Unidentified artist. Benjamin Hawkins and the Creek Indians, circa 1805, oil on canvas, 35 7/8 x 49 7/8 inches. Collection of the Greenville County Museum of Art, gift of The Museum Association, Inc.

Teaching American History Steering Committee Minutes

Friday, May 5, 2006

South Carolina Department of Archives and History

Minutes Prepared by Katie Johnson, Assistant Project Director

Present at Meeting

Paul Anderson, Clemson University, 2006 TAHSC Master Scholar

Ashley Chapman, SC State Park Service, Colonial Dorchester

Robin Copp, South Caroliniana Library

Krissy Dunn, Historic Columbia Foundation

Nancy Graham, Marion 2 School District

Fritz Hamer, SC State Museum

Katie Johnson, SC Department of Archives and History

Isa Mandell, TAHSC Independent Evaluator

George McDaniel, Drayton Hall

Connie Schulz, University of South Carolina, Public History Program

Don Stewart, SC Department of Archives and History

Joel Walker, SC Department of Archives and History

Welcome and Call to Order

Don Stewart called the meeting to order at 10:15, thanked those in attendance, passed out the agenda and minutes from the last meeting, and asked for motions for approval.  Don also pointed out that selected lessons from the 2006 retreat are available to view.  Connie Schulz motioned to approve the minutes, and Krissy Dunn seconded the motion.  Robin Copp moved to approve the agenda, and George McDaniel seconded the motion.

Director’s Report

Don provided the committee with an overview of TAHSC’s major projects since the Midyear Retreat.  Highlights from this report include:

Master Scholar/Content Syllabus

• Don introduced Paul Anderson, our new Master Scholar, and pointed out his syllabus.  Group introductions were made around the table.  Don asked the group to review the syllabus, portfolio assignment, and rubric and welcomes questions or comments.  Connie mentioned a concern about the limit of an hour and a half for the cultural institution.  Don said the time is more flexible, but ninety minutes has always worked in the past, and noted that the entire course is compressed.

Portfolio assignment

• Don discussed the Portfolio Assignment for summer institute participants. 
  
  George mentioned the book “Daily Life in 18th Century England” which is from a series of books, which could be useful in the course to help teachers connect political and economic history to the cultural history.  For the students themselves hands on activities and daily life topics help the student connect to history.  George promised to send information on the series.  He added that in an interview author Joy Appleby stated that her interest in history started in her youth and she had always appreciated that history begins with a question and teachers can frame how they teach around those questions.  Paul stated that he uses this type of guiding questions in his syllabus, the group asked whether or not the syllabus they had to peruse was his syllabus, he said yes, he had made changes to the front matter, but he had left the schedule and books, as well as some discussion questions, alone.
  
  George added history comes from the Greek root word to inquire.
  
  Don stated that TAHSC tries to guide teachers’ own interests in history and the portfolio gives them an opportunity to become and expert on a historical question that catches their attention. To illustrate this, Don mentioned Lynn Moseley’s lesson on Robert Smalls as an example, and Isa voiced her concurrence that the lesson was a success. 
  
  
• Fritz asked about feedback on the website’s virtual tours.  Don replied that we do not have any feedback on the website.  Isa stated that some teachers have commented about updating the website, and she stated that the web has been improving throughout the year. She also promised to add more directed questions about resources on the web next year.
  
  
• George asked about intimidation factor for teachers.  Fritz responded that it is a real problem, based on people being busy.  Katie explained that it is a time factor but it is also a difficulty in feeling comfortable two distinct cultures. 
  
  Fritz and George continued the discussion, and Krissy added that she has tried a personal approach and it did not work.  George asked Isa for comments, Isa says she will alter the interview for next year.  Robin stated that being at the retreat helps.  Nancy said that social studies and science has taken a back seat, with little emphasis put on these subjects and so teachers do not focus on them.  There has been a shift at the state level but it may take a while to recover. 
  
  
• Don mentioned if we write a new grant it will have money for teachers to take students on field trips.  Fritz mentioned that some principals do not want people out of the classroom, Isa adds because it takes away from the “core” instruction in math and English.
  
  
• Connie added that we should ask teachers to “imagine” a primary source object or site that they would like to use with their lesson.  Isa added that it encourages people to think in new ways.  Don replied that TAHSC could add brainstorming time during the institutes, preferably with Cultural Institution help. We should also add oral histories.  George shared that he is now an oral history source (he was in Vietnam) and did a class on Vietnam at Davidson College.  The general discussion state that we should encourage people to see that there are more sources that we traditionally think of.  Many material cultural specialists often work with photographs, so encouraging the use of objects should not be a challenge. 

• Isa returned to the question of why students are not accessing resources, stating that it starts with the fact the teachers do not know the materials exist. Then, they can not travel due to high gas prices and other reasons. Isa promised to continue to focus on why they aren’t coming.  Robin wanted to know how the institutions can be more accessible. 
  
  Connie asked Nancy if it would help if institutions made their sites available for district meetings and Nancy said yes. Katie mentioned that Susan Miles in Charleston is already doing it.  Nancy will put interested parties in touch with the necessary people.

• Connie looked at the course evaluation and notes that the point value for daily attendance needs to be adjusted to 1 point per day to keep the totals correct.

Cultural Institution Schedule

• Don moved to the Cultural Institution schedule, and explained that the schedule is mostly set, with a few days yet to be figured out in the Pee Dee. George suggested that the Hewn Timber Cabins should change their name, it takes the personal story out of it.  They would not call Drayton Hall “brick house.”
  
  Don continued to highlight the schedule.  Ashley emphasized the blocks at the gate of Lake Greenwood State Park, Connie mentioned a paper on the CCC that will be deposited in Caroliniana for our teachers to use.  Fritz said the Pee Dee institute should go to Brown Town, that it's better than the Hewn Timber Cabins.  They have a cotton gin that was made in Columbia pre 1850.  Don replied that the Hewn Timber Cabins had much success in getting teachers to return and utilize their resources. 
  
  Paul asked for dates on the Hewn Timber Cabins, Fritz and Don estimate, and suggest Vernon’s book for the best answer. Don added that the book will be available for the teachers during the summer.  Connie asked if the cabins were moved and shares that they were in continued use as sharecroppers’ cabins following the Civil War.  Paul contributed to the discussion by saying that the National Archives has the papers of the Southern Claims commission, most people think South Carolinians did not put in claims, but they did.  Paul has a student working on these documents and they might be useful.  For clarification he adds that the claims commission was set up in 1871, people who declared that they had been Unionists during the Civil War could make claims against the government for damages done by Federal troops.  They had to prove damages, and loyalty, but they bring a lot of people into the historical record that otherwise would not be seen. 
  
  Ashley pointed out the importance of archaeological material, and the power of using these objects in classroom.  Studies that are particularly accessible: Linda Stine.  Robin mentionsed Trinkley.  Ashley pointed out that you need to keep it simple to compare throughout time. 

Treasure Trove

• Katie told the group that the sources we have gathered are tied to the standards and include proper citations and document descriptions that place each source in the historical context. Katie added that the list is final but that the TAHSC staff would welcome suggestions on how Cultural Institutions could be best utilized to fill some of these holes. 
  
  

Midyear Retreat at Springmaid Beach

• Don moveed on to Midyear Retreat, which will be at Springmaid Beach on February 9-10, 2007.  Don asked for suggestions on Cultural Institutions.  Hall of Fame, Brookgreen Gardens, Huntington Beach were all mentioned.  Paul added that Charles Joyner has good sources, and suggested an article in the Journal of Southern History. 

Participants for the 2006 Summer Institute

• Katie updated the group on recruitment, stating that we have a total of 114 applicants and 41 contracts in hand.   Each of the three regional institutes should fill with a majority of partner district teachers.  Those from outside the partner districts will be selected from a waiting list based on past participation and demonstrated interest.  Orientation meetings are scheduled for the upcoming weeks and will give us a better idea of who will be participating.
  

Project Evaluation Update

Don introduced Isa’s report, points of interest in her report include:

• Isa explained that she has a draft of the evaluation, and that the observations have been completed.  Isa mentioned some of what we have learned from being in the classroom, including that it is important to limit the number of primary sources, and to use a strong narrative framework.
  
  In discussing the personal interviews she shared that individual interviews have continued throughout the year.  Talking to people at different times of year allows us to have various perspectives on the institute.  Focus groups of students reveal a lot, he has observed that students like history, boys like war, and that the students often surprise us with the “deep meaning” of history.  These teachers are self-selecting and so we do need to keep that in mind. 
  
  Isa stateed that steering committee members will be invited to classroom visits in the future.  George mentioned that he would appreciate the opportunity.
  
• Don shared some of his reflections on the observations, mentions Lisa Bevan’s 1740 Slave Code lesson. 
  
  Isa mentioned learning that original documents were fascinating for students. 
  
• George asked about students liking history, says it would be a good press story. Robin added the history channel is creating interest. 
  
  Isa asserted that resources are not the key, but that the teacher and the use of the resources are important. 
  

Annual Report for Year 2

Don moved to discuss the Annual Report, he reminded the group about the Project Objectives and Performance Measures.  The report is due October 31, 2006.  Some of the highlights of our performance measures include: a goal of 81% of our participants getting a B or better, we are at 82%, a content test which demonstrates an increased knowledge of history, and self-efficacy and interest surveys which the Federal evaluators are starting to show interest in, and the methods survey.  Cultural institution involvement is difficult to prove, but the teachers’ portfolios and the summer experience can be used as proof.  PACT alignment is the most difficult aspect, and the one most sought after by federal evaluators, but Isa cannot address that until the scores come back. 

George asked if the new state Social Studies Coordinator has been hired, and about targeted PACT testing in social studies. The group answered that they do not know about the first and that the target testing was approved.

Assistant Project Director Position

Don would like to post the position next week and conduct interviews by the end of the month.

Don asked for volunteers for the selection committee. Robin and Joel agreed to help out. Don stated that he would ask Jane Eason or Mary Paige Boyce for a education representative, Connie supported the idea of having a school district person.

Plans for 2007 Institute

In 2007, the institutes will cover “Special Topics,” The Midlands institute will likely cover 1880s to 1920.  The Lowcountry topic might cover an African American topic, such as Stono to Vesey, or the Cold War.

Don suggested that the Pee Dee cover agricultural history topics.  Connie asks about an institute in connection with Coker College on the study of tobacco culture, they used to have a program that looked at vernacular architecture of tobacco barns, and it would make a good legacy for the founder.

Next Meeting

Don suggested August 18, 2006 for the next meeting and that he would send the date out over the Listserv for approval.  If the date works the meeting will be held at 10 a.m. at the Archives and History Center. 

The meeting was dismissed at 12:15 p.m.

2009 Teaching American History in South Carolina Project. "Statement of Use and Reproduction."