As Americans contend with the question of which statues and markers belong (or don't) on public land, government leaders, civic groups, and citizens must be prepared to engage these conversations and answer a range of related questions. In this article, the authors view arguments over public statues--statues of persons that reside on public…

What is environmental history? In the words of Brian Allen Drake, it is "the study of the interactions between humans and nature across time." It includes, but is in no way limited to, the study of the environment. Generally speaking, it is a way to interpret nature as an integral part of the past, as an important "actor." Or,…

Land-grant colleges were created in the mid-nineteenth century when the federal government sold off public lands and allowed states to use that money to create colleges. The land that was sold to support colleges was available because of a deliberate project to dispossess American Indians of land they inhabited. By encouraging westward migration,…

"Soul of a Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power" is an exhibition of American Black artists from the 1960s through 1980s. Originally developed by the Tate Modern in London, the exhibition travelled to Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas, in early 2018. When we visited the exhibition, we intended to study how…

In June 2003, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR) and the Central Arkansas Library System (CALS) embarked on a partnership to combine their collections documenting Arkansas history and politics. There is much to be gained by examining relationships where the partners bring special strengths to the table. This paper outlines the…

As the author does his job, trying to sponsor and support reading and writing practices that will ideally enrich lives and communities throughout Arkansas, he is always tempted to rewrite the American Declaration of Independence so that its second paragraph begins this way: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created…

As physical evidence of institutional aspiration and achievement, ambition and accomplishment, campus heritage (broadly defined) has emerged as a major component in comprehensive campus planning and in devising a site-specific sense of place. Physical actions related to campus heritage include the renewal and/or repurposing of landmark…

"Choosing to Participate" focuses on civic choices--the decisions people make about themselves and others in their community, nation, and world. The choices people make, both large and small, may not seem important at the time, but little by little they shape them as individuals and responsible global citizens. "Choosing to…

An economics project for third grade children is described and lessons for teaching basic economic concepts are provided. In the first semester, students studied basic economic concepts; in the second semester, they learned about the origin, production, and distribution of rice and poultry and how these products affect the local and state…

A one-year course in which five languages were introduced in conjunction with the study of European and Arkansas state history is described. The course was designed to provide eighth grade students with a basis for deciding whether to study a foreign language. The main goal was to provide awareness of foreign language through conversation and the…

In the fall of 1996, the Arkansas Archeological Survey and the Department of Foreign Languages at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville received a $180,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities Teaching With Technology program. The goal of this grant initiative was to encourage creation of content-rich, computer-based materials…

The National Youth Administration (NYA) was established within the Works Progress Administration in 1935 to provide work training for unemployed youth and part-time employment for needy students. It was transferred to the Federal Security Agency in 1939, and subsequently to the War Manpower Commission in 1942. As war clouds began to hover over the…

After the Commissioner of Education's introduction, Volume 1 presents state school system statistics and a list of U.S. Bureau of Education publications. Chapters cover central European education; Ohio public school legislative history; school consolidation and pupil transportation; U.S. industrial education; educational pathology; formation of an…