North Carolina Conversations Summer-Fall 2008.pdf

The Eastern 4H EnvironmentalEducation Conference Center locatedon the Albemarle Sound in nearbyColumbia, NC, was the site forlodging and classroom activities. Anadditional fifteen teachers stayed fora Humanities Council grant-writingworkshop on the Saturday morningfollowing the summer seminar. Fiveteachers will seek graduate creditduring the fall semester in a followupcourse to this beginning experienceat Somerset.The Teachers Institute is designed tocreate strong learning communitiesthroughout the state. Participantsencourage each other as they enrichtheir teaching and the classroomcurriculum. One teacher’s descriptionof the Somerset experience highlightsthis kind of enrichment:All the aspects of the seminar— history, stories, art, music —provided a comprehensiveapproach which allowed us toappreciate the history of slaveryand to give us the courage tostand up for justice — and tofurther teach our children.~Seminar Participant“I Started with the People First”Linda S. HarrelsonHarrelson is a professional development trainer with the NewHanover County Schools in Wilmington, NC.After a lingering breakfast and one last round of hugs andgood-byes, I started my lone four-hour journey home. As I drovedown the winding roads of eastern North Carolina, my mind swirledwith the adventures of my week — bits of conversation, phrasesfrom songs, scenes from the play, scholars sharing their expertise.Then, the memory of Dorothy Spruill Redford’s introductory words— “I started with the people first” — took me back to SomersetPlace and the enslaved people began to come back to life. I heardthe whispers, the moans, the singing as they worked day after day,year after year, under circumstances almost impossible to understand.In my mind’s eye, I saw the open fields, the remains of thecanal originally dug out of the swampland, the slave quarters, andthe plantation house. Then, I heard Dorothy’s voice again, “Thingswe value, we preserve.” I am grateful for the contributions she madeto preserve Somerset and to ensure that her ancestors will be foreverremembered.“Things we value, we preserve.” I will preserve in my memory adeep understanding and respect for the enslaved people of Somersetwho used their muscles, their intellect, and their inner strength tomake a lasting impact on our society.I also have a deep respect for the people who bring these summerseminars to life and appreciate the efforts of the North CarolinaHumanities Council’s Teachers Institute to provide such a richlearning environment for the state’s public school educators. Mydays at “Somerset Place: Slavery and ItsLegacy” flowed with different experiencesand activities and scholars — all of whichcame together into one unforgettableweek. While this was my first experiencewith the Teachers Institute, I amconfident that it will not be my last. I amalready looking forward to the next one.Harrelson peels potatoes for the fish stew alreadycooking on the open-hearth. Photo by DonovanMcKnight.NC Conversations • Summer 2008 • 29