Darren Ferry speaks on Mechanics' institutes: Friday March 30, 2:30 pm

From Dr. Derek Neal:

Greetings to all,

The Department of History invites you to join us for our final presentation of the academic year, Friday, March 30 at 2:30 pm in room A122. Darren Ferry, of Nipissing's Muskoka Campus, will present a paper entitled "Open to All Classes on Terms of Perfect Equality: The Association of Mechanics' Institutes and the Establishment of Adult Education in Ontario, 1868–1895."

For a generation before 1895, what we would now call adult education in Ontario was largely undertaken by the Mechanics' Institutes, which provided a much wider range of instruction than their name would imply. Historians have generally considered their efforts unsuccessful, but Dr Ferry will challenge this received opinion, with reference particularly to the farmers, bookkeepers, clerks and young women who took advantage of the Institutes' evening classes during this period.

As always, the talk is free of charge, refreshments are provided, and everyone is welcome.

Hoping to see you there,

Derek Neal

"The Future Depends on Brest-Litovsk"

From Derek Neal:

The Department of History is pleased to invite you to a special presentation on Friday, March 16 at 5:00 pm in Room A226, entitled "'The Future Depends on Brest-Litovsk': War, Peace, and Revolution in Central and Eastern Europe, 1917–1918."

 Our guest speaker is Mr. Borislav Chernev, doctoral candidate in History at the American University in Washington, D.C.

Mr. Chernev will discuss previously overlooked aspects of the Brest-Litovsk Peace Conference which took place between December 1917 and March 1918 in an attempt to resolve the hostilities in the Eastern European theatre of the First World War. Focusing on the importance of Austrian, Bulgarian and Ukrainian delegations, the presentation will emphasize the domestic implications of peacemaking, and ask how the conference contributed to transmuting World War I into later national and social revolution in the vast region affected by the treaty.

 As in the History Seminar Series, the talk is free of charge, everyone is welcome and refreshments will be provided.

From the History Club

This is a reminder of the history club meeting this Wednesday, March 14, 2012 in room A143 at 11:30. We are looking for individuals willing to take over for the executive council next year. If you are interested please let us know either by responding to this e-mail or on facebook. 

Starting March 19 in the education centre hallway we will be holding our bi-annual book sale. You can drop off your donations or come buy to make a purchase that week. All money raised goes to the history club!

On March 29 we will be holding our 4th year pub night! All graduating students are welcome to come! It will be at the Fox and the Fiddle starting at 8pm. So come out, take a break from studying and enjoy a drink with your favourite prof!