Tag Archives: Academics

Madam Millie and Me

8 Jul

This post is inspired by a recent post at Serendipity. Stop by there for a visit and stay awhile. You will be entertained and educated.

Before I started graduate school, I knew that I wanted my studies to focus on the American West. As I got further involved, the realization hit that the American West is a broad subject that needed to be whittled down. With a background in business, I became interested in the economic aspects of the West. I had grown up watching movies where cowboys rode alone across the Plains. It turns out that they were really working for huge corporations, and I found that totally fascinating.

With that in mind, I walked into my professors office and said that I wanted to research the cattle industry.

Nope. That had been done by many historians. I needed to pick something else.

The next choice was the mining industry.

Nope. That one has been covered.

What about the lumber industry?

That one was not going to work, either.

After several more rejections, I asked if he had something in mind. He did.

He suggested that I research the prostitution industry in the West.

It sounded good to me, and I agreed. After all, I had run out of ideas.

I researched, wrote and did all of the other things that aspiring historians are told to do. Fast forward a few years, and our story begins.

I got a call from George Harding, a local man who was quite the character. He loved being involved in politics and was most comfortable in the proverbial smoke-filled room. Most people do not realize the effect George had on our community because he mostly operated out of the public eye. He is the kind of man who would say anything and not care who heard him. A lot of people liked George, but a lot of other people did not.

I always liked him because he was full of good stories about people around town. One day, I got a call from him saying that he wanted to see me.

George had family in New Mexico, and they sent a book for him to read. That is one other reason I liked George. He loved to read about history. This book was called Madam Millie: Bordellos from Silver City to Ketchikan.Madam Millie

When he brought out the book and talked about reading it, I thought he was going to ask me what I knew about Millie. That is one of the problems with teaching history. People tend to think that if you are a historian, then you know everything. A wise man once told me that going far in graduate school means that you know more and more about less and less. I think that is an excellent description.

However, George was not there to ask questions. He said that he was reading through the book when he recognized a name. Opening to the page, he pointed to the spot where I was used as a source. Holy crap, I was deemed by someone to be such an expert in prostitution that they used me as a source in their book.

That was the first time I had ever seen my name in print and was pretty fired up about it. Immediately, I ordered the book, and, when it arrived, I took it to my parents.

I guess they were excited, but you could not tell it by the response.

“You have spent all of these years in school, and you are in a book with a picture of a naked woman on the cover.”

Yep, I had made it. I was an official historian of prostitution in the American West.

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Monty Pope – Teacher and Mentor

18 Jun

A few days ago, I had lunch with Monty Pope. Most of you have never heard that name, but please allow me to introduce him. Monty recently retired from a long career teaching history that began in the public schools of Nashville and ended at Cumberland University.

I was working on a Master’s degree when I first met Monty. He was offering a class on Historical Geography, and I needed to fulfill some hours. It turned into a class that I will always remember. Monty took us on a tour of the town that I grew up in and, through architectural styles, showed us when and how the town developed. Riding on that van, I had no idea that Monty and I would teach together for over a decade.Monty Pope

When I was hired, I did not know what I was doing. I had never taught a class. I had never made out a syllabus. I had no notes from which to lecture. Luckily, Monty was there to be a mentor and show me the way. Simply, he taught me how to teach.

Monty taught me that there is more to the job than talking about history in a classroom. We are to be mentors to the students just as he was a mentor to me. We are to help students when they have problems. We are to be advisors and counselors.

As I type those words, something should be clear. Certainly, we are to be academic advisors and counselors, but we are to be ready to face other issues. What do we do when a student comes to us crying because a family member has passed away? What do we do when a student is pregnant and expecting during finals week? What do we do when a student asks for advice because they lost their job?

Monty taught me that we advise students in history, but we also advise them in life. Monty taught me that we should go by the book, but, sometimes, situations arise that the book does not cover.

Monty taught me how to teach, but, more importantly, he taught me how to be a teacher.

Monty also taught me History. I have been enrolled in countless history classes, but my only class with Monty was the one I mentioned. However, I learned more History sitting in Monty’s office than I did in most of those classes.

He is a Jacksonian and knows as much about Andrew Jackson and Tennessee history as anyone. His tales of the old days in this area are fascinating. Monty can weave a historical narrative better than anyone I have ever known. His secret, perhaps, is that he never lets the facts get in the way of a good story. As I have heard many times, a Pope has been at every significant event in American history.

Monty has taught thousands of students through the years, and each one of them could write a post about him. I am certain that the vast majority of them would say the same thing. Monty was their history teacher, but he was also their mentor.

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The Legacy of the Phoenix

13 Jun

A couple of posts ago, I mentioned that we attended the Phoenix Ball, an annual fundraiser for Cumberland University. For decades, the Phoenix has been the symbol of our institution. It is represented on the uniforms of our teams and is etched in the stained glass of Baird Chapel.Baird Chapel

This is strange to a lot of people because we are called the Bulldogs. They always ask why we have a bird as a symbol if our mascot is a dog. Well, this is why.

Cumberland University was founded in 1842 and quickly established itself as one of the best institutes of higher learning. Its claim to fame was having the first law school west of the Appalachian Mountains. However, problems arose in 1861 and the start of the Civil War. Most of the students and faculty enlisted in the armies of their states and made their way to the battlefields.

Eventually, the Civil War made its way to campus, and the original buildings were burned.Cumberland Original

Some say that the campus was burned by the Union army. Others say it was burned by the Confederates when they found out that the campus had been used to house African-American soldiers of the Union. It does not matter who did the deed. What matters is that Cumberland University no longer had a home.

When the war ended, the leadership of Cumberland University was determined that the school would continue. For years, classes were held in buildings around town. In 1892, the generosity of others allowed the university to purchase land for a new campus and build a new building. Memorial Hall was completed in 1896.Memorial Hall 2

The university was destroyed by fire and rose from the ashes. That is why the mythical Phoenix became the symbol of the university. However, the university has risen several times from the brink of disaster.

It survived the loss of support from both the Presbyterians and the Baptists.

It survived as students went off to more wars. In fact, it became the headquarters of the Tennessee Maneuvers that trained soldiers for the invasion of Europe in World War II.

It survived a tornado that ripped across Memorial Hall. The scars of its reconstruction can still be seen.

It survived the loss of its law school, which was renown for its graduates. One of those graduates was Cordell Hull, the Father of the United Nations.

It survived the move to become a junior college and returned to being a four-year institution in the 1980s.

Today, Cumberland University has the highest enrollment in its history. We offer undergraduate degrees in many disciplines. We also offer several graduate degrees.

As a graduate and faculty member at Cumberland University, I know the trials that the school has endured and its ability to survive and thrive. It is a special place with a long and proud history, and I can think of no better symbol than the Phoenix.

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Annual Activities Report, or There is a Lot to this Higher Education Stuff

1 Jun

Teaching in higher education is a great job. I get to talk about history and, hopefully, fill the minds of students with information that they need to know. It is great to have a student come up after class and ask a question. It is great when they show interest in what we are talking about. There is great satisfaction in being a teacher.History Teacher

However, higher education is about more than teaching. We are expected to serve the university as members of various committees. We are expected to take part in scholarly activities outside of the classroom. We are expected to serve the surrounding community.

At the end of each academic year, we turn in an Annual Activities Report to our dean. It is a way for the administration to know that we are doing our jobs. I just finished my report and realized that it has been a very busy year.

In the Fall of 2013, I taught four classes and one directed study. Three of the classes were surveys over the first part of American history, and one was the history of Latin America. Enrolled in those courses, were 132 students. I also taught four classes in the Spring of 2014. Three were surveys over the second part of American history, and one was the Expansion of the United States, my specialty. Those classes had 118 students. In addition, I was an advisor to 18 students in the Fall and 12 students in the Spring.

In October of 2013, I attended the conference of the Western History Association in Tucson, Arizona. It was an awesome experience. I was also able to raise $15,000 for faculty development.

Did I mention committees? During this academic year, I have served on the Faculty Senate, the GEC (General Education Core) Committee, the Athletic Committee and the Athletic Compliance Committee. Those last two are part of my duties as Faculty Athletic Representative.

As Faculty Athletic Representative, I have also attended meetings of G-MAC, the conference that we are moving into. That is part of our move to Division II of the NCAA. There are several sports on campus, and I have been to games of  baseball, soccer, softball and football.

Oh yeah, I am also the Pi Gamma Mu sponsor, which is the national honor society for the Social Sciences. We also have Phi Alpha Theta, the national honor society for History.

It seems as if there is always something to do on campus, but there are also plenty of things going on around town. I have spoken to the members of the First Presbyterian Church and been interviewed by three of Nashville’s television stations. Also, I have been interviewed by The Nashville Business Journal, The Tennessean, The Lebanon Democrat and The Wilson Post. I also wrote an article for Lebanon Living magazine.

Community service? There is a lot there, as well. I am a member of the board of directors for the James E. Ward Agriculture and Community Center, Fiddler’s Grove Historic Village and the Buchanan Historic Home. I am also on the Lebanon Regional Planning Commission and am a member of the Rotary Club.

When I entered higher education, I knew that I would be teaching history. This other stuff came as a surprise. The other surprise? I like doing all of this stuff.

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The Legend of the Shadow Horse Gang

14 May

For the past several years, I have joined a team of professors on a field trip course to New Mexico. Heck, I have been going for so long that I do not even know how many times I have been. This year, I have other duties at work that are preventing me from going, and it feels weird. It is as if going to New Mexico every May has been programmed into my DNA.

Tonight feels especially strange because they are leaving in the morning. I should be finishing up with packing around this time, but I am typing a blog post instead. Well, I will not have to get up at 5:00 in the morning. That is one positive thing. Another positive thing is that I will not be away from my family for 12 days.

However, I will still miss the experience of the trip. Four professors and a group of students build a community of experiential learning that cannot be matched in the classroom. I have said many times that there is nothing like teaching history at the place where history happened. Hopefully, there is nothing like learning history in the same way.

The group will head out in the morning filled with anticipation. Some people will not know each other, but they will by the time they reach Sallisaw, Oklahoma for the first night of rest. The students think that the first days of riding are just a way to get to New Mexico. However, they are wrong. The learning and the experience begin as soon as they leave campus.

Over the next couple of weeks, the group will do all kinds of cool stuff, but it all adds up to one thing – an experience that they would not have if not for Dr. Heifner, the man who puts it all together. It is also an experience that can never be repeated. We have had students go more than once, but each trip is its own entity.

After last year’s trip, I wrote about the Shadow Horse Gang, the name I gave to the group of teachers that go on this trip.BB-New Mexico 105

The ride of the Shadow Horse Gang is changing. A couple of them have retired. One feels like his time is coming to a close. I am sitting this ride out.

Dr. Heifner would like for me to take over the trip, and that is something that I would like. However, I will need to recruit new members to the gang. Our dean is taking my place on this run. Maybe he will like it enough to join. We have other teachers who would be great additions.

The trip is legendary around our campus, and I hope the Shadow Horse Gang is just as legendary. I have no idea what the future of the gang will be, but the legend will continue.

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Commencement Shall Commence – Rain or Shine

10 May

The 142nd commencement of Cumberland University is upon us, and there is a question of where it will be held. If the weather is nice, then the ceremony will be held on the lawn in front of Memorial Hall.Memorial Hall

However, it may rain. If that happens, then the ceremony will be held in the gym. It will be a lot less complicated if the sun is shining.

I have been involved with 15 of those 142 commencements. The first was in 1989 when I graduated with an Associate degree. The university stopped offering those degrees several years ago. I guess that means I am a dying breed. That graduation was held in the cafeteria. The university was small enough that everyone could fit into that room. Through the hard work of a lot of people, the university has grown through the years.

It was almost ten years later that Cumberland University had gotten to the point where it was offering Masters degrees. I got one of those, too. That commencement was held in the gymnasium. I do not remember much about it, but I know it was not a disaster.

That is one of the things that I would like to pass on to this year’s graduates. Having a ceremony in the gymnasium is not the worst thing that ever happened. I understand that everyone wants the beautiful outdoors where an unlimited number of people can attend. I know that it sucks to be told that only six people can get into the gym when a truck load of family members have shown up. However, I have graduated from Cumberland University twice, and neither time was outside. I promise that it ended up fine. I still got a couple of diplomas.

Tonight, there are a lot of people sitting around wondering if it is going to rain. I am wondering what I will be thinking about as the commencement takes place before my eyes. Actually, I am not wondering. I know exactly what I will be thinking about.

Sitting on the front row means that the faculty get a great view of graduates going across the stage. Wait, we get a great view of their shoes going across the stage. Every year, I think about the variety of shoes. Tennis shoes. Flip flops. High heels. Higher heels. Even higher heels. And, they all reach the bounds of the color spectrum. Yep, watching shoes is one of the more entertaining parts of the program.

I also think about what people are wearing. Graduates dress up to the max, then they cover all of that up with a gown. I have often wondered why people dress up to cover up. I guess they want to look nice for the post-graduation gathering of family.

Last year, there was a girl who dressed as a half-human, half-goat forest creature. She had the ears and everything. After she crossed the stage, she skipped off into the distance. It was a tremendous exit. I wonder if we will be getting any alumni donations from her.

Truthfully, I am also sitting around wondering if it is going to rain. I hope it does not because everyone should be able to watch their loved ones walk across the stage. Graduating from college is a great accomplishment. It involves hard work of sacrifice by the graduate and everyone else in their lives. It takes drive and commitment. Sometimes, it takes a little imagination. Just ask the half-human, half-goat forest creature.

 

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You Never Know What You are Going to Learn at the First Presbyterian Church

7 May

This past Saturday, I had the honor of speaking at the Men’s Breakfast at the First Presbyterian Church. We had a great meal, and I hope that I taught them some local history. As it turns out, I learned quite a bit of history from them.

After my presentation, I mentioned that this was my first time in the church. That meant that I got a tour from Dr. Bone, whose family has deep roots in our community.

He said that the church was built in 1910 and was built in an architectural design that came out of Ohio. The stain glass windows chronicle different stories in the Bible and were donated by prominent citizens of the time. Their names are part of the design. And, who designed them? Tiffany. Yes, it was a church filled with the town’s wealthiest citizens.First Presbyterian

He told me about the prominent members who have attended through the years and showed off the pipe organ. It was all very cool, but it was not as cool as the last story that Dr. Bone told me.

After college, Dr. Bone took a trip around the world. He found himself walking through the streets of a city in India when he heard an explosion in the distance. He kept walking but heard another explosion. This time, he decided to investigate.

As the came upon the scene, Dr. Bone saw that they were filming a movie. He saw some people sitting in chairs and watching the action. Most were locals, but there was a lady in a huge hat sitting on the end.

Dr. Bone made his way over to the lady and asked what was going on. She explained the scene to him and admitted that she had written the screenplay. After a few minutes, she asked him where he was from. Of course, he replied that he was from Tennessee.

With this knowledge, she lit up and said that her brother taught English at a university in Tennessee. It was Cumberland University (where I work). This time, Dr. Bone lit up. That is where he went to school, and her brother was his English teacher.

That is when she finally introduced herself.

“My name is Pearl Sydenstricker, but you probably know me better as Pearl Buck.”

Now, this is a story with a lot of moving parts. Local boy travels around the world; happens upon a movie being filmed in India; meets the screenwriter; finds out that her brother is Dr. Sydenstricker; and then finds out that he is talking to Pearl Buck.

That is one of the coolest stories I have ever heard. However, this is what I really could not believe. Pearl Buck’s brother taught English at Cumberland University, and I do not think many people know that. At least, I have never heard it, and I have heard a bunch of stories about the history of our university.

It goes to show that you never know what you will learn at the First Presbyterian Church.

 

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History is Local – Tennessee Style

30 Apr

Another academic year is coming to a close, and, over the past few days, I have been reflecting upon it. Things have gone decently, but this is the first year that I have wondered if anyone is listening. As usual, there have been some engaged students and some who would probably rather be somewhere else. However, I have gotten more frustrated this time than ever before.

At our university, all students are required to take two semesters of History, and I realize that most of them are taking it because they have to take it. They are not planning on being historians, museum curators, lawyers or any other of the great professions you can get with a History degree. Still, it would be nice if they did not stare out of the windows or sneakily play with their phones. Heck, it would be even nice if some of them brought paper and pencil to class.

Honestly, it gets frustrating. I may not get them to love the subject, but I want them to get something out of it. To accomplish this, I sprinkle some local history in with the American history. They may not be interested in the millworks of New England, but they may be interested in the millworks of our town. Simply, not all history takes place far away. Some of it takes place right around the corner in places they pass everyday.

That is why I throw as much Tennessee history into the mix as I can. This might perk them up, and it might help them realize that this state has played an important role in our nation’s past.Tennessee Flag

We cover the three Tennessee presidents – Andrew Jackson, James K. Polk and Andrew Johnson – because presidents are important. Did you know that Polk is the president that brought California into the United States? Yep, a guy from Columbia, Tennessee did that.

However, I like to go deeper than that and talk about people who they may have never heard of.

Peter Burnett, a Tennessee native, was the first governor of California.

Grantland Rice, perhaps the greatest sportswriter to sit behind a typewriter, was from Murfreesboro. He wrote about the Four Horsemen of Notre Dame and a line that goes like this:

For when the One Great Scorer comes

To mark against your name,

He writes – not that you won or lost –

But how you played the game.

Cordell Hull, a graduate of Cumberland University (where I work), was known as the “Father of the United Nations” and won a Nobel Peace Prize for his work on that organization.

David Crockett, defender of the Alamo and hero to millions of kids in the 1950s, was a Tennessean.

Sam Houston, who led the rebel forces in the fight for Texas independence, had his first law office here in Lebanon.

W.E.B. DuBois graduated from Fisk University and taught school in Wilson County before going on to create the NAACP.

George Rappelyea thought of a publicity stunt to draw attention to his town of Dayton. They arrested John Scopes for teaching the theory of evolution and hosted the Scopes Monkey Trial, one of the many “Trials of the Century.” It sparked a debate that continues to this day.

John Butler, the legislator who sponsored the anti-evolution bill, represented the neighboring counties of Sumner, Trousdale and Macon.

Oak Ridge is a small town that came to prominence as one of the sites of the Manhattan Project, which brought us into the atomic age.

In 1920, legislative leaders met at the Hermitage Hotel to discuss voting for or against the 19th Amendment. It is a long story, but they eventually approved it. That made Tennessee the decisive state in women getting the right to vote.

John Chisum was born in Tennessee but gained notoriety as the “King of the Pecos”, one of the most successful cattlemen in the West.

I could name others, but these are a few that I can think of. I really think mentioning local people helps students learn a little more about American history. At least, I hope it does.

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What the GEC? A Liberal Arts Education

4 Apr

Last night, I spent some extra hours on campus proctoring the GEC Exit Exam. It is a test that we give to our graduating seniors to see if they learned what we taught them in the General Education Core (GEC). As I read from a canned speech, we have taught them “a particular set of skills.” I really wanted to say that in a Liam Neeson voice.Liam Neeson

After reading the canned script, I told them what I really wanted to say. We are a Liberal Arts university and want them to leave with a well-rounded education. While being trained for a job is important, we believe that being exposed to different theories and ideas is what higher education is all about.

That is why the GEC is filled with History classes that cover Benjamin Harrison’s presidency and the Ming Dynasty. That is why it is filled with English classes where they read Shakespeare and Twain. Students often wonder why they have to take those classes and end their careers taking this GEC test. It is because we want them to know more than how to do their jobs. We want them to know about the world.

Sometimes, I fear that universities are becoming trade schools rather than bastions of higher education. Think about those words for a second. Higher education. It is great to get training to be successful in a profession. However, it is greater to be taught to think on a higher plane. That is what higher education and Liberal Arts is all about. It is about helping people to be open-minded toward ideas that are different from their own.

Open-mindedness is something that we are missing in the modern world. Heck, it may have always been missing. This makes me think about the politics of the realm in which we live. People are not willing to understand the arguments of the other side. I am not just talking about people who are conservative. I think people who have a liberal mindset are just as close-minded. Neither side is willing to concede that the other side may have some valid arguments and concerns. Let us just shut them off and yell at them.

Truly open-minded people listen to the other side. They may not agree, but, at least, they make an attempt to understand it. To me, that is what a Liberal Arts education is all about. It exposes people to different ideas and helps them understand that there things out there other than what their parents, their preachers and their teachers have told them.

It is a big world, and we need to do everything we can to understand it.

Today, I taught History to a room full of freshmen. Many of them did not seem very interested. By the time they get to the GEC Exit Exam, I hope they have realized that History, English, Philosophy, Sociology and all the other stuff were not wastes of time. They were essential to help them become something more than a job-holder. They made them an educated person.

 

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Those Who Have Come and Gone

15 Dec

Last week marked the end of another semester and also marked the retirement of two outstanding individuals.

Through the years, Pace Pope fulfilled many capacities at Cumberland University. However, her greatest role was being herself. She cared for the students – especially the internationals – and was their collegiate mother. Everyone loves Pace, and Cumberland will not be the same without her.

She has held up the world and has held up the university.

She has held up the world and has held up the university.

Pete Peterson taught Biology for a long time and also served as the Vice President of Academic Affairs. He was a tough but fair teacher who sent many students on to graduate school. You haven’t lived until you have hiked a New Mexico trail with Pete.SONY DSC

Their retirement made me think of the other people who have come and gone during my time at Cumberland. Some of them have faded from memory, but others left a distinct impression. It’s strange to see people who you have seen on a daily basis suddenly not be there. As I type this, their faces are popping into my mind. How many have their been? I have no idea. However, there are two that I would like to write about. They were my teachers before they were my colleagues, and they have both passed away.

Dick Henderson was a geologist who worked in the oil industry before making his way to Cumberland. He was a great man who cared about the success of his students in the classroom and in life. I first knew him as a teacher, and two instances stand out.

He took our class on what was my first college field trip. We hopped in a van and headed to the southeast corner of Tennessee. Along the way, he explained the landscape and the rock formations. We went through the town of Cleveland and made our way past the Ocoee River. We also went to Copper Basin. Each time I travel to that area I think about the things that Dr. Henderson told us on the trip.

The other instance involved a test. We had my grandfather’s funeral one day, and Dr. Henderson had a test scheduled for the next day. I showed up to take the test because it was my responsibility. I didn’t do well on the test because my mind had not been on studying. After grading and returning the tests, Dr. Henderson called me to his office and asked what happened. He couldn’t understand why I did that badly. When I explained, he said that he wished he had known. I could have taken the test later. He even offered to make out another test for me.

I didn’t take his offer, but I never forgot the gesture. That day, I had no idea that I would one day be hi s colleague. I also had no idea that I would serve as a pallbearer at Dr. Henderson’s own funeral.

Jim Dressler taught history at Cumberland for three decades. He was an institution. In fact, my first college class was taught by him. He sat on the desk with his feet dangling and rattled on about world history. He never had notes. All he had was a cigarette. Like all of the other students, Dr. Dressler intimidated me. He was tall, strict and didn’t take any crap.

When I started teaching, he still intimidated me. It was probably a combination of things. His knowledge. His stature. A combination of it all. However, I learned that he also cared about the success of the students. He was strict for a reason. He wanted them to stay focused on the goal of graduating. After a while, Dr. Dressler and I became better acquainted a realized that we had a lot in common. We liked the same era of history. We agreed on politics. We both loved Cumberland University and wanted it to thrive. His death was sudden and left a hole in the history department.

There is one thing more about these two men. Of all the people I have worked with, they are the only ones who I never called by their first names. I think that was out of respect for who they were and what they represented. To others, they may have been Dick and Jim. To me, they were and always will be Dr. Henderson and Dr. Dressler.

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