George Washington Carver is known primarily for his life and work at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. This historical research provides insight prior to that time and into his journey from Missouri to several towns in Kansas, and then to Iowa. The intersection of race, education, and philanthropy combined to guide the culmination of his life's…

This manuscript is an examination of a life well lived with the professional contributions of a leader who served across the fields of educational psychology, counseling, and literacy. Francis P. Robinson was a pioneer in the development of postsecondary literacy theory, research, and pedagogy. Although he is most widely known for what is perhaps…

The Luther College Concert Band has enjoyed nearly 150 years of success. International tours, regional tours, concerts, service to the college and recording projects aided the success of this small college band that retained its Lutheran, liberal arts identity. Published documents exist about the Luther College band before 1948 but no…

Biography is a popular approach to history education in the younger grades, especially when teaching units of study during Women's History Month, which is March. A biography-centered approach, however, can be problematic when such lessons are not tied to any context, promoting the misconception that individuals create social change in isolation.…

This theme issue is devoted to the three men named Henry Wallace and the history they made for Iowa and for the United States. All of the Henrys were deeply involved in farming and all of them wrote in a magazine called "Wallaces' Farmer." All three of these men also did special work for the U.S. government. The most famous Henry, Henry…

Profiles four Iowans who became agricultural leaders and committed themselves to addressing farmers' needs: Henry Wallace, James R. Howard, Milo Reno, and Ruth Buxton Sayre. Identifies farm organizations with which each was affiliated, such as the Farm Bureau and the Farmers' Union. Summarizes each leader's major accomplishments and political…

Most of the material for this issue of the "Goldfinch," which explores the life of Carrie Chapman Catt, came from the archives of the State Historical Society of Iowa. Carrie Chapman Catt (1859-1947) was an Iowan who advocated woman suffrage and spent 26 years actively working for that cause. The issue contains a biography of Catt, and…

Prepared for middle school students, this magazine issue covers presidential campaigns, the election process, and Herbert Hoover, an Iowan native. The articles include: (1) "Meet Clara Bell, 1848"; (2) "On the Campaign Trail"; (3) "Caucus Spotlight" (K. B. Brosseau); (4) "Kids Ask the Candidates"; (5)…

This book depicts the lives of women who taught school in the late 19th and early 20th centuries on the prairies and plains of Iowa, Kansas, and Nebraska. The book is based on the narratives, letters, and diaries of 96 schoolwomen and on interviews with living pioneers, memoirs, school reports, photographs, and other documents. Part 1 includes…