This week, many interesting topics were discussed regarding future assignments/projects, gaining insight, and the real, sentimental, and ugly details of WWII. In addition, general and useful upkeep of our websites using the programs provided to be set and ready to continue our cultivation of content.
On September 10th (Tuesday), we spent most of our time together as a class elaborating on the inner workings of developing our websites and what we post, as well as trying to complete the tech set-up for good to move forward, knowledgeable of how to maneuver the application. Additionally, we lightly talked about the Dear Miss Breed article posted to annotate and pick apart as just a great artifact and example of displaying WWII and all the many individual experiences through the writing of letters to a faithful and caring former teacher of theirs.
On September 12 (Thursday), we dove deeper into our Dear Miss Breed discussion, as well as the student letters we had to each choose to read and study before the following class. We all had the chance to bring our reports of the writer’s claims, interests, desires, complaints, worries, and indifference to the depressing living conditions they confide in Miss Breed. Many weren’t paid to work, lived in harsh environments, were often ill/sick, missed their families/past, and even settled for such atrocities (it wasn’t like they had a choice) that they were confronted with. As sad and quite depressing as reading these letters was, the utmost respect I have for these people and the honor I can bestow upon them rose to a head. They found the light in such dark realities, wrote to convey honesty but air on the side of optimism, and highlighted the faint positives that could be found in their circumstances. As incredibly inspirational as these people serve to be, the topic is one of crucial acknowledgment and understanding, even in the current time.
Author
hmoore@muhlenberg.edu