Professor Water's Book Published

Dr. Rober Waters has his second book in print.  Waters and Geert Van Goethem of the University of Gent in the Netherlands edited the volume on American Labor's Global Ambassadors: The International History of the AFL-CIO During the Cold War.  The compilation published by Palgrave Macmillan examines the role of labor unions in combatting communism during the Cold War.

From Palgrave-Macmillan's website:

"Following World War II, the AFL-CIO pursued an ambitious international agenda. To its leaders, the imperatives of saving Western Europe from Stalinism, rolling back Soviet gains in Eastern Europe, containing Communism around the world, throwing off the shackles of colonialism, and overcoming "uneven development" justified extraordinary measures. They sought to protect international labor while fostering American-style "business unionism," which used collective bargaining and strikes to capture a greater share of the capitalist system's economic pie. At the same time, they believed that thwarting Communist designs on local organizations was a prerequisite to cultivating free labor movements and creating prosperity for the world's workers - and battling Communism often meant working in conjunction with the US government, including even the Central Intelligence Agency. This sweeping state-of-the-field collection brings together contributions from leading diplomatic, labor, and transnational historians to explore and assess the AFL-CIO's successes, challenges, and inevitable compromises as it pursued these varied initiatives during the Cold War era."

Waters is also the author of the Historical Dictionary of United States-Africa Relations published by Scarecrow Press in 2009.

Well done Dr. Waters!

East Asian History Class In the Field

As a part of their work in the History of East Asia Since 1800, Dr. Crawford took the class to eat at the New China Restaurant in Ada.  During the lunch today, students discussed E.B. Sledge's book With the Old Breed on Peleliu and Okinawa, one of their readings, while they ate.  They also learned, if they didn't know before, that fortune cookies are an American invention and not part of Chinese culture.

The food was great and the conversation better!

Football in America Class Visits Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton

Dr. Crawford took several members of the Football in American Culture course to the Professional Football Hall of Fame in Canton yesterday.  The Hall has upgraded its facilities in recent years to present much more interactive displays.  Visitors can try on shoulder pads, see how their hands measure up to famous quarterbacks, and in general immerse themselves into the world of the National Football League.

This was the first trip to the Hall for most of the students, and one student from Brazil came along with the group.  They are seen at left standing in front of a Hupmobile auto that reminds visitors that the NFL began in the offices of a car dealership in 1920.

Trips like this provide students with high impact learning experiences that compliment their experiences in the classroom.  Students read all about the NFL in Michael MacCambridge's America's Game: The Epic Story of How Pro Football Captured a Nation, and this trip allowed them to place his stories into context.

A good time was had by all!

Author Speaks About Book on Lee Harvey Oswald

Dr. Alexander, along with HPJ and the Committee on Artistic and Special Events invited Dr. Scott Johnson to speak about his new book, The Faces of Lee Harvey Oswald: The Evolution of An Alleged Assassin that was recently published by Lexington Books.  Johnson, who teaches at Frostberg State University, spoke to a large audience in the McIntosh Ballroom about Oswald.  He told them about Oswald's background, the theories of a conspiracy that swirl around the assassination of John F Kennedy, including some of the more bizarre theories (Oswald never came back from the Soviet Union, but was replaced by a double).

The audience responded by asking several questions, and Johnson remained long after the time scheduled for the session to answer them.  Students who attended the talk gave rave reviews of the night.

Triumph of the Alumni: HPJ 2013 Graduates Report 100% Placement Rate

All of our graduates from last year have reported that they either are working, or have secured a place in graduate school.  Overall for the university, graduates from the class of 2013 reported 94% placement rate last year.  To see the full article from the ONU website, click here.

Well done graduates!

Social Studies Day Takes Students to the Field

Forty four students from Piqua High School, and another twenty-nine from Lima Senior High School were on campus today for Social Studies Day 2013.  The focus of the day was the sesquacentennial of the Battle of Gettysburg.  Students heard Dr. Crawford talk about the history of the battle and the events surrounding it, then were treated to a presentation by Brendan Kinder (BA History, 2013), Dr. David Kinder of the Pharmacy College, and Aaron Craft, a Social Studies major on their experiences joining the reenactors at the celebration of the 150th

anniversary of the battle.  After lunch, provided by the Dean of Arts and Sciences Office, the students took to the Tundra to learn how Civil War soldiers were trained to march.  Snacks and drinks for the day were provided by the Office of Admissions and HPJ.
Efforts such as this help bring history alive and are exemplary of the type of educational experiences that students are exposed to by HPJ.  This is the second time we have had reenactors teach Civil War drill to students, and it is a fun experience to take part in and to watch!

Thanks to our reenactors and all the students and faculty who helped make the day a success!

Professor Wilson's Historical Geography Class Takes to the Field

Dr. Jimmy Wilson has his Historical Geography class busy out in the field this semester.  Wilson has been taking his students to a variety of locations around the local area to check out the history of the area.  One interesting trip was to the tractor grave yard north of Ada.

Wilson's view of teaching Geography is that it is necessary to get students out of the classroom and into the places where Geography happens.

So far, in addition to the tractor grave yard, his students have visited the Wilson Football Factory, Cole Motors, the Village Council Chambers, the old train depot, the on-campus pharmacy museum, and the Scioto Marsh south of McGuffey.  They have also traveled the Lincoln Highway from Ada to Williamstown, Dunkirk, and Dola.  They also attended the annual Town and Gown celebration.

According to Wilson: "The students are gaining a greater appreciation of the importance of the immediate area, as well as the unique relationship that has been fostered between Ada and ONU."

They are putting on the miles and racking up the experience in this innovative and interesting course, that much is clear.

Triumph of the Alumni: Stephen Borden at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum

Stephen Borden, who graduated with a Bachelor of Art degree in History in 2010, has made it to the big time in his field.  Borden, who earned a MA from IUPUI last year, is working at the Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution.  After IUPUI, Borden did an internship with the Air and Space Museum and did so well that he was asked to stay on full time.  He is the second ONU graduate to have spent time at the Smithsonian.

It is always a great pleasure to see our former students do so well, and Stephen has done great things since leaving ONU.  He has taken the background that he gained from HPJ and has carved out a career that has been truly impressive.


Well done Stephen!

High School Model United Nations Simulation Held Last Weekend

 

HPJ and Modern Languages teamed up once again to sponsor the Model United Nations High School Simulation.  180 students from 13 schools took part in the simulation, setting a record for the program.  In the morning, delegates created resolutions that were debated during the afternoon session. 

Faculty and students from HPJ and ML observed the delegates at work, and scored them on their efforts.  The teams with the most points were recognized in the afternoon.  Placing first this year was the team from Clay High School, simulating the French delegation.  Scoring in the Outstanding category were Keystone HS (Switzerland), Bowling Green HS (Russia), and Strongsville HS (Estonia).

Well done to all participants!

Public History/Musuem Study Receives Research Center Space

The HPJ Public History/Museum Study Program recently was given space in Lehr Memorial Hall for a Research Center to use when working on cataloging and research.  They are currently working on a number of items from the Psychology and Sociology Department.  This space, located on the site of ONU's former theater, will allow students to learn skills that they will later use in their careers in museums and other venues.

Quoted on the ONU website, PH/MS director Professor Ray Schuck said “Even though we just offer a minor in museum studies, the goal is for our students to graduate from here and be prepared to go directly to work in the field, whether at a small historical society or even a larger museum.” 

Schuck spent twenty years working as the curator of the Allen County Museum and passes his vast fund of experience on to his students.  Courses that allow students to get their hands dirty include Introduction to Museum Studies, and the Archeology Field School that Schuck holds at the Metzger Nature Center during the Spring Semester.

Our graduates include Jody Blankenship, who is the Director of the Connecticutt HIstorical Society, Andrew Adamus, who is the Educational Director of the Erie County Musuem, and recently word has been received that Stephen Borden has been hired at the Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian.