Spring 2011 History’S Happenings
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Volume 1, Issue 2 Spring 2011 History’s Happenings HISTORY DEPARTMENT, LAMAR UNIVERSITY Dr. Storey Reflects on Career John Storey began studying history made research tremendously easier with new people and new points of S P E C I A L with a very different plan in mind with more access to documents view was the most difficult part of P O I N T S O F INTEREST: than becoming a professor. “I directly from the office computer. He the position. thought perhaps that I might become also feels that dependence on tech- Spotlight on a preacher,” Storey said, and he felt nology in the classroom has changed Dr. Storey says he admires most Graduate As- that a preacher should know some- the dynamic of interaction with the professors who remain current and sistants thing about history. As the young continue to research and write Storey became more acquainted throughout their careers because Local Veteran with professors such as Ralph Woos- this reinforces good teaching. When ter, Wesley Norton, and Sam Evans, asked about the people he admires Honored he began to rethink his professional the most, Storey recognized Ralph PAT New Mem- ambition. By his junior year he knew Wooster, Naman Woodland, Robert he wanted to teach at a university. Reed, Ralph Lynn, and his disserta- bers Initiated tion advisor, Paul Nagel. He gravitated toward US Intellectual News Bits History, especially the tie between In retirement, Dr. Storey plans to Pet Corner race and religion. When he first Dr. John Storey continue writing and traveling a great came to Lamar, he taught courses (http://dept.lamar.edu/history/ deal with his wife. He also does on the history of ideas, but all of his storey.htm) stained glass work as a hobby and writing focused on religion. After hopes to do more of that as well. As approaching a hesitant chair, he was a distinguished member of the fac- given a class on the history of relig- students, for better or worse. ulty of Lamar’s history department, INSIDE THIS ion. Storey continued to teach this his presence will be missed, though ISSUE: course on religion in the South until As chair, Storey believes schedule we all wish him well in his future he stepped down last May. building, as well as meeting the ventures. Storey’s Story 1 needs of students in tight economic Storey sees technology as the most times, were the more challenging — Cassandre Durso significant change in the profession parts of the job. However, he felt Veteran Honored 2 since he began in the field. This has that keeping the department fresh, Faculty Brown Bag 3 Department Mourns Loss of C a r a w a y OAH Conference 4 Thomas Earl Caraway, Adjunct Instruc- Earth and Space Sciences.) ring to his teaching as “the best job I tor of History, passed away January 4, have ever had.” He approached his 2011. He was born in Silsbee, Texas, He began work on a Master of Arts in duties as he approached everything New PAT Members 5 to Virgil and Rose Caraway. After History in 2004, completing the degree else – with passion and a drive to graduating from Silsbee High School, in 2008. He served as Adjunct Instruc- succeed. When his voice began to fail, News Bits 6 he joined the United States Navy and tor of History until his death. He is he requested a microphone so that he later attended Galveston College. survived by a sister, Carolyn Caraway, could continue to work. As one of his and many cousins, nieces and neph- colleagues said, “We will miss his Pet Corner 6 He entered Lamar University and re- ews. He was buried with full military enthusiasm and good humor. He was a ceived his Bachelor of Applied Arts and honors in the Houston National Ceme- major presence in the history depart- Sciences in 2003. He also worked as a tery. ment and he will not be forgotten.” Laboratory Instructor in the Department of Geology (now the Department of Tom was a gifted teacher, often refer- — Howell Gwin P a g e 2 History’s Happenings Local Veteran Honored by Norwegian G o v e r n m e n t On March 4, 2011, Rear as a seaman on various ves- Admiral Trond Grytting of the sels. He joined the U.S. Army Norwegian Navy traveled to in 1942 and trained with the Silsbee Convalescent Center 99th Battalion at Camp Hale, to present Leif Oistad with Colorado. the Norwegian Defense He was recruited, along with Medal. Sent in the name of other Norwegians and Ameri- King Harald V, Admiral Gryt- cans of Norwegian descent, ting was honoring Oistad’s by the Office of Strategic service during World War II. Services (OSS) for a special Oistad was born March 12, unit to conduct operations 1922, near Fredrickstad, behind enemy lines in occu- Norway, the youngest of eight pied Norway. Front row: Leif Oistad; Second Row: Oistad’s wife, Delene; children. After graduating daughter, Lisa Mowen; Third Row: Oistad’s daughter-in-law; (Continued on page 4) son, Erik; Adm. Trond Grytting. Photo by Mark Mengerink. public school, Oistad worked “[T]he project Mengerink Takes Advantage of Faculty Development Leave hopes to be the Mark Mengerink, assistant pro- for material relating to his project recently traveled to Las Vegas to first book-length fessor in the department, was on suicide during the Holocaust. present a paper on the topic to awarded a faculty development the Southwestern Social Sciences Based on his dissertation, the leave for spring semester. The Association annual meeting. An study of suicide project hopes to be the first book- leave allows faculty release time article based on this research is length study of suicide in the to conduct research, write, and under consideration for publica- in the ghettos ghettos and camps of Eastern pursue other scholarly activities. tion in an interdisciplinary anthol- Europe during World War II . He ogy examining the sociology of and camps of Mengerink has visited the United hopes to identify a publisher for music titled Ritual, Authenticity, States Holocaust Memorial Mu- the manuscript soon. Eastern Europe and Globalization in Music: An seum archives in Washington, Mengerink also continues to Introduction to the Sociology of D.C. and the Fortunoff Video during World examine how heavy metal bands Music. Archive for Holocaust Testimonies represent the Holocaust, Hitler, on the campus of Yale University War II .” and the Nazis in their lyrics. He Spotlight on Graduate Assistants: Sharon Courmier Born in Beaumont, Sharon stories and people that you could many and teaching American her library of 1500 books. (Michelle) Courmier, knew from never find in a book.” history on a U.S. Army of Air She reads widely in history, an early age she wanted to study Force base. Sharon’s research interests biography, crime novels, and and teach history. Like most of focus on women. “I love biogra- When she has free time, Sharon the occasional romance us, Sharon had an amazing phies and I am fascinated by spends it with her family. Sharon novel. teacher that opened her eyes to strong and empowered women.” and Paul, her husband of twelve Most importantly, Sharon the fascinating world of history. She hopes to teach when fin- years, have two children. Kate- has another dream. “I would “Her name was Mrs. Blitzer and ished with her M.A., eventually lynn Danielle (Katie) is eight and like to raise my two kids to she taught me that history was completing a Ph.D. in history Ethan Tyler is two-and-a-half. love learning and education more than dead men and dates; when her children are a bit older. as much as I do.” that it was full of interesting Sharon also likes to read from She dreams of returning to Ger- Volume 1, Issue 2 P a g e 3 Dr. Forret’s Busy Year Dr. Jeff Forret, associate professor in Dr. Forret has impressed the scholarly the department, continues to produce community with his research, but it high quality scholarship, as illustrated seems people outside of academia by the acceptance for publication of have taken notice as well. A film- his most recent article, “Slaves, Sex, & maker is considering making a motion Sin: Adultery, Forced Separation, and picture based on his research on slav- Baptist Church Discipline in Middle ery. Georgia,” by the prestigious journal Most importantly, Gabriel Forret was Slavery & Abolition. born on November 1, 2010, making In addition to this recent article, Forret sure that Jeff and his wife Sharon are Gabriel Forret. Photo courtesy of Jeff and also wrote the "19th-Century Slavery" a little more tired every morning. We Sharon Forret. entry for the Oxford Encyclopedia of wish Jeff, Sharon, and Baby Gabriel American Social History. the best. Spotlight on Graduate “[t]his work really Assistants: Cassandre Durso affected me deeply, We have Ms. Atmar and Dr. Gwin, She and her husband, Shane, have Holocaust though. She is currently both of the Lamar history depart- two children. Shelby is nine and researching the experience of Italian and showed me ment, to thank for inspiring Cassan- Harmony is five. immigrants to Texas and Louisiana, dre Durso with a love of history. As which forms the basis for her upcom- Of the numerous books Cassandre that the light of Cassandre admitted, “[t]heir lecture ing M.A. thesis. has read this year, her favorite is style and passion for their field made Survival in Auschwitz by Primo Levi, Cassandre plans to graduate in May humanity can me realize that there was more to one of the most significant Holocaust 2012 and eventually enter a Ph.D.