Teacher Workshops

Workshop Description

HSCC's two day workshop is designed for any educator who wishes to expand their understanding of immigration history between the 1860s and 1930s. The workshop is part of a series of programs associated with HSCC's spring/summer feature exhibit entitled "Coming to Cheshire County: The Immigrant Experience, 1860s-1930s."

Workshop sessions are intended to provide participants a greater understanding of the immigrant experience in New Hampshire and the Monadnock region within the context of United States immigration history. Workshop themes will explore the reasons why different ethnic groups left their homeland to pursue life in America; where different ethnic groups settled and why, and what they found once they arrived; how they held onto aspects of their culture and how they assimilated into American culture; how did "Americans" respond to the waves of immigration and how did immigrants respond to each other; and how did American policy makers respond to the growing numbers of immigrants arriving in the United States.

To help teach this important component of U.S. history, the workshop sessions will include interactive lectures, films, primary research, personal family stories, and writing. Each workshop participant will be given the name of an immigrant who came to Cheshire County to research and to write a short story, fiction or non-fiction, on this individual or family. Participants will also be provided with numerous handouts and time to interact with each presenter to explore how to use these new tools, skills, and knowledge in the classroom.

Workshop Presenters

Graham Warder, the workshop's scholar, is an Assistant Professor in the History Department at Keene State College. GGraham will examine New England immigration history within the context of United States immigration history during the first morning session.

Robert Perreault is an educator, writer, and independent scholar from Manchester, N.H. He has worked in various capacities to promote his hometown's history as well as New England Franco-American culture. His works of nonfiction and fiction include five books and more than 150 articles, essays, and short stories. Robert will examine the urban experience for Franco-Americans using Manchester as a case study.

Margaret Langford is a professor of French at Keene State College, who also teaches courses in Women and American Studies. She has brought Franco-American speakers, musicians, writers and exhibits to the Keene State College campus from 1982 to present. Margaret will examine the lives of Franco-Americans living in a more rural setting here in the Monadnock region.

Tom Haynes is HSCC's Director of Education. He will present the local history component of the workshop and methods of how to use these resources in the classroom, assist participants in their research of an individual immigrant or family, and lead all discussions.

Tentative Schedule

Wednesday: 1 July - Day 1
8:30    Registration
9:00    Session 1: Waves of Immigration, 1870 to 1924
12:00  Lunch
12:30  Session 2: Manchester's Franco-American Community &
           The Monadnock Region's Franco-American Community
3:15    Reflection & Discussion Time

Thursday: 2 July - Day 2
9:00    Session 3: Local Immigrant Resources & Research Project
10:00  Session 4: Personal Stories from Greek, Italian, and Finnish Communities
12:00  Lunch
12:30  Session 5: 1946 Film on Immigration and Ellis Island
1:15    Session 6: Immigrant Research, Writing, and Sharing Stories
3:15    Reflection, Discussion Time, Evaluations, and Closing

The workshop will be held at the Historical Society, 246 Main Street in Keene, and limited to 30 teachers. Lunch and refreshments will be provided for both days. Teachers will receive 12 hours of professional development credit for attending the entire workshop.

For further information, please email Tom Haynes or phone 603-352-1895. If you are interested in attending this workshop, pleae click to print a registration form.

We wish to thank the New Hampshire Humanities Council, Ashuelot Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, and the Arial Printing for their generous support of this workshop.