a field trip

I usually avoid field trips. The main reason for this is the fact that I don't want to do all the required administrative work when most of the attendees just want a day off from school. Recently though, a colleague invited me to bring my European history students along with hers to the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. Due to the fact that I had never been, and also that I figured this would be more than just a fun day off, I decided to take her up on the offer. I am very glad that I did. The museum, in my opinion, is excellent. The experience of a visit, particularly with students of European history, was quite memorable. I want to make mention of several thoughts that I took away from the day. The first thing I noticed was what seems to be a, if not the, major theme of the museum. The holocaust is so often portrayed and approached as if it existed in a vacuum. The Holocaust is often shown to have been a very tragic event that was the consequence of a madman. The creators of this museum seem determined to challenge this. They chose to present this event as the result of an evil man, who rose to power within a society with similar sentiments, that resulted from the movement of western and world history. Far from downplaying the atrocities of this event, they actually portray them in their true, horrible form. In doing so, they present a threatening reality. What happened was not a consequence of anything distinctively German, Jewish, European, or Western. It happened, I would argue, due to something about humanity in general. If that is true, than it radically changes my response to it. I need not just remember the Holocaust, but allow it to be a continual reminder to me to treat people well. This museum is much more than a memorial. It is a compulsion for all who visit to act. The second thing that struck me was its claim that Christians, both Protestant and Catholic, failed to act in any significant way to resist Hitler's rise to power. To be fair, it did say that there was one small church that told its followers not to swear allegiance to the Nazi party. Aside from that, most churches responded to the Nazi party with either support or indifference. Both of these force me to reflect upon my own life and actions. I can be saddened by this terrible loss of life. I can feel rage at the absolute failure of God's people once again to model the teachings of Christ. What I can't get past though is the fear that I might also not have done anything about it. It is possible that there are plenty of opportunities now for me to prevent suffering and injustice, and I am failing to act for one reason or another. Hopefully if an opportunity that great existed, it would be obvious, and I would act.

A Presbyterian boy goes to confession

I have become painfully aware of a tension that exists in the teaching profession. I like what I teach my students. I like it a great deal, in fact. The problem is, they don't always seem to recognize the relevance of the subject matter we discuss. This can really be frustrating. What frustrates me about it is not the agony of getting them to enjoy my class. What is frustrating is that even though I want them (at times to the point of anger) to get it and like it, I know that my attitude as a student was as bad as any I encounter as a teacher. I just don't know how to respond to this. I would not be doing my job if I just accepted bad attitudes. How, though, to push them without judging them? I guess a good place to begin is to spend some time reflecting upon the way I once was. I am particularly drawn to a class I took in college, Pastel Studio, and the professor Catherine Prescott. As a student at a liberal arts school, I was required to take a wide variety of classes not directly related to my major. One requirement that I put off until the very end was a 1 credit art course. As far as I was concerned, I would rather have been required to take a 1 credit study in the endurance of Novocaine free oral surgery. I was always a poor art student. I was bad at drawing, painting, sculpting, cutting, pasting, and handwriting. On top of that, I had no interest in partaking of the arts as I understood them at the time. Needless to say my effort, as well as my attendance, were a bit sub-par. I had no interest in the class, and had no respect for Professor Prescott nor her medium. Then one day, she did something remarkable. She asked me to go into the hallway with her. She told me that I was failing a 1 credit p/f class due to my poor attendance. She told me she would give me a second chance if I had perfect attendance for the rest of the time and turned in all of my assignments. If this were a Hollywood film, her love and grace would have changed my heart right then and there, and I would have reconsidered my attitude about art and about life. This is not a Hollywood film though. Instead of viewing this as forgiveness, I viewed it as a loophole. I did my duty, passed the class, and walked away from the art world. I had much growing up to do after college. As my chosen profession of teaching history collided with my personal growth, I found myself increasingly interested in my old nemesis art. As I came to see art as essentially connected with the rest of life, I began to remember many things she taught me. Despite my ignorance, Professor Prescott had shaped my view of art and of life. Last summer I made my second trip to Paris with my students. I was particularly excited to take some of them to the Louvre to look at the art ofthe Romantic period . In class, we looked at a work from that period called The Raft of the Medusa by Theodore Gericault. As I stood in front of this painting with my students, I remembered pastel studio and Catherine Prescott. Her willingness to let me pass her class was nice. What was more important was her love of art and her confidence that if taught well, it could change peoples' lives. As my students excitedly discussed this marvelous painting (16'x23' by the way)with me this summer, I realized that they are her artistic grandchildren. To Professor Catherine Prescott I say I am sorry for my selfishness, and thank you for your willingness to move past that. May I emulate that continually in my own career. I am including three links. The first is to Catherine Prescott's personal website (she is now retired from teaching and is a realist painter). The second is to a painting she did called Girl With A Mink Pelt that was displayed recently in the Smithsonian in D.C. The third is to the Raft of the Medusa by Gericault.

The Black and White Cookie

There was a classic episode of Seinfeld in which Jerry goes into a bakery and orders one of those cookies that has half black, half white icing. He then proceeds to get sick to his stomach and blames it on the cookie, saying the black and white were not getting along. In a subtle way, the episode was a reminder that race relations are still a very divisive issue in the United States. For most of our nations history, there were legal obstacles to a racially assimilated society. As a result of the Civil Rights movement, most of these obstacles are gone. Many use this point to argue that issues of racial inequality are dead in the U.S. The legal obstacles though did not exist in a vacuum. They were the result of cultural obstacles. Although the Civil Rights Movement all but eradicated the legal issues, it unfortunately was not as successful with the cultural ones. That should not be surprising. It is practically impossible to legislate someones thoughts and attitudes. In a society built on freedom, it is especially difficult. As a result, we still live in a segregated society. I was born in 1972 in the honeymoon period following the Civil Rights Movement. I grew up believing that America was free of the past and was now an equal society. These ideas have been tempered for me by a bit of an existential awakening. My life is entirely monolithic. I am a white person who lives near, went to school with, works with, shops with, vacations near, and goes to church with (predominantly) other white people. This troubles me. This is not a result for me of any belief concerning race. I probably could be considered a bit progressive in my views on race. I have even used my job as a history teacher to try and effect change in my students' views on racial tension in America. The problem is my own reality does not seem to have been impacted by these views. If progress can ever be made in this area it will be because people decide to value others equally. I do not know that my segregated reality is because of some deep-seeded, hidden racism. I don't know that it is not though. I attended the funeral of my grandmother this week, and at the risk of seeming morbid, I can't help but consider my own. Who would come? I feel that if my life is spent loving others selflessly, it will be attended by black, white, rich, poor, old, young, Christian, non, etc... Youthful optimism maybe, but a personal goal nonetheless. In his "Letters From the Birmingham Jail," Dr. King said "Let us all hope that the dark clouds of racial prejudice will soon pass away and the deep fog of misunderstanding will be lifted from our fear-drenched communities and in some not too distant tomorrow the radiant stars of love and brotherhood will shine over our great nation with all their scintillating beauty."

The Great Paul Hewson

I guess it is almost becoming cliche to recognize the efforts of Bono to make the world a better place. That being said, I really appreciate his efforts to end poverty and relieve insupportable third world debt. I particularly admire him for the way in which he communicates that these problems are not just republican or democratic , black or white, rich or poor etc... My wife and I were channel surfing the other night and came upon the NAACP image awards. We turned it on just as Bono was about to be awarded the Chairman's Award. The speech he gave certainly will go down as one of his most memorable. It is about 7 minutes long. Please take the time and check out Bono at the NAACP Image Awards.

If I...

If I could go to college again, I would respect my professors, the material, and myself more. I would try to learn and become a better person.

If I could overcome my fear of heights, I would take up mountain climbing.

If I were more organized, I would have a cleaner house, pay my bills on time, and not lose so many things.

If I could love my wife better, I would be a better listener and not feel like I needed to come up with a quick fix for every problem.

If I made better use of my time, I would try to be more thoughtful about what I eat.

If I were better at multi-tasking, I would not lose my temper so quickly when I am trying to accomplish multiple things at once.

If I were more thoughtful of others, I would remember to write thank you notes, stay in touch more regularly, and generally by more considerate of their feelings.

If I understood better what a church should be, I would be able to attend more regularly and comfortably.

If I weren't so consumed by what could or should be, I might be more comfortable with what is. Then maybe I could make changes in my life for the right reasons. Aah the search for balance.

"God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen."

--Serenity Prayer
Reinhold Niebuhr

at the risk of redundancy

I realize I have been using many links, but I have to do one more. I want to thank my former students Chris Crowe and Dan Miller for introducing me to Sam Beam. He is a musician who uses the stage name Iron & Wine. I look forward to heavily investing in his career. He recently played Messiah and this is a link to Iron & Wine performing "The Trapeze Swinger" at that show. Enjoy.