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High School Class for LH

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  • High School Class for LH

    Comrades,
    I would like to introduce myself. I am new to the forum, but have been a fly on the wall for years. I have been in the hobby about 8 years and am involved with the 1st Colorado Volunteer Infantry, Co D, & have formed up with the likes of the Potomac Legion.

    I have started something I believe to be unique in our LH community. I am a high school AP history teacher and have started an Civil War Living History Independent study class at the school where I teach. We are in our fourth year of the class, and have 14 active students.

    Thier impressions range from Federal Infantry (western threater / far western theater) to Western CS (1st TX), to musician, to civilian. We begin the school year with a camp of Instruction, then give presentations throughout the school district, do weekend presentations for the NPS and state historic sites (Fort Larned, Pecos NP, Fort Garland [CO State]), have been in parades, and presented to various civic organizations.

    We attend reenactments as time and resources will allow (Perryville 02 was our last major campaign). We have been involved in preservation, and have donated monies to save the Glorieta battlefield.

    Our texts include many selections from the CR Compenduim, original source materials (journals, manuals, etc) as well as Past into Present by Roth.

    Each student or groups of students is also reponsible for the completion of a final project. In the past, these have included the manufacture of ground cloths, tent pegs, and clothing items.

    I have been fortunate during this time to get over $15,000 in grants to purchase material culture so students can get involved right away with research and presentation.

    My question is this: I would like to take this class to the "next level" and am wondering if you gents have any suggestions.

    I am also curious if there are other animals of this nature out there. My dream is to have several of these classes across the country that would form up together at quality events as a company. This would be a kick-backside company because the kiddos would be graded on authenticity!

    Requesting Your Consideration, I Remain,
    Cpl. Kurt Knierim
    1st Colorado Vol Inf, Co D
    "Lobo Mess"
    Last edited by ElizabethClark; 07-12-2004, 04:39 PM. Reason: adding formatting for easier reading
    Kurt R. Knierim
    1st Colorado Volunteer Infantry, Co D
    "Gilpin's Pet Lambs"
    Horsetooth Mess
    [I]“…I do think our Co the best that ever was raised in any country all large men
    and the most of them d--- sharp.”[/I][SIZE="1"]
    -Alonzo Ickis, First Colorado Volunteers, 1861[/SIZE]

  • #2
    Re: High School Class for LH

    I know of one similar program: an elementary school history club out here in Wyoming, headed up by one of the teachers at the school. It's not an AP thing, and obviously the kids take on civilian roles, as they're too young for military involvement, but it really gets them jazzed about the history aspect.

    What you're contemplating sounds fascinating!
    Regards,
    Elizabeth Clark

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: High School Class for LH

      Congratulations! You've put into practice something that has always been one of those "wouldn't it be great if....." things on my list. Forming a company of teenagers immediately solves the "we're too old and fat" problem and it looks like you've done a good job in solving the flip side of the coin, that teenagers generally have less money than middle aged men.

      As far as taking them to the next level...sounds like it's time again for an immersion experience at an EBUFU event. It sounds like you've done a good job getting the gear, the next hurdle is learning what to do with it. The fun thing about an EBUFU event is that (outside of the engagements) the mundane experiences are real, not recreated....you really cook, you really get tired, sore, dirty, cut, angry, scared, hopeful, critical.... experiencing those in the field, under the same conditions that soldiers did will take your impression to a new level. (No hokey made up first person - the problems solved are real - consider the artillery horses getting tangled while fording the stream at Picketts Mill this year...)

      While distance is sure to be a concern, there's a great selection of potential places to go in the events folder.
      Daniel Fodera
      Palmetto Living History Assoc

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: High School Class for LH

        I'm not a teacher, but I've been doing LH presentations at the schools just because I ask, and I think what you're doing is great. Not only can it get students involved in doing something other than video games, but they can also get excited about history as a subject in general, maybe even a career. If more kids knew something about American history, maybe we wouldn't be bulldozing our past.

        Jeff Lawson
        Jeff Lawson
        2nd Vermont, Co. E

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: High School Class for LH

          Kurt,
          There is a unit in Rhode Island that portrays the 14th Rhode Island Heavy Artillery which was an African American regiment. The program works with youngsters of less fortunate situations. They go campaign style to events and are some tough kids. I had the privelege of working with them at Olustee, FL this year and am good friends with their Lieutenant. I myself am working on forming a program within my unit, the 5th USCT here in Ohio, just rough starting out due to finding grant money. It would be great to be able to get a national thing going.

          Respectfully,
          Andrew Jarvi
          Capt. 5th USCT
          Respectfully yours,
          Andrew Jarvi
          [URL="http://darbycreekboys.webs.com/index.html"]Darby Creek Boys[/URL]

          Kamfet brav fur Freiheit und Recht

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: High School Class for LH

            This falls into the broad field of Applied History. Many universities offer this now.
            B. G. Beall (Long Gone)

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: High School Class for LH

              Originally posted by capt5thusct
              Kurt,
              There is a unit in Rhode Island that portrays the 14th Rhode Island Heavy Artillery which was an African American regiment. The program works with youngsters of less fortunate situations. They go campaign style to events and are some tough kids. I had the privelege of working with them at Olustee, FL this year and am good friends with their Lieutenant. I myself am working on forming a program within my unit, the 5th USCT here in Ohio, just rough starting out due to finding grant money. It would be great to be able to get a national thing going.

              Respectfully,
              Andrew Jarvi
              Capt. 5th USCT
              That's who those kids I saw at Olustee were. I was really suprised when I walked down through the Fed camp and saw them campaigning. I guess impressed would be a better word than surprised.

              These sound like great programs. I wish I had thought of something like this when I was in high school. My AP history teacher would've loved the idea. Keep up the good work guys!!
              James K. Masson

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: High School Class for LH

                Kurt made my weekend at the Potomac Legion (83rd PVI) living history at Gettysburg NMP last summer. We had Company I at that one -- a bunch of orphaned campaigners and fellows new to authentic reenacting. Kurt came all the way from Colorado with corporal stripes, and it was just absolutely the most confidence-inspiring thing in the world to look up and see that he had, without being told, started checking guys on their manual of arms and musket stacking -- this while we were still in the early stages of working out who was even on site early Friday afternoon. It was the perfect "we make it happen" attitude to bring to the event.
                He's a credit to the reenacting community and anyone thinking about getting together with the young people he's working with should put all doubts behind. This is a class act and a good idea all rolled into one.
                I know there have been some college-level units raised -- isn't there one in Gettysburg? I believe that in years past there was a high school - based unit that used to do events in eastern Pennsylvania, but I don't know if they are still functioning.
                Bill Watson
                Stroudsburg

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: High School Class for LH

                  We were involved with a similar situation in Savannah, Georgia at one of the local High Schools. It was part of their ROTC program. The kids would come out to Fort Jackson, drill, eat hardtack, sleep in the fort. The kids who showed interest and proficiency got to attend re-enactments. It was a lot of work keeping tabs on the kids, but the occassional success story made it all worthwhile.

                  Congratulations on taking the time to mentor these students.

                  Greg Starbuck
                  The brave respect the brave. The brave
                  Respect the dead; but you -- you draw
                  That ancient blade, the ass's jaw,
                  And shake it o'er a hero's grave.


                  Herman Melville

                  http://www.historicsandusky.org

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: High School Class for LH

                    Kurt,
                    Let me first congratulate you on forming this and keeping it running. That is one thing I think all of us would have liked to have in the beginning. Secondly, I would like to extend an invite to you and your group to come to an event put on by the Army of the Trans-Mississippi here in Missouri/Kansas/Nebraska/Iowa/Illinois/Arkansas/Oklahoma. We are very focused on doing the right thing in a wide range of impressions. We do a lot of Civilian/Militia type events in Missouri. We also do quite a few federal events around our various states. I myself do a Federal impression out at Ft Kearney here in Nebraska. Trust me I feel your pain as far as travel goes. 10 or so hours to an event is a short one! So take a look at our site (link in my signature) and feel free to drop me an e-mail about our events. Also what do your students do once out of high school? Can they still be in the group? I look forward to hearing from you and hopefully working with you in the future!
                    Mitchell L Critel
                    Wide Awake Groupie
                    Texas Ground Hornets

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: High School Class for LH

                      That's awesome...I wish my school had a program like that...I'm gonna talk to my AP American Hist. teacher about getting something like that started.

                      much obliged,
                      Jordan Davis

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: High School Class for LH

                        Jordan,
                        If there is interest, I would be happy to talk to your AP teacher about how to get something like this started. You give me an idea about how to spark interest - I will talk it up at AP conferences - thank you.
                        Until Next I Take Up The Quill, I Remain,
                        Kurt Knierim
                        Kurt R. Knierim
                        1st Colorado Volunteer Infantry, Co D
                        "Gilpin's Pet Lambs"
                        Horsetooth Mess
                        [I]“…I do think our Co the best that ever was raised in any country all large men
                        and the most of them d--- sharp.”[/I][SIZE="1"]
                        -Alonzo Ickis, First Colorado Volunteers, 1861[/SIZE]

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: High School Class for LH

                          Kudos to you for your accomplishment, and those of others who have posted here!
                          I taught in a large suburban Chicago area high school district (five high schools) for twenty-seven years, regular American History, AP and American Studies and did a similar program, until Columbine.
                          After the tragedy in Colorado ALL weapons were banned from school grounds and my principal instructed us to "de-emphasize" all war in our classrooms.
                          I did not coach (very important here abouts) so after some brief fruitless skirmishes I took early retirement.
                          Check with your legal people in your district before trying to start something like this commendable program. In my district "political correctness" carried more weight than hardtack, coffee and the smell of burning powder.
                          Steve Sullivan
                          46th Illinois
                          Co. Mil. Hist.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: High School Class for LH

                            Kurt,

                            What you're doing is outstanding! There's a real need for your efforts.

                            We do a lot of programs for schools and have found much more freedom to give a truer picture of history (including taking guns to school, drilling the students with Quaker muskets, discussing all aspects of the War, etc.) in private schools.

                            To reinforce what Steve said about political correctness, at our last program for over 1000 public schooled 5th graders, we were not allowed to have the students sing the last stanza of our National Anthem.
                            Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
                            Between their loved homes and the war's desolation!
                            Blest with victory and peace, may the heaven-rescued land
                            Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
                            Then conquer we must, for our cause it is just,
                            And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
                            And the star-spangled banner forever shall wave
                            O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

                            More than just battlefield preservation is needed. Our national heritage is being diminished at an alarming rate.

                            Keep up the good work!

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: High School Class for LH

                              Off topic, but: If the chorister and band leader had stepped back, "finished", and the students kept on with the last verse of their own free will, there is no court that can silence them. Students are still allowed freedom of expression in schools, and when the school admin is being cowardly, the students will have to excercise that right in order to combat it.

                              Of course, first you have to sneak the Constitution into the school curriculum.

                              (Sorry, I'll stop hijacking the thread. Bad Mod, Bad Mod!!)
                              Regards,
                              Elizabeth Clark

                              Comment

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