Post 1270 - History Stuff

My former boss at work, Kevin, likes to use the suffix "stuff".  "Workstuff".  "Funstuff".  You get the idea. 

(I'm not being critical, my dear Kevin.  I'm just giving you proper tribute with this blog post, which is about "Historystuff".)

History as taught in the public schools is boring to the extreme.  It is as if the public education system were dead set against students developing an appreciation for their past and instead wanted to drive them toward things that might result in getting a real job after formal education was over. 

My high school history teacher was a religious zealot whose Baptist upbringing came shining forth like a beacon.  I hated him.  I'll never forget the time he showed us a film he claimed he had not seen, that had been broadcast at his church.   It had a strong Christian subtext that had no business existing in a history class.  It made me and others uncomfortable, but he felt justified spreading his dogma to his students.  The guy was a jerk, pure and simple. 

Anyway.

History is fascinating, folks.  It is vibrant and compelling and incredibly interesting. You should read and experience more of it.

I recently found some websites about history that I thought I'd share with you.  This first one is called The Best of History, a portal to potentially hundreds of history-related websites.  If you like history at all, be it ancient, or U.S. Civil, or the Great Depression, or military history, or whatever, then this is the place for you. 

The U.S. Civil War continues to fascinate us.  Did you know there are still one or two Civil War widows still living?  These are old, old women now who, as young, young women married Civil War veterans (who might be in their 80's at the time), with the promise that these women would get their pension upon their deaths.  Anyway, here is my fave U.S. Civil War portal site.  You gotta check it out. 

As J.C. Douglas pointed out in last night's interview, Bevboy's Blog is playing a small role in documenting local radio history.  If you click on the "Interview" label, you will see all of the interviews I have conducted, most of them with local radio folks.  But, I was lucky enough to interview Peter Duffy, the retired Herald columnist, last year.  I'm pretty sure I was the first one to interview Peter, post retirement.  I'm quite proud of that interview, so I invite you to read it, along with all the other ones I have conducted over the last couple of years.  More are in the works. 

Lastly, I am a Canadian, and proud of that, too.  Here's probably the best Canadian history website. 

You're welcome.  You know I do this because I love you.

Bevboy