Dear History Teachers,
I don’t think you get enough credit. We have all heard the phrase “those who fail to learn from history end up repeating it”, but it can be easy to think of history as just another stack of books weighing down our backpacks. You deserve so much better than comments about bookstore accounts. First of all, some of your classes don’t even have that many books! But jokes aside, you really deserve a thank you this December.
Most students and faculty who remember the STAC system of 2021 do not think of it fondly. However, this schedule did give me the opportunity to take four different history classes instead of two. This, combined with semester-long classes once the pandemic faded, means that I have taken seven history classes at CA. As a result, I feel that I am qualified to sing the praises of this department.
Over these seven courses, I have had five teachers. Each had a unique and exceptional style of teaching. Each one expertly condensed years of knowledge into a four-month course, all the while teaching several classes and grading dozens of assignments at a time. And you still manage to keep things fun! Even during COVID-19, we never just read from those infamously heavy books. There were projects and discussions and all-school events. The history hallway is always covered with art, turning a very narrow space into one of my favorite places on campus. Even during finals week, I could hear my friends discussing half a dozen different assignments.
Even more importantly, you all have an amazing enthusiasm for teaching. I imagine that it’s hard to wrangle a bunch of high schoolers, especially during the last block on a Friday afternoon. But all of you show up for the task. Your interest in Early American History, Revolutionary Russia, or any other historic field of study, is contagious. Whether we’re annotating primary sources or watching a Turkish soap opera, I always look forward to these classes.
The history curriculum was part of what brought me to Concord Academy, and I am happy to say that it has lived up to my expectations. So, to our history department, thank you. Thank you, Kim, Ed, Topi, and Emma for having me in your classes. Thank you, Rob, Stephanie, Jeff, Sarah, Sally, and Peter for being part of this outstanding department. I hope I’ll be able to take your classes in my senior year. And if you are reading this article as a student who is thinking about dropping history, I’ll encourage you to reconsider.
Thanks,
Eva Tutin ’24