History Day Expert

Registration Forms online for District Events!

2009-12-17T14:29:00.002-05:00

Just a quick reminder. All the Ohio History Day District Registration Forms can be found online at:

http://www.ohiohistory.org/historyday/hd03a.html

Exhibit Design

2009-12-11T14:43:00.005-05:00

This week I visited two schools: Christian Community School and Margaretta Elementary School. Both schools were wonderful and I'm excited to see their projects.

The Margaretta Polar Bears (love that mascot!) came up with some great topic ideas during their brainstorming session. Just remember: pick a topic that is at least 20 years old and keep it narrow in focus. Think of what you are interested in and what sorts of innovations are related.

The students at Christian Community School are a step ahead and starting to think abotu putting their projects together. So here are a few helpful hints when thinking about exhibit design:
Spacing- think about negative space (blank areas on the board). Is it even? Is there enough?

Image selection- choose visually interesting images and make sure they help advance the story you are telling.

Labels- keep them short, sweet, and simple. Write them to be read aloud.

Interaction- think of ways to keep your audience actively engaged in your exhibit: puzzles, flip ups, etc.

Quotes- think about the length and interest of the quotes you choose. Thik about which ones best illustrate your thesis.

Creativity- HAVE FUN! Think of different ways you can use the board to support your main idea.

Good luck to all students working on History Day projects!

American History until 1875

2009-12-11T14:33:00.003-05:00

The other week I visited Xenia Middle School to introduce the topic of History Day. Thanks Mr. Shirley and Mrs. Phillips for inviting me! The students will be choosing topics that fit into the scope of their American History class for the year (which goes up around the year 1875). Here's a few things I came up with to help them out:

Hopewell- mound builders
Native American tools/ farming methods/trade
Reformation
Renaissance
Sailing technology
Explorers- Columbus, Cortes, Ponce de Leon, Coronado
Founding of specific colonies (VA, MA, RI, PA) or cities like NYC
Great Awakening
Mercantilism
Enlightenment
Northwest Ordinance
First & Second Continental Congress
Thomas Paine’s Common Sense
Declaration of Independence
US Constitution
VA Statute of Religious Freedom
Bill of Rights
Louisiana Purchase
Marbury v. Madison
Lewis & Clark
Erie canal
Indian Removal Act
Samuel Slater’s – 1st successful mechanized textile factory
Lowell, MA- development of booming manufacturing town
National Road
McCulloch v. Maryland
Public education
Dorothea Dix- mental hospitals
Development of trade unions
Development of capitalism
Manifest destiny
John C. Fremont- “Pathfinder” – Oregon Trail
Underground RR
Anaconda plan (Civil War)
Lee/ Grant as innovative generals
Medicine during civil war
Photography during civil war (Mathew Brady)
13, 14, 15 amendments

Plenty to choose from!! Good luck!

Documentary Category

2009-12-03T10:48:00.006-05:00

Yesterday I visited Eastmoor Middle School in Columbus, Ohio. 50+ students presented a presentation based on their desire to participate in National History Day. At this school, the teachers are pushing the documentary category because of the availability of resources. In response, I thought I'd blog about some documentary tips:

- Research, research, research:
No matter what your category, research is paramount. Finding great primary and secondary sources and using them to create a thesis is still key to NHD.

- Music
I highly advocate using music of the time period that your documentary addresses. This is a way to create some contextual understanding through a different medium.

- Use your 10 minutes wisely
Ten minutes may seem like a lot of time, but it really isn't. Professional documentary makers will have hours of time to tell their story. Think about the outline of your documentary: Have an introduction, have chapters or sections, wrap up with a conclusion that really brings home your thesis and related to the annual theme.

- Interviews
Interviewing either the "expert" or someone who was a witness to the event adds diversity and interest to your documentary. Don't over use any interview. The interview acts as a source to illustrate a point and help reinforce your thesis.

- Storyboarding
After you've done your research, using a storyboard to lay out your documentary can be extremely helpful. A storyboard is a tool that shows what will be on screen, while also showing what the voiceover will be saying.

If you'd like to check out some student documentaries, you can find them on YouTube or by searching Google Videos.

Why Participate in NHD

2009-11-24T11:02:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I visited Springfield's Hayward Middle School where the students are given the option to participate in NHD. Students will ask me sometimes, "Do I have to do this?" This is usually a discussion that happens between student and teachers, but I wanted to highlight some reasons to participate in NHD.

Direct your own learning: With History Day you get to create your own contribution to the field of history with your research and project. Sometimes students uncover sources or stories that no one else has illuminated. Plus, you get to explore a topic of your own interest and become immersed in something that you may not otherwise get the opportunity to learn about.

Compete!: For some students, competing may be really attractive. It is a way to challenge yourself and in some cases, win cash prizes or scholarship. We give away a half scholarship to Case Western Reserve University at Ohio History Day every year.

Prep for College: History Day gives you the opportunity to talk about out-of-school academic experiences, high-level research, and even create a piece for your portfolio. Students who participate in NHD report to us that they have a much easier time transitioning to college-level expectations of research and work.

Admittedly, a History Day project can be a lot of work, but I think many students who have gone through the process will say it is well worth it!

Web Site Category

2009-11-02T08:24:00.001-05:00

This year NHD is requiring that all web site entries are created through their online portal at www.nhd.org. Here in the NHD-Ohio office our intern, Lola, created a sample web site and provided some insight on creating a web site entry with the new software:

http://76493248.nhd.weebly.com/

Designing a website through the NHD Website Portal using Weebly Editor is so easy and fun that anyone can do it. The designing process simply consists of the designer choosing whatever design or element they like, dragging it to the desired location, and dropping it at that location.
Creating pages on the website is also a cinch. The designer simply selects the title “New Page,” adds a “Page Name”, and begins to build the page with any element they choose. The elements contain a combination of words and pictures.
I think the best part of the NHD Website Portal using Weebly Editor is the multimedia section. The multimedia section offers a variety of choices such as the photo gallery, the audio player, and YouTube video. All of these choices make the website come alive and it becomes more interesting and interactive.
My overall designing experience of a NHD Website using Weebly Editor is definitely a good one and I would recommend it for students and teachers who want to include it as part of the History Day format. The process offers you a chance of choosing, managing, and learning something new with no intimidation at all.

Analyzing Photographs at Robinson G. Jones School

2009-10-30T09:27:00.009-04:00

Thursday was our final school visit, for this week at least. We met with the 7th and 8th graders at Robinson G. Jones School in Cleveland. The students were great listeners as they learned all about History Day. They also participated in an activity analyzing photographs and thinking about possible topics and the impacts inventions have had on society. Below is an example of one of the photographs the students examined, along with the questions they answered. How would you answer them?

What is the invention?
What are the positive impacts of this invention on society?
Are there any negative consequences?
Have there been innovations or improvements to this invention over time?

(at this point I have to give a nod to Mrs. Reidel's afternoon class and the monkeys on the stoplights!)

What is important to learn from this activity is that when choosing a topic for History Day and when putting together your project, you have to remember the "Impact and Change" part of the theme this year. Make sure you demonstrate why the innovation was significant or important to society.

History Day tour of Northern Ohio!

2009-10-28T10:48:00.003-04:00

History Day staff has been on a tour of schools in Northern Ohio this week, starting in Norwalk. There we met with students at Norwalk Catholic and introduced them to History Day and the types of projects they could do. We also discussed primary sources and the types of materials they could use for their projects. The students came up with a great list of primary sources they might leave behind in 100 years: report cards, birth certificates, newspapers, diaries, pictures, letters, and many more. All of these would be great primary sources to look for when researching projects as well.

Next, we headed to Jeromesville Ohio to visit the 8th grade students at Hillsdale MS. Most of the students have picked topics and are ready to start researching- the fun stuff! We discussed using various ways/ terms to search for your topic online. For example, one student chose the Beatles as a topic. Instead of simply searching the "Beatles" you could search: Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Ringo Starr, George Harrison, the history of Rock and Roll, Apple Records, their songs, and don't forget the time period to understand the context! So remember to think of different ways, people, or terms to search for your topic.

Our third stop was to East Technical HS in Cleveland where we met with a group of ninth graders who will be participating in History Day this year. We talked to them about interpreting primary sources and the information you can learn from them. The students helped us interpret this political cartoon:

Some of the things they noticed in the picture were: the small kids pushing at the door, the words "School Segregation" and "inch by inch," and the light behind the large door. The students concluded the cartoonist was making the point that the kids couldn't push through segregation on their own and that desegregation was not going to happen fast if they did not receive help.

Thank you to all of the teachers for letting us present to your classes and to the students for listening and learning about History Day. It's been a fun week so far. One more school to visit tomorrow, then we'l be heading back to Columbus!

Lessons from the Educator's Conference

2009-10-23T10:40:00.003-04:00

The Ohio Historical Society sponsored a National History Day in Ohio Educator Conference this past Wednesday. We had a great turnout and discussed many good ideas relating to the theme of Innovation in History. Some ideas the teachers brainstormed were:
American jazz
Declaration of Independence
Constitution
Public education
Library system
Financial aide
Banks
Social Security
Works Progress Administration
Health insurance
Brown v. Board of Education
Barbie doll
Plato’s Republic
World religions
Communism
Youth groups (Boy & Girl Scouts, 4-H)
Terrorism

We also had the opportunity to learn about visual literacy from Dr. David Staley, director of the Harvey Goldberg Center for Excellence in Teaching. He taught us that we need to let images in projects tell the story and to use the words to illustrate the images. Dr. Staley explained how students can use a collection of images to build their thesis and by arranging them effectively the images can yield new insights and interpretations. Below are just a few of the things Dr. Staley taught us during his lecture.

· Size: It matters! The larger the image the more we will focus on it. Use size to send a message about which images are important.
· Position: People tend to view images top to bottom or left to right. Arrange images in a way that guides the viewer in the direction of the story.
· Proximity: Images should be grouped to show connections.
· Words: Use words to establish context for the images. Think about font- use it to support your thesis, not just because it’s your favorite.

Thank you Dr. Staley for showing us the difference between artistic design and cognitive design!

Using NHD Web Site Builder

2009-10-16T10:43:00.001-04:00

Check out this SlideShare Presentation:

Using NHD Web Site Builder

View more presentations from Megan Wood.

Theme Topics and Where to Find Sources

2009-10-09T13:48:00.001-04:00

It’s been a busy week for National History Day in Ohio!

We started the week with an Educator’s Workshop introducing the project and discussing this year’s theme: Innovation in History. The teachers brainstormed and came up with some excellent topics ideas. Here are some of them:
Assembly line
Theory of evolution
Changes in education
Medical devices & techniques
Computers
Architecture (dome in Florence)
Laws- (19th amendment, Voting Rights Act)
Civil Rights movement
Ghandi
Religions
Sports
Entertainment
Music
Canals
World organizations (UN, NATO, etc)
Environment
Economic systems
Prosthetics
NASA
Polio vaccine
Building codes (result of earthquakes)
Airplanes
Petro chemicals
Mental health treatments
Battle strategies

All great ideas! But remember to narrow down your topic and to show the IMPACT and CHANGE of the innovation.

Next, we visited Hubbard High School to meet with students working on History Day projects. The big discussion involved where to find your research and sources. We all love to use wikipedia to quickly find information. However, History Day projects are research projects and the judges will be looking for scholarly sources. So look for encyclopedias, books written by historians, or scholarly articles on your topic. Finding primary sources can also be difficult but here are some great websites to check out:
Library of Congress: www.loc.gov
National Archives: www.archives.gov
History Matters: http://historymatters.gmu.edu/
Cleveland Public Library: www.cpl.org
Ohio Memory: www.ohiomemory.org
Authentic History Center: http://www.authentichistory.com/
For more check out the list of reliable internet sources identified by NHD_OH.
http://www.ohiohistory.org/historyday/pdf/internetsources.pdf

Does anyone have other suggestions on topic ideas or where to find primary sources?

Innovation in Newspapers

2009-09-24T13:48:00.001-04:00

Yesterday students from St. Michael’s visited the Ohio Historical Society to learn more about History Day and how to conduct research. It sure was a busy day! Throughout the day they explored different aspects of this year’s theme: Innovation in History: Impact and Change.

The students learned about innovation while examining newspapers in the Archives Library. For this activity they studied newspapers from five different time periods to experience change over time. When it was time to discuss what they had learned the students all gave excellent answers and noticed many changes. Some of them were:

Materials: Early newspapers were made from cloth while the newer ones were made from
wood pulp. The students noted how well the rag papers from 1820 have held up!

Font & Organization: Older papers were printed with small type, all jumbled together. As time passed, the font grew larger and sections were added to make the paper more organized.

Reporting: The students pointed out that news stories were often published months after the event in the older papers but on the internet news stories were updated throughout the day.

Technology: Hand set paper newspapers, newspapers on microfilm, online newspapers, so many ways to read the news! I think we had some future researchers in our midst; we had to tear the students away from the microfilm machines.

Advertisements: Early advertisements were mostly selling necessities while later advertisements sold luxury items with many more interesting pictures and slogans. The older medical remedies were fun to read though!

All of these small changes over time have improved the way we obtain and understand the news. When we think of inventions or innovations we tend to remember the BIG things: the airplane, telephone, light bulb. But remember innovation can be as simple as finding a better way to do things, i.e.: reorganizing the newspapers to make it easier to read or adding colorful pictures to an advertisement.

So if you are still deciding on a History Day topic think of things that make your life easier and how they came to be. Are they new ideas? Did they improve on an existing invention or idea? Were there a series of small innovations that came together to create something better?

Good luck and keep researching!

Historians Work

2009-09-17T08:59:00.002-04:00

On Tuesday and Wednesday this week the 7th grade at Bexley Middle visited us at the Ohio Historical Center. We provided a program that allowed the students to explore the theme: "Innovation in History" and also how historians and curators go about making stories out of artifacts and primary sources.

I think the larger message to share with our History Day audience: an artifact or a primary source by itself can not tell the entire stories. Historians and History Day students need to make sense of their sources.

But how?

Context: Make sure your audience understands how the source fits into the bigger story and time period in history.

Secondary Sources: Secondary sources will help you connect the dots to get to that bigger story.

Conclusion: Make sure any sources you use connect to your thesis or conclusion.

Narrative: Any project you do should have some sort of story or narrative that is proving your conclusion. If you just throw a bunch of information up on the exhibit board without an eye to any narrative, it will be a jumble.

We are full speed ahead with our fall and are looking forward to more outreach visits, field trips, and teacher workshops.

Let The Games Begin

2009-08-26T13:07:00.003-04:00

We hope everyone had a great summer. We've kept busy here between advocating for budget and dealing with new changes, but I'm happy to say that National History Day in Ohio is here to stay! We've had some changes here that I wanted to inform you about and some announcements about the program this year. We're ready for a fun-filled year of "Innovation in History: Impact and Change." You can find the theme information at http://www.ohiohistory.org/historyday/hd04e.html including a list of Ohio related topics for suggestion.

Staffing

Erin Reynolds has moved on to obtain her master's in library science. We wish her well with the future. My former supervisor has moved on to the Kentucky Historical Society, with this change I have taken on additional responsibilities as the manager of Education Programs and Partnerships where National History Day will fall under my supervision. In order to keep this program vibrant and growing, Mary Bezbatchenko will be the official State Coordinator for National History Day in Ohio. Mary and I (Megan Wood) will co-coordinate the program this year as she learns the ropes and be a valuable addition to the History Day team. Mary is originally from Ohio and after attending the University of Dayton taught high school social studies for several years. Mary went on to receive a Master's in History from Virginia Commonwealth University and has been working at the Ohio Historical Society for the last two years on our teacher professional development programs through the Teaching American History program. Mary's email address is mbezbatchenko@ohiohistory.org and she'll be getting to know everyone as the year goes on. I won't be disappearing or going away, but Mary will be taking a more and more active role in the program, which will be to every one's benefit.

I Tunes U

We created a short series of podcasts about History Day. This is something we'll continue to do in the future. You can find them under I Tunes U (in the I Tunes store) under the Ohio channel.

Contest Rulebook Update- Web Site Category

This year National History Day is going to require that all web sites be created through their online web editor. The web editor is not ready yet, but I will be providing training on this tool when it is ready. It will still allow students to write code, bring in objects and images from the outside, and create interactive elements, but it will also allow all students the opportunity to create a web site and submit online. More details to follow.

We've got two workshops coming up in October. Information can be found online at http://www.ohiohistory.org/historyday/hd04c.html.

New Rulebook Unveiled!

2009-08-21T14:11:00.003-04:00

National History Day has released a new rulebook that includes new guidelines for creating web sites. All web sites will need to be created using the online NHD web editor. Code and other elements can be made on different types of software (Dreamweaver, Photoshop, I Movie, etc) and imported into the NHD web editor.

Go to: http://www.ohiohistory.org/historyday/pdf/rulebook.pdf for the new rulebook.

Homeschool Crumbs: National History Day

2009-08-17T15:43:00.000-04:00

Homeschool Crumbs: National History Day

In Memory

2009-08-11T09:41:00.002-04:00

The Ohio Historical Society sadly lost our Executive Director and CEO, William Laidlaw, on Friday. This is a sad time for the Society and I would like to take this opportunity to remember Bill as an advocate and friend of the National History Day in Ohio program. During his time at OHS he often judged at the regional and state level. Bill also participated at the Ohio History Day Awards Ceremony, helping to award and celebrate the accomplishments of all History Day students in Ohio. He understood the impact that History Day can have on a student and shared in the joy that the students took from their projects. He will be missed by his colleagues, family and friends, and also by the National History Day community.

Finding Research Institutions in Ohio

2009-08-06T10:23:00.002-04:00

In order to help students find resources all around the state, NHD-OH has created a Google map that pinpoints historical organizations around the state.

We would love to add more to this list. Let us know where else Ohio students can do research.

View Ohio HIstory Day Resource Map in a larger map

Ohio Topics related to Innovation in History

2009-07-29T16:42:00.003-04:00

It is done! NHD-OH has put out a list of topics in Ohio history related to our annual theme. You can find them on our web site, or on our slideshare site: http://tinyurl.com/njuacn.

You may ask, why Ohio? For one: Ohio is awesome. Don't believe me? What other state found the NFL and has two of the original MLB teams? What other state is home to pioneering astronauts? What other state is home to the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame? What other state nearly determines elections? What other state can claim the Etch-a-Sketch?

In my journeys I also encourage student to find local topics because you can often find local primary sources and hence make your life easier. I think finding history in your hometown is almost more interesting and revealing.

Our list is not complete, just a starting point for inspiration. If you have more ideas to add to the list, let me know!

Results of the budget for OHS and History Day

2009-07-22T08:23:00.000-04:00

Dear Teachers, Students, Parents, and Friends of History Day:

Thank you for your support of the Ohio Historical Society and its outreach and field services functions throughout the state budget process. Although OHS sustained significant cuts over the next biennium, the effects of which are detailed in the press release below or at http://www.ohiohistory.org/about/pr/072109a.html, we will continue to carry-on our role as the statewide organization for history through our collections, sites, and educational functions.

The good news is that OHS outreach functions – teacher training, National History Day in Ohio, the Ohio Historical Markers, the Civil War 150, and the Local History Office – will continue.

Outreach and Field Services (Line 509) was cut 30% from the Governor’s original budget proposal (from $709,000 to $495,000), which is better than the Senate’s version of the budget that zeroed out 509. The department lost one unfilled position, the Assistant Coordinator for History Day. Erin Reynolds departed on June 30th to pursue graduate training and her position will not be re-filled but interns and other staff will assist in the coordination of National History Day in Ohio (NHD-OH). Additionally, the department will tighten discretionary spending over the next two years, but the core programs and services will carry on. In fact, NHD-OH will be working with Columbus City Schools, Cleveland Metropolitan Schools and the Library of Congress’s Teaching with Primary Sources program to create new and more exciting program. With grants from Cargill De-Icing, Huntington Bank and the Library of Congress, NHD-OH will continue to grow and provide services to its teachers.

Once again, thank you for your support. As we continue to move forward we will post update on the Ohio Historical Society website (www.ohiohistory.org), Save Ohio History (www.saveohiohistory.org), and the History Day blog (historydayexpert.blogspot.com/). If you have any questions please feel free to contact me.

Media contacts: Kim Schuette: 614.297.2314 or kschuette@ohiohistory.org

For Immediate Release

Ohio Historical Society Reinvents Itself For Future Growth
Ohio Historical Center To Change Focus

(Columbus, Ohio) - The Ohio Historical Society is accelerating a plan to reinvent itself as a state history organization, according to executive director and CEO Bill Laidlaw. State support was slashed from $13.5 million two years ago to $7.9 million for the 2010 fiscal year-a 42-percent cut -following years of underinvestment by the state.

As a result, the Society will make significant changes to the state history museum, the Ohio Historical Center in Columbus, as well as continue its efforts to find local groups to manage 10 of its historic sites and museums around the state. In addition, the organization will implement a number of operational changes as it continues to focus efforts on preservation of and access to collections and sites, and expanding its services statewide.

Earlier this year, a number of cost-saving measures were taken, such as a weeklong furlough, a reduction in force and seeking local groups to manage larger OHS sites in response to a 10-percent reduction for fiscal year 2009. However, further actions are needed, including eliminating more jobs across the organization, reorganizing or eliminating programs and additional furloughs.

"While we foresaw tough times ahead, we were stunned to receive this magnitude of a cut in state funding," Laidlaw said. "Once again, we were forced to make difficult decisions, but with challenges come opportunities. Our Board of Trustees has approved a bold plan that will position the organization for future growth by providing the strongest return on investment for limited state dollars as well as the greatest public value for Ohioans."

Ohio Historical Center to Emphasize Collections Learning
In direct response to what the public has said they want the Ohio Historical Society to offer, the Society will be transforming the state history museum at the Ohio Historical Center to focus on collections learning. In studies that have taken place over the past three years, the public has said they want more direct access to the collections, more opportunities for hands-on experiences and ways to explore stories of interest to them using current technology and the resources of both the museum and library.

Plans call for public labs and workspaces in which activities that are usually carried out behind the scenes will be front and center. In addition, collections that are normally stored off-site will be brought to the facility for easy viewing. A distance learning studio, spaces for new exhibitions and technology enhancements are also among the innovations under development. Staff also will be cross-trained allowing fewer employees needed for support, therefore saving on operational costs.

The collections learning center will be created in phases, beginning with the removal of current exhibits, many of which are more than 20 years old. Development and implementation of the $2-million first phase will use existing capital funds and is scheduled to begin starting January 2010.

"With almost 2 million objects in our museum and library collections, the collections-learning-center concept will help make Ohio's story personally relevant and engaging to today's audiences," said Laidlaw. "We will be creating more exhibitions and programs for traveling to OHS sites, libraries, historical societies, community centers and other museums across the state. In this way, we are redefining the concept of 'state museum.' We will be a museum with a presence all over the state—not just in Columbus."

Historic Sites and Museums Remain Open
According to Laidlaw, with the 2010 budget decided, there will be sufficient funds for current and future management groups to operate sites. Additionally, the 10 historic sites and museums operated by OHS employees will remain open through their established 2009 seasons while management agreements are finalized. (See below list of management status of OHS sites.)

In the Ohio Historical Society network of 58 historic sites and museums-the largest of any state historical organization in the nation-37 sites are currently operated by local management groups and the remainder are directly administered by the Ohio Historical Society. Managed sites continue to be a vital part of the OHS network of historic sites and museums.

"We are more and more dependant on communities to volunteer and raise funds to help us maintain and grow access to our sites," said Laidlaw.

Society To Restructure, Reduce Staffing
As a result of the changing priorities and to make the best use of reduced state funding, the Society will take these measures:

Accommodate the development of the Collection Learning Center, by limiting hours for both the Ohio Historical Center’s museum and the OHS Archives/Library starting Jan. 1, 2010 through March 1, 2011.
The museum only will be open to the public on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. However, school and other groups will continue to be accommodated on weekdays during this time.
The OHS Archives-Library only will be open Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. *
Enhance its Web presence with an Ohio history online portal to increase access to information and OHS services as well as to generate revenue.
Cease publication of TIMELINE, the quarterly history magazine published by the Ohio Historical Society, at the end of it 25th-anniversary year unless private funding can be secured for future publication.
Special events will not be scheduled at the Ohio Historical Center and Ohio Village from Jan. 1 through June 30, 2010.
Mandate 10 furlough days for all employees before the end of the fiscal year.
As a part of the restructuring, 31 full and part-time positions have been eliminated. Of this total, 19 vacant positions will not be filled. In addition, 16 employees were notified of a decrease in their hours. Separately, 53 positions will be eliminated by the end of the year as OHS sites transition to the management of local groups.

Over the last decade, the Ohio Historical Society has had to retrench its operations as state funding declined from a staffing level of more than 400 full-time-equivalent staff members in the 2001 fiscal year to 184 after reductions.

Employees notified today of job losses will receive a severance package and full pay of eligible leave balances. They also are welcome to apply for the Society’s position vacancies. All employment categories were affected among the total number of positions eliminated.

Established in 1885, the Ohio Historical Society, a nonprofit organization, serves as the state’s partner in preserving and interpreting Ohio’s history, archaeology, natural history and architecture. It provides services in nearly every community in the state. Individuals wanting to help the Society can:

Visit an OHS historic site and museum. To learn more, visit www.ohiohistory.org/places.
Become a member of OHS. Go online at www.ohiohistory.org/support to join.
Make a contribution. Go online at www.ohiohistory.org/support to donate.
Business hours for the Ohio Historical Society and the Ohio Preservation Office, both located at the Ohio Historical Center, will remain the same: Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. –5 p.m.

Exhibit Sampler NHD-OH V.2

2009-07-21T12:04:00.001-04:00

Using some new photos, NHD-OH has created a new exhibit sampler that points out some key points about exhibit creation.

Exhibit Sampler NHD-OH V.2

View more presentations from Megan Wood.

Thinking about Innovation in History

2009-07-17T09:05:00.002-04:00

While it is only July, here at the NHD-OH offices we're working on topic ideas for the 2009-2010 National History Day theme: "Innovation in History: Impact and Change."

You can see the National list of suggested topics online. In Ohio, we wanted to broaden this list beyond inventions and technology. A lot of innovation in history is about invention, but it can also be in ideas, social movements, or in our government. Innovation can happen in fashion, it can happen in the way we market and sell products, in the way we do business.

When choosing a topic for the coming year, it is most important to put that innovation in historical context. How did the innovation make an impact and a change. It is completely possible for someone to invent something and it may never have an effect on the world; so discussing why the innovation was needed and what change it brought about is VITAL.

While our list isn't ready for release, stayed tuned to find our suggested Ohio topics related to Innovation in History!

What do you wish you knew about History Day before you started your first project?

2009-07-10T13:27:00.003-04:00

A note from our lovely intern for the summer:

Hello History Day Lovers,

Here at National History Day in Ohio we are putting out a call for students and teachers to send in videos of themselves telling a story entitled, “What I wish I knew . . .” about your History Day experiences. Your stories can be plain, funny, or serious; we are just looking to see what you have to say and give you an opportunity to help one another through this process.

Please keep in consideration:

Videos should be less than three minutes long (unless the story is so fantastic we forget that much time has passed or better yet create a couple videos).

These videos will be seen by a variety of ages from elementary school kids to teachers.

Your content may be edited by the National History Day in Ohio staff.

Begin your video with, “What I wish I knew about History Day . . .”

Email all submissions to InternHistoryDay@ohiohistory.org

Thanks,

Catie Luna
National History Day in Ohio Intern

A Great Conference for all Interested in Ohio History!

2009-07-08T11:25:00.003-04:00

BCHE 2009 Annual Conference, July 23-24 2009, Registration
The Buckeye Council for History Education invites you to attend our 2009 annual conference at the Ohio History Center in Columbus, Ohio on July 23-24, 2009. Our conference theme is Programs, Progress, and People: Innovation in History. It reflects next year's National History Day theme and a timely interest in the WPA and the New Deal as innovative programs.

Teacher Open House
All educators and their families are welcome to attend the Teacher Open House on July 23, 2009 from 10 AM to 5 PM at the Ohio Historical Center. Come learn about resources available to history educators in central Ohio. Admission is free.

Evening Reception and Dinner
Conference attendees are also invited to attend our opening reception and dinner, Thursday, July 23, 2009. Nick Taylor, author of American Made: The Enduring Legacy of the WPA, will speak on " The WPA and Ohio: Some High (And Not So High) Lights."
Please register if you plan to attend.

Conference Sessions and Luncheon
The conference will be held at the Ohio Historical Center and will run from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM on Friday, July 24, 2009. Sessions will be led by academic and public historians, top educators from the state of Ohio and professional archivists and curators. Lunch will be provided. See the detailed schedule at www.gatewaytohistory.org/bche

Our keynote speaker at this year's conference luncheon will be Timothy Messer-Kruse, Historian, Professor and Chair of the Department of Ethnic Studies, Bowling Green State University, and author of Banksters, Bosses, and Smart Money: A Social History of the Great Toledo Bank Crash of 1931.

Conference registration is free with a Buckeye Council for History Education membership. If you are not yet a member of the Buckeye Council for History Education, please click here to purchase a membership. When you have purchased a membership, please return to this page to register for the conference.

Questions/Concerns? Contact us at bche@ohiohistory.org

2009-07-01T16:32:00.000-04:00

Show Your Support for Ohio History at House Hearings

The House Finance & Appropriations Committee Chairman Rep. Vernon Sykes (D-Akron) has set public hearings on the "impact of potential Senate budget decisions" in Statehouse Room 313 at the following times:

- Thursday, July 2 @ 3 pm
- Monday, July 6 @ 10 am

- Tuesday, July 7 @ 2 pm

We need your voice! Don’t let Ohio History die! Please join us and other history supporters at the Statehouse and let the General Assembly know that HISTORY MATTERS!

You don’t have to speak at the hearings, but we need you to demonstrate your support by filling the hearing room and halls.

The best days to attend are Monday and Tuesday.

If you are able to attend the event please let us know by emailing govrelations@ohiohistory.org. Rep. Sykes' office will alert OHS when new information is available, or if changes occur to the schedule, etc. We will alert those that plan to attend via email as soon as possible.

If you have any questions, please contact OHS’ government relations office at govrelations@ohiohistory.org.

Speaking Points:

Ohio’s history is a clean and constantly renewable natural resource that, with proper stewardship, will not be depleted. Authentic local history cannot be outsourced.

The Ohio Historical Society reflects our state’s abundance of history that tells a quintessential American story as comprehensive as the American experience itself. The Ohio Historical Society offers not one, but multiple, points of access to Ohio’s history. It is the state’s museum curator, state archivist, historic preservationist, history interpreter, educator and its collective memory.

The historic sites of the Ohio Historical Society reflect the geographic and topical diversity typical of Ohio. The Society helps maintain and provide access to prehistoric monuments, battle forts, sites dedicated to early transportation, places that highlight nature, technology and even space exploration. As the state’s primary portal to Ohio history, the Ohio Historical Society works to reveal the distinctive character of the first truly American state and its people.

Connecting with history clearly allows people to connect with feelings of civic pride and responsibility, according to Exploring the Public Value of Ohio’s History, a February 2009 report by the University of Toledo’s Urban Affairs Center. There is a clear tie between those who say that history is important and civic participation – they are 23 percent more likely to do things like vote, join community organizations and find other avenues for civic engagement – than those who say they do not think history is important.

Ohio is home to 42,350 irreplaceable archaeological sites and more than 92,000 historic properties that have been recorded.

The historic cities, neighborhoods, buildings and farms in Ohio help tell a national story with an abundance of special places with a diverse blend of cultural influences. This is reflected in Ohio having the third-highest number of National Register of Historic Places listings in the country (nearly 3,700).

Ohio means family and friends. Our state has been among the most-populated for more than 150 years. It is also near the top among states with the most native-born residents still residing in Ohio. History well remembers the accomplishments of many notable Ohioans such as Ulysses S. Grant, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Wilbur and Orville Wright, Annie Oakley, Roy Rogers, Clark Gable, Bob Evans and Neil Armstrong.