Hi Scott and thanks for inquiring. I'm taking the liberty of copying this to the forum with the idea that possibly others might think about doing something like what you're embarking on. For the Phono-L group, please pardon this long letter and delete if school presentations aren't of interest.
I always champion doing these kinds of presentations. I'm only 44 years old myself, my interest in phonographs having taken on a real life of its own when I was 12, but I'm already keenly aware of the need to spark interest in the next generations. I think it is vital to keeping the history alive and the artifacts in loving hearts and hands, after us. The only printed matter I have, that I regularly hand out are the typed transcriptions of some of the records that I play, so the students can read the words while the record is playing. The records themselves are mostly selected for their historical significance or entertainment value, and to augment and shed further light on various subjects that come up in their regular lessons. The transcriptions include WW1-related songs (Over There; Keep the Home Fires Burning; I Didn't Raise My Boy To Be a Soldier; My Dream of the Big Parade; & Edison's speech Let Us Not Forget), early depression (Farm Relief Song, which is something like an early Woody Guthrie style politically charged song), etc. In the entertainment realm, to demonstrate what these kids' forebears used to enjoy before computers, before television, before radio include a couple of Edison cylinders - Come Take a Trip in my Airship; The Transformation Scene from Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde; A Victor disc - Uncle Josh on a Streetcar; etc. Additionally, gaps between plays sometimes consist of me and/or the teacher having a brief dialogue with each other or with the students, to discuss some part of the last record played, and to make sure they understood the significance, or how it ties into a lesson they've already had or will have. I also play a number of records that I haven't transcribed. These are geared once again toward expanding their consciousness of prior generations in history. Teenagers always think that their own generation invented sex, and in their history classes they have learned, or are going to learn about the explosive cultural changes of the '60s, so to build a bridge that enables them to leapfrog backwards from their own generation, back to the '60s, and then back to the '20s, I play them My Handyman from Ethel Waters (1928), which is full of double-entendre and obvious sexual references. It's always interesting to see the surprise and sometimes embarrassment as the realization of what they're listening to dawns on them. After this record, there's a short discussion of the fact that this was widely issued by a major label (Columbia) and that it was bought by black and white audiences alike, which ties into the widespread popularity of speakeasies where mixed racial environments existed, long before the civil rights marches, sit-ins, etc., that dominated the news of three decades later. Socio-economic, political and cultural history figure prominently in their regular lessons, and the records bring life to what they simply don't get from the textbook page or a lecture. I let the records do most of the talking, but I fill in the gaps while I'm winding up the machines, changing needles, etc., by covering some of the technological aspects of the phonograph from its marvelous inception in 1877, with the incredulity it evoked and the marvels that it promised, to explaining how these machines can work without batteries or being plugged into a wall outlet. At the end of the lessons, some of the kids, boys and girls alike, crowd around to see the phonographs with the lids propped up, so they can see the motors, reproducers, etc. The presentations always evoke warm or even enthusiastic applause, and a number of sincere thank-yous, so it's very rewarding to see that it has reached some of them. Of course, there are some students who sleep through it or act distracted, but for the most part the students remain engaged for the hour and a half that's usually devoted to the presentation. As homework, the teacher has them write a two to four page paper on what they learned and he very thoughtfully provides me with a set of copies later on, so I can learn something about how they perceived the event. This enables me to fine-tune the presentation for the next group the following year. I've been doing this for about 12 years for the same teacher. The program always includes some of the same records including My Dream of the Big Parade, Farm Relief Song, My Handyman; but the rest of the program varies to some degree from one group of kids to another. If you think of it, take a moment after your presentation(s) and let me know how it goes. If you have any of the same records and desire a transcription, let me know. Transcriptions of other records are sometimes available on-line, if the song enjoyed enough popularity in its day. Best, Andy Baron On Nov 9, 2006, at 10:34 PM, Scott Colgrove wrote: > Hi Andy > > Do you have documents used for your phono presentations? I was > asked to present to 5-6 graders and possibly high school kids this > school year. I would love to plagiarize any documents you have > already created!!! > > Regards, > Scott >
