Student Projects

Introduction to Public History 301

Paul Reber '82 with students Professor Carmichael's Introduction to Public History class recently took a field trip to Fredericksburg Virginia. There the students were exposed to public history in action. Paul Reber '82, the Director of Stratford Hall, interacted with our students, and discussed a range of interpretive and cultural resources and issues as they relate to the future of historic houses. He also spoke to the students about networking and other professional strategies in the field.

Cultural Resource Manager Eric Mink leads Gettysburg College Students and discusses issues of historic preservation and landscape rehabilitation at Marye's Heights at the Fredericksburg battlefield and at the Sunken Road also at the Fredericksburg battlefield.

Chief Historian John Hennessy of Fredericksburg National Park points to a block that is reported to have been used in the selling of enslaved people in Virginia.

In the Classroom

Pete Carmichael on the Battlefield Pete Carmichael's Public History students are researching and designing walking tours that cover Gettysburg College life in the 1960s and Pa. College during the Battle. The podcasts, when completed, will be housed on the CWI website. Five teams of four to five students will work on one of the following projects: Pennsylvania College during the Battle of Gettysburg; 1913 Gettysburg Reunion; Gettysburg's African American Community during the Civil War; Gettysburg College during the 1960s; Photographing Gettysburg's Civil War Dead. You will develop a digitally recorded podcast walking tour (15 to 25 minutes long) for these sites/stories and they will be housed on the CWI home page. This project is a professional contribution that should be seen as a valuable service contribution for Gettysburg College and the community at large.

"We observed different facets of public history and were asked how we would portray them. It was both interactive and an observational learning experience." Anna Maria '12

"The trip was beneficial to our class in particular because it allowed us an inside look at how museums and historical sites operate. It was a great opportunity for a behind the scenes view for our class." Abbey '12

"The trip gave me a good sense of how many opportunities there are in the field of public history. You don't just have to work at a museum. This was overall a really valuable experience." Brian '14

"The HIST301 trip was the most hands-on experience I've ever had with understanding how historic sites operate. All of the people we met with were informative and helpful." Andrew '12

"What struck me most, and something that I never before thought about, is that being a museum professional means so much more than exhibits and collections. The museum world is as much about diplomacy as it is about history." Mary '12