I’m trying to take a bit of time to get things back up and running here at Something Old, Something New. Stay tuned for info about my current work writing grants, thoughts on the new world of education and public history in a new federal administration, academic teaching of PH and Museum studies rumination, and my continuing work with accessibility and historic sites and museums.
Last fall, I taught Introduction to Public History at CCU,and I wanted to take a minute to share a few of my students’ projects and promote some of their final projects. I’m working to possibly re-design my Intro to PH class in the future, but then sometimes I’m so impressed by the projects my students come up with, as with these posted below, and I don’t want to lose that aspect. Here are just a few examples:
Bailynne Miller created a website for historic downtown Conway, South Carolina called: Small Town, Big Stories, Even Bigger Adventures. Bailynne says, “I am currently enrolled in a course at CCU called Introduction to Public History. This is not just your typical history course that involves copious amounts of reading and endless hours on Google trying to figure out if you can find some sort of summary … This class involves each of us taking our unique passions for history and helping to ignite that same spark into our community. Each student is encouraged to come up with a project related to something that they are passionate about. I happened to stumble upon my idea when interviewing the nicest man on field trip for this class. I realized that so many amazing connections can be made in this community related to history in my own backyard! So I decided to pack up my notepad, pen, and big mouth and trek to downtown Conway, South Carolina to visit some famous local and historical spots to get locals’ takes on what they know and love about their own communities.” The blog takes visitors on a tour of some of the highlights of Conway including the town hall, restaurants, and shops. Folklore and history are blended, along with suggestions for your own adventures and further research. Bailynne’s blog can be found at: http://conwayconnections.weebly.com
Jeff Bean spent the Fall 2016 semester research the local Waccamaw people and mapping sites of importance on a public website and research blog. He describes his passion for history saying, “I have always had a passion to know the unknown, to shine light on a subject that has been in darkness. This site is dedicated to the Waccamaw Indian people of Horry County, South Carolina. The Waccamaw people of Horry County have a poorly documented history and this is my attempt to change that.” The interactive map and additional research can be found at: http://waccamawsites.weebly.com
Travis Holland worked with the Horry County Board of Architectural Review and Historic Preservation to identify more local businesses for their Legacy Business program. The program pays tribute to local businesses that have contributed to the economic heritage of Horry County for more than 50-continuous years. Travis researched and compiled information about 3 businesses for this program. His research was made public on the website: http://hclegacy.weebly.com
Another HIST395 student, Phoebe Morrison, states, “I am a student of the world intrigued by history and empowered by physical activity. I was raised on Block Island, Rhode Island from the age of eight until I was fourteen years old with minimal understanding of how involved this small island was in American history. With age I have become facinated by the impact this small yet mighty island possesed and continues to exert.” To these ends, Phoebe created several history bike tours of her home island. She says her “intentions are to motivate people to explore Block Island’s historic places in a healthy way… the interactive map is designed to enhance the experience of making your way around Block Island while informing you about historic events that have been forgotten along the way.” The history and routes she developed are available at: http://bikebihistory.weebly.com
Katie Stringer Clary, PhD 