Marsha Ingrao Always Write Woodlake History

You find many Central Valley residents vacationing just over the Coastal Mountains in Paso Robles as well as in the beach towns just west of there. As you drive past the many new vineyards that surround the town into Paso Robles, you have just exited one of the most soporific road trips through the hills past Kettleman City. Unless I'm driving, I sleep through these hills - both coming and going.

: Wake up! We're going to Paso! Actually this is leaving Paso, so don't be confused by where the mountains are. I just wanted you to see how boring it is.

El Paso del Robles, passage of the Oaks, is an old western town dividing the two worlds, the desert heat of the Kettleman City hills and the Tulare Lake Basin, and the Central Coast of San Luis Obispo County beginning to the north with Cayucos, Cambria, Hearst Castle, and south to Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo, Pismo Beach, Avila Beach, Arroyo Grande, ending with Nipomo before you move into Santa Barbara County.

: Paso Robles Inn, built in 1891.

Once you get to the Paso Robles Inn, built in 1891 and rebuilt in 1942 after a devastating fire, you can begin to see the 19th century charm of Paso Robles. Once known for its 124 degree hot springs, you might want to try this hotel which still has hot spring spas in about 1/3 of the rooms. I took this picture on April 1st, an unusually cloudy day in Paso.

The original building, thought to be indestructible, and "absolutely fireproof, had to be rebuilt after it burnt down in 1940. The builders kept the mission style, especially evident in the front patio.

Paso Robles

The front of the Inn looks western and old. You can see the mission-style covered front porch. This is handy in the hot sun. It's pleasant even in the winter.

Behind the inn is a charming outdoor seating area overlooking the hotel grounds. The restaurant serves plenty of delicious food, but to me the real benefit is the setting.

Beneath the beautiful fountain, they grew some of their vegetables. I doubt that they used very many of them because the garden looked too perfect. Maybe they had some others hidden away somewhere.

gallery type="square" columns="2" ids="5412,5413"

I am always fascinated by flowing water and fish and bridges. It's the perfect place for a wedding, and someone was celebrating the day we visited.

The grounds are perfectly manicured.

: Don't they look famous with their sunglasses?

Our friends arrived, then lunch came with sweet potato fries (no wonder I'm dieting now). We wandered around the historic area across from the Inn, and all too quickly it was time to go back home again. With a full tummy, Vince's bride slept her way through the boring trip home.

: zzzzzzzzzzzzzz glub, glu zzzzzzzzzzz

Another successful Valleycation. :)

Some historic places you might want to visit in Paso Robles are listed on the City of Paso Robles website. You might also enjoy the tours offered by some of the Paso Wineries.

When siblings fight, there is always the "He started it!" accusation that is supposed to vindicate the scuffle to Mom and Dad. Oates contends that the Southern white desperate fear and hostility of Aftican-Americans may have started with Nat Turner's slave rebellion. Until that time, slave owners convinced themselves that the slaves didn't mind being slaves. This rebellion set the record straight.

In this 1975 page-turner, Fires of Jubilee, Stephen Oates did more than recount the story of Nat Turner and the gruesome slave rebellion that spawned terror in the hearts of Southern whites in 1831. After much research, and interviewing African-American residents of the area, he analyzed the situation. Learn why there was nobody powerful enough to calm the revenge storm that raged against negroes after that pivotal rebellion.

Oates set the context with his words, "...Needing to blame somebody for Nat Turner besides themselves, Southern whites ...linked the revolt to a sinister Northern abolitionist plot to destroy their cherished way of life" p. 129. Even the governor of Virginia believed that abolitionists urged "our negroes and mulattoes, slaves and free to the indiscriminate massacre of all white people" p. 130. That simple statement helped explain to me why the South blamed the North for starting the Civil War, and why that same war is remembered in the South as the War of Northern Aggression.

History buffs may have already read this book first published in 1975, but I recommend Stephen B. Oates', The Fires of Jubilee: Nat Turner's Fierce Rebellion to all U.S. history teachers who teach the Civil War. You will learn so much about this one crucial event that contributed to the Civil War.

What do you do for a week in Maui when you've been there before? Several times. Even in Hawaii I can't resist a museum. Last year we went to the Sugar Museum. Whalers Village Museum wasn't listed on the top 10 things to do in Maui in our KBC planning calendar, but we really enjoyed this compact, top-notch museum.

: Upstairs in Whaler's Village

Fishing is a… discipline in the equality of men – for all men are equal before fish. –Herbert Hoover

This next picture impressed me because of the diversity of the workers in the middle 1800s, included native Hawaiians, Negroes, Europeans, sons of wealthy Americans, and native Americans. Whalers lived together for 3-5 years for a total income of about $50. The conditions would appall the poorest of the poor by today's standards. Whaling ships stored so little water that sailors usually washed their few clothes in urine.

: The oldest whalers were in their late 20s.

They spent most of their time carving scrimshaw and waiting for whales to appear.

: Scrimshaw

Incredibly ornate carvings in ivory or teeth helped sailors whittle away the long evening hours.

: Jaws lost his dentures.

I'm sure the sailors saw their fair share of these happy snappers. The day after we left Maui one shark attacked a swimmer at one of the beaches we visited in southern Maui.

: These guys look like they are having a whale of a good time.

Whaling, I learned, provided the world with most of its heating oil before fossil fuels were discovered in the 1800s. The cost of heating and lighting oil in the 1800s cost 3-5 years out of around 100,000 lives of these young men. I read a report once that stated that the beginning use of fossil fuels improved the economic conditions worldwide. Reading about the conditions under which these young men labored helps understand why whale oil was so cost-prohibitive, even without factoring the cost of depleting the population of whales.

: Whaler's Museum is upstairs under the clock tower.

If you get to Maui, take a few minutes away from shopping to sneak up to the Whalers Village Museum. Then go downstairs and fix yourself a yogurt sundae sold by the pound. (That's not the amount of pounds it puts on you!!! WHEW!!)

I hope you enjoyed your brief museum tour.

It's not every day that a good book about both geography and history comes along, but Lisa Winkler's non-fiction epic, A Black Cowboy's Ride Across America, guides the reader from New Jersey to California. Each chapter portrays the real-life adventure of an African-American teacher, Miles Dean, who rides horseback across the United States beginning September 22, 2007. The mini-biography of Dean spans not only the country, but the centuries of African-American history in various places along the way.

There is not enough room in history books to tell the stories of all the remarkable people who walked this earth. So textbooks leave out folks who do not specifically advance the historical narrative the editors wish to portray. For example, American children all read about George Washington, the first President of the United States, and they should. Do they also know about Blanche K. Bruce, the first African-American to serve a full term in the U.S. Senate in 1874? Readers travel with Miles and pick up gems of history where they happened along the journey.

: Blanche K. Bruce Mississippi Senator, 1874-1880

In this book the reader experiences the difficulties of the actual horseback ride across motorized America. In spite of extensive planning Miles encounters problems he can't anticipate like horse anxiety, along with the exuberance of meeting welcoming strangers in every place. Readers learn along with Miles about various famous African-Americans, who were firsts in fields that don't make the history books, such as horse jockeys or cowboys. Rather than being a chronological history, this is a geographical history. Every locale has its heroes and heroines, and they fit into various historical time frames. The focus of this book is on African-American heroes from each stop along the way, so there might be a Civil War hero, and a country singer in the same location.

In truth children learn history, just as they learn their first language, from those closest to them. They learn about their own ethnicity from their parents and grandparents, and blend it in with their growing life experiences. The stories of the folks in their home towns become part of their own history. Then they learn how those stories fit into the broader scope of history. Somewhere along the way, they begin to pick up an internal timeline. In this book the reader becomes like a child growing up in each site where Miles stops, and learns a bit about each place, whetting their appetite to follow-up and research more about specific people or events later.

Winkler's mini-biography easily meets the Common Core Standards for English Language Arts, since students will be required to read greater percentages of non-fiction texts. This is a book that will interest students, particularly ones who like horses and cowboys. Teachers are often looking for books that will appeal to disenfranchised students. This book is the perfect hook for African-American males, statistically having the largest percentage of students in this category. Miles, the rider, is the first hero, attempting this difficult trip at age 57, and overcoming obstacle after obstacle, persevering until he completes his goal. Then meeting all the unsung African-American heroes along Mile's historic epic gives these students a sense of belonging and contributing to the history of the United States that is so essential for creating future citizens of this nation.

: Miles Dean, age 57 riding across America

As an educational consultant, I think this book has implications that reach far beyond the written word, and the standards we teach. It touches the heart, and motivates young people to emulate heroes. It goes beyond exposing the faults of the country to forgiveness and allows students to see how people of different ethnicities contributed to the success of Miles' journey. We don't forget our history or cover it up, but maturely go beyond its faults and take advantage of new opportunities. We stand on the backs of heroes who paved the way for our success, and move forward in appreciation of their sacrifices to create a better world.

I featured Lisa Walker's blog, Cycling Grandma, on my personal blog, Marsha Lee Streaming Thoughts in the post, Christmas Sweater, earlier in December. You will enjoy visiting her blog as well. A Black Cowboy's Ride will make an excellent gift for your child's teacher, a student in your life, a history buff, or yourself. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I have.

From Fred Jones and Jim Hill at California Council for the Social Studies

AB 484 will be amended tomorrow, but will include (and evidently has Gov's sign-off):

* Eliminate current CSTs, except Science 5,8,10; EAP grade 11 and ESEA required (ELA/Math) in order to save funds to maximize Field Test of SBAC. These tests are no longer aligned with new Standards adopted in 2010 and with Common Core (CAHSEE will continue to be given, but not referenced in 484).

* Allow LEAs to administer test in Spanish if they desire.

* A comprehensive plan from CDE will be due by 2016 to include Next Generation Science Standards, Common Core and the use of 21st Century technology.

* AYP and API would be suspended (AYP scores of last year would be used for next year during transition for purposes of ESEA reporting; they obviously anticipated the potential fallout that New York is experiencing due to their transitionary -- and lower -- scores)

* Bill may remove "Urgency Clause" within AB 484 -- which just means it won't take effect until Jan 1, not immediately upon Gov's signature, but will still apply by Springtime testing this school year (this is to ensure the bill's passage, since Urgency Clauses require ⅔ vote of both Houses, and there is serious concerns from social justice and testing/accountability groups re: losing individual student and school scores for at least a year)

* Federal Waivers will be sought, but if AB 484 is signed, they will disregard US Dept of Ed if they don't authorize Waivers (there has been some positive communications with US Secty of Ed re: removing double-testing to begin introducing field testing of Common Core/Smarter Balanced, although how long California will be able to suspend individual pupil scores and AYP/API scores of schools remain an open question; SBE authorized President Kirst -- in consultation with SPI -- to seek necessary Waivers depending on further clarifications anticipated from US Dept of Ed, but Deb Sigman reiterated that if AB 484 is signed, California will end current STAR tests … PERIOD!).

Sue Burr (former SBE Exec Director, but now SBE member and senior advisor to Gov): "This sends the clearest, strongest message to the field that we're serious about implementing Common Core … it doesn't mean we don't care about H-SS, but we need a transition period … for assessment changes" -- stated during today's SBE meeting at CDE.

We had a question the other day about where CCSS stands regarding the Common Core Standards. While we wholeheartedly support the implementation of state mandates as illustrated by our Common Core Boot Camp 2.0, March 7-8, there is concern from some the Common Core Standards might contribute to the lessening of social studies curriculum. I think it is a pertinent question. If it is a concern to some, it may be a concern to many. I am posting part of the response to that teacher from our Government Relations Chair, Jim Hill. To see his occasional paper go to our website, CCSS.org. (Marsha Ingrao, CCSS President 2013-2014)

from Jim Hill

The essential direction of CCSS (the original CCSS....) is to strengthen social studies K-12, as doing so increases the ability of students to function and participate as the informed citizenry envisioned by Jefferson.

What has been driving curriculum in Calif K-12 for the past 15 years is the assessment/accountability package. Right now, social studies will not be tested in K-12 for the next few years. According to the 484 legislation, the CDE has to present a plan to test social studies as part of the 'additional to common core' testing the CDE wants to put in place. The CDE itself criticizes the now defunct assessment program for in part narrowing the curriculum. I cite from the CDE proposals at length in my occasional paper, which this teacher might look at. Some of this new assessment can be performance assessment, and some will be at local levels.

So, I would suggest, CCSS is the organization trying to maintain, and improve, social studies in California. No one else is really doing that, really; other organizations propose only one particular field of study.

CCSS is working in concert with National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) and local councils is doing everything possible to keep SS on the political radar screen. NCSS has published a National Framework for Social Studies, the Vision for College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Both the President and President-Elect will be presenting at our Conference about the C3 Framework. In addition, the Director and a Board member from Oregon will also present on this and other topics. So in that respect, you can come and meet and talk to them yourself, and make an educated decision about the organizations.

Social studies teachers who are involved with like minded SS educators through the professional organization of CCSS gives us the energy and strength to fight for our existence. United we stand! Divided we fall! Please join us in March at our conference in Los Angeles.

CCSS is the premiere professional organization that unites all social studies fields with the political voice, career growth opportunities, and peer collaboration through excellent conferences, cutting edge publications, and local council development.

I would be a liar if I said this wasn't going to be a name-dropping post. I don't think I've ever been to a meeting where there was a more diverse group of powerful people assembled in one room, and I've been to a few meetings. The purpose of this impressive gathering was to demonstrate solidarity over one issue: the absolute imperative of returning civic education to a more prominent role in public school curriculum K-12.

: McClatchy High School Color Guard

National testing has awakened public officials to the increasing crisis of civic education in the United States, and they are taking steps to come together to address the issue. You can see below the interesting people that spoke at the summit, which didn't include the influential 200 member audience.

This summit introduced the 2013 recipients of Civic Learning Awards. State Superintendent Tom Torlakson, and Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye honored students and teachers from around the state for their work with hand-on programs such as The Center for Civic Education's, Civitas Program. My friend Terri Richmond was among those honored at the summit.

Civic Learning California Summit: Making Democracy Work

A panel discussion included an individual call to commitment from Moderator, Hon. Judith D. McConnell to high-ranking officials in: the Juvenile Court system, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Service Employees International Union Local 1000, and the California Chamber of Commerce. Each of these panelists discussed why they felt civics education was essential to be included in public education at every level.

Keynote speaker O'Connor started by stating "This country matters, to me, to you, to all of us, and frankly to the world. We live in a world that has very little guidance such as we have tried to provide in promoting the rule of law." According to Justice O'Connor, the Rule of Law gained popularity in the 1950s when the United States and the world grappled with ways to deal with difficult situations in different parts the world besides going to war and killing one another. She credits Lewis Powell, Former Supreme Court Justice from Virginia, who became the great advocate of the "Rule of Law" and involved the other justices as well.

The purpose of civic education is to educate the people on what it means to say, "We believe in the Rule of Law," which include having legal principles that guide our local, state and national governments. It has to be taught to every generation, which is not a simple process because each person has to understand the concepts for themselves before they can teach them. Discussing the 2010 national assessment, O'Connor stated, "Less than 1/2 of the students knew the purpose of the Bill of Rights and it's right there in the title." In addition 2/3 of American youth scored below proficient on a national civics test. The Honorable Deanell Reece Tacha, Dean and Professor of Law at Pepperdine University School of Law quoted statistics found on the National Constitution Center website indicating that both adults and children know more about the sports and entertainment industries than they do about the government of their country.

O'Connor did not suggest that other subjects should be limited in order to focus on civic education, but indicated youngsters need to learn all subjects, not just one or two. She suggested that civic education can be practiced through experiences in the classroom such as student government. What prompted O'Connor to begin advocating for more civic education was when she began noticing the legislation around the country enacted to punish judges. One proposed state law indicated that the parties who lost their case in a courtroom should sue the judge.

Towards the end of her interview, O'Connor mentioned the iCivics program that came about from a national think tank with which she had been involved. Participants on the iCivics website play games and learn about the legal system.

: Honorable Joseph Dunn Chief Executive Officer, State Bar of California

Chief Executive Officer of the State Bar of California, Hon. Joseph Dunn, told a story about a young worker who wanted to change working conditions in a shipyard by calling a protest. Only one person showed up for the protest the first day. The solitary protester was attached, beaten up, and thrown over the fence. On the third day, his friend joined him, and finally as more and more workers joined him, they formed the Solidarity Union. That was the beginning of the end of the Soviet Union. Dunn's point was that the protester who started the ball rolling did not intend to lead an earthshaking movement. This man was not trying to change the world, but just his own situation. In the same way Justice O'Connor is now calling for a return of civics education and literacy in her world at a national level.

Dunn then called State Senators, Hon. Joan Buchanan, Hon. Leland Yee, Hon Marty Block and Hon. Mark Wyland up to the podium to sound the call to action at the state level in California. Yee reported that many Chinese Americans were afraid to register to vote because they didn't want to be called for jury duty. Each of the Senators showed passion for the return of civic education to public schools.

I want to thank my friend, Dr. Michelle Herczog, who was on the planning committee of this event, for making sure that CCSS, was represented at this meeting. It was an honor to attend this special invitation summit, and as the President-Elect of California Council for the Social Studies, I was thrilled to represent our organization on behalf of social studies educators across the state of California. The summit is only the start, however. There will be opposition to this movement to include more civic education for students. Teachers have many things to teach. High stakes testing does not currently test civics. Some teachers and adults remember civics as being boring. Justice O'Connor was among them. She never expected to be pushing for civic education in her old age, but that was exactly what she did at this summit, and now dedicates her life to this cause around the country.

There is a pressure to do too much with too little in public education, but we have to ask ourselves, "What is the cost of NOT educating our youth about how democracy works in the United States? What if the next generation does not grow up supporting the "Rule of Law?" Is this a price that we, as current citizens, want to pay?

Do you attend professional conferences to meet experts and influential leaders in your field ? You will have the opportunity to do so at the 53rd Annual California Council for the Social Studies Conference, CCSS WANTS YOU: DIG IN FOR THE CHALLENGE, commemorating the start of WWI one hundred years ago. Nothing represents teachers' interests while they are "in the trenches" better than this session, Power of Democracy Steering Committee.

The March 7-9, 2014 CCSS conference is one of the key events in California drawing teachers and curriculum leaders from the four core areas of social studies together. You won't want to miss the Power of Democracy Steering Committee meeting on Saturday from 11:00-12:00 in the Grand Ballroom of the Gateway Sheraton Hotel in Los Angeles.

Inspired by the dynamic leadership of Sandra Day O'Connor, this committee is headed by Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye. It started last February at the Civic Learning California Summit held in Sacramento. Attending the initial summit, along with trailblazers in education, were legislators, business leaders, union representatives, and members of the legal community. The common thread that wove this diverse group together was an interest in improving standards and assessments for social studies to make sure that history-social science remains a strong part of the curriculum in public education.

At the Power of Democracy Steering Committee session, facilitated by Justice Judith McConnell, leaders will discuss updating the California History Social-Science Standards and assessments that are needed to test social studies in addition to the Common Core assessments. The goal is to include civic education in the new assessments.

Since this is a steering committee, members of the community will attend this session along with conference attendees. The last half hour of the hour-long meeting will be reserved for questions and comments from the audience.

This is an opportunity for teachers to make their voices heard. Come prepared with questions and comments you have about state standards and assessments for history-social science in the future.

This is a session you WON'T want to MISS.

Civic Learning California Summit

California Council for the Social Studies branches out into Local Councils of Social Studies so that teachers can network face to face closer to home.

Golden Valley Council for the Social Studies - Region 6

Free to teachers! Teaching American History Project event onFebruary 8. This will be an all-day event (8:30-3) and will include a bus tour. Our focus will be on the Bay Area in U.S. History. National Park Service Rangers will share their expertise as we travel through history in the Bay Area.

We're organizing a tour of the SF Bay Area (focused on the East Bay) as part of our TAH grant. The trip will start at the Rosie the Riveter Visitor Center and will focus on the Bay Area in U.S. History. Lunch will be provided. Please send this invitation to your networks. We need to get sign ups and might have to cancel if we don't have enough interest. No one under 18 or still in high school is allowed to attend because of bus company regulations.

Contact Veray Wickham

vwickham@sjcoe.net

San Joaquin Council for the Social Studies - Region 7

TAH Reunion China Alley

February 20 Join us at the Fresno Train Depot at 9:55 and ride to Hanford's China Alley. Tour historic Hanford. Lunch together at Superior Dairy, then ride the train home.

More details to follow.

Contact Marsha Ingrao

tchistorygal@gmail.com

Combined Councils for the Social Studies - Regions 1-2

March 15th Mini-Conference . More details to follow.

Contact Cricket Kidwell

cfkidwell84@gmail.com

CCSS WANTS YOU: DIG IN FOR THE CHALLENGE

Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation

Perpetuating a Legacy of Courage, Sacrifice and Patriotism

PATRICK H. BRADY
Major, U.S. Army Medical Service Corps, 54th Medical Detachment, 67th Medical Group, 44th Medical Brigade

Reserve officers training was mandatory at Patrick Brady’s college in the late 1950s. He hated it and eventually got booted out. He later got back into ROTC and was commissioned in the Medical Service Corps after graduation.

Brady’s first posting was to Berlin as a medical platoon leader at the time the Berlin Wall was constructed in 1961. Soon he was eager for new challenges, so he applied to flight school and became a helicopter pilot. In 1963, he went to Vietnam.

Flying a UH-1 medevac helicopter, Maj. Brady was on his second tour of duty as part of the 54th Medical Detachment in Chu Lai when he volunteered to rescue two badly wounded South Vietnamese soldiers in enemy territory on January 6, 1968. Several attempts had been made to get the men out; all had been aborted because of bad weather. When Brady arrived, thick fog shrouded the evacuation site. He descended slowly until he could make out the shape of trees beyond his rotor blades, then used them to orient the craft and moved sideways toward the extraction point. Despite the close-range enemy fire, he was able to locate the South Vietnamese soldiers and evacuate them.

Not long after this rescue mission, Brady was called to another fogged-in area where American casualties lay close to enemy lines. Earlier in the day, two other U.S. helicopters had been shot down trying to reach the site. Brady lowered his chopper through a space in the fog, orienting himself by a stream bed to get to the wounded. In total, he made four flights over the next hour to rescue all 39 GIs.

On his third mission of the day to rescue more American soldiers, Brady once again put down at a landing zone in enemy territory. During his descent, the controls of his helicopter were hit, but he was able to evacuate the injured.

Back at base, he got a replacement helicopter and returned to the action. On his fourth mission, he was watching another medevac trying to extract members of a trapped American platoon when a mine exploded nearby, causing the helicopter to leave without the casualties. Brady touched down as close to the marks left by the other craft’s skids as he could to avoid mines. The soldiers were reluctant to cross the minefield, so his crewmen had to go get them. All were brought aboard, except for one who was being carried back on a stretcher by two of Brady’s crew members. They had almost reached the plane when one of the stretcher bearers stepped on a mine. The explosion blew a hole in the helicopter and caused every warning light on the control panel to go on, but Brady managed to get the damaged craft off the ground and deliver the six severely injured soldiers to medical aid. Then he picked up a new helicopter and kept flying. In all, he evacuated 51 men that day. Four hundred bullet holes were counted in the helicopters he flew.

Back in the United States, Brady was awarded his second Distinguished Service Cross. The award was later upgraded to a Medal of Honor, which was presented to him by President Richard Nixon on October 9, 1969.

Patrick Brady retired as a major general in 1993. His daughter, Meghan, followed in his military footsteps, entering the Medical Service Corps. She served as a medic in the 1991 war against Iraq. Since retirement, Brady has supported many service organizations. He serves as the chairman of the Citizens Flag Alliance -— a coalition of organizations determined to protect the American flag from physical desecration.

ccss.org

Dear Civic Learning Task Force,

With many thanks to Alice Petrossian, Carol Kocivar, Cindy Marks, Michelle Herczog, Superintendent Gordon, and Justice McConnell, the Task Force has developed the attached document which outlines the ways in which Civic Learning Benefits the State Board of Education’s Local Control Funding Priority Areas. And with many, many thanks to Justice William Murray of the 3rd District Court of Appeals, he will be providing brief testimony and delivering this document to the State Board of Education at their meeting tomorrow, 1/16 – if you are watching, he will likely speak at approximately 9:15 a.m.

Thanks so much,
Debbie

Deborah Genzer
Senior Court Services Analyst
Court Operations Special Services Office
Judicial and Court Operations Services Division
Judicial Council of California - Administrative Office of the Courts
415-865-8755

Benefits of Civic Learning

California Council for the Social Studies

proudly presents

Sylvia Mendez at the 53rd Annual Conference

In 2011 President Obama awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Sylvia Mendez. As the eight year old daughter of Mexican and Puerto Rican immigrants, Mendez paved the way to desegregating American schools and ushering in an era of civil rights in the famous 1946 case, Mendez v Westminster.

Before the final 1947 victory California schools segregated Mexican Americans from Anglo schools. The defense claimed that "Mexican American children possessed contagious diseases, had poor moral habits, were inferior in their personal hygiene, spoke only Spanish and lacked English speaking skills." (Mendez v Westminster Case.blogspot.com) The Mendez family filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of 5,000 families insisting that segregation of schools violated the fifth and fourteenth amendments.

Federal judge, Patrick J. McCormick ruled in favor of the Mendez family finding that the policy of segregating Mexican Americans violated the fourteenth amendment, lack of due process and equal protection. The Court of Appeals backed up McCormick's ruling in 1947 resulting in a California bill ending segregation in California. This bill was signed into law by Governor Earl Warren in June of 1947. Mexican American students began attending integrated public schools in Orange County in September.

Mendez went on to complete her Associate Degree at Orange County Community College, Bachelor's Degree at California State University, Los Angeles, and was recently awarded a Doctorate Degree from the University of New York. She worked in the nursing profession until she retired

Today Sylvia Mendez speaks around the country and abroad encouraging students to get an education and claim the rights protected for them by her parents in the landmark case. She will be speaking at the CCSS 53rd Annual Conference in Los Angeles Saturday, March 8th at 5:00 p.m. Click here to register.

For additional information about Sylvia Mendez and the Mendez v Westminster case check out these sources.

http://mendezwestminstercase.blogspot.com/2007/08/mendez-v-westminster-case.html

http://sylviamendezinthemendezvswestminster.com/

As Chair of the Governmental Relations Committee of the California Council for the Social Studies, I am pleased to invite you continue our conversations about the next steps we can take together to advance social studies education in California. Many social studies organizations will participate.

The next California Council for the Social Studies state conference in Los Angeles at the LAX Sheraton will include our annual Legislative Breakfast on Saturday, March 8 at 7:00 a.m. Professor Joseph Kahne will receive the CCSS Civic Action Award for his extensive research and publications on civic education and the impact of civic education on students. Professor Kahne will update us on the latest developments in the world of civic education. We will have updates on state and national efforts supporting social studies education.

If you have not yet registered for the CCSS Conference, you can do so online at CCSS.org; you can also register for the Breakfast (an extra $15) when you register for the Conference. If you have already registered for the conference and not the Breakfast, emailMarie@ccss.org to register for the Breakfast.

Immediately following the breakfast, the CCSS Governmental Relations Committee will host a meeting among social studies organizations, continuing past conversations about working together to advance the cause of social studies education in California. The rapid changes in the assessment/accountability picture in California are creating major changes in how learning is evaluated and measured. We as social studies leaders need to discuss ways we can both participate in forming the new assessments, and in how we can work together to ensure these improvements are implemented.

Coalitions can be very powerful. Recently, CCSS, the English Language Learner community, and the state science teacher association working together convinced the Instructional Quality Commission to unanimously agree to make substantial changes to requirements for EL materials the IQC would send on to the State Board for adoption. The EL community wants EL students to receive the academic content and substance of the whole curriculum, and CCSS certainly agrees with that goal. Working together got it done.

The agenda for our conversations will include state and local considerations:

1) CCSS Legislative Analyst Fred Jones' updates on the latest developments in Sacramento, especially the new just introduced Senate Bill 897 (Steinberg) that calls for CDE to consider inclusion of History social science and also the social studies C3 Framework in state grant requirements and as part of some career pathway consortium funding.

2) Conversation about the possible ways social studies can play a part in the accountability provisions of the new Local Control Funding Formula, and in providing assistance to local districts as they create their local assessment/accountability plans.

Districts will be required to make a yearly report on how they are using their new state funding to 'advance' learning for low SES, EL and foster care students, and also for all students; said reports will need to be in addition to state accountability and Academic Performance Index (API) that has been suspended but that is slated to return. These individual district reports can be 'qualitative' as well as 'quantitative', so will not have to be limited to numerical reporting. Thus a host of performance types of student learning activities including project and problem based learning and academic competitions in all social science content areas could be used by districts for part of this annual report. Some of these activities could meet Common Core ELA requirements. The State Board of Education will be adopting specific criteria and definitions for the local accountability measures. Its January 2014 meeting will see some of the criteria put in place. We will know by March wh
at the SBE decides at its January meeting. The requirements are outlined in the SBE Agenda for January 2014, Item 21, Document 3, which references measuring progress toward 'state priority areas' detailed in Ed Code Sections 52060 and 52066. These repeatedly state the need for students to receive instruction in all core content areas.

How can we best connect with districts and county offices to help with these new local assessments?

3) Conversation about ways to support the inclusion of performance assessment in social studies in the yet-to-be-designed 'next generation' California state assessments, which will be in addition to the ones for the common core English Language Arts and math standards that will be field tested around the state this spring (by the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium, or SBAC).

The additional state assessments, to start sometime after 2016, will include History social science as part of 'the whole curriculum' as defined in last year's AB 484 (Bonilla), now chaptered into law. The Superintendent's Report to the State Board of last January said that higher level thinking based assessments were necessary as a replacement for the 'outdated' California Standards Tests. Educational Testing Service reported to the State Board in May that performance assessment was both desirable and possible in large scale statewide assessments. For ETS to say that means it can be done!

What channels exist, or can be leveraged, for social studies organizations to participate in designing statewide assessments? What ideas can be suggested for quantifying results of large scale assessments, for inclusion in the API calculation formula?

4) Show and Tell: What have social studies organizations been doing that advances the cause of social studies, and/or of assessment of social studies, or that could be used in local or statewide assessment programs? What current problem or project based learning activities could be used, or modified for use, in local or stateside assessment programs? Which of these might also meet ELA and/or Fine Arts standards?

5) Conversation about next steps.

I am looking forward to hearing your ideas as we continue our conversations about advancing the cause of social studies education in California.

Jim Hill

Chair, Governmental Relations Committee
California Council for the Social Studies

From: Michelle Herczog
Subject: Good News for Social Studies - Your Help Needed by Friday, Jan. 17
This message has been cross posted to the following eGroups: NCSS Board of Directors and Citizenship Community .
-------------------------------------------
This week, we got to see the funding bill for the rest of 2014, and it had good news for civic learning! For the first time in years, a Department of Education competitive grant program for professional development included a priority for civic learning - and civic learning was the only topic area called out by Congress. This seemingly mild reminder sends a strong signal to the Department of Education that Congress would like to see funds made available for professional development in this area. The language was included at the request of Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, at the urging of Steve Armstrong, NCSS President and Connecticut resident.

What can you do? Call your Senators before Friday and leave a message with the front desk to say " The omnibus appropriations bill has good language for civic learning, and as a constituent and advocate for the social studies, I urge my Senator to vote yes." You can reach the Senate operator at
http://www2.ed.gov/programs/edseed/index.html (please note the language at this site at the Department does not reflect this very recent development).

The history of Woodlake is rather unique. Most cities and towns in Tulare County began with a few people settling in one place, and within a few years, a town had come into existence. But several pioneers settled in the Woodlake area, on both the north and south sides of what is now Woodlake, yet no town was formed for about fifty years. As a matter of fact, Woodlake area's history is nearly as old as that of our county itself.

In 1850 John Poole established a ferry on the Kings River (about two and a half miles north of present Reedley); soon thereafter he established a trading post there in partnership with William Campbell. That same year, a group of fifteen men, led by John Wood came to the Four Creek country. (The four creeks were: Mill Creek, Deep Creek, Packwood Creek, and Outside Creek.) These men built one cabin, and foundations for more, on the south bank of the Kaweah River south of Venice Hill. Then these men were massacred by Indians, but at least one escaped. Further west, where the St. John's River now flows, Loomis St. John cleared and planted land unseen and unmolested by the indians. Incidentally, the river which bears St. John's name was formed by the great 1862 flood; previously there had only been a slough. In 1862 the new St. John's River took off from the Kaweah east of Venice Hill someplace southwest of Woodlake. The old Kaweah, at that time, ran from McKay's Point to beyond Woodlake where the St. John's River flows today. By the 1880s the division was at McKay's Point as it is today. It is because of the changing river channels that no one can pinpoint the exact location of the original Kaweah Ford east of Venice Hill. Early explorers, such as Kit Carson in 1830, Joseph R. Walker in 1834, and John C. Fremont in 1844, who forded the Kaweah, must have passed very near, if not through the Woodlake area.

In 1851 or 1852, Thomas Fowler (for whom the town was named), Jim Fisher and Thomas H. Davis (a South Carolinian) traveled through the San Joaquin Valley enroute to Carson City and the Nevada silver mines. Upon passing the entrance to Antelope Valley (which they named) they observed several antelope grazing there and decided it would be an excellent place in which to raise cattle. In 1852 Tulare County was created by an act of legislature, the first election was held, and the Vise party arrived and built a stockade at what is now Visalia. Among this group were Tipton Lindsay (who was prominent in Visalia affairs) and his brother Joshua, who later settled and raised cattle on two sections of land southwest of Woodlake. The following year, 1853, the county seat was moved to Visalia in a heated election. the first post office was established at Woodville - and the Woodlake area received its first settler.

That year, 1853, Thomas Henry Davis returned to the Antelope Valley. Having been successful in the mines, they (Davis and his partners) ha bought cattle in Mexico which Tom Davis had driven to Antelope Valley where he settled near the spring. In 1861 Thomas H. Davis married Leah Jackson Miller in Visalia. The following year, their first son, Jefferson Jackson Davis, was born on the Davis Acres, making him the first white child born in the Woodlake area. Thomas Houston Davis, his brother, born in 1865 arrived in the doctor's house in Visalia. Meanwhile, a young man from Tennessee, Emanuel T. Ragle, helped drive cattle to northern California in 1865 where he first settled and later met the Blair and Moffett families.

In 1857, the Rev. Jonathat Blair organized and led a wagon train from Missouri to California. This was known as the Blair-Moffett party. Members included Rev. Blair, a Presbyterian minister, his second wife, Nancy Moffett Blair; her daughter Lucinda Moffett; his eldest daughter, Sarah Blair Pogue, and her husband John Pogue and their two babies, (a third, Mary Nevada, was born enroute); John Pogue's sister, Polly; their half-brother, JWC Pogue, age 18, whom John and Polly had raised; six other Blair children, including Nancy Melvina, then age fourteen, and several Moffetts among others. Upon reaching northern California they first settled in the Santa Rosa area where they met Emanuel Ragle who married Eliza Moffett there in 1858. Later, they settled at Little Lake, near present day Willets, where Polly Pogue married John Coble and JWC Pogue married Nancy Melvina Blair. After a bad winter there, Rev. Blair came to Tulare County and settled in the Hamilton district east of Venice Hill. He was followed by the Pogues and Moffetts. These families bought and settled on land on the north bank of the Kaweah River in what is now the south end of Woodlake. By 1863 six families were living in what came to be called "Stringtown."

"Stringtown" was not a town; it was a string of families along the Kaweah, each of whom lived within shouting distance of the nearest neighbor. Furthest east, were the E.T. Rangles; next Rev. Blair's family; then JWC Pogues, followed by John and Polly Coble, and lastly, the John Pogues. Farther west, beyond "Stringtown" were the Henry Moffetts. At least two children were born in that area: John Lee Pogue to John and Sarah (probably in "Stringtown"), and Jonathan Early Pogue born to JWC and Nancy in 1867 (definitely in "Stringtown"). "Stringtown's existence terminated abruptly.

Stay tuned for Part Two to find out what happened to "Stringtown."

In Part One we learned who settle around the Woodlake area then called Stringtown. In 1867 Stringtown abruptly disappeared.

In the winter of 1867-68, it rained for 38 days! On December 20, 1867, a great landslide occurred on the South Fork of the Kaweah River, completely blocking it. Three days later, on December 23rd, this barrier gave way, releasing a torrent of water into the already swollen Kaweah. That night, "Stringtown" families were awakened by the rush of water. Large logs were carried as far as Visalia and debris was scattered over the landscape. At "Stringtown" not only were walls, fences, and buildings destroyed or damaged beyond repair, but the top soil was replaced with sand! Only Reverend Blair's home, on a rise, escaped major damage. As a result, E.T. Rangle moved his family one or two miles northeast into what later became known as the Naranjo district, and the JWC Pogues and the Cobles moved up to Dry Creek. The preceeding year, Reverend Blair and a Reverend Gilliam had established the first church in the Woodlake valley area at the Hamilton School.

When Antelope School was established in 1870, Reverend Blair moved his church there. It became known as the Antelope Valley Presbyterian Church. Reverend Blair served as its pastor until his death in 1885 at the age of 81. Long before that, Blair, who owned the land on both sides of Bravo Lake, had moved to the northwest side. In 1881, his youngest son, James Henry Blair, born in northern California, gave the land at the present church site of a church, cemetery and public school. A real church building was erected there soon after. However, the first school in the Woodlake area was not public.

By the end of the 1860s, the Colvins, Bacons, Barringtons, Fudges, and Reynolds had arrived in the Woodlake area. Thomas Henry Davis had hired one John Hill to teach his sons and the Fudge and Barrington children on Davis Acres in a sheep shed. The first public school was, of course, the Antelope School, which was located about a mile north of the present high school. One of the early teachers at Antelope School was W.B. Wallace who later served our country as a superior court judge. Other early teachers included Zillia Blair, the Reverend Blair's youngest child; E.B. Homery and several Swank daughters. The school was moved to the Blair gift land in the early 1880s and, in 1895, a new schoolhouse was built with slate blackboards, two cloakrooms, a library room and a wide porch on which the students could play on rainy days. In 1913, after the town was founded, D.B. Day built a brick school on the present high school site and the name was changed to Woodlake. The high school was established on adjacent land one year later, in 1914. Meanwhile in the early 1870s Kiln School and, in 1910, became Naranjo School. The Swanks, at least four of whose daughters taught in these and other schools, arrived in the 1870s.
Other pioneers who arrived in the 1870s included: the Browns, Garretts, Lewis Hones, the Roarks and Woodards. The Waughs also came and they settled on what is now part of the Sentinel Butte Ranch. For summer pasturage, Waugh owned what is now Sequoia Lake. William Brotherton came with his wife and daughter Susan who married James Henry Blair and the young couple lived int he Blair home. Brotherton purchased the land that had once been "Stringtown" but, by 1910, Brothertons were living at the north end of Bravo Lake on the south side of Naranjo Boulevard. James Blair grew crops including Malega grapes. In 1872, the Wuchumna Ditch was dug and by 1877 Watchumna Ditch Company had control of most of the water in Bravo Lake. In 1878, JWC Pogue planted oranges and lemons in the bottom lands; in 1879 he moved to Lemon Cove which he founded. Mrs. Thomas Davis brought the first orange seedlings to Davis Acres. (In the 1890s Thomas Davis brought orange seedlings from Klink with a wagon and six horses). One of the most important events of the 1870s was establishing the first Post Office in the area, Lime Kiln P.O. was opened in 1879. (It later was moved to Lemon Cover - in 1898). In the 1880s, agriculture in the Woodlake area received some important boosts.

To find out what boosted agriculture in the 1880s stay tuned for Part Three coming tomorrow.

In Part One we learned that the first rural settlement of "Stringtown" disappeared. In Part Two we learned about the beginning of the church and school, and whether the first school public or private?

Part Three

In the 1880s, Reverend Satterfield bought the Horse Shoe Ranch, now the north part of Sentinel Butte Ranch. That decade Jake Bierer came to work for Mr. Waugh. He and Waugh planted figs in what later became the Mori orchard. Later, Bierer became a well borer and water wizard. In the 1880s, more irrigation ditches were constructed, and once again Watchumna Ditch Company controlled most of the water in Bravo Lake. In 1888 Jude Steven Nye, who had retired from the bench in Oakland and was an ex state senator, came to Woodlake where he bought a ranch. Nye's daughters, Myrtle and Harriet, married the two youngest Davis sons, Thomas Houston and Phillip, respectively. Nye died on the Davis Ranch in 1906. In 1889 he told of driving through a bed of continuous wildflowers eleven miles long from his ranch. The following year, 1890, the Kaweah Lemon Packing Company was founded by Dan Overall, D.J. Giddings, Adolph Lewis, S.C. Brown and William Hammond. Wesley Ragle set out the first oranges in the Naranjo district about that tie. In 1893 Reverend Satterfield's granddaughter, Annie Mackey and her husband John Wesley Brown came to Horse Shoe Ranch. John Brown panted oranges and lemons on Horse Shoe Ranch which he and Annie later inherited from Reverend Satterfield. Also, in the 1890s Jake Bierer married Janie Place and the Canans arrived and bought Joshua Lindsaey's land. Probably the most important development of the decade was the founding and naming of naranjo.

Naranjo was named by land owners Harry Brown and Senator Fred Harding (ex Illinois senator). Harry Brown built the Naranjo store in 1918. Harry Brown also built the Hein house which was unique in having gas lights. By 1903 the Mt. Whitney Power Company was delivering electricity to the th Woodlake Valley. Harry Brown also had the first car in the Woodlake area, but he couldn't drive it, so had a chauffeur. Harry Brown also planted oranges for both Senator Harding and Mr. Pattee, in the Naranjo district. Fred Harding's great niece, Justine Robinson now lives in his home. Her mother inherited Harding's property in 1914 at which time Justine Robinson's parents, Captain and Mrs. Forest Lancashire, came to Woodlake to manage the property. Justine was raised there and attended the Naranjo school. Meanwhile (3 years after the Lime Kiln Post Officed moved away to Lemon Cove), in 1902, the Naranjo Post Office was established in the store. In the first decade of the 1900s, Woodlake saw many milestones.

In 1904 the Redbanks Orchard Company was formed with Dr. Squires and Phil aker bought the south slope of Colvin Hill and set out early peaches, Demsen Plums, and grapes. When this fruit was ready to harvest, they built a packing house and hired William Murray to manage it. The Visalia phone exchange had a line out there and the Davis's, Blairs, and Brothertons built exchanges on to it. By 1906, the Visalia Electric Railroad was extended to Terminus Beach, which became a popular local resort; it was located just downstream from our present Terminus Dam. In 1907, the Elderwood Colony was founded.

Elderwood was named by its founders: Jason Barton, J.W. Fewell, and Adolf Sweet, who had bought and subdivided land on the east side of Cottonwood Creek. Near the Elderwood Colony, on Badger Road, J.P. Day had a small store. In January 1908, a U.S. Post Office was established therein with J.P. Day as postmaster. People fondly recall it as the Elderwood Post Office, but post office records show it only as Woodlake. But the most significant event of 1907 was the arrival of Gilbert Stevenson, the "Father of Woodlake."

Stevenson bought both John W. Brown's Horse Shoe Ranch and the adjoining Waugh property. He named this large ranch, Sentinel Butte. He drilled wells and built a cement reservoir. Later, Stevenson had the largest, individually owned, orange ranch in the world, 1,500 acres. In 1917, 149 cars of fruit - oranges - went to market from Sentinel Butte Ranch. But Stevenson dreamed of and platted a town. He hired one Henry McCracken to manage his ranch while he bouth land south of Elderwood and laid out his town, which he called Woodlake. In the fall of 1910, the year Stevenson laid out his town, D.B. Day, a contractor, and Charles Lare, a carpenter, arrived to work for Stevenson. The Visalia Electric Line had been extended to Woodlake that April. D. B Day built his family the first house in the (on Palm) Woodlake townsite, but his big project was building Stevenson's "Brick Block", a block sized building to house businesses. Meanwhile John Lee Pogue directed the laying out and grading of the streets. Thomas Crawford laid five miles of concrete/cement curbs and sidewalks. Steve Webb, a realtor who had first come to Woodlake area to see Stevenson about 1909 was back to stay. He bought more land for Stevenson, the land west and north of Bravo Lake for which Stevenson had truly grandiose dreams as a ...

What did Stevenson, the "Father of Woodlake" dream of doing in the Woodlake area? Find out in Part Four.

In Part One we learned that the first rural settlement of "Stringtown" disappeared. In Part Two we learned about the beginning of the church and school, and whether the first school public or private? Part Three explained the founding of the Elderwood Colony and the coming of "The Father of Woodlake." In Part Four we will find out what the Father of Woodlake, Stevenson, dreamed for Woodlake and whether or not his dreams came true.

(Steve Webb) bought more land for Stevenson, the land west and north of Bravo Lake for which Stevenson had truly grandiose dreams as a resort. Webb's office was in the brick building overlooking the Bravo siding where the train stopped. This enabled him to corner every newcomer as he stepped off the train. One of these was De Witt Cole. Cole, teaching in Southern California, had been so impressed with a talk about the Woodlake area that he had bought forty acres of orange land sight unseen. At first he worked as a carpenter in Woodlake. Soon his wife and daughter joined him. Zelda Chase ran a boarding house where folks stayed until their homes were built. Of course, priority construction went to the business block building.

In early 1912, the first business in the "brick building" or "brick block" opened. M. H. Mills, a Quaker with a wife and two children, operated a grocery store. A. P. Haury had the dry goods store in adjacent quarters. One year later, in 1913, Mills sold out to Haury who then cut an archway throught the partition which separated the two stores. Later the post office resided in a partitioned-off portion of Haury's dry goods store. The post office was initially moved into the town in 1913, by the simple expedient of Steve WEbb and postmaster J.P. Day loading the"Post Office" into a wagon one evening and reinstating it in the drug store that night. The drug store was jointy owned by Frank Mixter and Arthur Schelling of Exeter. Schelling, a pharmacist, ran the Woodlake Drug. Chandler's restaurant was also located in the "brick block." In January 1914, the First National Bank of Woodlake received its charter and opened in the "brick block" building with W.S. Bean as cashier/manager and James Henry Blair as president. Both men remained with the bank in those capacities until it folded in 1932. It reopened as the Bank of America in 1938. J.W. Otto ran a hardware store. South of the tracks, W. R. Clevenger had a livery stable and Gordon Day was Woodlake's blacksmith. In 1911, while Woodlake was being built, Gibson Campbell, a bank clerk, arrived with his invalid mother (who soon died) and his sister; he became the bookkeeper of the Elderwood Citrus Packing House. Campbell's hobby was landscaping and he landscaped the grammar school D. B. Day built in 1913. He also landscaped his own home and helped and advised others on landscaping their homes. In 1913 Woodlake received tow or more firsts.

Dr. Pinkley came to town and set up office upstairs in the brick block building. One year later he left and Dr. and Mrs. J. F. Pringle arrived. Dr. Pringle took over Pinkley's practice. Also in 1913 the Woodlake Echo was born. E. H. Snedeker, a publicity man for the Visalia Morning Delta, arrived in Woodlake to sell a full-page ad in his paper's progress edition. He sold the ad but was persuaded to edit and print the first Echo - in the Morning Delta's offices. The real newspaperman arrived in Woodlake and took over the Echo. His name was John G. Ropes. The Ropes had three children: Gladys, Richard and Edwin. When John Ropes retired in the 1930s, Gladys and Richard continued to run the paper. Edwin became a dentist and served Woodlake in that capacity for many years. The high school was established one year after the Echo. Gilbert Stevenson, meanwhile, was working on his scheme for the lake. He had the sides/levies built up to make the lake deeper. He bought a steam boat to run excursions on the lake; then he bought two more. He planned a great hotel on the west bank and an excursion train to run all the way around the perimeter on the banks. He planned three islands in the lake: each for a different purpose; one for a bandstand and dancing, one for bathing, and one for something else. But all these dreams came to naught when he ran out of money and went bankrupt. At least his dreams for the lake were lost. His town lived on. Eugene Menefee, in his History of Tulare and Kings Counties, published in 1913, said of Woodlake ... "between Naranjo and Redbanks and near the north Shore of Bravo Lake, is a town whose growth during...its existence has been so phenomenal as to merit special attention. The town is now solidly and substantially built, having a handsome two story hotel with pressed brick front, several shops, a large concrete garage, a general store, a newspaper, a bank and other features. During the present year an auction was held ... (for town lots) and quite high prices were realized. Cement sidewalks and graded avenues are in evidence here as the suburbs of a large city. Handsome residents are building in great number."

In its 1914 Progress edition, the Visalia Morning Delta reported of Woodlake, "Less than two years old, it has a population of three hundred with five miles of cement sidewalk and curbing, a national bank, a $35,000 store block ... two churches and a school. ... 108 scholars ... Post Office receipts of 1913 were double those of the preceding year. Shipments of fruit by the Electric Railroad this season numbered thirty-four.

Thus ends the progress of Woodlake from 1853 to 1914. Thank you to Sally Pace for bringing this document to me from Roy Lee Davis to share with all of you.

After being a teacher and a consultant for over twenty years, I produced my first original "How To" give away. It took hours of editing to produce. If you are interested in being on my email list, and getting free PDF articles from time to time, you can email me at tchistorygal@gmail.com.

The article is "Ten Tips for Editing Before Your Editor Reads Your Novel." Editing takes me three times as long as writing! WOW!

What trends in History-SS education and History-SS professional development have you seen over the last 5-10 years?

The biggest trend is that Common Core State Standards have powered professional development in the last 5-10 years. We have seen the development of the C3 Framework Document by National Council for the Social Studies. This document aligns to the Common Core Standards, which is a grass-roots movement, not one created by the government. In California, we see more and more history content instructional consultants moved out of district and county those positions. Instead counties hire consultants who focus on broader fields such as Project Based Learning or how History-Social Studies ties into the Common Core Standards, and can function across the curriculum.

Another development is the suspension of the assessments for a year. Social Studies teachers don't know what to expect. The current history-social science standards were written in 1997. The breadth of the standards don't mix well with the depth teachers need to teach to mix language arts and social science.

Over one hundred participants packed into The Power of Democracy session at the CCSS conference because teachers want to have a say in new standards. The Justice Department and State Superintendent of Schools introduced draft resolutions to include more civic education in K-12 education. They hope this will increase teaching time for all core areas of social studies: history, geography, economics and civic education with the goal of producing informed citizens who know how to think critically and ask important questions.

What issues and barriers face educators in providing high-quality History-SS instruction in California schools?

Educators face many barriers. Teachers complain about the lack of time to teach everything. Common Core adds a new dimension. Teachers who use curriculums like Center for Civic Education's We the People Program or Project Citizen, Constitutional Rights Foundation's Civic Action, Bill of Rights in Action, or Mock Trial Programs already know how to integrate language arts skills and teach in-depth social studies as well. National History Day teacher/coaches assist student participants in learning how to research, revise and present with historical accuracy. This kind of teaching takes time, and teaches depth. Students will not necessarily do well on multiple choice tests of broad topics. So the obstacle facing everyone now is not knowing exactly how students will be assessed.

Another issue is the mistaken idea that if a student reads a primary source or two in reading class, they have studied history. Primary sources do not give students the context into which to place an event. They can analyze a political cartoon, but if they don't understand what happened in that time period, they can only make a superficial analysis based on their knowledge of today's world. Even teachers, untrained in history-social studies, don't know how to ask the questions that will draw out the analytic thinking from students. As good as they are, English teachers are not prepared to teach history to students.

How can History-Social Science maintain integrity as a core academic subject and still work within the Common Core State Standards?

Many social studies teachers are already doing this very well. Teachers are going to have to dig deep, teach students to read closely. The California History Project has worked with teachers and professors to produce some amazing curriculum units available free of charge that integrates reading skills with concentrated history. We had a Teaching American History Grant written by them in our county. The thought that goes into creating these units is outstanding. Most teachers will not have the time to develop these on their own. There are some companies that specialize in this sort of teaching. Document Based Questions and History Alive are two curriculums that have developed many units that include the kind of teaching strategies that are essential in teaching the Common Core. Project Based Instruction is another company which provides staff development to help teachers develop their own units. There are also non-profit organizations, such as the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and Gilder Lehrman Foundation that train teachers during the summer in content, and strategies. So many resources and professional development opportunities are already created for teachers that they shouldn't panic about having to recreate the wheel. California Council for the Social Studies and National Council for the Social Studies highlighted many of these programs and companies at the Annual Conference. Teachers also get much help online through Twitter chatrooms. We have a blog on our CCSS.org website that talks about technology in history-social studies classrooms.

What can educators do to support and maintain high quality History-SS education in California now and into the future?

I may sound prejudiced because I am the current president of California Council for the Social Studies, but I think all teachers need to take the responsibility to join a professional organization or two. There is a cost involved. Our fee is $60 per year, but that provides subscriptions to a journal and newsletter, and pays the salary of a legislative analyst who works daily for us in Sacramento. National Council for the Social Studies has similar benefits at the national level. The cost is $66, but first time members can join for $6 through the CCSS (California Council) website through a program called "Brokering." Teachers need to unite their voices when it comes to supporting history education. Teachers can unite on Twitter and FB and other social media, and California Council has a social media presence. I believe this is a great first step, but there is more work to be done. Who is going to post on social media and reach out to a large audience if not the committed CCSS or NCSS members? Who will reach out and establish a relationship with legislators if not those inspired by a group of like-minded individuals?

Let me know if you have other ideas I should be sure to mention.

Monday: Valleycationers: Driving to Paso Robles Inn

Book Review: Fires of Jubilee

Hawaiian History: Whalers Village Museum, Maui

Book Review: A Black Cowboy's Ride Across America

Article 0

CCSS and the CCSS: California Council for the Social Studies's Response

Civic Education Summit with Sandra Day O'Connor

CCSS Conference Spotlight

CCSS Local Council Events Coming Up

CCSS 53rd Annual Conference: Keynote Speaker, Major General Patrick Brady

Student Benefits of Civic Learning in K-12 Classroom

CCSS 53rd Conference Keynote Speaker: Sylvia Mendez

California Council for the Social Studies Spotlights the Legislative Breakfast

It's Not Too Late!

The History of the Woodlake Area from Roy Lee Davis Part One

The History of the Woodlake Area from Roy Lee Davis Part Two

The History of the Woodlake Area from Roy Lee Davis Part Three

The History of the Woodlake Area from Roy Lee Davis Part Four

Resource Give Away

Symposium Questions for the Northern Regional Conference