Historical Society offers “laid back” education on local history for students
Clay Kilgore is executive director of Washington County Historical Society.
The leaders of cultural institutions in this region and across the country have been faced with a unique conundrum over the last couple of months – keeping the mission of their institutions in the public consciousness while coronavirus shutdowns continue.
Clay Kilgore, executive director of Washington County Historical Society, has been stoking interest in the area’s storied past through a series of “laid back” history lessons that have been airing live on the historical society’s Facebook page at 7 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Now, the same “laid back” concept is being applied to a video series that is geared toward students in middle and high schools and has been made available on YouTube.
Dubbed “Laid Back History: School Edition,” installments are anywhere from 12- to 21-minutes long, and feature Kilgore discussing highlights in Washington County history like the Whiskey Rebellion, creation of the National Road and the county’s role in the Underground Railroad. The Washington County Tourism Promotion Agency made the series in a partnership with the historical society.
Unlike the historical society live sessions on social media, Kilgore was recorded in the agency’s office for the “School Edition” series. His talks were unscripted, reflecting Kilgore’s deep knowledge of local history and the number of times he has told these tales.
“It’s a strange time,” Kilgore said. “We’re trying to stay out in front of people. …We’re going to have to learn new ways of operating.”
“Laid Back History: School Edition” serves multiple purposes. The series is a reminder of places to see and things to do in Washington County, it gives the historical society a boost and it can be a helpful tool for instructors who are leading classes remotely for the rest of the academic year.
“Teachers are looking for different ways to teach,” Kilgore said. “It’s something we wanted to do, to keep telling stories, and that’s what historical societies do. History is storytelling.”
According to Jeff Kotula, president of tourism promotion agency and the Washington County Chamber of Commerce, “We understand that many parents are working with their children at home and wanted to provide additional educational opportunities for them.”
The series can be found at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKajcV350ahbYNdTcqj1PbES3O8yhk7QB.