1904 World's Fair: Looking Back at Looking Forward

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Photo, Entrance to Creation on the Pike, Louisiana Purchase Exposition, LoC
Annotation

Marking the 100th anniversary of the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis, an event designed to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Louisiana Purchase, this site documents the extensive preparation for the event that saw 20 million visitors.

Virtual Fair recreates the original layout of the fair and allows visitors to see many of the original sights and structures through 100 contemporary photographs. Artifacts allows viewers to see 32 items significant to the fair and the subsequent Olympic Games. Short, 500- to 1,000-word essays detail the enormous preparations required for hosting the fair. Educators provides some useful materials for teachers, but is designed primarily for teachers planning to bring students to the site of the exhibition.

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Emergence of Modern US, 1890-1930
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Ben Tillman and Winthrop University

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Tillman Hall, Winthrop University
Question

In what town did Benjamin Ryan Tillman found a normal school?

Answer

It depends on what you mean by "founded."

Benjamin Ryan Tillman was involved in the early development of both Clemson (now University) and Winthrop (now University). Clemson began as a military school, while Winthrop was for training teachers, which is to say that it was a "Normal school." In 1886, Winthrop was actually founded by educator David Bancroft Johnson in Columbia, SC with seed money from a Boston philanthropist. At that time it was known at Winthrop Training School for Women. Tillman, then the governor of South Carolina, made the school state-run in 1891 and it was renamed The South Carolina Industrial and Winthrop Normal College. In 1893, it was renamed again, and was known as Winthrop Normal and Industrial College.

The records say Tillman, who was then a U.S. Senator, was "instrumental" in having the school moved to Rock Hill in 1895, where it is today. Whether his role was so prominent that he could be said to have "re-founded" the school in Rock Hill is a matter on which historians have disagreed. The first building erected for the college in its new location was Tillman Hall, an ornate Romanesque-style building, constructed with convict labor from the state penitentiary. In 1920, the school became known as Winthrop College, the South Carolina College for Women. In 1974, the school became co-ed and changed its name again to Winthrop College. It was integrated in 1964 (arch-White Supremacist "Pitchfork Ben" Tillman would undoubtedly have been appalled). In 1992 the school became Winthrop University. It now has an enrollment of about 6,500 students in its liberal arts curriculum.

Benjamin Tillman served on Winthrop’s Board of Trustees from 1891 (he was its chairman at the time the school relocated to Rock Hill) until his death in 1918. He had sisters that either worked at or attended Winthrop. All three of his daughters attended the school.

Images:

Senator Tillman, his wife, and their daughter at the Democratic National Convention, 1912. Prints and Photographs Collection, Library of Congress.

Tillman Building, Winthrop College campus, Rock Hill, South Carolina, Historic American Buildings Survey, Library of Congress.

For more information

For many of the details of this answer, I am indebted to Gina White, the Director of Archives and Special Collections at the Dacus Library of Winthrop University.

Winthrop University's website.

Bibliography

Simkins, Francis Butler. Pitchford Ben Tillman, South Carolinian. Columbia, S.C.: University of South Carolina Press, 2002; orig. published 1944.
—— The Tillman Movement in South Carolina. Durham, N.C.: Duke University Press, 1926.

Snowden, Yates ed. History of South Carolina, volume 5 (Chicago: Lewis Publishing Company, 1920).

Oregon Jewish Museum

Description

The Oregon Jewish Museum presents the history of Oregon's Jewish population, one of the state's earliest immigrant communities. The only Jewish museum in the Pacific Northwest, the Oregon Jewish Museum holds extensive collections largely focused on the years 1850 to present.

The museum offers exhibits and research library access.

What's Iraq Got to Do With It?

Description

Harvey Sicherman, President of the Foreign Policy Research Institute, looks at the current war in Iraq; and asks what relationship it has with the War on Terrorism. He outlines previous presidential stands on terrorism, which largely ideologically opposed terrorism, but did not take direct, open action against it—contrasting them with Bush's active declaration of war against terrorism. Sicherman argues that the war in Iraq functions as an extension of the war on terrorism and of previous U.S. policy in the Middle East.

Video and audio options are available.

DocsTeach

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Screenshot, Lewis & Clark's Expedition to the Complex West, DocsTeach
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DocsTeach, a National Archives and Records Administration project, recognizes the need to bring primary sources into your classroom. To assist in the effort, NARA has pulled together thousands of primary sources, as well as a selection of pre-made activities and tools for building your own primary-source-centric activities.

Documents offers exactly what it sounds like it would—primary sources. The sources are divided into chronological categories—Revolution and the New Nation, Expansion and Reform, Civil War and Reconstruction, Development of the Industrial United States, Emergence of Modern America, Great Depression and World War II, Postwar United States, and Contemporary United States. Results can then be narrowed further by selecting audio/visual, charts/graphics/data, image, map, or written document. If you prefer, you can use a keyword search. All search results are shown with thumbnails to give you a small preview of the sources for your consideration.

Activities provides pre-made classroom activities. These require access to a computer, and are based on the same tools which the site provides for making your own activities. You can also sort them by historical thinking skill—chronological thinking, comprehension, analysis and interpretation, research capabilities, and issues-analysis and decision-making. Registering gives you access to a much larger collection, many of which are created by other educators. There is no registration cost.

If you're registered, consider making your own activity for use by yourself and others. There are tools which help students to create sequences, participate in analytical discussion, connect documents, geographically map documents, use documents to gain an understanding of the bigger picture, weigh evidence, and examine source context.

Take a moment to peruse the Teacher Resources as well. Here, you can find information on national history standards, using DocsTeach activities in the classroom, Bloom's taxonomy, and the National Council of Social Studies.

Read our Digital Classroom article on DocsTeach for more detailed information on using the site.

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Revolution & New Nation, 1754-1820s
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Contemporary US, 1968-Present

Conner Prairie Interactive History Park

Description

Conner Prairie brings Indiana history to life with the perfect mix of education, adventure and fun! The park offers an authentic look at the 1800s through engaging, hands-on experiences. These experiences cover a variety of K–12 Indiana academic standards including social studies, language arts, science and math. The park has hundreds of scenic acres and many historic buildings. The museum is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution and is committed to multi-sensory learning. Also, Conner Prairie is a proud recipient of the National Medal for Museum and Library Service, awarded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. This award recognizes institutions for outstanding social, educational, environmental or economic contributions to their communities.

The site includes several historic areas that cover a variety of themes. In 1836 Prairietown, step back in time and interact with staff portraying residents of the town. At the Conner Homestead, tour the brick house William Conner built in 1823 and visit the Loom House to find out about textile processes. Also in the Conner Homestead are opportunities to meet farm animals and try a hand at dipping candles. In the Lenape Camp, find out about Lenape (Delaware) Indian history and culture while exploring a wigwam and a trading post. The 1859 Balloon Voyage exhibit presents the story of pioneer and aeronaut John Wise and his attempted flight from Lafayette to New York. For an additional fee and weather permitting, Conner Prairie offers a flight in a tethered, helium-filled balloon that can accommodate up to 25 people and rises to around 300 feet. Inside the Welcome Center, visit Science Lab for a look at science concepts and the history behind them.

Conner Prairie's newest experience, 1863 Civil War Journey: Raid on Indiana, immerses you in the story of Confederate General John Hunt Morgan's cavalry raid on Indiana. Using theatrical wizardry, including video, sound, staging and Conner Prairie interpreters dressed in authentic period costumes, guests are asked to enlist to defend their state from the raiders. How would you react to a call to arms? Become fully engaged in this pivotal moment in Indiana history.

In addition to general park touring, Conner Prairie offers special staff-led programs and seasonal programs. Also, from November through March, Conner Prairie offers outreach programs at schools and other community organizations. Advance reservations are required for all programs including school groups booking the general self-guided tour.

Some buildings in Prairietown and Lenape Camp are not wheelchair accessible. However, in the case of non-accessible buildings, staff can come outside to interact with those unable to enter their building. A map showing which buildings are accessible is available on the website.

For more details and information, see the Conner Prairie website.

Broadcasting Longevity

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Grand Old Opry in the 1930s over WSM radio
Question

What was America's longest-running radio show?

Answer

In 1925, Nashville radio station WSM went on the air. Like many early radio stations, it was the voice of a particular commercial enterprise—in this case, the Nashville-based National Life and Accident Insurance Company, which was looking to move beyond sickness and accident insurance into life insurance. WSM program director George D. Hay, who had previously been an announcer on the Barn Dance on a Chicago radio station, organized a Saturday-night show which was also called the "barn dance." Live performances ranged from minstrel acts to military bands, but old-time or traditional string bands performing country music dominated.

The show that preceded the barn dance was a classical music program called the Music Appreciation Hour. One night in 1927 Hay introduced the barn dance by saying, "For the past hour you have been listening to music taken largely from the Grand Opera, but from now on we will present the Grand Ole Opry." The name stuck, and it continued to be broadcast under that name for the next six decades.

Although some "proper" Nashville residents thought the show was not in tune with the city's genteel reputation, it soon became wildly popular. A new radio tower built in 1932 allowed WSM to reach most of the nation with the show, although southerners remained the core of the audience. Whereas commercial media like radio have sometimes been seen as a threat to "traditional" cultures, WSM and the Grand Ole Opry spread and preserved (while it also transformed) southern white rural music.

Bibliography

Charles Reagan Wilson and William Ferris, eds., Encyclopedia of Southern Culture Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 1989.

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