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EDITOR’S NOTE: The year 2020
marked the 175
th
anniversary of the
publication of Edgar Allan Poe’s world-
famous poem “The Raven.” To mark
the occasion, we asked Boise State
University American literature scholar
Tom Hillard to reflect on this beloved
American poem. To find “The Raven”
online with Poe’s other works please visit
www.eapoe.org.
Few poems have captured the popular
imagination quite so thoroughly
and powerfully as has Edgar Allan
Poe’s “The Raven.” Its story is well
known, and it’s one worth retelling:
It begins, late at night, with a tired
narrator leafing through books to
distract himself from thoughts of his
deceased, beloved “lost Lenore.” A
tapping at his door disrupts him and,
startled and nervous, expecting an
unknown visitor, he opens it to find
only a worrisome darkness. With his
“soul within [him] burning,” he returns
into the chamber only to hear another
tapping, this time at the window. Upon
“STILL IS SITTING, STILL IS SITTING”:
POE’S “THE RAVEN” TURNS
By Tom Hillard
opening it, in flies “a stately Raven”
from “Night’s Plutonian shore” who
perches on a statue of Athena (the
Greek goddess of wisdom). At first
smiling at the unexpected presence,
the narrator playfully asks its name,
and to his surprise the raven replies,
“Nevermore.” Marveling, his thoughts
turn toward absent friends, and when
he wonders aloud if the raven will
also leave him, the response is again,
“Nevermore.”
The Newsletter of the Idaho Humanities Council | Winter 2021
feature continued on page 4
feature
The narrator recognizes that
this word is the bird’s “only stock and
store,” the only word it can speak, and
he responds by pulling up a seat to
ponder, “linking / Fancy unto fancy.”
What follows is the crux of the tale,
and the curious shift in events is what
gives the poem so much of its affective
power. The narrator, thinking again of
lost Lenore and wondering if the raven
is “bird or devil,” indulges his grief and
poses a series of increasingly painful
queries: Will he ever have “respite and
nepenthe” from his sad memories?
Will there ever be healing (“is there
balm in Gilead”)? And will he ever
“clasp” his beloved again in an afterlife
(“the distant Aidenn”)? The answer
to each, of course, is “Nevermore.”
Finally having had enough, the
narrator shrieks his demand, “Take
thy beak from out my heart, and take
thy form from off my door!” But we
know the reply, just as the narrator
does—and the poem closes with his
“soul” still under the “shadow” of the
raven. Marked by its unusual meter
and staggered, repeating rhymes,
its eerie, dark, and ominous mood,
and that unforgettable refrain, Poe’s
poem has a way of sticking with you—
lodging itself in memory just as the
titular raven haunts the chamber of the
poem’s narrator.
At the time I write this, in the
frosty late-December of 2020, Poe’s
raven has been haunting readers for
Tom Hillard
Image is from an 1852 illustrated edition of
Poe’s Poetical Works. Original from University of
California.
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Idaho Humanities is published two to
three times a year by the
Idaho Humanities Council
Ardinger House
217 W. State St. Boise, ID 83702
(208) 345-5346
Toll Free: (888) 345-5346
www. idahohumanities.org
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Chair
Margaret Johnson, Pocatello
Vice Chair
Shelley McEuen-Howard, Twin Falls
Mary Ann Allison, Idaho Falls
Tamara Ansotegui, Boise
Eve Chandler, Boise
Dan English, Coeur d’Alene
Murray Feldman, Boise
Stephan Flores, Moscow
Susan Gibson, Boise
Jan Johnson, Lewiston
Dulce Kersting-Lark, Moscow
Matthew Levay, Pocatello
Bill Manny, Boise
Christina Olson, Idaho Falls
Rocky Owens, Coeur d’Alene
Andrea Partington, Coeur d’Alene
Mac Test, Boise
Garry Wenske, Boise
STAFF
David Pettyjohn, Executive Director
Doug Exton, Program Ocer
Jennifer Holley, Director of Programs and
Development
Debra Schlechte, Oce Manager
Cindy Wang, Director of Operations
MISSION STATEMENT:
The mission of the IHC is to deepen
understanding of human experience by
connecting people with ideas.
Opinions expressed in Idaho Humanities do not
necessarily reflect views of the Idaho Humanities
Council or the National Endowment for the
Humanities.
I write these notes in the final days of 2020, a year
unlike any that preceded it. Though I will not be
attending any New Year’s Eve parties this year, I
expect I will still hear the song “Auld Lang Syne”
played on TV or radio. Scottish poet Robert Burns is
credited with writing the plaintive lyrics, which begin
with two rhetorical questions—should we forget our
past acquaintances and should we forget the days that
have past? These questions resonate powerfully this
year.
Throughout Idaho and the rest of the world, COVID-19 has taken a toll: Idahoans have
lost friends and family members, lost jobs, and lost much of what makes life normal.
But even through this challenging year, the humanities have sustained and engaged us.
Virtual art tours and historical lectures have proliferated. According to NPR, library
checkouts have increased as people have more time to read.
At Idaho Humanities Council, we initiated Connected Conversations, our virtual
presentations on subjects as varied as the history of Idaho Falls baseball, the history of
Idaho state parks, the refugee experience in Boise, and independent film, just to name
a few. And the IHC was able to award $386,107 in CARES Act grant awards to Idaho
humanities organizations that were affected by COVID-19.
Like the Roman god Janus, who is depicted with two faces, one looking to the past
and one to the future, I hope we can all continue to honor the memory of our “auld
acquaintance” while looking forward to 2021 with appreciation for all we have
accomplished and what we will continue to create in the coming year.
Like most gatherings this past year, the 2020 National
Humanities Conference was a virtual event featuring dozens
of sessions, engaging plenaries, and opportunities to learn
about the work of our fellow councils. The conference had
over 900 attendees including six IHC board members and
four staff members.
One session I attended focused on the importance of
diversity, equity, and inclusion in our work. I learned a lot
in that session but one comment particularly resonated: “if
you have one voice included in the conversation then you’ll
get one outcome.” The humanities are all about the stories, experiences, and ideas of
everyone and if some of those stories aren’t included then our understanding of the
human experience is incomplete.
Here at IHC, we are actively working towards including more voices to the conversation.
We have established a DEI Task Force, participated in the Human Rights Certification
program of the Wassmuth Center, and continue to develop programs the explore
Idaho’s diverse voices. I am also honored to serve on the Racial Equity Task Force of the
Federation of State Humanities Councils and will share the knowledge gained with our
board and staff.
We realize that much works needs to be done, but as we head into the new year, I am
excited that our journey towards full inclusiveness is well under way.
from the Chair
MARGARET JOHNSON
from the Director
DAVID PETTYJOHN
Should auld acquaintance be forgot
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot
And days of auld lang syne?
For auld lang syne, my dear
For auld lang syne
We’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet
For days of auld lang syne
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opportunity
IHC TO OFFER PROGRAMS ON
CIVIC AND ELECTORAL PARTICIPATION
Thanks to support from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the Federation of State
Humanities Councils, IHC will provide free humanities programs based on a national
initiative called “Why it Matters: Civic and Electoral Participation.”
These virtual events will explore the history of civic participation and electoral
engagement, highlight and elevate perspectives, and bring people together to talk, share,
learn, and listen using the humanities to promote understanding through historical
context and conversation.
Programming will take place from February to April 2021. Please visit
www.idahohumanities.org for more information.
IHC TO OFFER SUMMER
MAJOR GRANT ROUND
Because of the unpredictability of planning fall events due to the COVID-19 pandemic,
IHC is offering a one-time major grant round in summer 2021. This round is for
programs and activities that will take place after July 1, 2021. The deadline for initial
applications is April 15, 2021. Staff will review the applications and provide feedback
and recommendations. Final applications are due on May 17
th
, 2021. Applications will
be reviewed by the IHC board at their June 2021 meeting.
More information, including IHC grant guidelines, can be found at
www.idahohumanities.org/grants. Please contact Doug Exton, IHC Program Ocer,
with any questions at [email protected].
This program was funded by the “Why it
Matters: Civic and Electoral Participation”
initiative, administered by the Federation
of State Humanities Councils and funded
by Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
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175 years. Its history is a curious one,
beginning in early 1845 when Poe
authorized two nearly simultaneous
printings of “The Raven,” in the
February issue of The American
Review and the January 29 edition
of New York’s Evening Mirror. The
poem was an immediate sensation,
so much so that before July that year
it had been reprinted at least 30
times, in newspapers and magazines
throughout the northeast and from
such far-reaching places as Arkansas
and Indiana, and even England and
Ireland. Perennially struggling for
income, Poe cashed in on this success
by releasing that November the
collection The Raven and Other Poems.
To put it in contemporary
terms, Poe’s poem had “gone viral.”
And in the 175 years since, its
popularity has hardly waned. In fact,
“The Raven” has become such a pop
culture touchstone that even those
who’ve never read a stanza or page of
Poe are likely familiar with its ominous
“Nevermore.” The poem’s artistic
influence is wide, having inspired
almost countless allusions in stories,
books, television shows, and films;
and the parodies and spoofs of “The
Raven” are nearly as prolific, ranging
from Mad magazine and Donald Duck
comics to the now-famous rendition in
a Halloween episode of The Simpsons.
Even the world of professional sports
has felt its effect: the city of Baltimore,
where Poe is buried, honored him by
naming its NFL football team the
Baltimore Ravens.
Given this
pervasiveness of Poe’s poem, it
can be a challenge for modern-
day readers to see through the
layers of accumulated allusions
and almost mythic folklore
that have attached to the author
and his famous bird. Our vision
itself has become darkened, and
Poe’s biography at times distorted. For
many readers, the allure of Poe arises
from a dark intrigue. As with so many
Gothic and horror writers, we want to
know: Who conjures such creations?
What kind of mind thinks up stories
like “Berenice,” “The Tell-Tale Heart,”
or “The Black Cat”?
Consequently, the popular
mythos surrounding Poe tends to
emphasize the darkness. Indeed, his
life wasn’t easy. Born in Boston on
January 19, 1809 to actors Elizabeth
Arnold and David Poe, Edgar Poe
was orphaned by age three: his father
deserted the family, and his mother,
while in Richmond, Virginia, died
of tuberculosis. Young Edgar was
taken in by Richmond merchant
John Allan, who became his foster
father (and whose surname Poe
adopted as his middle name). But Poe
acquired habits that strained that
relationship, including racking up
substantial gambling debt while at
the University of Virginia (all while
emulating the lifestyle of a wealthy
Southern gentleman). This ne’er-do-
well behavior continued throughout
his life: he was frivolous with money
and prone to alcohol abuse, which
were destructive forces personally and
professionally. He suffered from ill
health, and he was no stranger to death
among those who were close to him,
including his wife, Virginia. Fourteen
years her senior, in 1836 Poe married
his cousin when she was only thirteen,
ostensibly to help provide for her after
the death of their grandmother, who
had been supporting her.
Their loving relationship,
however, came to an
end in 1846, when
Virginia succumbed
to tuberculosis after
years of declining
health. And Poe’s
own death (in
October 1849) is
shrouded in strange
mystery—found
delirious in the streets
of Baltimore, wearing
someone else’s clothes, and later
dying of “congestion of the brain.”
Such sensational qualities,
however, are often overemphasized
(and, in fact, originate partly from
posthumous character attacks by his
literary executor, Rufus Griswold).
For Poe was also fiercely committed
to his craft, possessing an astonishing
work ethic that resulted in a prolific
output as a writer during the 1830s
and 40s. While best known today for
his short fiction (such as “The Cask
of Amontillado” and “The Fall of the
House of Usher”) and poetry, during
his own lifetime Poe was recognized as
much or more for his editing work and
often controversial literary criticism
as he was his stories and poems. As a
review writer (for the Southern Literary
Messenger, Graham’s Magazine,
New York Mirror, and Broadway
Journal) Poe never hesitated to poke
fun at or outright attack writers and
works he found fault with (including
leveling accusations of plagiarism).
He derided the cliquishness of many
contemporary Northern literary
circles, including Henry Wadsworth
Longfellow and the group of authors
associated with the Knickerbocker
magazine (a rivalry that became
known as the “Longfellow War”); and
while Poe disdained authors who
imitated British literary models, he
equally dismissed the push for an
feature
continued from cover
Image is from an 1884 edition of “The Raven”
illustrated by William Ladd Taylor.
Poe in 1849
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American nationalism in literature
when it resulted in praising inferior
art simply because it was American.
Outspoken at nearly every turn, as a
scathing critic Poe eventually earned
the nickname, “the man with the
tomahawk.”
What often seems a grim
somberness in Poe’s literary
subject matter is frequently offset
by his over-the-top flourishes and
inclination toward outright satire
and parody. Critics still frequently
struggle with whether to read
many of his tales, in all of their
outrageousness, as earnestly serious
or ironically comic. Poe himself loved
duping people, in person and in
print, and seemed to find pleasure in
highlighting the gullibility of others.
Take, for instance, “Hans Phaal—A
Tale,” an 1835 story presented as a
true account of a man who used a
balloon to fly to the moon! A similar
1844 tale in New York’s The Sun,
about a manned balloon flight over
the Atlantic, created an overnight
sensation (before the story was
eventually retracted).
In addition to these proto-
science fiction tales, it’s helpful also
to remember Poe as the author of
“The Purloined Letter” and “The
Murders in the Rue Morgue”—
stories about logical analysis and
things hidden in plain sight—which
effectively inaugurated the detective
story genre as we know it. In fact,
to return to “The Raven,” Poe’s
fascination with rational thinking
and his fondness for stretching the
truth come together in his 1846 essay,
“The Philosophy of Composition,”
in which he ostensibly outlines
his principles and methods for
composing the poem. As Poe would
have us believe (and there is strong
evidence that he’s pulling our leg),
he began “The Raven” with a specific
“effect” in mind and from there
methodically reverse-engineered a
poem to create that effect—applying
what he calls “the precision and
rigid consequence of a mathematical
problem.” Thus he uses rigorous
logic and process to determine that
“Melancholy is . . . the most legitimate
of all the poetical tones,” and
concludes that “the death, then, of a
beautiful woman is, unquestionably,
the most poetical topic in the world.”
I realize that all of these
musings on Poe and the legacy of
his famous poem may seem an
unusual—even macabre—topic in
late December: For many of us, the
year’s end is a time for holiday cheer,
celebration, and gathering family.
However, it wasn’t too long ago that
“bleak December,” as Poe phrases it
in “The Raven,” was a traditional time
for ghost stories.Charles Dickens
cemented this connection with his
1843 A Christmas Carol, but the
tradition of ghosts and the cold dark
of wintertime is actually much older.
In Shakespeare’s A Winter’s Tale, for
example, the character Mamillius
tells us that “A sad tale’s best for
winter: I have one / Of sprites and
goblins.” Even the original Gothic
novel, Horace Walpole’s The Castle
of Otranto, was first published on
Christmas Eve in 1764; and likewise,
Henry James’s 1898 classic The Turn
of the Screw is framed as a ghost
story told the night before Christmas.
“The Raven” itself is an
end-of-the-year tale: “Distinctly
I remember it was in that bleak
December,” the narrator recalls,
and in that winter half-light of a
“midnight dreary,” where “each
separate dying ember wrought its
ghost upon the floor,” I suspect we
as modern readers might be able to
find a story for our own times.Truth
be told, as 2020 comes to a close,
most of us are living in some
version of a ghost story, reckoning
with the haunting memories of
“life as normal” that may never
return. The pandemic of the past
year has brought each of us almost
unimaginable hardships,
and many of us, like
Poe’s narrator, have been
alone and lonely, forced
to contend with grief,
reckon with loss, and
face dicult questions—
about ourselves, our lives
and loved ones, even the
cultures in which we live.
What will come next? Will
there be respite? Will we
find the “nepenthe” or the
“balm of Gilead” that the
narrator himself seeks?
Will we ever reunite with
our loved ones?
Poe’s poem ends with its
own haunting finale: “And the raven,
never flitting, still is sitting, still is
sitting . . .” Even now, 175 years later,
despite the narrator’s command to
“Take thy beak from out my heart,”
Poe’s raven has not moved. Still it
sits, and the poem closes without
tidy resolution. Such uncertainty
is unsettling, for sure, but peering
into the darkness, facing the hard
things always is. Yet that’s what life
is like, isn’t it? Even in the best of
times it’s messy, without resolution,
ambiguous, impermanent. The magic
of the “The Raven,” like so many
works of literature, is that it reminds
us we’re not alone in our grief, and
that in the catharsis of facing it, amid
all the darkness, ours is also a world
of beauty and love.
Image from an illustrated 1869 edition of Dickens’s A
Christmas Carol.
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IHC recently awarded $66,807 in grants to organizations and
individuals. Twenty-nine awards include fifteen major grants
for public humanities programs, four Research Fellowships, six
Opportunity Grants, and four Teacher Incentive Grants. The grants
were supported in part by funding from the National Endowment for
the Humanities and the Idaho Humanities Council’s Endowment for
Humanities Education.
MAJOR GRANTS:
Historic Wallace Chamber of Commerce,
Wallace, was awarded $2,500 for a new map
and guide of the Coeur d’Alene Mining District.
This project is a collaboration between the
Wallace Chamber of Commerce, the Wallace
Mining Museum, the Capt. John Mullan
Museum, the Kellogg Staff House Museum, the Wallace Mine Heritage
Exhibition, and the Historic Wallace Preservation Society. The project
director is David S. Copelan. PHOTO: Wallace District Mining Museum
Museum of North Idaho, Coeur d’Alene, was awarded $4,000 for a
new podcast with twelve different themes aligned with the heritage
associated with each month. The project director is Jocelyn Whitfield-
Babcock.
Blaine County Historical Museum, Hailey, was awarded $1,250 for
software and hardware upgrades to improve their digital archive. This
grant will allow multiple users and enable public access to the digital
archive once it is created. The project director is Rebecca Cox.
White Spring Ranch Museum/Archive Library, Genesee, was
awarded $2,030 for infrastructure upgrades to assist in original
document preservation. The project director is Diane Conroy.
Community Library Network, Hayden was awarded
$5,000 for the North Idaho Reads Program in 2021.
Funds will help bring Emily Ruskovich to Hayden to
discuss her novel, Idaho. The project director is Twylla
Rehder.
City Club of Boise, Boise, was awarded $2,500 for program support
for the 2021 City of Club of Boise: Compelling, Inclusive, Nonpartisan,
Civil Conversations. The project director is Morgan Keating.
Boise Art Museum, Boise, was awarded $4,650 for a new exhibit
hosted at the Boise Art Museum, titled “The World Stage.” This exhibit
will feature 90 artworks from 35 artists, with a focus on today’s global
influencers alongside prominent 20
th
century artists such as Andy
Warhol and Kehinde Wiley, an artist best known for his presidential
portrait of Barack Obama which hangs in the National Portrait
Gallery. The project director is Melanie Fales.
Global Lounge Incorporated, Boise, was awarded $2,500 for the 2021
World Village Festival. This event focuses on the various cultures that
make up the Treasure Valley. The project director is Dayo Ayodele.
The Cabin, Boise, was awarded $3,000 for program
support for the 2020-2021 yearly readings and
conversations season. This would help bring James
McBride, Mary Roach, and Laila Lalami in for the
series. The project director is Kurt Zwolfer.
PHOTO: Laila Lalami
City of McCall, McCall, was awarded $4,000 for development of a
new public humanities project. This project will tie in Idaho History
to the public in Downtown McCall through the lens of literature with
an accompanied event open to the public. The project director is Meg
Lojek.
The City Club of Idaho Falls, Idaho Falls, was awarded $3,500 for
program support for the 2021 program year for City Club of Idaho
Falls. The project director is Jerry Scheid.
Idaho Shakespeare Festival, Boise, was awarded $4,000 for the
Shakespearience program which will take a Shakespeare play into
the schools virtually. The 2021 play is a recorded version of Hamlet.
The program includes study guides for advance student preparation,
including historical references and discussion about Shakespeare. The
project director is Christine Zimowsky.
Idaho Latino Scholarship Foundation, Inc.,
Boise, was awarded $2,000 for their annual
Nuestros Corridos Concert event and associated
workshops. The event involves multiple
cultural components of Latinx heritage. The
project director is Ana Maria Schachtell.
Magic Valley Arts Council, Twin Falls, was awarded $2,000 for
program support of PBS’s Indie-Lens Film Festival in a COVID-19 era
format. The festival will promote community-driven conversation
around six documentaries. The project director is Melissa Crane.
RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS:
David Lawrimore, Idaho State University, Pocatello,
was awarded $3,500 for a book-length study of the early
American novel’s role in class and partisan conflicts of
the 1780-1820 early national period. He plans to discuss
how many authors’ writings advocate for this “Natural
Aristocracy.”
Justin Stover, Idaho State University, Pocatello, was awarded $3,500
to build on recent work in environmental destruction and sexual
violence during the Irish revolution. His current project will examine
personal compensation and property reconstruction efforts after
the revolution. Stover will include exploration of bias against Irish
women filing claims during this period.
Arunima Datta, Idaho State University, Pocatello,
was awarded $3,500 for research on issues of labor
migration from the beginning of the 19
th
century in
Britain, focusing on servants and nannies (ayahs).
These ayahs traveled between India and Britain and
were often forced to wait and faced destitution in
Britain while waiting to return home. Through this exploration, Datta
will examine “waiting” as a social experience.
Evan Rodriguez, Idaho State University, Pocatello, was awarded
$3,500 for research on challenging narratives about Plato’s rivalry
with contemporaries. He suggests a closer look will reveal that the
two sides were part of a broader conversation that deepened each
respective approach.
OPPORTUNITY GRANTS:
College of Southern Idaho, Twin Falls, was awarded $1,000 for a
2-night, 3-day humanities-centered event will be held June 9-11, 2021,
grants
IDAHO HUMANITIES COUNCIL AWARDS , IN GRANTS IN OCTOBER
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in McCall, Idaho, at MOSS (the University of Idaho’s McCall Outdoor
Science School) and will enable participants to share research,
writing, teaching ideas, and future plans in a spirit of inquiry and
collaboration. The project director is Jan Simpkin.
College of Southern Idaho, Twin Falls, was awarded
$1,000 for Dr. Martin Nekola to visit CSI to discuss Czech
history within the US and Idaho. There will be both
academic and public events associated with Nekola’s visit.
The project director is Jim Gentry.
PHOTO: Dr. Martin Nekola
Liberating Spirit Metropolitan Community Church, Boise, was
awarded $1,000 to support the production of a documentary focusing
on the Boise 7, a group of women fired in 1977 for alleged Lesbianism.
The producers plan on premiering the film in Boise and hope to enter
it in major U.S. film festivals and beyond. The project director is
Andrea Scott.
Barnard Stockbridge Museum, Wallace, was awarded $1,000 to help
produce a museum brochure for the Barnard Stockbridge Museum.
The project director is Tammy Copelan.
Boise State University, Boise, was awarded $1,000 to support a
diverse public lecture series complimenting a new course (Language,
Race, and Ethnicity) for the Spring of 2021 term at BSU. The project
director is Chris VanderStouwe.
Community Library Network, Post Falls, was awarded $1,000 to
create and preserve local history in a digital archive. The Rathdrum
and Post Falls historical societies agreed to partner with the
Community Library Network on the project and will assist in taking
items from their respective collections and digitizing them so they are
fully searchable and accessible on a web-based platform. The project
director is Nathan A. Hansen.
TEACHER INCENTIVE GRANTS
Garden City Library Foundation, Garden City, was awarded $1,000
to purchase new books for the Bells for Books bookmobile program.
The program serves a high number of non-English speaking children
and bilingual books are included on the bus. The project director is
Suzy Cavanagh.
Pend Oreille Arts Council, Sandpoint, was awarded $977 to bring
in Living Voices: “Within Silence.” The story provides students with
access to the Japanese American Internment period in U.S. history,
and to the other themes of justice, equality, freedom, and the U.S.
immigrant experience. The performance will be followed by an
in-depth discussion with students about these themes. The project
director is Tone Lund.
Children’s Museum of Idaho, Inc., Meridian, was awarded $900 to
support four camps to children ages 4-6 and their parents. Literature,
art, music, history and language are all included in the camps. The
project director is Erin Brown.
Holy Spirit Catholic School, Pocatello, was awarded
$1,000 for a social justice book club for teachers. This
book club will read and discuss multiple themes and
books throughout first half of 2021. Discussions and
books will be used to teach themes of social justice to
the students as well. The project director is Margie
Gabiola. PHOTO: Margie Gabiola
What is your family’s legendary
recipe? We’d like to know!
When a family recipe is passed down from
one generation to another, it can become so
much more than a entrée. Beyond a list of
ingredients and cooking methods, it can tell
a story and evoke the feeling of home, family,
and history. Where did the recipe come from?
Who do you remember making this recipe for
you? Who taught you to make it? When and
where did you typically eat this food growing
up? Was this a special occasion food, or an
everyday food? Why is this food special or
meaningful for you?
A lot of us are cooking from home these days.
We’d like to know if you are using those classic
recipes. We want to hear from you about your
favorite recipes, what you love about them,
what the smell of the ingredients evoke, and
especially what the history is or what the
recipe means to you.
Please send your recipes and the stories
behind them to Debra Schlechte, IHC Oce
Manager, at [email protected] and
we will share them on our website. We would
love to see photos of the finished dish, the
cooking process, and even the original recipe
card!
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IHC PROVIDED CARES FUNDS TO IDAHO CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS
Idaho Humanities Council received funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities as part of the
Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). The funding was for grants to eligible Idaho
humanities organizations. These funds were used for the organization’s general operating support, public
humanities programming, and for the development of specific humanities programming in response to the
COVID-19 pandemic. IHC provided$386,107 to 80 different Idaho organizations.
CARES Act Grant Recipients:
• Appaloosa Museum & Heritage Center Foundation, Inc.,
Moscow: $5,000
• Bannock County Historical Museum, Pocatello: $2,500
• Barnard Stockbridge Museum Wallace Extension, Wallace:
$2,500
• Basque Museum & Cultural Center, Boise: $7,500
• Bear Lake County Library, Montpelier: $5,000
• Boise Art Museum, Boise: $20,000
• Boise Contemporary Theater, Boise: $5,000
• Boise Rock School, Boise: $2,500
• Boundary County Historical Society, Bonners Ferry: $5,000
• Burley Public Library, Burley: $5,000
• Caldwell Fine Arts, Caldwell: $4,500
• Cascade Public Library, Cascade: $820
• Cascade School District #422, Cascade: $850
• Children’s Museum of Idaho, Inc., Meridian: $3,000
• City Club of Boise, Boise: $7,500
• City of Rexburg, Rexburg: $7,750
• Coeur d’Alene Public Library Foundation, Coeur d’Alene:
$5,000
• Death Rattle Writer’s Fest, Nampa: $2,460
• Eli M Oboler Library at Idaho State University, Pocatello:
$3,786
• Emmett Public Library, Emmett: $5,000
• Foundation for Idaho History on behalf of the Idaho State
Historical Society, Boise: $10,000
• Global Lounge Incorporated, Boise: $2,500
• Hailey Public Library, Hailey: $7,446
• Heart of the Arts, Inc., Moscow: $2,250
• Hemingway Literary Center’s Literature for Lunch, Boise:
$2,500
• Hipeexnu Kii U Nuun Wisiix. Inc., Lapwai: $2,500
• Hispanic Cultural Center of Idaho, Nampa: $5,000
• Horizons Lifestyle and Education Team (dba Cascade
Cultural Arts Center), Cascade: $1,500
• Human Rights Education Institute, Coeur d’Alene: $5,000
• Idaho City Historical Foundation, Idaho City: $5,000
• Idaho Falls Arts Council, Inc., Idaho Falls: $2,500
• Idaho Museum of Natural History, Pocatello: $5,000
• Idaho Shakespeare Festival, Boise: $5,000
• Idaho State University College of Arts and Letters, Pocatello:
$7,500
• Jefferson County Historical Society and Philo T. Farnsworth
TV & Pioneer Museum, Rigby: $2,500
• Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre Inc., Moscow: $2,500
• Lapwai School District #341, Lapwai: $4,500
• Latah County Historical Society, Moscow: $3,500
• Learning Lab, Inc., Garden City: $2,500
• Lemhi County Historical Society, Inc., Salmon: $2,500
• Long Valley Preservation Society, Donnelly: $2,500
• Magic Valley Arts Council, Twin Falls: $1,500
• McCall Arts and Humanities Council, McCall: $2,500
• McCall Public Library - City of McCall, McCall: $4,885
• Middleton Public Library, Middleton: $5,000
• Mladi Behar the Bosnian and Herzegovinian Cultural Center
of Idaho, Meridian: $2,500
• Mountain Home Historical Society, Mountain Home: $2,500
• Mud Lake Historical Society and Museum, Terreton: $2,500
• Museum of Idaho, Idaho Falls: $20,000
• Museum of North Idaho, Coeur d’Alene: $5,000
• Music Conservatory of Sandpoint, Sandpoint: $2,500
• NP Depot Foundation, Inc., Wallace: $5,000
• Oregon Trail Center Inc., Montpelier: $5,000
• Panida Theater, Sandpoint: $2,500
• Pend Oreille Arts Council, Sandpoint: $1,500
• Post Falls Historical Society, Inc., Post Falls: $1,500
• Preservation Idaho (Idaho Historic Preservation Council),
Boise: $7,500
• Rathdrum Westwood Historical Society, Rathdrum: $2,500
• Regents of the University of Idaho, Moscow: $8,000
• Sacajawea Interpretive, Cultural, and Educational Center,
Salmon: $5,000
• Salmon Arts Council, Salmon: $2,500
• Sawtooth Interpretive & Historical Association, Salmon:
$5,000
• Sixth Street Melodrama Inc., Wallace: $2,500
• Sugar Salem School District, Sugar City: $4,000
• Sun Valley Museum of Art, Ketchum: $10,000
• Tetonia Library, Tetonia: $2,500
• The Alturas Institute, Idaho Falls: $8,360
• The Art Museum of Eastern Idaho, Idaho Falls: $5,000
• The Cabin, Boise: $12,000
• The Community Library, Ketchum: $17,500
• The Frank Church Institute, Boise: $2,500
• The Idaho Mythweaver, Sandpoint: $2,500
• The Post Falls Historical Society, Inc., Post Falls: $1,500
• Trailing of the Sheep Cultural Heritage Center, Inc., Hailey:
$3,000
• Treefort Community Fund, Boise: $2,500
• TRIO Rising Scholars Peer Mentor Program at Boise State
University, Boise: $2,500
• Valley of the Tetons Library, Victor: $7,500
• Wallace District Mining Museum, Inc., Wallace: $2,500
• Warhawk Air Museum, Nampa: $7,500
• Wassmuth Center for Human Rights, Boise: $12,500
Funding for these grants has been provided by
the National Endowment for the Humanities
(NEH) as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief
and Economic Security (CARES) Act economic
stabilization plan.
9
Quotes from CARES Act Grant Recipients:
“Thank you to the IHC. We are SO grateful. These grants have made such a difference for us this year. It’s been the only
significant source of support we have been able to find.”
- Paula Benson, Preservation Idaho, Boise
“The generous grant is an incredible source in seeing our educational mission through under these tremendously
challenging conditions that, in turn, will serve to strengthen our capabilities in serving our Gem State altogether.”
- Barry Bilderback, Lionel Hampton School of Music, University of Idaho, Moscow
“This grant is so needed for us to continue our work on preserving
our historic buildings during this crazy time. The Idaho Humanities
Council has been a key partner through the years as we work to save our
community’s history and tell its story. Once again you are there for us.”
- Beth Wilson, Idaho City Historical Foundation, Idaho City
“This grant is indispensable to the work of Alturas in advancing American Democracy through promotion of the
Constitution, civic education, equal protection and gender equality, all areas of central interest and importance to the
humanities.”
- Dave Adler, Alturas Institute, Idaho Falls
CARES Act Grants by County
Funding Awarded
10
TEACHERS! SAVE THE DATE: JULY ,
SUMMER TEACHER INSTITUTE
UP-COMING
Get Up, Stand Up:
Resistance Through Popular Music and Poetry
The Idaho Humanities Council’s 2021 weeklong summer teacher institute, titled
“Get Up, Stand Up: Resistance Through Popular Music and Poetry,” will be held
July 19-24, 2021 (Monday through Saturday), on the campus of the College of
Idaho in Caldwell.
During this extraordinary time in U.S. history, institute participants will
examine protest poetry and music as scholars focus on an exploration
of historical and contemporary protest expressions around the country.
Selected teachers will join in lectures and discussions, watch films, attend
workshops, and collaborate with one another and the leading scholars to
immerse themselves for the week. They will return to their classrooms armed
with resources and renewed motivation to incorporate the topic into their
curriculum. Evening presentations on the topic will be scheduled during the
week and will be free and open to the public.
Scholar presenters include poet Major Jackson, Margaret Johnson, Idaho State
University, Carolyn González, California State University, Monterey Bay,Jan
Johnson, University of Idaho,and Bob Santelli, Director, Grammy Museum.
More information, including application details, will be available late January
2021 at www.idahohumanities.org.
Image courtesy of The Library of Congress
11
Stephan Flores, Moscow, is
Associate Professor of English,
Emeritus, at the University of
Idaho. He holds a Ph.D. in English
Language and Literature from
the University of Michigan, Ann
Arbor. He is a member of the
Advisory Board for artAbility, a
student-led project supported by
the University of Idaho’s Center
on Disabilities and Human
Development in collaboration with
the Idaho Self-Advocate Leadership
Network, Moscow Chapter. He is
the recipient of two Alumni Awards
for Faculty Excellence and an ASUI
Outstanding Faculty Award.
THREE NEW MEMBERS JOIN IDAHO HUMANITIES COUNCIL BOARD
The IHC board of directors elected three new members to its 19-member board at their fall meeting in Boise.
The new members will serve three-year terms and attend their first meeting in February 2021.
Dulce Kersting-Lark, Moscow,
is Executive Director of the Latah
County Historical Society. She
holds an M.A. in Public History
from Washington State University
and served as the project manager
and primary author of Legendary
Locals of Moscow (Arcadia
Publishing, 2015). She is a past
President of the Idaho Association
of Museums. Her personal
research interests focus on U.S.
environmental history and the
cultural history of the American
West, including the experiences of
open range cowboys.
The IHC board meets three times a year to review council-conducted humanities projects and programs. They
also award grants to organizations throughout Idaho to promote greater public awareness, appreciation, and
understanding of literature, history, cultural anthropology, law, and other humanities disciplines.
The IHC board is comprised of academic, public, and at-large members representing all regions of the state
(N, SW, and SE). Four members are appointed by the governor. Terms are three years, renewable once. Several
members rotate off the board each fall as terms expire and new members are elected.
STEPHAN
FLORES
IHC news
DULCE
KERSTINGLARK
Matthew Levay, Pocatello, is
Associate Professor of English
and Director of Graduate
Studies in English at Idaho State
University. He also serves as an
Instructor at Harvard Summer
School. He holds a Ph.D. in
English from the University of
Washington and is the author of
Violent Minds: Modernism and the
Criminal (Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press, 2019). He
currently teaches twentieth-
century literature and popular
culture and serves as the Director
of the only English Ph.D. program
in the state.
MATTHEW
LEVAY
12
IDAHO BLACK HISTORY MUSEUM
RECEIVES STATE’S HIGHEST HONOR FOR MUSEUMS,
HISTORICAL SOCIETIES, & INTERPRETIVE ORGANIZATIONS
The Idaho Black History Museum in Boise received the Sister Alfreda Elsensohn Award for its outstanding work as an Idaho
museum. Given annually by the Idaho Humanities Council and Idaho State Historical Society, the Sister Alfreda recognition
includes a $10,000 award to be used by the awarded museum, historical society, or interpretive organization to continue its
educational efforts.
The Award is named for Sister Alfreda Elsensohn, who founded the Historical Museum at St. Gertrude in Cottonwood in the
1930s. Sister Alfreda, one of Idaho’s outstanding historians, sought to collect, preserve, and interpret artifacts from Idaho
County and the surrounding area to better educate the public. “A museum is a bridge which links the present with the
past,” she said. It is her vision of Idaho museums as exciting, interactive, and educational institutions that the Award seeks
to recognize by honoring one outstanding Idaho museum each year.
“The Idaho State Historical Society (ISHS) engages
communities by building upon shared experiences to
inspire further action in preserving and sharing Idaho’s
history,” noted Janet Gallimore, Executive Director.
“To help meet that goal, the ISHS and IHC recognizes
organizations throughout the state that are thoughtfully and
conscientiously working on sharing their history. The Idaho
Black History Museum is well deserving of this award. The
Museum is being recognized for their truly exceptional work
in building bridges between cultures and exploring issues
that affect Americans of all cultures and ethnicity.”
“The IHC encourages public awareness and understanding
of history and other humanities disciplines,” noted David
Pettyjohn, Executive Director.“The Idaho Black History
Museum is being acknowledged for their exceptional
exhibits, educational programs, and community outreach.
We are honored to acknowledge them with the Sister Alfreda
award.”
While IHC and ISHS collaborate on many projects, this is their only joint award. Prior awards include the Bonner County
Historical Museum in Sandpoint (2008), the South Bannock County Historical Center in Lava Hot Springs (2009), the
Historical Museum at St. Gertrude in Cottonwood (2010), the Lemhi County Historical Society in Salmon (2011), the
Basque Museum and Cultural Center in Boise (2012), the Wallace District Mining Museum in Wallace (2013), the Sawtooth
Interpretive and Historical Association in Stanley (2014), the Owyhee County Historical Society and Museum in Murphy
(2017), the Lost River Museum in Mackay (2018) and the White Spring Ranch Museum/Archive Library in Genesee (2019).
honors
13
Remember to send back that envelope …
When you opened this issue of Idaho Humanities you saw the donation envelope – please
don’t throw it away. Show your support for the work of the Idaho Humanities Council today by
sending it back with your tax-deductible gift enclosed. The IHC is dependent on donations from
our readers, program attendees, civic leaders, community activists, and others who believe that
lifelong learning in the humanities helps build a more literate, empathetic, and intellectually
inquisitive Idaho citizenry.
The IHC will put your gift to good use funding innovative programming, sparking thought
provoking conversations, seeking out eye-opening cultural experiences, and generating new
ideas to bring people together
around the state.
Return your envelope or make
your donation securely online
at www.idahohumanities.org,
and help IHC promote the
humanities in your community
today!
CONNECT WITH THE HUMANITIES AT HOME
Since June 2020 the IHC has been facilitating a virtual conversation program on Tuesday evenings, titled
Connected Conversations, to help bring the humanities to your home. These conversations with diverse
speakers last about an hour, opening with a presentation on a humanities topic, followed by Q and A from
attendees. Topics have varied from American wildland fire history to women in art during the Renaissance
and Reformation to Idaho novelist Vardis Fisher. We have also held conversations about more timely topics
such as news literacy and the Black Experience in Idaho.
The 2020 conversations were recorded and can be found on our website, under the Connected Conversations
Program page. Our conversations will resume mid-January and run every other week with engaging new
topics.
If you would like to receive updates on these conversations, including dates and topics, please reach out to
Doug Exton at [email protected].
14
Many donors make multiple gifts
throughout the year. Donors are
listed at the level of their cumulative
giving for the following term – gifts
received between January 14, 2020
and January 14, 2021. These donations
support IHC statewide humanities
programming.
POET ($100,000)
This gift was made by the family
of Robert & Klara Hansberger to
commemorate their interest in and
support of the Idaho Humanities
Council
SCHOLAR ($2,500 + )
Klara Hansberger
HISTORIAN ($1,000 to $2,499)
Anonymous
Rick and Rosemary Ardinger
AJ and Susie Balukoff
Nick and Shannon Crawford
Chris Davidson and Sharon Christoph
Tom and Diane Dickinson
Jenny Emery Davidson and Mark
Davidson
Don and Iris Hendrickson
Margaret Johnson
Gregory Kaslo and Kay Hardy
Jon and Nikole King
Morris and Marla Krigbaum
Carolyn M. Lanning
Sidney and Kathy Smith
Garry Wenske and Yvonne McCoy
PHILOSOPHER ($500 to $999)
Jane Ahrens
Anonymous (2)
William Appleton
Eve and Tom Chandler
Melissa Lloyd Dodworth
Gary Eller and Teri Devine
Ford and Jean Elsaesser
Murray and Nancy Feldman
Art and Nancy Flagan
Robert Freedman and Anne Cirillo
Bill Manny and Jennifer Matheson
Betsy and John McTear
JoAnn and K.V. Nelson
Dick and Susan Parrish
David Pettyjohn and Geoffrey Parks
Ron Pisaneschi and Virginia Bennett
Park and Sharon Price
Elizabeth Pursley
Jeffrey L. and Jo Anne Smith
Jane and Craig Spencer
Jennifer Stevens
Nick and Carole Stokes
Susan Swetnam
Denise Thomson
Betty Weston
ARCHAEOLOGIST ($250 to $499)
Art and Michelle Beale
Anonymous (2)
Warren and Natalie Bergholz
John and Alex Bieter
Judy Austin
Bob and Elaine Carpenter
Virginia DeLong
Tom and Linda Dixon
Ted and Darlene Dyer
Michael Faison and Gisela Zechmeister
Steven Fields
Allan and Fran Frost
Jacqueline Groves
Chuck Guilford and Pam Peterson
Kathleen Hardcastle
Mary Lynn Hartwell
Anne Marie and Harold Jones
Arthur and Annelies Kull
Patti Lachiondo
Ray and Jane Morgan
Christina Olson
D. Nels and Joyce Reese
Sylvia and Jim Robison
Joe and Deborah Stegner
Greg and Linda Teske
Tom and Sue Thilo
Harry and Barb Tumanjan
Tim Weill
Lyle and Kathy Wendling
Julie Weston through the Wood River
Women’s Foundation Member’s
Fund in the Idaho Community
Foundation
Judy Wong through the Idaho Women’s
Charitable Foundation
Tom Riggs and Georgia York
James and Karen Young
Patricia Young
Stephanie Youngerman and Robert
Jahn
LINGUIST ($100 to $249)
Kathy Aiken and Joe Schwartz
Jeri St Clair and Robert Allen
Bob and Denise Allred
Amazon Smile
Anonymous (4)
Tamara Ansotegui
Scott Arnold and Maura Goddard
Bruce Ballenger and Karen Kelley
Warren and Kristen Barrash
Thomas and Marilyn Beck
Nancy Benson
Pamela Bernard
Jean Betebenner
Kenton Bird and Gerri Sayler
Bruce and Susan Bistline
Bert Bowler and Susan Whaley
Lisa Brady
Chris and Lanie Bragg
Don and Karen Burnett
Amy Canfield and Joel Mills
Ann Carlson
Steven Carr
Carol Casler
Claire and Lennard Chin
Gail and Chad Chumbley
Trent and Rebecca Clark
Pete and Audrey Cole
Linda Cook
Linda Copple Trout
Gail Corlett-Trueba
Shirley Crowe
Nancy Dafoe
Kathy Deinhardt Hill
Tony Edmondson and John Murray
Sandy and Jeanne Emerson
Mary F. Emery
Dan English
Dick and Mary Lou Ennis
Maria and Don Essig
Karen Estes
Shirley Ewing
Lauren Fins
Stephan Flores
Henriette Folkner
Jeff and Evin Fox
Rodney Frey and Kristine Roby
Wayne and Margaret Fuller
Janet Gallimore and Bill Barron
Sheila Gary
Forrest Geerken
Susan and Paul Gibson
Kathy Giesa Montgomery
David Giles
Jerry Glenn
Catherine Gray
Mary dee Gutierrez
Dean and Cindy Haagenson
Helen Harrington
Ron and Linda Hatzenbuehler
Anne and Alan Hausrath
Michael and Irene Healy
Tom and Roberta Heinrich
Alice Hennessey
Bob and Lois Hibbs
Cameron and Marilyn Hinman
Butch Hjelm
Mark and Lynn Hound
Jennifer Holley
Sharon Hubler
Jim and Lorna Irwin
Cynthia Carr Jenkins
Elwyn and Dixie Johnson
Jan Johnson
John and Betty Johnson
Kyle Johnson
Richard Johnson and Mary Callan
John and Diane Peavey
Steven and Linda Kahn
Chris and Marie Kantarian
Susan Kelley-Harbke
Virginia Kelly
Joanne Klein
Richard Kohles
Martin Kokol
Peter Kozisek and Julia Robinson
Allyn McCain Krueger
Mark and Susie Kubiak
Skip Kuck
Meggan Laxalt and Dennis Mackey
Gail LeBow
Larry and Lucy Lepinski
John and Nancy Lindgren
Kristina Lysne
Robert and April MacLeod
Jim and Sharon Manning
Joan and Frank Mattern
John Matthew and Judy McKay
Laurie and Lon McCurdy
Kjel and Shelley McEuen-Howard
Knox and Sue McMillan
Ken and Amy Mecham
Steve and Judy Meyer
Dave and Sheila Mills
Rebecca Mills and Jeff Kuhns
James Wolf and Dinu Mistry Wolf
Don Mitchell
Louisa Moats
Connie and Terry Montanye
Clay and Barbara Morgan
Caroline Morris and David Monsees
Charles and Janet Mosier
Marty and Barbara Mueller
Bill and Sue Myers
Ralph and Judith Riba Nelson
John R and Katherine J Nice
Charlie and Susan Nipp
Beret Norman and Seth Thomas
Susan Norton
Ashely and Aaron Notestine
June Oler
John Ottenhoff
Judi and Bruce Owens
Arlene Oyer
Tom and Molly Page
Andrea and Joseph Partington
Keith Petersen and Mary Reed
Richard Peterson
Sara and Cameron Phillips
Doug Powell
Picabo Livestock
Tim and Wanda Quinn
Chuck Randolph
Charles and Mary Reed
Peter and Marjorie Reedy
Linda and Dan Rickard
Chris and Petra Riggs
Ed and Sheila Robertson
Ken and Betty Rodgers
Susan and Ron Rope
Gary and Jo Ann Rose
Peggy Ann Rupp
Tom and Pam Rybus
Donnel Schmidt
Mary and Jim Schmidt
Robert and Carol Schreiber
Judge John R. and Sher R. Sellman
Michael and Deborah Sexton
Gary and Dorothy Shue
Elizabeth Sims
Rick and Carole Skinner
Wally Smith and Mary Clagett Smith
Dorothy Ann Snowball
Susan Spafford
Norman C. Steadman
Stephan, Kvanvig, Stone & Trainor
Michel and Becky Swartz
Fay and Wayne Sweney
Kathleen Taylor
Wayne and Peggy Thiessen
Michael and Sue Tomlin
Ed and Judy Torgerson
Jeff and Karan Tucker
John and Jeanette Ullery
Shirley Van Zandt
Alan and Sheryl Vaterlaus
Anne Voillequé and Louise Nelson
Thomas and Jeanette Von Alten
Cindy and Mark Wang
Fritz and Janet Ward
Henry Whiting
Ronald and Connie Whitney
Ee Wildman
Philip and Rebecca Winston
Dick and Gerry Wisdom
Sheila and Robert Wood
Matt and Debbie Woodard
Jim and Cyndie Woods
Teresa Yata
ARCHIVIST ($50 to $99)
Jan Alden
Robert Ancker and Rebecca White
Anonymous (3)
Toni Ansotegui
Hamlat and Anthes Family
Margaret Scott Arnhart
Gail Baccheschi
Fran Bahr
Dennis and Lynn Baird
David Barber
Janice Batt
Chris and Sue Baughn
Laureen and Larry Belmont
Frederick Belzer and Theresa
Kaufmann
Gaymon and Evelyn Bennett
Marilyn Bischoff
Christine Bishop
Marsha and Steve Bjornn
Catherine Black
Glida and Glenn Bothwell
Carolyn Bowler
Bruce Bradberry and Susan Mecum
Maura Brantley
Mike Burkett
Rebecca Casper
Philip and Phyllis Conran
Lyn Creswell
Pamela Danielson
Nancy DiFelici
Julia DiGrazia
Dale and Dennis Drew
IDAHO HUMANITIES COUNCIL DONORS THANK YOU!
15
IDAHO HUMANITIES COUNCIL DONORS THANK YOU!
In memory of Glenn Balch
Betty Weston
In memory of Lois and Leon Whitmire
Kathy Aiken
Amy Canfield and Joel Mills
In memory of Priscilla Bendemeer
Martin and Barbara Mueller
In memory of Alice Dieter
Kay Hardy
In memory of Franklin Specht
Debi and Steve Maughan
In memory of John Freemuth
Rick and Rosemary Ardinger
Jennifer Holley
In memory of Carol Brassey
Jennifer Holley
In memory of Margo Aragon Herrington
Jennifer Holley
Rick and Rosemary Ardinger
In memory of Dee Gore
Richard Peterson
In memory of David Lachiondo
John and Alex Bieter
Melissa Dodworth
Jody Mabe
Sue Schaper
Meggan Laxalt and Dennis Mackey
Cheryl Gratton
Rick and Rosemary Ardinger
Jennifer Holley
In memory of Catherine Wood
Janet Wood
In memory of Ben Dicus
Melissa Dodworth
In memory of Margaret and Bill Giesa
Kathy Giesa Montgomery
In memory of Bill Studebaker
Rick and Rosemary Ardinger
Bob and Denise Allred
Jim and Cyndie Woods
In memory of Wayne Phillips
Terry and Lyn Haun
In memory of Judy Stamey
Suzanne Radeke
In memory of Loretta Reed
Joe and Lorie Icenhower
In memory of Ford Swetnam
Susan Swetnam
In memory of Lee and Addie Taylor
Kathleen Taylor
In memory of Harold and Bertha Gesell
Jennifer Holley
In memory of Robert Sims
Rick and Rosemary Ardinger
Ron and Linda Hatzenbuehler
In memory of Vickie J. Simmons
Melinda Lindsey
In memory of Arthur Hart
Rick and Rosemary Ardinger
Kathy Aiken
Margaret Schiff
Kathy Deinhardt Hill
In memory of Glenda Annette Robertson
Carolyn Sherman
In memory of Jean Kohles
Richard Kohles
In memory of Ellie Schroeder
Jeri St. Clair and Robert Allen
In memory of Richard Schultz
Tom and Pam Rybus
In memory of Rob Roy Spafford
Susan Spafford
In memory of Fay Pettyjohn
Jane and Craig Spencer
In memory of Vivian K. Yamamoto
Kathy Yamamoto
In memory of Errol Jones
Joanne Klein
In memory of William H. Hielscher
Kirk Baker
In memory of Jack and Phyllis Ward
Jennifer Holley
In memory of Ben Dicus
Rick and Rosemary Ardinger
In honor of Patricia Crandall
Randy and Patricia Lyons
In honor of Jenny Emery Davidson
Danny and Elaine Bryant
Michael and Irene Healy
Margaret Scott Arnhart
In honor of Judy Austin
Don Bott
Patricia Young
In honor of Mary Lou Reed
Kathy Giesa Mongomery
In honor of Linda Strohmeyer
John Thomsen
In honor of Cherie Buckner-Webb
Garry Wenske and Yvonne McCoy
In honor of Rick Ardinger
Patricia Young
In honor of Rick and Rosemary Ardinger
Gene McVey
Jennifer Holley
In honor of Margaret Johnson
JoAnn Hertz
In honor of Garth Cates
Evelyn Cates
In honor of Katherine Aiken
Kenton Bird and Gerri Sayler
In honor of Keith Petersen
Jerry Glenn
IN MEMORIAM
IN HONOR
Carolyn and Charles Eiriksson
Ethel Farnsworth
Jim Francis and Karen Leibert
Jim and Barbara Gentry
Rod and Julie Gramer
Cheryl Gratton
Dean Hagerman
Craig Harline
Larry and Barbara Harrison
Terry and Lyn Haun
Nina Hawkins
Teena Hill
Tom Bacon and Judith Horton
Bill and Cheryl Johnson
Bonnie Krafchuk
John and Carol Cronin Kriz
Kroger
Erika Kuhlman and Kevin Marsh
Brigid Lawrence
Melinda Lindsey
Grace and Clark Lusk
Randy and Elizabeth Lyons
Jody Mabe
Paula and Gene Marano
Steve and Debi Maughan
Alberta Mayo
Laura and Kevin McCarthy
Mary G. McGown
Jason McGrath
Tom Michael and Katherine
Shaughnessy
Patty Miller
Susanne Miller
Gayle L. Moore
George and Sharon Moses
Dave and Diane Myklegard
Network for Good
Birgid Niedenzu
NPR Depot Museum
Vera Noyce
Rich and Sandy Ostrogorsky
Rockford W. Owens
Del Parkinson
Donna and Lew Pence
Ormond and Kathleen Rankin
Idaho Accounting Services, LLC
Mike and Sharon Ripley
Bruce Robbins and Maggie Chase
Shauna and Zeke Robinson
Ilene Rounsefell
Joe and Laurie Ryan
Sue Schaper
Jerry and Ann Shively
Betty and Steve Slifer
Robert Sobba
Barbara Spafford
Kirk and Pam Starry
Kay and Brent Stauff
Wendy and Jack Stevens
Kathleen Sutherland and Philippe
Masser
John Thomsen
Lin Tull Cannell
Robert Vestal and Jyl Hoyt
Sue and Bruce Vogelsinger
Mary Ellen and Stan Voshell
Susan and Deck Waters
Linda Werner
Janet Wood
Kathy Yamamoto
Nadine York
WRITER (Up to $49)
Lori Andre
Anonymous (3)
Kathryn Arneson
Kirk Baker
Donna and Roger Boe
Nancy Brown
Elaine and Danny Bryant
Max and Darlene Burke
Robert and Eleanor Carriker
Evelyn Cates
Jean Chantrill
Dax Chizum
Deborah Cordes
Ann and Joe Delmastro
Mary DeWalt
Doug Exton
Judith Gaarder
Mary Gehrke
Todd and Lynn Giesler
Elaine and Charles Gill
Patricia Gunderson
Hagerman Valley Historical Society
JoAnn Harvey
HannaLore Hein
JoAnn Hertz
Nikki Hyer
Joe and Lorie Icenhower
Dick Jensen
Jamie Keller-Mann
Jamie Kelley
Dulce and Tonda Kersting-Lark
Grove and Maggie Koger
Carly Latimore
Annamarie Lavieri
Joni Lueck
Judith Marineau
Ron and Cay Marquart
Len and Daralyn Mattei
Kendal and Tina McDevitt
Gene McVey
Jan Moseley
Clark and Kathyrn Muscat
Sarah Nelson
Dayle Ohlau
Barbara Olic-Hamilton
Virginia Overland
Suzanne Radeke
Nancy and Tom Renk
Maria Salazar
Margaret Schiff
Debra and Shain Schlechte
Carolyn Sherman
Richard and Delores Smith
Gavin Sorensen
William and Myrna Speirs
Fran Sprague
Denney Twitchell
Sue Uranga
James and Carrie Warr
Carolyn White
DONORS WHO GIVE MONTHLY
Tamara Ansotegui
Rick and Rosemary Ardinger
Tom Bacon and Judith Horton
Gail and Chad Chumbley
David Pettyjohn and Geoffrey Parks
Ron Pisaneschi and Virginia Bennett
Ronald and Connie Whitney
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Reader: Jeanne Anderson
Occupation: PR Consultant to Teton School
District 401 and former owner of Dark
Horse Books, Driggs
Book: A Crack in the Edge of the World;
America and the Great California Earthquake
of 1906 by Simon Winchester
After reading a book recalling the San Francisco Earthquake moment-
by-moment, I wanted to know more, and selected this one as a
follow-up. Simon Winchester is certainly a noteworthy author (I also
highly recommend “The Professor and the Madman.”) His curiosity
about all things – not just what happened in the San Francisco
earthquake but why and both scientific and cultural repercussions
– is on full display. He explores the geology of the complicated
750-mile-long San Andreas Fault in a vibrant, easy-to-understand
way.
Winchester takes us along on road trips across America to better
grasp the power of the North American Plate; along the way,
he delves into architecture, urban design, turn-of-the-century
Americana, corruption, seismography, and so much more that make
the 1906 incident and the broader history of San Francisco come
to life. A good book like this one feeds interest in so many other
subjects.
Winchester looks at the big picture and ties everything together. How
we reacted to this natural calamity history mapped the anatomy and
pathology of the culture of that day. In our current social upheavals,
there are lessons we can gain by examining them further. Isn’t that
what the humanities is all about?
Reader: Alice Hennessey
Occupation: Retired Boise Cascade
executive, subsequently CEO of the Idaho
Community Foundation, Boise
Book: The British Are Coming: The War for
America, Lexington to Princeton, 1775-1777 by
Rick Atkinson
It’s the week after the attack on the U.S. Capitol. The country is
bitterly divided, the virus continues to rage, and life seems chaotic.
In this atmosphere, I feel fortunate that my current book of choice
has been Rick Atkinson’s masterful description of the first two
years of the American Revolution. It has given me perspective.
We know how bad things were during the Civil War—but I can’t
imagine a more dicult period than the years when thirteen
disparate colonies were struggling to become a nation. Families
and neighbors were divided in their loyalties, towns were burned,
landscapes ravaged, Loyalists miserably treated, conspiracies
rampant. It was a fearsome time.
Atkinson’s research for this book was exhaustive. In addition to
all the details of campaigns, battles, and political infighting, he
provides the reader with appreciation for the vital role of logistics
in a war. The efforts to feed, clothe, and house the troops on
both sides of the war, while also procuring the needed armaments
and munitions, were monumental. Atkinson breaks his story into
relatively short digestible bites, provides wonderful maps, and
much human interest material.
If the reader has any interest in history, I heartily recommend this
book. As for me—I can’t wait for Volume II of what is intended as
a trilogy.
In each issue of Idaho Humanities, a couple of readers tell us what they’ve been reading and what they recommend.
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