Saturday I noticed a memorial highway marker near the Rosebud Cemetery outside Absorkee, Montana.   The sign identified a man’s name and provided a historical reference.  I had heard the phrase “Doolittle Raider”, but didn’t know much about it.  I knew it was connected to World War II.  When I got home I went down some rabbit holes.

First I looked up Doolittle’s Raiders and then looked up Memorial Highway Markers. I found a Map of - Montana Memorial Highways and Other Special Designations, from the Montana Department of Transportation, showing where the Memorial Markers are located. This is a great source for linking local history.  I am sure most states would have similar resources. https://www.mdt.mt.gov/other/webdata/external/planning/Special_Designations/memorial-special-designations.pdf  

Maps - https://mdt.mt.gov/publications/maps.aspx 

Doolittle Raiders -

“The Doolittle Raid, also known as Doolittle's Raid, and the Tokyo Raid, was an air raid on 18 April 1942 by the United States on the Japanese capital Tokyo and other places in Honshu during World War II. It was the first American air operation to strike the Japanese archipelago.”  Wikipedia

Then I looked for information on David Thatcher.  David was born in Bridger Montana, on July 31st, 1921.  David was a gunner on the Ruptured Duck.  The book “30 Seconds Over Tokyo” includes the rescue of his crew when they crashed.  He received the Silver Star, Congressional Gold Medal, and Distinguished Flying Cross for his role in saving his crew.

Check out this album:

 Inquiry Starter Set: David Thatcher, Last of Doolittle Raiders

https://tpsteachersnetwork.org/tps-commons/inquiry-starter-set-david-thatcher-last-of-doolittle-raiders 

For Further Investigation

James Harold Doolittle Papers https://www.loc.gov/item/mm82018754/ 

David Thatcher, Part of ’42 Doolittle Raid on Japan, Dies at 94  (NY Times Obituary) https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/23/us/david-thatcher-part-of-42-doolittle-raid-on-japan-dies-at-94.html 

David Thatcher, Biography https://www.va.gov/files/2024-05/David%20J%20Thatcher%20Biographical%20Packet.pdf 

Montana’s Last Doolittle Raider, Honored

https://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/815894/montanas-last-doolittle-raider-honored/ 

David Thatcher, Veterans Tribute http://www.veterantributes.org/TributeDetail.php?recordID=1872 

  Mary Johnson  

  Memorial Highway    David Thatcher    Doolittle Raiders  

  Mark Johnson  is the author and scholar of this exhibit. He is a TPS member and also a board member for the Mai Wah Museum, Butte, Montana.   https://www.maiwah.org/   This article is featured in the Montana History Portal newsletter.  To see the exhibit click on the links.

The Chinese in Montana We are excited to publish the first digital exhibit from our 2024 Teacher Workshop. This exhibit was developed by author and professor Mark T. Johnson, and details the experience of Chinese people in Montana in the 19th and 20th centuries. We hope you enjoy reading his exhibit, and we ask you to stay tuned for more exhibits from teachers in the near future.

  Chinese    Montana    Mark Johnson  

Teach this Poem using Primary Sources

I recently was hopping down some rabbit holes and found myself on the Academy of American Poets website.  The site has teaching materials, poems, and lesson plans. It is a veritable treasure chest.

I found a video created by the Academy of Poets that thrilled me.  Richard Blanco read one of his poems aloud and then Dr Madeline Holzer modeled using primary sources to teach about Richard’s poem.  I really like how they used primary sources to dig deeper.

Academy of American Poets

A Teacher’s Guide to Teach This Poem

https://poets.org    

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIuY8pHkVlE 

“Join Education Ambassador Richard Blanco and Educator in Residence Dr. Madeleine Holzer in this brief video guide to learn about Teach this Poem, which uses primary sources from the Library of Congress to aid educators in teaching poetry.”

Writing Poetry of Place https://poetshouse.org/the-practice-of-poetry-writing-poems-of-place-with-kc-trommer/  

I read the Practice of Poetry: Writing Poems of Place with KC Trommer

By KC Trommer  Posted Oct 18, 2019,  As I read this piece I thought of the many pictures available through the Library of Congress.  I believe writing a poem about place would be a great classroom activity.  

The Poets House  https://poetshouse.org/ had many examples that could be adapted to teaching poetry and writing in general.

Learning from the Source: Pairing Pictures & Poems to Tell Stories

https://primarysourcenexus.org/2019/04/learning-from-the-source-pairing-pictures-poems-tell-stories/ 

Another great lesson came from Primary Source Nexus they feature great ideas in their Teaching and Learning corner.  In the activity from Learning from the Source they paired pictures from the Library of Congress.  This is another way of using Primary Sources and Poetry to help students understand historical and contemporary issues.

https://primarysourcenexus.org/category/teaching-learning/ 

Inspiration

A favorite place for me to find inspiration is at The Poem Farm by Amy Ludwig Vanderwater http://www.poemfarm.amylv.com/  I wanted to share a lesson I have used many times and it is easily adapted to different content.  SPARKing Again - Collaborating with an Artist http://www.poemfarm.amylv.com/2015/03/sparking-again-collaborating-with-artist.html  

Other Resources to Explore

Unlikely Pairings

https://vmfa.museum/learn/resources/unlikely-pairings/ 

Verbal to Visual  https://www.kansasenglish.org/kate-pages/verbal-to-visual-pairing-poems-and-paintings 

Slice of Life https://twowritingteachers.org/challenges/

  Julie Schaul     Mary Johnson    Cate Cooney    Ann Canning    Neme Alperstein  

Photos are one of my favorite tools for introducing students to new units; and for providing them the scaffolding to dig deeper. They can also be great tools for assessing what students have learned.   Students need practice to become proficient with analyzing an image.  They need to know how to “see” a photograph and not just look at it.  Seeing is not the same as looking.  Students who can “see” will develop a deeper understanding of an era or content information.  Russell Tarr in his blog post “Say What You See” provides the inspiration for this strategy.  

Montana is a rural state with a rich history involving cattle, sheep, and horses.  Students who live in urban settings often lack understanding of the role livestock plays in our modern life.  One way to allow students to develop background information is to introduce the topic via photographs.

I have collected a series of photographs from the Library of Congress and the Montana Historical Society for this activity.  I would group students into groups of 4 or 5.  They will play the roles of “Talker” and “Listeners”.  

The “Talker” receives a photo from the teacher.  He/she examines it but doesn’t show it to the other students.  The “Listeners” ask questions about the photograph, that they cannot see and listen to the “Talker’s” response.  You can set up the activity so that each listener asks 2 to 3 questions or you can allow for a set amount of time for each round.  Provide a series of questions they (“the Listener”) can choose from.  When the round is complete, the student with the photo returns it to the teacher.  The next student in the group is given a new picture and the process repeats itself until everyone has had the opportunity to be both the “Talker” and a “Listener”.

Analysis questions are inquiries that help you develop a better understanding of a situation, task, or object. Asking specific questions can provide more relevant answers,

I have selected some photographs and questions to serve as a model for this strategy.  Depending on your topic and age of students you might choose more concept related questions as students gain more practice with this strategy.

Round 1

• Sheep Drive - Montana Gridlock https://www.mtmemory.org/nodes/view/79226?keywords=Sheep&type=all&highlights=WyJzaGVlcCJd&lsk=310533b47a0f591481b93512415b8589 
• Image Address https://www.mtmemory.org/assets/display/693556-max?u=2022-04-13+17%3A31%3A33 
• Sample questions on a card for each listener to choose from.
• What is the subject matter?
• Do you see any landmarks?
• Why do you think the photographer took this picture?
• When do you think this picture was taken?
• What do you notice first?
• What is the subject matter?
• Do you see any landmarks?
• Why do you think the photographer took this picture?
• When do you think this picture was taken?
• What do you notice first?

Round 2

• Shepherd and His Horse and Dog in Montana https://www.loc.gov/item/2017878800/ 
• Image Address https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/pnp/fsac/1a35000/1a35000/1a35022v.jpg#h=1024&w=800 
• Sample questions on a card for each listener to choose from

• What people and objects are in this image?
• What details do you notice?
• If someone took this photograph today, what would be different?
• What do you think happened after this picture was made?
• What is happening in this photograph?
• Are there people in this image?  What are they doing?
• What is in the background?
• What is in the foreground? (Front part of the picture.)
• Does the picture tell a story?
• What is most important about this picture?

Round 3

• Sheep Wagon and Shepherds https://www.mtmemory.org/nodes/view/72293?keywords=wool&type=all&highlights=WyJ3b29sIl0%3D&lsk=a1bb86dcc586d7bf3c078be693f1fc7f 
• Image address https://www.mtmemory.org/assets/display/668237-max?u=2022-04-13+17%3A31%3A33 
• Sample questions on a card for each listener to choose from.
• Describe what else you see.
• What do you feel when looking at this image?
• Are there details that suggest the time period this image relates to?
• What time of day was this picture taken?  What makes you say that?
• What do you think is happening in the picture?
• Is this photo spontaneous or posed? How can you tell?
• Is the photo historically significant? Explain why you think that?
• What is unusual or significant about the photo?
• What story or narrative might be associated with the picture?
• What is the subject matter?

Round 4

• Sheep Shearing (good example of metal shears) https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/pnp/stereo/1s40000/1s47000/1s47000/1s47066v.jpg 
• Image Address https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/pnp/stereo/1s40000/1s47000/1s47000/1s47066v.jpg 
• Sample questions on a card for each listener to choose from.

• What cultural or historical references can be identified in the picture?
• Do you see any landmarks?
• Why do you think this image was made?
• When do you think this picture was taken?
• What do you notice first?
• What people and objects are in this image?
• What details do you notice?
• If someone made this today, what would be different?
• What do you think happened after this picture was made?
• What is this image about?
• Are there people in this image?  What are they doing?

Round 5

• White House Sheep on Lawn https://www.loc.gov/item/2016854277/ 
• Image Address https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/pnp/hec/10700/10788v.jpg#h=767&w=1024  
• Sample questions on a card for each listener to choose from. 
• What emotions do you feel when looking at this image?
• What cultural or historical references can you connect to this picture?
• What adjectives would you use to describe this image?
• What caption or title would you give this image?
• Is this picture a positive or negative depiction?  What makes you say that?
• Give a one sentence summary of what is happening in the image.
• Identify a question that this photo raises in your mind.
• From what you observed, what three things can you infer about this photograph?
• How does this photo connect with our state’s history?
• How would a mathematician view this photo?  What would they want to know?
• Why would a map maker be interested in this photo?

Activity “Say What you See”  https://www.classtools.net/blog/say-what-you-see-talkers-and-listeners/ 

  Montana    Sheep    Teaching Strategies  

Montana has three operating domestic ferries.  I have had the opportunity to ride on all three.

Montana’s Three River Ferries https://centralmontana.com/blog/montanas-river-ferries/ 

• Carter - Chouteau County
• Virgelle - Choteau County
• Stafford-McClelland Ferry in Blaine County

I found an interactive map of currently running domestic ferries in the US. (Domestic Ferry Map) - https://www.howderfamily.com/travel/united_states_ferry_map.html 

Around the early 1900’s Montana had at least 7 ferries still in operation.  One of the old newspapers I read was from the Polson Courier it shared an article about the “Eva B” rescuing a seaplane on Flathead Lake in Polson, Montana.  https://mthspublic.newspapers.com/image/969283775/?terms=%22Polson%20Ferry%22%20&match=1 

As Paul Harvey would say here is the rest of the story. 

https://www.facebook.com/MontanaHistoricalSociety/posts/it-was-an-interesting-gathering-in-1913-on-the-polson-montana-waterfront-the-pho/6016140948396454/?paipv=0&eav=AfYPE2DIXb73Tp2HLDz-is8GIaNboI5XtE1WjhoWmDNxR3hUeY0dvF2lbgytdgrjJPg&_rdr 

I found several pictures taken near my home town of Miles City, Montana.  Ferry Crossing Yellowstone River near MC https://www.mtmemory.org/nodes/view/85006?keywords=ferry&type=all&highlights=WyJmZXJyeSJd&lsk=469ac3c5562b9865c2c9b6afa24aa598 

And this Huffman photo taken near the old bridge.Miles City - Swing Ferry  1880  Huffman photo.

https://www.mtmemory.org/nodes/view/75685?lsk=469ac3c5562b9865c2c9b6afa24aa598&keywords=ferry&type=all&highlights=WyJmZXJyeSJd 

Fallon is a little town near Miles City.  I found this article in the Yellowstone Monitor 1914. https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn86075153/1914-05-21/ed-1/?sp=8&q=Fallon+Ferry&r=0.572,1.027,0.403,0.194,0

When I perused photos in the Montana History Portal I discovered a photo of the ferry taken by Evelyn Cameron. 

https://www.mtmemory.org/nodes/view/73251?lsk=469ac3c5562b9865c2c9b6afa24aa598&keywords=ferry&type=all&highlights=WyJmZXJyeSJd 

Have you ever ridden a ferry?

  Montana    Evelyn Cameron    LA Huffman    Ferry    Ferries  

I can remember my mom telling me about bowling alleys when she was a girl.  She said the people who set the pins were call "pin setters".  I don't know when they became automated.

What is the oldest Bowling Alley in your area?  Found this photo taken between 1871-1875 from Deer Lodge, MT.  I had heard of bowling greens but never associated it with Bowling Alleys.  I didn't realize bowling alleys were here in Montana in the 1800s.  Who knew?

1871-1875 - Main Street Deer Lodge, MT.  Excelsior Bowling Alley, far left side of photo.

Photo - 

https://www.mtmemory.org/nodes/view/101858?keywords=Deer+Lodge+Bowling+Alley&type=all&highlights=WyJkZWVyIiwibG9kZ2UiLCJib3dsaW5nIiwiYWxsZXkiXQ%3D%3D 

The new North-west (Deer Lodge, Mont.), September 2, 1870

https://www.loc.gov/item/sn84038125/1870-09-02/ed-1/ 

https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn84038125/1870-09-02/ed-1/?sp=4&q=Excelsior+Bowling+Alley+&clip=4138,6959,899,1023&ciw=474&rot=0 

  Album - Bowling Alley    https://tpsteachersnetwork.org/tps-commons/bowling-alleys-in-montana 

    Neme Alperstein  

What is a Poet Laureate?  It is a famous or well respected poet appointed by a government or institution to write poems for special events.

Chris LaTray is an enrolled member of the Little Shell Tribe (Metis).  His book, One-Sentence Journal won several awards: 2018 Montana Book Award, the 2019 High Plains Book Award (Best First Book), and finalist for the 2019 High Plains Book Award (Best Book by Indigenous Writer). 

The Little Shell tribe has only recently (2019) received federal recognition.   It took over a century to achieve federal recognition.  Montana recognized the tribe in 2000.  

The Metis people are well known for their music, especially their fiddle music.   

TPS Album:  Chris La Tray and Montana Little Shell Tribe https://tpsteachersnetwork.org//teaching-native-american-history/chris-la-tray-and-montana-little-shell-tribe 

Storyteller Chris La Tray Selected as Montana’s Next Poet Laureate

https://montanafreepress.org/2023/08/15/storyteller-chris-la-tray-selected-as-montanas-next-poet-laureate/ 

Montana’s Poet Laureate

https://art.mt.gov/poet_laureate 

The Day That Finally Came https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQdDwxgQntY 

Interview With Chris La Tray, Metis Cultural Historian  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8yQaEMl2ko 

Poet Chris La Tray Reads in Butte  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZttApbF-h6E 

Poets in Montana - Chris La Tray  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zix-3nocrI8 

Veterans History Project Art Showcase: Operation Song and Jamie Fox  https://www.loc.gov/item/webcast-8991/   Operation Song, a Tennessee based not-for-profit program that pairs veterans, active duty military and their families with professional songwriters to help them tell their stories.

• Jamie Fox is a Metis musician.  I included this link to feature the Metis music and to draw attention to the Veterans History Project Art Showcase.  

125 Years Later https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/01/us/little-shell-montana-tribe.html

  Metis    Little Shell Tribe    Montana    Poet Laureate    Chris La Tray    Poetry  

  Mary Johnson    Neme Alperstein  

Free workshop for educators: Teaching about Montana's Chinese Communities - A Workshop for Educators 

When: 9/16/23

Where: Butte, MT (In person)

Description: Learn the history of Chinese Montanans, their struggles and contributions to the region's development, and how they kept their culture alive on the Montana Frontier. 

Day includes workshop, Tour of the Mai Wah Museum, and Dinner at the Pekin Noodle Parlor.

$50 Stipend available

Contact Mark Johnson to register. Mark.Johnson@nd.edu

I wanted to share a project created by  Mark Johnson  about Chinese cemeteries in Montana and their cultural significance to the history of the region. 

He shared:

"I write today to share an update on my project to study Chinese burial sites across Montana. Working with Dr. Genevieve Leung, a linguist from the University of San Francisco, and a team to locate the home villages referenced on more than 30 headstones across the state, the project is now ready for viewing."

You can view the project site here: https://www.bigskychinese.com/cemeteries  

I created an album about Montana's seven reservations.  You will find photos, maps, lesson plans, tribal history.  I even included a set of trading cards I created.

The other day I was talking to  Neme Alperstein  and the question came up about the use of IEFA (Indian Education For All).  This phrase came out of the 1972 Montana Constitution.

Article X - Education and Public Lands

 Section 1. Educational goals and duties. (1) It is the goal of the people to establish a system of education which will develop the full educational potential of each person. Equality of educational opportunity is guaranteed to each person of the state.
     (2) The state recognizes the distinct and unique cultural heritage of the American Indians and is committed in its educational goals to the preservation of their cultural integrity.
     (3) The legislature shall provide a basic system of free quality public elementary and secondary schools. The legislature may provide such other educational institutions, public libraries, and educational programs as it deems desirable. It shall fund and distribute in an equitable manner to the school districts the state's share of the cost of the basic elementary and secondary school system.

Indian Education for All – MCA 20-1-501

Recognition of American Indian cultural heritage -- legislative intent. (1) It is the constitutionally declared policy of this state to recognize the distinct and unique cultural heritage of American Indians and to be committed in its educational goals to the preservation of their cultural heritage. (2) It is the intent of the legislature that in accordance with Article X, section 1(2), of the Montana constitution: (a) every Montanan, whether Indian or non-Indian, be encouraged to learn about the distinct and unique heritage of American Indians in a culturally responsive manner; and (b) every educational agency and all educational personnel will work cooperatively with Montana tribes or those tribes that are in close proximity, when providing instruction or when implementing an educational goal or adopting a rule related to the education of each Montana citizen, to include information specific to the cultural heritage and contemporary contributions of American Indians, with particular emphasis on Montana Indian tribal groups and governments. (3) It is also the intent of this part, predicated on the belief that all school personnel should have an understanding and awareness of Indian tribes to help them relate effectively with Indian students and parents, that educational personnel provide means by which school personnel will gain an understanding of and appreciation for the American Indian people.

The Link to the album is here