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CS92PROD
Oral Histories and the Portland Brownstone Quarry

ENGL 274
Fall 2009
Section: 01  
Course Cluster: Service-Learning

This course will investigate the form of the oral narrative. Students will work with Portland, Connecticut, residents who have been involved with the brownstone quarry there and know the history of this cultural, economic, and aesthetic feature of our community. Brownstone from Portland was important from the 1700s through the 1800s; it was the material that built many of the famous brownstones of New York and Boston and was even used in San Francisco and London. The quarry remained productive until the 1930s, when flooding made the stone unavailable. The 1990s saw a renewed interest in it; there is now a limited amount of quarrying and the site is developed as a recreational area, with hiking, canoeing, and camping facilities. In 2000, the quarry was listed as a National Historic Landmark and placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Students will interview residents and transcribe accounts and memories as oral histories of the quarries, choosing the medium of transcription--print, voice only (CD or audiotape), video (TV or DVD)--and producing final documents that will be offered to Portland and Middletown for the local history collections and to Wesleyan University for Special Collections.

Essential Capabilities: Writing
This course looks specifically at the recording of oral histories
Credit: 1 Gen Ed Area Dept: HA ENGL
Course Format: DiscussionGrading Mode: Student Option
Level: UGRD Prerequisites: None
Fulfills a Major Requirement for: None
Past Enrollment Probability: Not Available

Last Updated on APR-19-2024
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