD and KJHS were combined in order to adhere to National History Day project standards.

KJHS has grown since its creation nearly 50 years ago. While many of the functions of KJHS have changed over the years, its main role hasn’t changed: to provide new ways to help connect K-12 students to Kentucky’s rich history. What’s past is prologue for KJHS. The next 50 years will continue to be very productive and rewarding for KJHS members.

Would you like to help sponsor a KJHS chapter or join? Please contact Tim Talbott at 502-564-1792 ext. 4428, or Tim.Talbott@ky.gov.

-Derrick Ranostaj

Images:

Image 1: Kentucky Young Historians Association chapter certificate.

Image2: Campaign card for the office of second vice president of 1965 KYHA convention.

Image 3: Picture of KJHS chapter, unknown location, ca. 1990.

Image 4: KJHS members at the Wickliffe mounds ca. 1970.

Exploring the KJHS Archives (pt. 2)

Exploring the Kentucky Junior Historical Society archives I found out that it all comes down to the yearly conference in Frankfort. Each KJHS student, teacher and sponsor carefully prepares throughout the year for this event. It’s a time of great excitement and happiness, but also anxiety. These conferences were two days in length, and were typically held at the Farnham Dudgeon Civil Center in downtown Frankfort. All members of KJHS were invited, and most schools sent representatives. Typically students from the 4^th-12^th grades came to these conferences. Currently the conference is held at the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History. In the future there are plans to hold the convention in Louisville and other locations throughout Kentucky.    

Yearly conferences encouraged students to actively participate by creating projects, voting for their state KJHS representatives and participating in the ever popular History Bowl.

Students created projects and activities including posters, artwork, arts and crafts, plays, songs, photography, research papers, and historic walking tours for their local area. All of these projects had to focus on a historical person, place or thing from Kentucky’s past. Many of the students dealt with popular topics, such as the Civil War, or local history, such as how their town was founded. The projects were then displayed and judged at the conference. Winners received a ribbon and a mention in the KJHS publication Kentucky Heritage.

Kentucky Heritage was published from 1965 until 2007. This magazine contained information on the projects KJHS members completed for each convention. Each issue’s front cover featured artwork drawn by a KJHS member that won an award at the convention. Receiving mention in Kentucky Heritage was a great honor for many KJHS members. Artwork wasn’t the only thing shown in this magazine: research papers, plays and poems were also printed. In 2007, Kentucky Heritage stopped publication. Timeline was created in the late 90’s and had become a replacement for the magazine. Much like its predecessor, Timeline keeps KJHS members informed of upcoming events, workshops, and of course, reminders for the yearly state convention. Two years ago, Timeline switched from print to online-only publication.     

At every conference, students also campaigned for the offices of KJHS president, vice-president, treasurer, historian and reporter. These state representatives would help guide the organization until next year—when they would often seek reelection. Being a state representative for KJHS was a strange mix of politics and history. Not only did these students make decisions for future KJHS members, but they also created an organization that encouraged outreach among students and the community. This certainly proves that young people DO care about their history!

The centerpiece of past conventions has always been History Bowl. History Bowl is a contest between schools that asks questions about Kentucky’s past. It was very fast paced since many of these questions involved quick recall. There were three divisions: elementary, middle and high school, with two to three rounds to identify the final two schools in each division. As you can probably guess, History Bowl is still popular with the students since competing can be a huge boost to student morale.

Of course, not everything was about competition. KJHS conference gave students a chance to mingle with fellow KJHS members. Each convention had a mixer and dance for students to get to know each other. Since many of the members are from all over the state of Kentucky, these opportunities provided a great place to meet each year. I’m sure KJHS members (past and present) will not forget the memories made at KJHS conference.

-Derrick Ranostaj

Photo credits:
Image 1: An example of a KJHS member presenting their project at a convention in 2008.
Image 2: Awards from the 1970 KJHS state convention.
Image 3: Picture of KJHS history bowl, 2008.

How (and why) I became a docent at the Old State Capitol

In the late autumn of 2008 my wife, Jan, brought to my attention a request in the Frankfort State Journal for applications to serve as a volunteer docent at the Old State Capitol. I answered the call and filled out an application. I was approved soon after and in November began my training.

I was given materials and guides to read and also shadowed a docent during tours. At that time, I worked with Leslie McWhorter, Annie Denny and other full-time educators at KHS. In January 2009, after giving joint walkthroughs of the facility, I was granted the honor of being able to go “solo” and lead my own tours.

My interest in being a docent at the Old State Capitol most likely stems from my overall interest in history, especially Kentucky history. Growing up and attending schools in Franklin County provided me with ample opportunity to be exposed to the stories and tales of the commonwealth. Frankfort, as the capital of Kentucky, provided a political backdrop for much of what went on and continues to go on in the development of our history.

I can remember my first tour of the building on a school trip in the late fifties when I was in the first or second grade. The guides were older ladies (at least they appeared that way through the eyes of an eight year old) that skillfully led 30 or 40 youngsters through the tour. I can remember how we were fearful of the staircase after hearing that no cement, mortar or metal held the stairwell together but it stayed erect because of the great design work that relied on the physics of gravity.  

At the top of the steps was a souvenir stand where I purchased a Kentucky state flag and an American flag. Those flags have long been misplaced but I remember keeping them for a very long time and I could always remember where I purchased them.

I remember that what are now the house and senate chambers were then filled with many of the artifacts that are exhibited in the Kentucky Historical Society’s present exhibits. There, I saw Goebel’s suit coat with the holes made by the entry and exit wounds. We were shown weaponry of all sorts from the different eras of Kentucky history.

Over the years I would visit the Old State Capitol, but not very frequently. There would be an occasional visit to a special exhibit or to hear a choral group during the holidays, plus attending the various festivals that were held on the grounds. But it was those visits during my early school years that stand out and whereby I based my decision to return as a volunteer docent.

Over the past two years I have met people from all over the United States as well as every continent in the world. I have led school groups, church groups and preservation groups. I have served in the upper chambers on Boone Day. But just as important as serving as a docent and attempting to be a good will ambassador for our commonwealth, I have been able to learn more about the history the commonwealth and that of the United States of America.

-Russ Wright

 

Russell Wright is a ninth generation Kentuckian who was born and raised in Franklin County. He is retired from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet with over 35 years experience as an audit manager.

Wright holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration with an emphasis in accounting and a master’s degree in public affairs. He is a certified public manager, a certified government financial manager and an enrolled agent (a designation granted by the Internal Revenue Service). He has worked as a tax advisor for several years and practices in Frankfort.

Wright’s interest in genealogy has led him to attend the Kentucky Historical Society’s Family History workshops. He is a member of the Kentucky Historical Society and the Kentucky Genealogical Society (KGS) and serves as a director at large on the KGS board.

In addition to volunteering as a docent at the Old State Capitol, Wright also assists at the Kentucky Department of Library and Archives as a narrator for the Kentucky Talking Library Book (KTLB) program. KTLB provides the visually and physically impaired with recordings of books that are by Kentucky authors or books about Kentucky. He also serves as president of the Friends of the Paul Sawyier Public Library and is a member of the First United Methodist Church in Frankfort.

Wright lives in Frankfort with his wife, Jan, and has two sons in their late twenties who live in Frankfort and Lexington. He also has a wonderful American bulldog, Lucy, who is approaching her first birthday.

 

For more information on how you, too, can volunteer at KHS, visit www.history.ky.gov/volunteer or e-mail the KHS volunteer administrator at phyllis.gilman@ky.gov.

Exploring the KJHS Archives

Hello! My name is Derrick Ranostaj. I am a recent graduate from Kent State University with a master’s degree from the School of Library and Information Science. I also have a master's degree in public history. Currently, I am an intern in the Kentucky Historical Society’s education department.

As an intern I am helping to get ready for the Kentucky Junior Historical Society’s 50th anniversary. I am also updating the database used in the history bowl. KJHS is an outreach program that encourages K-12 students to appreciate and learn about the events that have shaped Kentucky’s history. 

My internship allows me to delve into the records of the KJHS archives. As I go through these records I am struck by how passionate and active many of these young KJHS members were in their local groups.

There are a great number of projects that reflect these young scholars' passion in both history and state pride. I hope to share much of this information with you in the upcoming weeks during my internship here at the Kentucky Historical Society.

The 50th anniversary gives us a great opportunity to reflect upon the past, and plan for the next 50 years of KJHS!

If anyone would like to share any past stories, or donate any pictures from the Kentucky Junior Historical Society to commemorate their 50th anniversary, please contact Tim Talbott at 502-564-1792 ext. 4428, or Tim.Talbott@ky.gov.

First Day of Seasonal Public Closing...Mark I on the Wall

 - view from my office window this morning. Great weather to start data entry! (hey, I mean that!)

So, it is the first day of our seasonal closing. (Yes, we are still working here at KHS. The seasonal closing doesn't mean the organization is shut down or that we are turning off any lights.) To be honest, the staff here at KHS has been working towards this day in anticipation for weeks now, so it is a bit surprising to wake up this morning to find us actually here - those of us not snowed out, that is. I know we have been talking in this blog about what we plan on doing and how we are setting goals to make sure we accomplish those plans as we are sacrificing continual public hours for 3 months.

To give you some insight into the minds of the worker bees, I can tell you we are disappointed to not be able to keep the doors open for everyone to come in and see us for these winter months. We enjoy our interaction with the public and truly want to offer access to our collections and continue on with those educationally encouraging moments with youth of various ages. That is the bitter part of the closing, the sweet part is that we can now devote some serious time to making those collections accessible in the future.

This doesn’t mean that we have lost or misplaced any collections, I know we keep talking about “finding” things, but what we are really saying is that we are going to do a more detailed inventory. All of those records from 50 years ago that say “flag” or “journal” or “image of man on horse,” we are going to go through and detail a flag of what, a journal by whom and what was that guy doing on a horse anyway?  We are also planning on getting more of these collections – at a more detailed level – in our catalog, where you can search for them from home. OR in our digital catalog, where you can view them from home.

(IMAGE, right: The special collections and library staff are working on cataloging microfilm for all of the counties. You can tell what we have done as of today.)

Unfortunately, because of budget cuts in the last few years – as I am sure you are tired of hearing about – we don’t have the staff to effectively do both--keep the doors open year round AND created detailed level of online access for our collections. To strike a balance between the two, here we are – doors closed to walk-ins for a few months. BUT, for groups of 10 or more, including researchers, school groups, etc… we will open up for you with some advanced notice. We are also open the second Saturday for January and February, so plan your trips around that. We would love to show you what we have been doing while we were away.

(Image, left-- Behind the scenes, the museum collections and exhibition team is keeping track of their progress on this wall-size chart. You can see the points already accomplished.)

My goals are developing projects and writing lots of grant applications, as well as catching up on our recent oral history collections donations in our record keeping software, PastPerfect, as well as beginning my new skill of cataloging oral history collections into our catalog. I want you to know what the 10,000 items we have in our oral history archive are – other than awesome, that is. I don’t want a repeat of what a student doing research in our library told me a few months ago, which was “the only reason I knew this oral history collection was here was because someone told me about it.”

I can’t wait for the day when that isn’t an issue. Thanks to the tough decision to adopt seasonal hours for 3 years, hopefully that will be a non-issue by 2014.

Of course, we will be updating you on our “findings” as we move on with the inventory/cataloging process. Keep checking back in and don’t be afraid to let us know what you think…seriously.

Sarah Milligan

O’ Ye Authors and Books, O’ Ye Actors and Rehearsals!

“[My teacher] Mrs. Harris said, ‘Education gives you satisfaction,’ but I had rather be ignorant and have fun, than be educated and have satisfaction."  Thus quotes the young Virginia Cary Hudson, in the year 1904, at the precocious age of 10.  But you know, that sounds like something my daughter Bella might say today, over 100 years later.  Times change, fashions change, but children will always say what they think.

 

Virginia Cary Hudson wrote her comment, and a host of many more in a series of essays for her Episcopal boarding school.  Many years later they were discovered by her daughter and printed in the book, “O’ Ye Jigs and Juleps” published in 1962.  The book quickly became a Top National Bookseller with over one million sold to date.  The small coffee table book includes Virginia’s honest and hilarious thoughts about everything from education and marriage, to dead cats and the sacraments. Many critics believe the book was creatively edited with an adult sense of humor and insight.  You’ll have to decide that for yourself, but I thought that was an interesting angle that needed to be explored.

 

So, last month a young actor named Emma Bryan worked with the Museum Theatre program to bring the words of Virginia Cary Hudson kicking and screaming into the 21^st century.  Ms. Bryan is a bright and beautiful girl of fourteen, and not at all as precocious as the troublesome Ms. Hudson.  And I am a man of …well …let’s just say I’m not 14, and I am very precocious. (I guess that is where my daughter gets it from.)  Together, during a series of rehearsals, we reinterpreted several selections from the book.  Emma's young perspective provided a playful connection, while my …well…older perspective discovered hidden meaning and layers in the writing.

 

The performance takes place in the recreated State Law Library of the Old State Capitol, and is the first in a new series for the Museum Theatre program called Novel Readings:  New Interpretations of Old Literature.  The concept is simple; select historically popular books from the collections of the Martin F. Schmidt Research Library, work with an actor to present selections from the text before an audience of museum visitors, and engage them in a discussion that connects the text to current issues or modern thought.  In this case, we wanted our guests to compare modern children with children from the past.  What differences or similarities are there?  How have things changed?  What caused these changes?  Our audiences made lots of interesting observations and indeed discovered new interpretations of old literature.

 

The next time you visit our beautiful building, climb up the long curved stairway that leads to the library and read from an original printing of O Ye Jigs and Juleps.  I visited with my daughter and she loved the book, especially the part about sliding down the long stair rail.  But I convinced her that would not be a good idea to try on these stairs.

“Like” it or not, kids have a mind all their own. Always did, and always will!

 

- Gregory Hardison, Director of Museum Theatre

  

No it can’t be! The museum is fun?

As Coordinator of Children’s and Family Programs I work with some of the world’s toughest critics - children. Children have the ability to tell it like it is.  Curious, energetic, playful, and vocal, young children haven’t been stifled by the pressure to follow common social behaviors. Children’s willingness to do and say just about anything can sometimes result in embarrassing situations (like the time a child jumped onto a chair so that she could better project her voice as she screamed “Miss Erica!  Miss Erica!”, as I stood at a casket during a wake). For the most part, I find children’s tell-all attitude refreshing. It’s children’s lack of “filter” that helps lead our educational programs in the right direction.

 
Designing a program can feel a little like walking a tightrope when children are involved. Will the kids lose focus? Will fun end in utter chaos? What if they would rather get a shot at the doctor’s office than be at the museum? These things go through my head every time I begin designing a program, but luckily I have found that most kids would agree the museum is actually fun. Just ask the recent Camp Artyfact students who collectively groaned at the announcement that the class was not going into the gallery. Or the pre-school children from a local daycare that could barely control their laughter as Adam Luckey and Greg Hardison acted like goofy little boys during a Museum Theatre performance of “Jack and the Robbers”.

The sights and sounds of the exhibitions are part of an exciting adventure that draws visitors through time and past things they have never seen before. And if they are lucky they might even run into a few silly characters from the Museum Theatre program telling stories, singing songs, and make history come to life. So come and see for yourself the fun that waits- and please don’t forget to bring your inner child!

Click here to see our Preschool Flyer

Erica Harvey, Coordinator of Children's and Family Programs

Teaching American History in Berea

Democratic Visions teachers in Berea, KY

Teachers from the Democratic Visions Teaching American History Grant, which the Kentucky Historical Society administers, spent the week of July 18-23 in beautiful Berea, Kentucky learning the art of digital storytelling.

Although a significant amount of time was used to conceptualize, develop, and produce their digital stories, the teachers also participated in two tours of historic Berea.  One, led by D. Karl Raitz from the Univeristy of Kentucky examined the settling and founding of Berea, and the other, led by Dr. Jackie Burnside of Berea College, focused on Berea's African American history.  In addition, guest presenter Mimi Pickering, director of several Appalshop films, led a session on digital storytelling platforms and techniques, and worked one-on-one with the teachers during their production.

The teachers learned and used the PlaceStories digital storytelling platform and Audacity audio editor to create their individual stories.  Despite a number of technical issues that slowed production, the teachers created excellent stories on a number of different topics that were all shown on the final day of the seminar.

This summer institute provided these teachers with yet another important skill to add to their educational toolkit.  Digital storytelling will provide additional ways for them to instruct and motivate their students' learning.

--Tim Talbott