PUBLIC HISTORY SEMINAR History 587 Fall 2002
Dr. Jon Hunner Office hours: Tues. & Thurs- 11-noon
Breland Hall 242 646-2490 e-mail: jhunner@nmsu.edu
The purpose of the Public History Seminar is to introduce you to the various ways we preserve, interpret, and present our nation’s history, culture, and heritage. Over the course of the semester, you will have an opportunity to explore various fields in public history and work on specific projects in those fields. We also will examine historical research methodology. This seminar is an introductory course and is meant to give you a broad exposure to public history as well as a foundation in traditional historical research.
Revised Syllabus
August 20-- Introduction to the seminar. Explanation of syllabus and discussion of traditional and public history.
Aug. 27-- Nearby History. Assignment: Nearby History, ix-82; Public History (PH), 3-40. Due: response to the RFP on Aug. 26th by 5 p.m. Optional tour of Rio Grande Historical Collection on August 29th at 2:35 to 3:50.
Sept. 3– Historical Methodology and Historiography. Assignment: Nearby, 201-240. Due: Curriculum vita.
Sept. 10 -- Historical Sources and Archives. Assignment: Nearby, 83-103, 243-266; PH, 57-74, 157-185.
Sept.17 – Historic Preservation and the National Park Service. Assignment: Nearby, 165-200; P.H., 129-140, 231-256, 279-294; National Register Bulletin 16A: How to Complete the National Register Registration Form, U.S. Department of Interior, National Park Service, 1-52. Due: budget and schedule for your semester project.
Sept. 24 – Museums and Historical Exhibits. Assignment: Nearby, 147-164; P.H., 141-156, 187-202, 257-278, 295-324. Due: Physical description and short history of a historic building on campus.
Oct. 1 – Oral History. Assignment: Nearby, 103-121, 266; P.H., 203-216; "Preserving Community/Cuentos del Varrio Oral History Manual" at Due: review of local historical museum exhibit.
Oct. 8 – Historical Editing. Assignment: Nearby, 123-145; P.H., 87-128. Due: Progress report on semester project.
Oct. 15– Public history for businesses. Assignment: P.H., 43-56, 75-86, 371-396.
Oct. 22– Fall Break
Oct. 29– Public history for governments. Assignment: P.H., 217-228, 325-370. Due: reaction paper to one of the fields of public history discussed in the past three weeks.
Nov. 5 – Community History and Heritage Tourism. Assignment: articles on reserve at Zuhl Library.
Nov. 12– Public History, the Web, and the Media. Class held at Zuhl Library Web Classroom.
Nov. 19 – Discuss Public History. Assignment: Presence of the Past, vii- 114. Due: bibliography of web sites relating to your semester project.
Nov. 26 – Discuss Public History. Assignment: Presence of the Past, 115-231. Due: Book review (3-5 pages) of Presence of the Past.
Dec. 3-- The Future of Public History and Jobs in Public History. Due: present an itemized bill for the time spent doing your semester project.
Dec. 10– Final Exam: 6-8 pm. Oral Presentations on Semester Project. Due: the deliverable for your semester project.
TEXTS
James B. Gardner and Peter S. La Paglia, eds., Public History: Essays for the Field (Malabar, Florida: Kreiger Publishing, 1999).
David E. Kyvig and Myron A. Marty, Nearby History: Exploring the Past Around You (Walnut Creek, California: Altamira Press, 1996).
Roy Rosenzweig and David Thelen, Presence of the Past (New York: Coumbia University Press, 1998).
GRADING
Participation in discussions 15%
Writing Assignments in bold type (5% each) 25%
Semester Project– group grade 20%
Semester Project– individual grade 25%
Oral Presentation 15%
Attendance will be noted and lack of attendance will affect your final grade.
Late assignments will be penalized one letter grade for each day they are late.
Withdrawals from this course are the responsibility of the student.
Incomplete grades will be given only if the student has passed the first half of the course and can not complete the course due to documented illness or family crisis.
Academic misconduct in this course will cause the student to fail the course. Please consult the Student Code of Conduct in the NMSU Student Handbook.
Plagiarism will be rewarded by a grade of "F" for the semester. Plagiarism is the turning in of assignments that you did not produce without acknowledging who really produced it.
Students with disabilities are encouraged to identify their status by providing documentation to the Office of Disabled Students which will then provide recommendations to me.
Request for Proposals (RFP) --Public History Program, Fall 2002
Please hand in a response to the RFP that states which project you want to work on. You should briefly describe why you want to work on that project and why you are the best person around to do that work. Responses to the RFP are due on August 26 by 5 p.m. You can e-mail it to me or drop the response in my mailbox. Also, please list which project is your second choice.
1) Historical Markers’ Survey (N.M. Historic Preservation Division). The Historic Preservation Division of New Mexico is surveying the historical markers along its highways. There are at least 64 markers in Region Four (Dońa Ana, Luna, Sierra, Hidalgo, Grant, and Socorro counties). You will visit all the 19 markers in Dońa Ana county as well as another 20 markers in Region Four, confirm the text, and evaluate the condition of the markers. You will also consult with Prof. Hunner and N.M. State Historian Dr. Estevan Rael-Galvez about ideas for possible changes with the marker program. Deliverable– a report about the markers you surveyed, the specific needs for these markers, and suggestions for changes in the marker program.
2) Downtown Las Cruces Revitalization (Las Cruces Downtown Revitalization Committee). To support the Las Cruces Downtown Revitalization Committee (and satisfy Prof. Hunner’s curiosity), research needs to be conducted on how Main Street was urban renewed in the 1960s. Surveying of the newspapers from the time period as well as some interviews will be necessary to follow what was done and who did what when. Attendance of some of the LCDRC will be useful. Deliverable– a report that explains how the downtown part of Las Cruces was changed in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
3) Amador/Armijo Exhibit at the University Museum (NMSU). The University Museum is assembling an exhibit on local history that will open Feb. 14th, 2003. They need assistance in researching the two families– the Amadors and the Armijos– who were key members of the Mesilla Valley in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Deliverable– a report on the research and other activities that you did at the University Museum along with anything that you produced for them.
4) Grant Writing (NMSU). Over the semester, Prof. Hunner will be submitting several grant proposals to secure funding for future projects in the Public History Program. The main project will write grants for funding to begin the planning for the celebration of the centennial of N.M.’s statehood. In addition to assisting Prof. Hunner in assembling the grant proposals to the National Endowment for the Humanities, the N.M. Endowment for the Humanities, and other organizations, you will also research other funding opportunities for the program. Deliverables– in addition to the proposals submitted by the deadlines, a report on funding possibilities for future projects.
5) El Lobo Conference (NMSU)– Professor Marsha Weisiger is organizing an environmental history and policy symposium on the reintroduction of the Mexican Grey Wolf into the Southwest, sponsored by the Department of History. The conference will take place February 7-8, 2003. During the Fall semester, she will need help compiling mailing lists, preparing press packages, preparing announcements and a program, doing mailings, and other organizing tasks. Deliverables– a handbook for use in organizing similar symposia in the future based on the experience this semester.
6) Water Wars Exhibit (Branigan Cultural Center) Research assistants needed to gather factual data and photographic images. Experience will be gained through research, and through learning museum practices such as- garnering permission to exhibit texts and photography, exhibit development and design, promotions, and exhibit installation. Some work during regular business is required.
7) NMSU Street Names (NMSU)-- In conjunction with Vice President Woods’ office, you will research the historic names of places around the NMSU campus. In particular, you will look into who the people were that the streets on campus are named after. Deliverable– a report on your research and any other products you make for the Office of Facilities and Space Management.
8) Visitor Surveys (N. M. Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum) – Working with staff, who has already done preliminary work, develop, implement, and evaluate a targeted visitor survey. The primary survey group will be a new bus tour that will begin visiting the Museum every other day starting about September 12. The survey assumes that, other than what is in tour literature, the passengers have no previous knowledge of the Museum, and thus can be polled for their interests and preferences as a first-time visitor and possibly to establish whether they would consider returning on a future trip. Deliverable– the report to NMFRHM about the results of the survey.
9) Museum background papers and "light" exhibit text (N.M. Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum)-- The Museum has an increasing need for short, background papers about specific subjects, as well as the development and writing of either new or replacement text panels (short) at locations throughout the grounds. An example of the papers would be 3-4 pages of information for staff and docent interpreters about each major agricultural crop in N.M., both historically and today. An example text panel is to review and revise the text panel for the windmill standing just south of the building. Text panel work would likely be coupled to the development of a background paper. For the windmill, the background paper would review windmills generally and provide write-ups on the existing windmill, as well as at least two windmills that are expected to be erected in the next six months. Deliverable– whatever background paper and exhibit text you create as well as a short report on the project.