Professional Documents
Culture Documents
3 Spring 2008
Faculty Profile
Reflection Piece
Program Brings Teacher Closer to Understanding Causes of Anger
By Janet Farrell Leontiou earlier that morning. I arrived at some peace realizing that I
Nassau Community College (NY) was choosing to make my anger my foreground.
If I just moved it to background, it has no power over me.
I arrived at school on Friday morning to attend a program
The second exercise was for us to focus our minds. The last
called Imaging Peace. On the way there, I was angry with
thing I remember before I closed my eyes was that the
a situation at school. When I arrived at the conference, I
professor said to think of someone we love. I thought about
greeted the key note speaker who teaches at the same college
my son immediately and I started to cry. My son has cerebral
as some friends of mine from graduate school I talked with
palsy and he is always at the forefront of my mind. Part of
someone at the college with whom I am friendly. I asked her
me was grateful for the immediacy of my feeling and part of
advice about my situation within my department. When the
me could not believe that I was crying in front of colleagues.
conference began, I was present. I listened and spoke. I felt
I spoke of my experiences both times to the group.
that I said what needed to said.
The professor spoke about the cause of violence being
What happened during the conference defied expectations.
anger and underneath the anger is fear. Doing practices like
The first breakout session was on meditation. The professor
the one I discussed above helps us understand how anger
who led the group taught us about ancient Indian mediation
works within ourselves and allows us to have some capacity
and the work of Krishnamurti. The professor talked about
to make a difference in the culture. Wow! I am a microcosm
encountering this thinker in her 20s.
of the larger macrocosm. I got it and I got it quickly. I was
She had us do two exercises similar to ones I had done
angry but right underneath my anger was my fear and
before. In the first exercise, the professor asked us to
sadness. I have studied some of these ideas before but never
observe our own minds. My mind went to ideas of
background and foreground noise. I remembered my anger See Peace p. 15
Spring 2008 4
Regional Conferences
Divisions Get Ready for
ray of Conference Themes
Conference participants may visit and night with a reception and a Western Hotel. This year's theme is
hear incredible stories at Chattanoogas Swing Band led by a member of the Transformations: Our Classes, Our
abundant historical sites and museums, Country Music Hall of Fame. The first Students, Ourselves. Faculty will
including a number of Civil War keynote speaker, Dr. Vivian Clark- explore the transformations that they
battlefields and sites such as the Adams, will address the provocative observe and create in humanities
Chickamauga and Chattanooga Military topic of "The Tulsa Race Riots: The education. Presenters will focus on
Park (scene of the last major Rest of the Story." In addition, the topics such as "Technological
Confederate victory), Point Park Oklahoma Humanities Council will join Transformations in the Humanities
Battlefield, and Cravens House. The the conference to help celebrate the Classroom" and "Transforming
African-American History Museum and Oklahoma Centennial with Chautauqua Communities Through Service
the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum historian Doug Watson, who will Learning."
afford attendees further opportunities present Will Rogers at the Gilcrease Our conference leadership team this
for historical exploration. Museum of American Art for lunch and year includes Program Co-Chairs
Chattanooga is also well-known for tours on Friday. The final keynote Marcie Sims and Will Scott from
several distinctive attractions. If address will be by author Wilma Greenriver Community College (WA)
attendees have always wanted to See Mankiller, recipient of the Oklahoma and Local Arrangements Co-Chairs
Rock City or visit Ruby Falls, there Humanities Award, and the first woman Kristin Bryant and Cherie Maas from
will be opportunity for that as well. For principal chief of the Cherokee Portland Community College
relaxation, the downtown area nation. She will be introduced by (OR). The sponsoring colleges this
surrounding the conference hotel is Teresa Miller, founder of the Oklahoma year are Greenriver Community
home to a wide array of both elegant Center for Poets and Writers and College (WA), Portland Community
and relaxed restaurants, eclectic executive producer and host for the College (OR), and the San Diego
shopping, pedestrian-friendly television interview program, Writing Community College District (CA).
thoroughfares, and lively Out Loud. Both Mankiller and Miller Conference participants will enjoy all
entertainment. will have book signings after the that Portland has to offer. The Embassy
Arts or entertainment, museums or luncheon. Suites Hotel sits right in the heart of
music, battlefields or bars The Southwest Division members are downtown, providing walking access to
Chattanooga has it all. The Southern looking forward to joining colleagues to all of the major sites, including Powell's
Division of CCHA warmly invites all of explore visionary quests for knowledge, Bookstore, the Suzhou style Classical
you to join us for a thought-provoking innovation, and understanding through Chinese Garden, and the art galleries
conference in the beautiful Tennessee the humanities. On this journey, the and boutiques of the Pearl District. The
Mountains. conference may offer opportunities to hotel is just three blocks from the
investigate a few tall tales along the Willamette River waterfront.
way. The conference is designed to 2008 is an important year for the
Southwest Division provoke, celebrate, and inspire Pacific-Western Division. At the
Conference, November 6-8 colleagues in the humanities to share luncheon on Friday, the 2008 Nadine
Tulsa, OK
scholarship and teaching in higher Hata Distinguished Faculty award will
education. be presented, and the election of new
The Southwest Division Regional officers for all positions will be held on
Conference, hosted by Tulsa Saturday at the breakfast meeting. The
Pacific-Western Division conference will also feature dynamic
Community College, will be held Nov 6 Conference, November 6-8
-8 at the Holiday Inn at 150 Aquarium speakers, a downtown walking tour,
Portland, OR and an art museum tour. Please join us!
Drive (918-296-7000) on the Arkansas
River next door to the Oklahoma
Aquarium and popular Riverwalk This November 6-8, the Pacific- For more info on each conference
Crossing. The conference theme is Western Division will hold its visit the CCHA website: http://
Visions, Quests and Fish Tales. conference in beautiful downtown www.ccha-assoc.org/
The conference will begin Thursday Portland, Oregon at the Embassy Suites
Spring 2008 6
Interested in Participating?
If you, or a faculty or
administrative colleague would
be interested in participating in
CCHAs delegation to next years
Humanities Advocacy Day,
please contact Executive
Director David Berry at
(From left to right) David A. Berry, executive director, CCHA, Jessica Jones Irons, executive director, berry@essex.edu.
NHA, and Ember Farber, American Museums Assoc., in the Russell Building Rotunda on Advocacy Day.
NEH News
Newly Created NEH Office of Digital Humanities The Federal/State Partnership, a vehicle within NEH for
Announces Recent Grant Recipients distributing formula-based grants to the 56 state humanities
On March 26, 2008, the National Endowment for the councils, would also receive level funding under the president's
Humanities (NEH) newly created Office of Digital Humanities budget proposal.
announced the first JISC/NEH Transatlantic Digitization
Collaboration Grant award recipients on behalf of the NEH and the
NEH Unveils Picturing America Program
On February 26, at White House ceremony presided over by
Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC). A total of five
President George W. Bush, the National Endowment for the
projects received over $600,000 in funding.
Humanities (NEH) launched its new Picturing America program.
Inaugurated last year as part of the Endowments Digital
Picturing America is composed of forty works of art spanning
Humanities Initiative, the JISC/NEH Transatlantic Digitization
several centuriesall by American painters, sculptors,
Collaboration Grant program is supported by both the NEH and the
photographers, and architects. The NEH will distribute large, high-
Higher Education Funding Council for England acting through the
quality reproductions of these images, along with a teachers
Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC). These grants provide
resource book, lesson plans, and materials, to schools and libraries
combined funding of up to $240,000 for one year of development
nationwide. A Picturing America website was also unveiled.
in the following areas: new digitization projects and pilot projects,
Public, private, parochial, and charter and home school consortia
the addition of important materials to existing digitization projects,
(K-12), as well as public libraries in the United States and its
or the development of infrastructure (either technical
territories, are eligible to receive Picturing America materials.
middleware, tools, or knowledge-sharing) to support U.S.-
Interested schools and public libraries can apply through the NEH,
England digitization work. Each project is sponsored by both an
with an application deadline of April 15, 2008, for receipt of
American and an English institution, whose activities will be
materials in the fall. Detailed instructions for submitting an
funded by NEH and JISC respectively.
application can be found in the Apply Now section of the
The formation of the Endowments Office of Digital Humanities
Picturing America Web site.
(ODH) also was announced during the event. In 2006, the NEH
launched the Digital Humanities Initiative, a program encouraging New Members Join NEH Council on the Humanities
and supporting projects that utilize or study the impact of digital The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) announced
technology on research, education, preservation, and public this week that six new members have joined the National Council
programming in the humanities. With the creation of ODH, the on the Humanities, the Endowments 26-member advisory council.
initiative is being made permanent as an office within the NEH. The new members were nominated by President George W. Bush
ODH will continue the work of the initiative and will help to and confirmed by the U.S. Senate earlier this year. The National
coordinate the Endowments efforts in the area of digital Council on the Humanities convened this week for its quarterly
scholarship. meeting to review grant applications and to advise the NEH
Chairman Bruce Cole.
NEH Facing Slight Funding Decrease for FY2009 National Council members serve staggered six-year terms.
The administration's budget proposal calls for $144.4 million in Departing the Council are Jewel Spears Brooker, Dario Fernandez-
FY 2009 funding for the National Endowment for the Humanities Morera, Larry Okamura, and Stephan Thernstrom.
(NEH), a slight decrease ($352,000) over the previous year. A The following six new council members begin terms that will
clear priority within the budget is expansion of the agency's 'We the expire on January 26, 2014: Professor Jamsheed K. Choksy
People' program, which would receive a $5 million (Greenwood, Ind.); Adjunct Professor Dawn Ho Delbanco (New
increase. During 2008, the agency will celebrate the five-year York, N.Y.); Professor Emeritus Gary D. Glenn (DeKalb, Ill.);
anniversary of the programstarted in 2002 to encourage study of Professor David Michael Hertz (Bloomington, Ind.); Professor
American history and culture. The budget suggests that a Marvin B. Scott (Indianapolis, Ind.); and Professor Carol M. Swain
significant portion of the increase for 'We the People' will support (Nashville, Tenn.).
full implementation of the agency's new special initiative, Picturing
NEH Convenes 2008 Conference
America (a program launched by the NEH in 2007 to distribute sets The National Humanities Alliances 2008 Conference was held
of posters and course materials on American art to libraries and March 3-4, 2008 in Washington, DC.
schools across the country). Dr. Charles Vest, President of the National Academy of
Within the budget, program funds are cut by approximately $1.7 Engineering and President Emeritus of MIT, spoke to a crowd of
million, largely to offset administrative increases. The over 100 participants at a luncheon co-sponsored by The George
administrative offset is taken from two core program divisions, Washington Universitys Columbian College of Arts & Sciences
Preservation & Access, and Challenge Grants. These two line and the Office of the Chief Research Officer.
items are further decreased by an additional $5.1 million, for a total At the conclusion of the afternoons policy briefings and
(combined) decrease in funding of approximately $6.8 advocacy training, attendees enjoyed an evening reception and
million. The Research, Education, and Public Program divisions address by Professor Anthony Grafton of Princeton University
would receive the same level of funding as enacted in FY 2008. entitled, Into Thin Air: Libraries & Archives in a New Age.
Spring 2008 12
Teaching
Lesson Plan for an online class assignment in the Survey of Art History: Renaissance to
of American History and
By Ann Marie Malloy from the U.S came to colonize Texas. suffer loss of their possessions,
Tulsa Community College (OK) livelihood, and liberty so that the
The Apaches were driven south when
Introduction they resisted the settlers. The Tejanos Revolution might be furthered.Most
Because of a promise made to her were torn between loyalty to Mexico who remained and suffered from this
dying grandmother, Mary agreed to join and the Texas settlers who brought forced evacuation had been loyal to the
the Daughters of the Republic of Texas Texas Revolution. (Paul Lack in The
opportunities to the region. Texas Revolutionary Experience: A
in 1986 when she was a 22 year old After hearing Marys story, I traveled
college student. To do this she had to to the Alamo as an NEH fellow and Lack argued that the Tejanos were
research her family history in order to participant in the CCHA sponsored despoiled by the revolutionary army so
prove that her ancestors were workshop Remembering the Alamo. I they would not be able to collude with
landowners in the Texas Republic interviewed the first DRT member I the Mexican enemy. Even though
before statehood. With the help of the met. Her name was Annie Burney, and caught in the middle of political and
DRT, she was able to identify five she was manning the information desk social forces that challenged their sense
ancestors in her fathers family who on a very busy Sunday in the Alamo of self, many Mexican Texans fought
met the criteria, tracing the earliest back mission church. She told me she had with and brought needed skills to the
to the third round of settlers to come been a proud member of the Daughters rebel army.
with Steve Austin to the San Antonio for 31 years. When I told her Marys How history is presented can impact
area. Among these ancestors of story, she pulled out a book published student identity in profound ways, and
European descent were settlers who by the DRT in 1986 and turned to pages because each of the renderings over the
fought in the battle of San Jacinto for 10-12 where she showed me three decades is a reflection of the cultural
Texas independence. The DRT was paragraphs on Veramendi, Seguin, history of its time, it is important to
very helpful and delighted to have a Ruiz, and Navarro. She then invited me consider how we story ourselves into
member who was so young. But when to view the exhibits in the Long existence. The recent focus on the
Mary asked for help in researching her Barrack Museum saying, Look at how Mexican legacy in the history of Texas
mothers family members who were it was then and how it is now. I found does help form the identities of Tejano
Mexicans living in Texas as far back as that the story of the Mexican students today because the authoring of
anyone could remember, the Daughters involvement in the history of Texas has oneself through story provides a place
were less helpful saying that she had become a focus of research, especially for understanding the relationship
provided all the information she needed in the last eleven years. between self and culture ( Petra Munro
for membership and that the Mexican Annie pointed out, Documentation in Subject to Fiction, Open University
side of her family probably consisted of has been developed over 100 years. Press, 1998, p. 5). Understanding the
very poor peasants barely surviving in She commented that the Alamo is a history of Texas may not only influence
the harsh climate of Texas when it was reflection of cultural values through the development of identity in our
a province of Mexico. They declared time and that each subsequent reading students, but may also affect our
that the Mexicans certainly would not of history shows what was important in national identity as a whole as we re-
have been able to read and write in the various periods of the Alamos member ourselves throughout time.
English, so their history would be story. When I asked her about the DRT Thus, an exercise on the realities behind
difficult, if not impossible, to discover. membership, she told me there were the myths of the American frontier, and
Mary was not satisfied to dismiss half approximately 6,700 members the Alamo in particular, is an excellent
her family heritage so easily and currently. She said, We have Indian way for my online art history students
wanted to understand the story of her and African-American members. These to learn important lessons about
matrilineal Texas ancestors. As the have increased since the 1960s. Tejana themselves, art, and history.
Daughters had predicted, however, she women have always been members
found very little. Mary also knew that since one of the two founding members
she would not be able to document The Realities Behind the Myths of the
of the DRT in 1891 was Tejana. But
anything specific about her Apache Alamo as Depicted in Art History
as young Mary discovered in her
heritage since they too kept no written The more we study the Alamo, the
research about her Tejano ancestors:
records. What she did discover was more complicated the story becomes.
how the native Mexicans and Apaches Tejanos, who comprised virtually all the The heroic, patriotic fight for freedom
were treated in the 1800s when settlers people of this broad region, would is not as clear-cut as that portrayed in
Spring 2008 13
the Alamo
Modern for the CCHA Sponsored NEH workshop, Remembering the Alamo: Landmarks
Culture, June 24-30, 2007
U.S. visual art, pop culture, and movies. ourselves in the present and while building visual arts reflect history and create it.
As Paul Andrew Hutton wrote, There our future. In the case of the Alamo, facts Therefore, each student will seek out an
have always been two Alamos the need to be interpreted from many viewpoints: appropriate work of art, describe it,
Alamo of historical fact and the Alamo the Texans who came from the U.S, the
analyze it, and evaluate its role in
Mexicans living in Texas, the U.S.
of our collective imagination mo of history.
government, and the Mexican government.
our collective imagination
(Schoelwer & Glaser, eds. Alamo 2. Interpreting primary sources as the main Assignment:
Images: Changing Perceptions of a methodological task in history: This In order to pry open the realities behind
Texas Experience, Dallas: DeGolyer involves posing questions common to all the myths of the American frontier
Library and Southern Methodist and distinctive to each about the nature, the experience, please choose a work of art
University Press, 1985, p. 3). origin, and the intended audience for the relating to the Alamo and write about it
Before 1836, Texas was part of source (Middendorf, p. 2). This is in the following way:
Mexico. The Mexican government especially important when evaluating art
because the patronage and intended audience Analyze and describe one work of
allowed settlers to come from the visual art including the following:
are behind the creative process.
United States as long as they were Maintaining appropriate emotional distance:
willing to live as Mexican citizens Some issues (like the Alamo) are very What do you see? (medium, line, color,
under Mexican law. When the Texans emotionally charged. Texans are particularly lighting, size, scale, and other
began rebelling, Santa Anna, who was attached to the myths that helped create their compositional elements)
the president of Mexico and leader of state.
the army, called them pirates, and What do you know? (artist, date,
marched to quell their uprisings. Santa 3. Understanding the limits of knowledge
of historical actors: Because students often nationality, historical background,
Anna was successful at the Alamo but patronage, intended audience, etc.)
was later defeated at the battle of San impose hindsight onto people in the past, it is
important to remind them of the difference
Jacinto. The battle of San Jacinto gave What is the function of the artwork?
between what we know now and what they
birth to the independent Republic of knew then. The Alamo is an excellent (historical, mythical, realistic,
Texas. Nine years later, Texas became example because we all want to know why illustrative, expressionistic, abstract,
part of the United States of America. those at the Alamo stayed when they were so etc.)
So, the U.S. sees the story from one outnumbered. How much did they know
perspective, the Mexicans from another. about their situation? How does the form serve the function?
It is important to challenge the (the relationship between how it is
students to operate within the 4. Identifying the people in another time
and place: This involves considering the made and why it is made)
frameworks of history. In order to
better identify the obstacles to student assumptions, perceptions, and experiences of
the people in earlier eras. The Daughters of What is the relationship between the
learning, the history professors at perception/expression of the artwork
the Republic of Texas are a great example of
Indiana University identified the how people have remembered the Alamo and the historical realities of the
bottlenecks to historical thinking during past decades. The DRT was charged Alamo?
(Middendorf, Pace, Shopkow & Diaz, by the state of Texas with maintaining a
The National Teaching and Learning shrine. It is interesting to consider how Helpful External Links posted in the
Forum, February, 2007). I found their this has impacted the historical research at Blackboard learning architecture:
list of challenges to be very appropriate the mission fort.
to the discipline of art history and Alamo Images, Changing Percep-
relevant to the issues surrounding the 5. Constructing and evaluating arguments: tions of Texas Experience, a project of
Alamo as well: the key question is How does an argument the Texas Council for the Humanities,
from the evidence? For example, after
1. Misunderstanding the role of facts: considering the evidence, should the Battle
is very helpful in finding images to
Students fail to recognize that history is not of the Alamo have been fought at all? explore and analyze: http://www.human
about an accumulation of facts but about -ities-interactive.org/texas/alamo/
interpreting sources to explain and seek Learning Activity: index.html. One image that is particul-
answers to problems in the past because
In this online class in art history, the arly helpful is the Fall of the Alamo by
they influence how we think about
students consider art as evidence. The See Alamo p. 15
Spring 2008 14