History: An Exploration of Overlooked Historical Events ; Tuesday ; Period 3

[1stinkinpercent.livejournal.com]

First day of class and Riley had overslept. Not bad enough to be late but bad enough that he'd stumbled into the classroom with his laptop shoved hastily in his bag, his tie askew (don't ask why he was wearing a tie, he thought it was mandatory for teaching) and his hair standing on end. He had about five minutes to style his hair with his hands before students started arriving.

And then there were students in front of him and Riley was staring owlishly. Right, he had to talk. He was in charge here. Not Ben. Not Abigail. Not Ian.

"Uh, hey there," he said carefully. "I'm Riley Poole and looks like I'm gonna be your teacher for this class. I'm pretty new here so I'd appreciate any laughing at me be done when I'm not paying attention. I have a fragile ego."

Not really.

"Anyway, if you're here, you apparently want to learn about historical events that tend to get overlooked or overshadowed by other things such as limited information being available about the event, other situations made to be more important and thus focused on or people just being bored and not caring about the event. So, that's what we'll cover today. But, I know it's the first class so we won't get too deep into things yet."

Even if he wanted to. Hey, he loved history too. He just didn't want to marry it like Ben did. "We'll start easy. Sybil Ludington is sometimes called the female Paul Revere. She was sixteen years old when she rode over forty miles through rough terrain on her horse, Star, to alert the American colonial forces that the British were coming. She was that young and that fearless and yet, history doesn't remember her. They remember Paul Revere even though Sybil Ludington rode further than him and was younger than him. But, history remembers Revere, which is unfortunate. So, for introductions, let me know your name and how you'd make sure history doesn't forget you over some other person."

Riley leaned against his desk and nodded at a student to go first.

Comments

Sign In [H: OHE 09/03]

[1stinkinpercent.livejournal.com]

Ready to learn!

Re: Sign In [H: OHE 09/03]

[rilla-myrilla.livejournal.com]

Rilla Blythe

Re: Sign In [H: OHE 09/03]

[notyetplatypus.livejournal.com]

Chaz Villette

Lecture [H: OHE 09/03]

[1stinkinpercent.livejournal.com]

Riley doesn't mind if you talk or pass notes but he'd be stoked if you did pay some attention to him.

Introductions [H: OHE 09/03]

[1stinkinpercent.livejournal.com]

Riley would like to know your name and how you'd make sure history didn't forget you.

Re: Introductions [H: OHE 09/03]

[rilla-myrilla.livejournal.com]

Rilla bit her lip nervously. She was still not great with public speaking where strangers could hear her and lisped occasionally.

"I'm Rilla Blythe," she said carefully, "and I'm not certain that I want to be remembered that way."

Re: Introductions [H: OHE 09/03]

[1stinkinpercent.livejournal.com]

"So, you'd rather be forgotten?" Riley asked, raising an eyebrow. "Not remembered at all?"

Re: Introductions [H: OHE 09/03]

[voiceoverdue]

"Cecil Baldwin." He waved a little. "I suppose I'd start by not being a member of a gender or ethnic minority?" He felt he had a good start on that. Unless I get jossed. "Oh, and don't do anything that makes the city council wipe me out of recorded history, of course."

Re: Introductions [H: OHE 09/03]

[1stinkinpercent.livejournal.com]

That was an interesting answer. It was a good answer though it was kind of a sad answer too. He nodded thoughtfully.

"Yeah, it does seem like those people who are different, women, persons of color, the disabled, do tend to draw the short straw when it comes to being remembered," he said, nodding. "As for the second part of the answer..."

He trailed off, mouth twisting. "Can city councils even do that?"

Re: Introductions [H: OHE 09/03]

[ultron_junior]

"I'm Victor Mancha," Victor said carefully. This was an interesting question. "And ... I hope I'll do great enough things that history won't be able to forget me."

Re: Introductions [H: OHE 09/03]

[1stinkinpercent.livejournal.com]

"So, you'll make a mark that's big enough that you'd be impossible to ignore," Riley replied, nodding. "And it sounds like you'd try and do multiple great things instead of one great thing. You don't want to be a one hit wonder remembered for being that guy who couldn't do more than one great thing."

Re: Introductions [H: OHE 09/03]

[robinonadderall]

"Uh, hi, I'm Stiles," he said with a little wave. "Right now I'm kind of focused on history not remembering me as someone who did something really stupid."

Re: Introductions [H: OHE 09/03]

[1stinkinpercent.livejournal.com]

"A good goal." One he himself aimed for on a daily basis. "Being remembered is great but being infamous? Not always so great. Especially if the reason you're remembered is something that makes you the butt of a joke for centuries."

Re: Introductions [H: OHE 09/03]

[faithandscience.livejournal.com]

"William Murdoch," William introduced himself. "And I'm hoping that the knowledge I've acquired during my education here will help set me apart once I've returned to my own time."

Re: Introductions [H: OHE 09/03]

[1stinkinpercent.livejournal.com]

Oh right, there was a whole weird time thing here. That was going to take some time to adapt to, he realized. He rubbed the side of his head.

"So, you can be the smarty pants of your generation?" he guessed, smirking.

Re: Introductions [H: OHE 09/03]

[tigerundercover]

"Raven Darkholme," Raven said. "And when I'm from you pretty much have to be white and male." She nodded to Cecil, who had gotten to that point first. "Or blonde and really, really beautiful, I guess. Or evil."

Well, she had one of those down for sure, at least?

Re: Introductions [H: OHE 09/03]

[1stinkinpercent.livejournal.com]

"And if you're not, you're pretty much screwed?" Riley guessed.

Re: Introductions [H: OHE 09/03]

[voiceoverdue]

Cecil nodded back. He could definitely see where being evil would work, too.

Re: Introductions [H: OHE 09/03]

[nomoresportscars]

"Jackson Whittemore." Who was actually not looking horribly snooty, for once. Because this was the first class he'd taken at this school that actually sounded normal. Apparently that deserved something. He leaned back in his chair. "And I'm going to do great things."

Okay, he could still be smug.

(In a slightly false way. The werewolf thing had put a slight twist in his desire to be that well-known.)

Re: Introductions [H: OHE 09/03]

[1stinkinpercent.livejournal.com]

"Are you?" Hey, it was good to have confidence. "Do you know what those great things are gonna be?"

Re: Introductions [H: OHE 09/03]

[dressedinblood]

"I'm Anna Korlov," Anna said, "and...I don't know. I'd start with not being a victim." History had already forgotten her, just another sad murdered girl. It was teenagers telling stories around a campfire who had enabled her legend to live on.

Re: Introductions [H: OHE 09/03]

[1stinkinpercent.livejournal.com]

"Some victims are remembered," he noted before relenting by saying, "for being a victim, of course. So, I can see your point."

Re: Introductions [H: OHE 09/03]

[spin_kick_snap]

Kathy had been nodding along with most of the other students' ideas. They were really good

"I'm Kathy Li," she said when it was her turn. "I don't think I'm exactly the history-making type, especially since I've already lost the lotto on the gender and ethnic minority thing." She flashed a wry smile. "But if I did, I'd want it to be because I helped people in such a way that they couldn't forget me."

Beat.

"Something to do with gymnastics would also be good, but most people can barely remember most of the Olympic medalists' names, so I'm pretty sure that's out."

Riley [H: OHE 09/03]

[1stinkinpercent.livejournal.com]

He's around if you'd like to talk to him.

OOC [H: OHE 09/03]

[1stinkinpercent.livejournal.com]

If you'd like to be a TA, just hit up Riley's thread!