As Dr. Robert Harrison passes out his class syllabus for the term, students look through it and settle on the last few pages. These pages are the schedule of what will happen each class meeting but there is something students don’t expect to see; names of historical figures.
Scott Joplin, Alice Paul, Henry Ford, Amelia Earhart, Rachel Carson, and Lt. William Calley- what do they have in common? Of course they are important historical figures but they will also be visiting Dr. Harrison’s History 203 class this term.
Each student gets to pick a figure to portray from a list that Dr. Harrison puts together. The people come to life as the term goes by, sharing their unique stories and their time in history.
One of the places that he got his inspiration from was the t.v. show “Meeting of the Minds.” This show not only inspired the idea but also inspired the name for these interviews.
“I think I always had in the back of my mind the idea of re-creating it,” said Dr. Harrison.
These “Meeting of the Minds” have been appearing in Dr. Harrison’s classes for almost 11 years. The personas that are chosen aren’t the same every term. Dr. Harrison chooses these people partially based on who he would like to meet as well as how historically interesting they are. He also tries to make sure there is a balance of males and females.
After each student picks a persona, they do research so they can present themselves as the historical figure that they decided on. About 3 weeks before their meeting, Dr. Harrison sends questions for each student to answer about their persona.
"It is quite possibly the most inventive major project any teacher at LB assigns." said Travis Watters, who is a current student of Dr. Harrison's.
"It is quite possibly the most inventive major project any teacher at LB assigns." said Travis Watters, who is a current student of Dr. Harrison's.
As the term reaches the third or fourth week, the class gets to have their first “Meeting of the Minds.” The personalities are interviewed and questioned about their parts in history. “Sometimes, guests respond to each other, since I sometimes pair them up on the show, creating a "reunion" show.”
"The most enjoyable part of the meetings is seeing how each person brings life to the historical figure they have spent the last several weeks researching." Watters said.
"The most enjoyable part of the meetings is seeing how each person brings life to the historical figure they have spent the last several weeks researching." Watters said.
Usually the meetings are limited to about 5 guests, which allows time for questions from the audience after Dr. Harrison himself interviews the figures. Bringing these personas to life helps bring history to the classroom.
“These personal stories are really why I love history and love learning about it,” Dr. Harrison said.
If you see any LBCC students walking around in cloths not of this era, you now know why. Stop and talk to them, you may learn something about history that you hadn’t known before.At a glance:
"Meeting of the Minds" based on the book called "Famous Lives"
Contact Dr. Harrison:
541-917-4571
M, W: 10-11 a.m. and 1 to 2 p.m.
T, Th: 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 to 1 p.m.
Friday: 10-11 a.m.
Other times by appointment
203 South Santiam Hall
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