History Department News of Interest, 2003- 2004

Roger Beck Attends South African Conference; Gives Papers

Roger Beck, History, attended from April 5-7, a conference celebrating the centenary anniversary of the University of Stellenbosch History Department, in Stellenbosch, South Africa, near Cape Town. Besides chairing a panel, Beck gave two papers: "Translating van der Merwe. The Life and Work of P.J. van der Merwe," and "Smouse: Itinerant traders in the Cape Colony, 1795-1840." Beck was the only one to give two papers at the conference. He has translated from Afrikaans to English a trilogy of works on the early trekboers written by the late Professor P.J. van der Merwe, who taught at Stellenbosch for more than 35 years.

Grad Expo Week Presentations

During Grad Expo Week, the Historical Administration students presented, Thurs., April 15, 10:00, Oakland Rm., Student Union, "Squealing around the Square." The students discussed class projects from the year--the exhibit and the architectural survey of Charleston's Courthouse Square.

Roger Beck Gives Fiddick Memorial Lecture

Roger Beck, History, gave the 2nd Annual Thomas Fiddick Memorial Lecture at the University of Evansville on February 27, 2004. He titled his talk, "Was Nelson Mandela a Communist? Resistance to Apartheid and the Cold War." Dr. Fiddick was professor of Russian history at the university for many years.

David K. Smith Presents Paper; Receives Sabbatical Fellowship

David K. Smith, presented a paper entitled, “The Bureau of Commerce and the Language of Economic Policymaking, 1700-1750,” at a conference entitled “Commerce, population et société autour de Vincent de Gournay (1748-1758): La genèse d'un vocabulaire des sciences sociales en France” at the Institut National d’Études Démographiques , Paris (February 19-21, 2004).

Dr. Smith has also been selected to receive a Sabbatical Fellowship from the American Philosophical Society (Philadelphia, PA) for 2004-2005.

History Professors Speak About "Elizabeth I" at Booth Library

History professors participated in panels in conjunction with the "Elizabeth I: Ruler and Legend" traveling exhibit tour at Booth Library. In March and April 2004, Booth Library displayed a new exhibit commemorating the 400th anniversary of the death of Queen Elizabeth I of England.

This exhibit was sponsored by The American Library Association, The Newberry Library of Chicago, and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Featured events included: Panel Discussion "The Elizabethan World: An Introduction," with C. Stevens, P. Loewen, C. Mitchell, and N. Key (8 March, 7pm Lumpkin, Rm 2030); Panel Discussion "Women of Power, Women of Culture: Elizabeth's Medieval Heritage," with B. Young, B. Irwin, F. McGregor, and T. Shonk (11 March, 7pm Buzzard, Rm 1501); Lecture with Slides "England's Greatest Queens: Elizabeth I and Anne," by Carole Levin (History, Nebraska) and Robert Bucholz (History, Loyola of Chicago) (22 March, 7pm Buzzard, Room 1501); Lecture "Elizabeth I and America: The Beginnings of the First British Empire," by Michelle LeMaster (14 April, 4pm Library Conference Room, 4440); and Student Presentation "The Elizabethan Age Revised: Students Present Aspects of Research," with Newton Key & students of His 2500 (15 April, 4pm Library Conference Room 4440).

Newton Key's Co-Authored Books Published

Sources and Debates in English History, 1485-1714, (Oxford: Blackwell, 2004). co-edited by Newton Key, History, and Robert Bucholz has been published along with Early Modern England 1485-1714: A Narrative History (Oxford: Blackwell, 2004) authored by Robert Bucholz and Newton Key.

Eastern Illinois University MA in History Chris Sundheim is "Movin' on Up"

Congratulations to Eastern Illinois University MA in History Chris Sundheim (1996) is now on the national desk at Associated Press headquarters in midtown Manhattan, where he moved from his previous position at the Indianapolis desk.

Marty Ruhaak wins Lincoln Academy Award

Marty Ruhaak, undergraduate senior, won the Lincoln Academy of Illinois Student Laureate Award -- an honor which goes to an outstanding senior from each of the state's four-year degree-granting institutions. He receives $150 and a medallion. Marty wrotr a departmental honors thesis under the direction of Dr. Edmund Wehrle on relations between Russia and the United States circa 1917. His article on "New Left Beginnings: The Free Speech Movement at Berkeley in 1964" was published recently in Historia.

Nora Pat Small Appointed to the Illinois Historic Sites Advisory Council

Nora Pat Small has been appointed for a three-year term to the Illinois Historic Sites Advisory Council. She was also honored at the Founders Day Dinner by the Coles County Historical Society for her work on the Five-Mile House historical restoration project this summer.

To the IHSAC

Nora Pat Small's book Beauty and Convenience is Published

Nora Pat Small's book Beauty and Convenience: Architecture and Order in the Early Republic, has been published by University of Tennessee Press, Oct. 2003.

Purchase at Amazon.com

Latino Heritage Celebration coming to EIU

José Deustua announced Latino Heritage Celebration activities at Eastern Illinois, September - October 2003. Included is a Mexico-Peruvian historian talk on the 18th-century Nordenflicht Mission from Germany to Latin America to revitalize the Spanish Bourbon Empire.

History Teachers / Grass Roots History Conference a Success!

The History Teachers / Grass Roots History Conference was held on Friday October 3rd in the MLK Union and was sponsored by the History Department of Eastern Illinois University. Carol Kammen gave a dynamic luncheon lecture on how and why to integrate local history into teaching at the secondary level. Speakers and attendees included present and future high school teachers and university professors, who held lively discussions with the sessions.

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Former M.A. in History Recipient Jeffrey Kampfl Mixes Historical Study with Technology

Jeffrey Kampfl (EIU, MA in History, 1998), is currently a Ph.D. student in Nautical Archaeology, at Texas A & M University, and presented his research on CT/Stereolithography work with swords at the 2004 Conference on Historical and Underwater Archaeology at St. Louis, Missouri, January 7-11, 2004. His work has been written up in a local Texas newspaper recently.

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Dr. John McElligott Retires

The Summer of 2003 ended with the retirement of Dr. John McElligott at the home of Jane and Herb Lasky. Former and present colleagues and students attended (The Schlauchs and Elberts from far afield). Wilson Ogbomo presented our "elder" with a Nigerian walking stick. The department presented John with a calibrated astrolabe. Despite John's "retirement," he continues to teach Turning Points in the History of Religion and Science.

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last updated onMarch 28, 2005