Blog 4 History

Temple, TX, has brought back corporal punishment to its schools after decades of progressive positive behavior tactics have utterly failed. Students were becoming more defiant and so much so that their parents are the ones who led the charge to bring back the stick to the school. I remember in the early 80s as a middle-schooler being paddled for a fight I was involved in. The Principle had the meanest looking paddle with notches carved into, scared the crap out of me. After my paddling I never fought again and made sure my behavior was appropriate. Twenty states, mostly in the South, still have corporal punishment. I wonder if there is any data on whether or not behavior in those schools is better? If this article is correct, behavior can be positively impacted by such punitive options as the paddle.

Here’s the article:

Texas city revives paddling as it takes a swat at misbehavior
By Michael Birnbaum
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, April 16, 2010

TEMPLE, TEX. — In an era when students talk back to teachers, skip class and wear ever-more-risque clothing to school, one central Texas city has hit upon a deceptively simple solution: Bring back the paddle.
This Story.

Most school districts across the country banned paddling of students long ago. Texas sat that trend out. Nearly a quarter of the estimated 225,000 students who received corporal punishment nationwide in 2006, the latest figures available, were from the Lone Star State.

But even by Texas standards, Temple is unusual. The city, a compact railroad hub of 60,000 people, banned the practice and then revived it at the demand of parents who longed for the orderly schools of yesteryear. Without paddling, “there were no consequences for kids,” said Steve Wright, who runs a construction business and is Temple’s school board president.

Since paddling was brought back to the city’s 14 schools by a unanimous board vote in May, behavior at Temple’s single high school has changed dramatically, Wright said, even though only one student in the school system has been paddled.

“The discipline problem is much better than it’s been in years,” Wright said, something he attributed to the new punishment and to other discipline programs schools are trying. Residents of the city’s comfortable homes, most of which sport neighborly, worn chairs out front, praise the change.

To read more…

The prompt for this week’s discussion in one of my graduate classes and based on the numerous readings was: “If you had to select one defining moment, challenge, social cause, technological achievement, or political struggle that marked the start of the century what would it be and why?”

Some great discussions thus far and focused on, for example, the Spanish-American War, Progressivism, Women’s suffrage movement, Teddy Roosevelt’s presidency, ect.

I focused on 1904:

In December 1904 while addressing Congress President Teddy Roosevelt established what would become the “Roosevelt Corollary.” In this address Roosevelt declared that the United States must “exercise” its influence in the Western Hemisphere and join Europe as an “international police power,” or in other words an Imperial power. [1] Roosevelt’s “Big Stick” policy established the United States as truly a world power. The Spanish-American War of 1898, though a sweeping victory, did not establish the U.S. as a world player. It was a first step, and so it could be looked to as that defining moment.

However, I look to Roosevelt and his presidency as our ascendancy into the 20th Century. Roosevelt was our first Progressive president, an imperialist, and a visionary. His leadership expanded American influence, power, and prestige to such a degree that we became a modern imperialistic state. The Great White fleet alone by 1907 (initiated by Roosevelt by 1903), one could argue, was a unprecedented event for a nation dedicated to neutrality since its creation.

Economically, by 1904, the U.S. was becoming an industrial giant on an unprecedented scale. The mid-1890s was a depression wrecked economy, however, by 1904 the U.S. was experiencing an economic boom. The nation’s GDP double during the first decade of the century. Additionally, with the likes of Rockefeller, Carnegie, and JP Morgan, American industry was a giant. Rockefeller would become the first billionaire at this time. By 1900 the U.S. was the largest producer of steel in the world. Huge trusts had resulted in super corporations that established the U.S. as the leading industrial giant in the world. [2]

In foreign policy the early 1900s proved to be the awakening point for the U.S. as men had come to power who had their eye on growing American power and influence. Not just Roosevelt, though he was the key, however he joined John Jay,Secretary of State, Henry Cabot Lodge, influential thinkers such as Alfred T. Mahan, the Navial theorist who encouraged Roosevelt to develop a strong naval force and who probably first used the term “Middle East” in an article in the National Review about foreign policy illustrating how far the U.S. had come in international relations by 1904. Without the Great White fleet initiative and a strong navy, the U.S. was a second rate power without a visionary like Roosevelt.[3]

The recent controversy surrounding Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell when he issued a proclamation in honor of Confederate History Month that did not include a reference to slavery — an unforgivable omission — the fact that the Civil War is still a significant part of American history cannot be denied and indeed it still lives with us!

Anyway, this led me to a book I received recently The Long Shadow of the Civil War Southern Dissent and Its Legacies, By Victoria E. Bynum.

In the Introduction of the book Bynum quickly points out the focus of her book and the “three central questions” that are addressed:

1) How prevalent was support for the Union among ordinary Southerners, and how was it expressed?
2) How did Southern Unionists and freedpeople experience the Union’s victory and the emancipation of the slaves during the era of Reconstruction and beyond?
3) What were the legacies of the Civil War, Reconstruction, and the South’s White Supremacists counterrevolution in regard to race, class, and gender relations and New South politics?

Which are very important questions and still very relevant. The shock waves of the Civil War are still felt today. The economic and social conditions of Black Americans was impacted by the failure of Reconstruction, the legacy of Jim Crow, and the dependency created by the White guilt welfare state of the Johnson Administration’s “Great Society” (and beyond) a tragedy that increased the number of single mother households that devastated blacks for generations and sentenced so many single mother black families to poverty.

Anyway, a great read and a solid study, and more importantly a timely one that relates to the continued reflection on the meaning of the American Civil War.

Please keep visiting the site, in the next few days I will be posting a brief essay on International Security Policy and Nuclear Proliferation from a historical perspective. Recent changes in U.S. Nuclear Policy as well as general National Security Policy provide the perfect opportunity to evaluate how states define their security policies and interests. Here is a teaser: Are the positions of Neville Chamberlain alive and well in modern foreign policy???…

I have the utmost respect for the brave black men and women who stand for their values as Republicans. Think about it. Not the easiest of stances. To identify themselves as Republicans, gasp, Conservatives, yikes, or, blasphemy, Tea Partiers, must be to risk a serious backlash. There will be no New York Times report on their circumstances, at least not one that notes the truth. (And if there is one please let me know.)

Consider the following (source link here);

They’ve been called Oreos, traitors and Uncle Toms, and are used to having to defend their values. Now black conservatives are really taking heat for their involvement in the mostly white tea party movement—and for having the audacity to oppose the policies of the nation’s first black president.

“I’ve been told I hate myself. I’ve been called an Uncle Tom. I’ve been told I’m a spook at the door,” said Timothy F. Johnson, chairman of the Frederick Douglass Foundation, a group of black conservatives who support free market principles and limited government.

“Black Republicans find themselves always having to prove who they are. Because the assumption is the Republican Party is for whites and the Democratic Party is for blacks,” he said

I think it is sad that to be black means, to some, you have to be Democrat! There is a lot of controversy surrounding the Tea Party movement. I understand that. It has been vilified. Won’t go into that. Are there always some radicals on the Right and Left, yes, and they do not represent the whole. (I am still waiting for the video or audio of the actual racial slurs and other epitaphs that was claimed. With all the cell phones with cameras!) The Tea Party movement is made up of a lot of average folks, and some if not many are Democrats and Independents. I attended a Tea Party gathering of over a thousand recently and found it to be peaceful and respectful.

My hat is off to those Black Republicans that risk far more than I do to identify themselves as Republicans. I am not, I am a registered Indepedent and have voted for Democrats (Clinton), Republicans, and Libertarians.

[The photo is of Fox News political analyst Angela McGlowan as she announced at the Tupelo, Miss., City Hall, that she is running for the 1st Congressional District as a Republican.]

Tucked away nicely inside the bill that will bring the eventual nationalization of our heath care system are provisions to dramatically alter something totally unrelated: college student lending. The add-on sends billions of dollars into Pell Grants for students by closing the long-standing and highly used Federal Family Education Loan Program, which allowed banks to compete and offer government-backed student loans. Loans for college students will soon be only filled through the government thus removing yet more freedom and more choice. And do not tell me that this was to help disadvantage students as they have always had the funding. This could all radically change. Perhaps these middle class students whose parents make a certain amount may one day not have access to government money? Doubtful, I worry more about how on God’s Green Earth we are going to pay for this along with the health care baby that is being delivered? Mark my words, we will all pay higher taxes and fees regardless of income. So this is yet another move by the government to implement its progressive and social change policies.

But there is a potentially larger and far more radical consequence. When your child has only the government to help get the money they need to go to college, what is to stop the government from making certain conditions? For example, perhaps kids will have to take a certain class during their 4 years of college or maybe attend a specific conference (all paid for by the government, of course)? I know, sounds harmless. But what if this entails your child to take a class like Peace Studies (sounds so harmless, but if you investigate you will see a deeper agenda. I will write more on this later.), or attend a conference designed by members of the Educators’ Network for Social Justice or some other conference that is sponsored by the Teacher’s Activist Group. Or better yet, maybe your student will be required to get involved in the Education for Liberation Network or maybe Teachers for Social Justice.

And maybe your student can take a class by an educator from one of these conferences and who attended a seminar such as this:

The Zinn Education Project: Making it work for you
Mary Hauser, National-Louis University
Howard Zinn, one of education’s giants died last month. He was well known for his civil rights activism and his progressive (some say, radical) views of teaching history. This session is designed to provide a brief overview of Zinn’s life and work and then consider how his ideas can create a classroom in which students and teachers ask questions, view issues from multiple perspectives and understand that objectivity is not a possible or desirable outcome of learning in the social sciences. Participants will draw on their classroom experiences as they consider the following questions in small group discussions: What are some of the major problems in how history/social studies is taught? How can teachers foster critical thinking and avoid rote memorization of facts? What resources are available? What specific strategies will develop an anti-racist perspective?

In case you did not see the bold print (my emphasis), I’ll repeat: “This session is designed to provide a brief overview of Zinn’s life and work and then consider how his ideas can create a classroom in which students and teachers ask questions, view issues from multiple perspectives and understand that objectivity is not a possible or desirable outcome of learning in the social sciences.”

Teaching Social Justice in the classroom is all about the fact that for these educators “objectivity is not a possible or desirable outcome of learning in the social sciences.”

That is my problem with Social Justice and its ilk. And you can call me crazy, but if things do not change you could very well see such requirements for students who take government money for college.

Last week was pretty serious around here for the most part, so from the lighter side of history:

(Source)

I received a surprise email from the publicist at McFarland that a new review of my book, The 11th Wisconsin in the Civil War: A Regimental History, McFarland & Co. (Fall 2008) recently came out, which was a surprise as the book has been out for almost 2 years! Anyway the magazine is Blue & Gray and the reviewer is David Powell who looked at three regimental histories and I thought he had some great comments about regimental histories. I think they are still very vital to Civil War memory, understanding and most certainly scholarship, it just depends on the quality. As Mr. Powell noted, for historical purposes even a very basic regimental history can offer some value. Anyway, to the top right is a sample of the review and if you wish to read the whole review you will have to get their latest issue.

I am finishing up my research paper for my Civil War Command and Leadership class that I spoke of a few months ago. Next week I start a full load of 12 credit hours which will place me at 27 credit hours with one class and my thesis remaining (9 credit hours). It’s a good thing we have David here now as well, seeing that I will be very busy.

Here are the classes I have coming up:

HIST557 History and Popular Culture – A class that I am interested in seeing the curriculum as there were no books to purchase all materials will be downloaded!

HIST520 Graduate Seminar in U.S. History – Looking forward to this challenging class. The books that I have had to purchase so far: The End of Reform: New Deal Liberalism in Recession and War by Alan Brinkley; Impending Crisis, 1848-1861 by David M. Potter; Search for Order, 1877-1920 by Robert H. Wiebe; and What Hath God Wrought: The Transformation of America, 1815-1848 by Daniel Walker Howe. I have already read Daniel Walker Howe’s book which is fantastic. I have also started reading New Deal Liberalism in Recession and War which will challenge me and this good, so I see this course as a great challenge and one I welcome.

HIST555 The United States in the 20th Century – For this class I have purchased Pivotal Decades by Jonh J. Cooper; and Liberalism and Its Challengers: From FDR to Bush by Alonzo L. Hamby. Another great class that I anticipate will be be informative.

Publishers have also sent me some interesting titles:

”Deliver Us from This Cruel War”: The Civil War Letters of Lieutenant Joseph J. Hoyle, 55th North Carolina Infantry by Joseph J. Hoyle, Jeffrey M. Girvan (Editor). McFarland, 2010. I liked Mr. Girvin’s chapter “Studies of the Common Soldier in the Civil War” which is a historiography on the recent studies of Civil War soldiers.

Beyond the March of Death: Memoir of a Soldier’s Journey from Bataan to Nagasaki Myrrl W. McBride, Sr. Foreword by Myrrl W. McBride, Jr., and Gerald F. McBride. McFarland, 2010. I read this book in a few hours on Sunday afternoon in an attempt to get my mind off health care and I am happy to report Myrrl W. McBride’s riveting, insightful and at time colorful narrative of his time as a POW from his experiences during the tortuous Bataan Death March to his time in Japan as essentially a worker slave. A great read!

The Last Leaf: Voices of the History’s Last-Known Survivors by Stuart Lutz. Prometheus Books, 2010.

And finally, The Long Shadow of the Civil War: Southern Dissent and Its Legacies by Victoria E. Bynum. UNC Press, 2010. This looks like an interesting accomplishment by Mrs. Bynum that I look forward to reading. From the Publisher: “Victoria Bynum relates uncommon narratives about common Southern folks who fought not with the Confederacy, but against it. Focusing on regions in three Southern states–North Carolina, Mississippi, and Texas–Bynum introduces Unionist supporters, guerrilla soldiers, defiant women, socialists, populists, free blacks, and large interracial kin groups that belie stereotypes of the South and of Southerners as uniformly supportive of the Confederate cause.”

I arrived at school this morning early. I did not sleep well, I felt, well frankly, on the down low and tossed and turned all night. I stayed up last night and watched the mockery that is the United States House of Representatives. This is not change and “ethics” at work, it was more of the same. No one would deny that we need health care reform. I was hoping that it would not come in the form of a Trojan horse that has one ultimate goal.

Back to my story, waiting there in my classroom was Gustaf, a foreign exchange student from Sweden. A nice young man and whom I have gotten to know and think very highly of. He is socialist, comes from a socialist country where they have government run universal health care. Gustaf greeted me as he usually does with a question or two about what today’s lesson might entail. I was not myself and he sensed it, so in his broken but yet very good English he asked, “So you watched the Congress last night?”

Apparently Gustaf’s host family had. We had a 10 minute or so discussion on the Sunday evening events and he then said something remarkable to me: “Mr. Wehner, the health care bill does not seem very American. I don’t understand how America would want to do this.” He spoke of our ideals and values which he learned in his U.S. Government class — which I DID NOT teach.

Sweden is a country of about 9 million and according to Gustaf they pay very high taxes and the health care is not bad. But he wondered out loud, “how will it work for 300+ million?” Good question, I replied.

Though our conversation did not end with an enlightened discovery of what the future will hold, it did nonetheless brighten my mood and lift my spirits. We are exceptional and even to a socialist — a good kid who recognizes the greatness of our country while those spoiled by her freedoms cannot.

Also, I found this national address from President Ronald Reagan and thought I would share. I have a new website in the works for history teachers and well, will speak more about that later.

This is for all Americans and for all who teach American history.