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**NY Pvt** · 02-25-2004, 05:56 PM

Re: Any advice on how to get more college-aged living historians?

While I am not a lady;

A Picture Says A Thousand Words

BTW Forum rules state you have to sign your posts with your full name. Just telling you before the moderators do. :wink_smil

**cwbelle** · 02-25-2004, 06:14 PM

Re: Any advice on how to get more college-aged living historians?

Hi Amanda,
I think you have a really great idea. Over the past year and a half I've been gaining the reputation of being the "Civil War reenactor/enthusiast" at the relatively small college I attend and have been able to give several presentations in my history class (and others) about authentic reenacting when the subject came up. Last spring semester (a year ago), in my American Civil History class from 1865 to the present, one of the books we were required to read was "Confederates in the Attic", after which my professor asked me to give a short talk and question and answer time for the class. I was surprised at how many students (even in my science classes--not directly related to history) expressed interest and asked about reenacting events or where they could find out more/attend. The history deptartment has since put up a prominant display in the library about the college in connection to the Civil War, including some original artifacts as props that were generously lent from my unit and other reenactors.

All that to say that I would definitely encourage talking with people about it. You might be surprised how many students will be seriously interested and just aren't aware of the possibilities. You might even be requested to give a presentation sometime (when I was changing in the restroom before a class presentation last semester one girl who came by was very interested and offered to help me fasten things. We started talking and she asked a lot of great questions--somewhat misguided but she was very interested non the less--I did find out later that day that a hoop petticoat doesn't always fit in a standard lecture hall desk seat when I didn't have time to change before my next two classes). :)

If you'd like to keep in touch feel free to email me, I'd love to hear from you. I was also wondering which college you are attending?
Cheers,
Lisa-Marie

**MissMaggie** · 02-26-2004, 11:46 AM

Re: Any advice on how to get more college-aged living historians?

I would mention that reenacting at the level that is talked about on this forum requires a person that is truly dedicated and someone with a true love of history. People with a casual interest may think it looks cool and they may decide it is cool but do they have the same authenticity goals as the rest of your group?
To prove my point. We have got a new lady in my group who is very energetic and a very nice person. However, she has been telling all the younger girls at church, family members and friends what a wonderful, family oriented, and fun hobby reenacting is. As a result we've now got a group of girls and women that think dressing up is really fun, and they enjoy camping in the funny clothing but there is very little true love of history and no visible signs that they intend to improve themselves.
My advice would be to generally make yourself and your group known. People that are truly interested and dedicated to the hobby will seek you or another group out.

**Amanderuni** · 02-26-2004, 05:34 PM

Re: Any advice on how to get more college-aged living historians?

Thank you all for the suggestions! This was my first time to the forum and I am sorry I did a few things incorrectly. Lisa-Marie...I would love to talk more with you. I go to a small college as well. My e-mail address is Amanderuni@aol.com. Feel free to write to me.

Amanda Brendle
(See, I am learning :)

**HOG.EYE.MAN** · 02-26-2004, 06:29 PM

Re: Any advice on how to get more college-aged living historians?

Friends,

I strongly suggest making neat small posterboards/flyers and hang them all over campus. Instead of promoting your particular civilian group, maybe create a flyer that influences a generic female interest in civilian life from 1861-1865 (does this make sense at all?) :)

Get your friends involved and classmates.... Talk to sorority's haha

Promote it through the history department.... I'll bet student teachers would have an interest.

I was trying to do this stuff at my College...... Feel free to Private Message me if you need some more suggestions.

Anyways, good luck!

**Miss_Kady** · 02-26-2004, 09:40 PM

Re: Any advice on how to get more college-aged living historians?

Does your school have a student newspaper? If so, most newspapers are always looking for interesting feature story ideas. Contact the features editor, perhaps a month before an event taking place during the school year and in your area, so that there's a tie-in.

In addition to advertising in the history department, you also might consider advertising in the theater and women's studies departments. I know many students in my women's studies department were interested in women's history. One of my reenacting friends frequently comments that living history is a form of theater. You might find interested participants there.

A couple potential barriers to college students are time and money. I know that when I was in college, I felt like I had no free time to pursue any hobbies. I'm not sure how this actually changes when you are in the work force. Perhaps you just get more organized or decide that life is too short to put things you love to do on hold. On the financial side, your club might need to come up with ways to provide "scholarships" or other assistance to newbies.

As for the concern about whether a recruit will approach reenacting with an eye toward authenticity, that would seem to hold true for any new recruit. When I have someone interested in reenacting, I usually explain my philosophy to them, tell them that other reenactors are out there just for fun and dressing up, and offer to help them do things authentically if that's their goal. If it isn't, I don't encourage them to reenact too much. You never can tell who will turn out to be the next Authenticity Nazi. People who I've thought would be too fluffy to care about authenticity have seriously researched. Others who I thought would follow through didn't.

Good luck with your recruiting.

Kathryn Bourn
9th Va./NCWC

**CWLady** · 03-09-2004, 12:14 PM

Re: Any advice on how to get more college-aged living historians?

From the extensive replies to this thread, it looks like there's a lot of us twentysomethings in the hobby! This is good because the torch will be handed to us next. My name is Rebecca and I'm a fresh fish from New Jersey. I go to the local community college where there's very little cohesion and interest in history. However, I think I raised a few eyebrows when I walked off campus dressed in my RevWar kit (I did RevWar prior to this period)! No one asked questions though. I'd love to get in touch with other young ladies from NJ, so if you're one of them, please email me!
Rebecca Smith

**Green66** · 03-09-2004, 12:53 PM

Re: Any advice on how to get more college-aged living historians?

this is an important subject in the hobby and one that collectively we will have to face in a few years as many older reenactors get out. One tactic is to find a professor who had similar views so that they can help you work inside the enviroment. By having a professor help they can, help point you to similar minded people, and give you a heads up if there is way to get your message out. Having a professor helping you can never be a bad thing!

**ElizabethClark** · 03-09-2004, 01:47 PM

Re: Any advice on how to get more college-aged living historians?

After only about 12 years in the hobby, I've noticed that the population "turns over" about every 4 years... so I don't think we're at a total risk of loss through attrition--and, the civilian population doesn't suffer from it quite so much as does the military. (And good luck finding a professor who thinks reenacting the social conditions of the mid-19th century is in any way good... but that's a whole different topic).

Don't be discouraged when you run into obstacles; even if you have just a tiny core group of interested people, you can go into elementary, middle, and high schools, do living history demos at local history spots, do presentations at local fairs, etc... and you can slowly add folks who have a similar mind-set.

I got started in the hobby as a starving college student (and starved more than usual, because it was more fun to buy books and fabric, than food)... it's all a matter of priorities, but in general, students may not have as much discretionary income and non-academic time as others... but I know I've researched a lot more about the era since leaving school than I ever thought to while in school!

**Green66** · 03-09-2004, 07:31 PM

Re: Any advice on how to get more college-aged living historians?

I agree about the fact that it might be hard to find a professor who will help you. However you never know some professors might help you out. When i was getting my BA in History From Tusculum College, the professors didnt care because they knew me personally. Now that I am attempting to get my Master's at a moderate sized Public school i have yet to find a professor who I would be comfortable sharing my interest with.

On way to try and get some new members too could be to call your local Boy Scout Council. The local Districts are supposed to yearly survey the local high school about what interests students. These interest surveys are kept on hand for several years. If you ask for them you have some options in using this information. You could create a unit with the Explorers or a Venture Crew. Most Councils wil want you to create a Venture crew because of the way its counted into their growth for the year. If you start a unit or not you will have a knowledge of those who are interested in history and maybe net a few into the hobby. The only big problem with this is that some of these students will be too young for some aspects of the hobby as they are in high school, fire arms come to mind with the 16 and older rules. Sorry this is really boring mind numbingly soo, I used to work for the Boy Scouts in Newark Ohio as a District Executive so I used to have to do all the above as a living.

**Vuhginyuh** · 03-09-2004, 08:29 PM

Re: Any advice on how to get more college-aged living historians?

Money is the biggest factor with the folks I know that are interested.

**ElizabethClark** · 03-10-2004, 12:24 AM

Re: Any advice on how to get more college-aged living historians?

Mr. Green, carrying fire arms isn't a big part of civilian impressions most of the time. :) (I think you may be looking at "View New Posts" and may not have realized that this is taking place in the non-military side of things.)

Your point about Venture Scouts is great--they have girls in there, too, don't they? Even if they do not wish to start a group, coming in to present would be fun for all. It could be interesting for the later teens to learn more about the roles they might have filled in the era--which will be very different from what some expect now!

**Green66** · 03-10-2004, 12:34 AM

Re: Any advice on how to get more college-aged living historians?

Yes the Venturing program is a co-ed program. Its for ages 14-21 so it covers nearly all of high school age and most of college age people. This is I think the ages that this thread is shooting for. One thing to be careful of is that there is a volume about 500 pages dealing with what is and what is not a sanctioned Scouting activity. This usually deals with watersports but other activities as well are covered I mean its 500 pages! If anyone is interested in pursuing this avenue fell free to contact me I may be out of the scouting profession I do still have some contacts there.

**Millie Fillmore** · 06-22-2004, 02:07 PM

Re: Any advice on how to get more college-aged living historians?

Hi Amanda,

It's been awhile since you posted this thread, though I hope I can help you with my experience --

I was an undergrad at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and one day I was walking home and noticed a chalk message on the sidewalk -- "Are you interested in the CIVIL WAR?". The message was accompanied by a date, time and meeting room at the student union. I tell you, I was thrilled to my bones! I went to the meeting, and about 5-6 people came. The organizer was a military reenactor, and a couple other civilian reenactors came. The rest were just other students interested in history. To make a long story short, our little group didn't last very long (the organizer took an internship in Japan the following year), but we still made a go of it. A few more people also joined with the aid of posters that looked like original military recruiting posters.

My advice would be to set a place and time, then actively "advertise" it. The more advertising, the better. It was just a fluke that I walked down that particular sidewalk. The more visibility you have, the more people will show up. I think that the period type style that we used on the poster also helped -- in the sea of posters that you see on campus billboards, it's something unexpected and stands out to anyone with eyes for historic things.

Here is just a little extra tidbit for all you college students out there -- you are in the "research hotbed" right now, so use it to your advantage. The libraries are packed with so much great info, and you probably won't have easy access to it after graduation. Tons of original and rare books are at your disposal, so use them! Also, use your classes to your advantage. I made sure to ration in one "fun" class a semester. It helped me stay sane, since I wasn't a history major. I took a costume history course where we had access to original garments. I took my camera along to class, and asked the professor if I could take some photos. Since we young 'uns usually don't have the financial resources to buy original garments, this is a real treat.

Cheers,

Katie Guslick

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