History project turns focus on city of Ashland

By MIKE JAMES - The Independent

ASHLAND September 28, 2008 11:42 pm

— What started out as a schoolwide multidisciplinary project studying 1920s America will now zero in on that historical period in Ashland.
Classes at all grade levels at Paul G. Blazer High School have been tying in lessons with the era of Calvin Coolidge, bull markets, and art deco. Next they will turn their attention to Ashland of the 1920s, when the Paramount was new and no floodwall guarded the city from the Ohio River.
The year-long project attempts to tie the sprawling, multi-building campus together with a common purpose, said librarian Karen Frame. “Blazer is so spread out. We thought, what if everyone studied the same thing at the same time,” she said.
Local history in the 1920s seemed to make sense. “So many things were going on in Ashland at the time. It was something every class could relate to,” Frame said.
The project gives teachers across the campus opportunities to collaborate, and so far the interest has been phenomenal, she said. Frame keeps a list of teachers who have latched onto the idea with lesson plans of their own.
Case in point: the observation that several bridges in the area built during the period have outlasted more modern spans prompted math teacher Shelly Walter to initiate a hands-on engineering project; students built their own miniature bridges and subjected them to the weight of their textbooks.
To ease them into the local history segment, Blazer history teacher Phil Wittich has lent crates of local history materials. Retired library director Jim Powers took students on a walking tour around town to introduce them to the history behind local landmarks.
What they’re looking for now, Frame said, is more 1920s memorabilia to flesh out the project. She’s hoping for the loan or donation of clothing, accessories, pictures, records or other information on area history.
It doesn’t have to relate specifically to the city of Ashland; classes also will study Northeast Kentucky as a region, Frame said.
Those wanting to help may call her at (606) 327-6040, ext. 3106.
MIKE JAMES can be reached at mjames@dailyindependent.com or at (606) 326-2652.