In Remembrance, Kermit L. Hall (1944-2006)

Dr. Kermit L. Hall taught at the University of Florida during my years there. He was such a profound influence on my life that I changed  plans mid-stream and decided to pursue a career teaching History. I always loved History, but because of my classes with him, I wanted to make it the center of my academic and professional life.  All of his students felt that way about him.

On a personal note, after Michael and I were married, he told me that Dr. Hall had been instrumental in bringing him to UF.  So, thanks to Dr. Hall, I found a career I love more than I can say, and a husband who means everything to me.  The Lord works through people in our lives in ways we can never imagine. I am so grateful for what He has done in our lives, and particularly grateful to have crossed paths with Kermit Hall. Today is his birthday, and I wanted to post some small remembrance of this great man.

Barbara Tuchman, 1912-1989

One of my favorite historians was Mrs. Barbara Tuchman. She began her career as a journalist and then put those talents to work writing history.  Having earned only a Bachelor's degree, she nevertheless competed in a man's field (history) in a man's world.   Moreover, she did not write about women's history. She wrote about such diverse topics as the Trojan War, the close of the Medieval era and the American Revolution.  She won her first Pulitzer for The Guns of August (1962), a fascinating account of the events leading up to the Great War.  I have used her books as sources for several of my courses, and they have added so much color and detail to my lectures.  History, at its best, tells a true account of events and lives past, a true STORY. Mrs. Tuchman was particularly gifted at telling the stories behind the events of human history.

Yes, this is a picture of me at the First Ladies National Historc Site. We love National Parks, the National Park Service and the First Ladies. I loved seeing the displays they had put together here at the home of William and Ida McKinley.  The refurbishment of the home was done so lovingly and beautifully!

My only disappointment was with the docents and their presentations of the material.  These two ladies dressed in what was to pass for "period" dresses and they adopted historical personas:  Harriet Lane, the hostess for our only bachelor President, James Buchannan, and of all people, Alice Roosevelt.  Alice was certainly an historic figure, but also a very tragic and controversial figure.  The docent portraying Alice told unflattering stories about her character and about Ida McKinley.  She also tried to tell me that all of the Presidents in the post-Lincoln era were unfaithful to their wives.  I nearly fainted.  Rather than historical research to enrich their characterizations, these ladies apparently used some tell-all books with very questionable accuracy. Virginia, rather than hearing about how these women struggled to find their places or how they adopted certain causes to the benefit of the country, learned about the "dirt" on these ladies.

I hope that this doesn't represent what the Park Service believes to be the interests of the populace.