Public Services and Social Sciences at DCCC

Constitution Center and African-American History Museum

2011-11-10T14:46:00.003-05:00

Professor Adriana Bohm(Sociology) and Professor Jeffrey LaMonica(History) took students from their bundled Experiences in Diversity and World Civilizations courses to the Constitution Center and the African-American History Museum in Philadelphia on 10 November 2011.

Gettysburg Trip April 2011

2011-04-16T15:13:00.008-04:00

Professor Ife Williams(Political Science) and Professor Jeffrey LaMonica(History) led a group of DCCC students to Gettysburg on 15 April 2011. The trip included a visit to the boarding house in Chambersburg, PA where John Brown planned his 1859 raid on Harper's Ferry, WV. Stops on the Gettysburg Battlefield were Little Round Top, Seminary Ridge, and Cemetery Hill.

John Brown's Room

DCCC Students at Seminary Ridge

The Group on Little Round Top

Baltimore Trip

2011-04-03T20:07:00.005-04:00

Dr. Ife Williams(Political Science) and the Black and Woman's History Committee took a group of DCCC students on a trip to Baltimore on 1 April 2011. The trip included visits to the Frederick Douglass-Issac Myers Maritime Park, the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African-American History, and the National Great Blacks in Wax Museum.

Frederick Douglass Talks to the Group in front of his Home

Harriett Tubman Speaks to DCCC Students at the Orchard Street Church

United Nations Trip 2010

2011-02-24T09:25:00.004-05:00

Professor Jeff Salavitabar(Economics) and his economics students visited the United Nations in October 2010.

3rd Colored Infantry Regiment at DCCC

2011-02-03T09:24:00.004-05:00

The Black and Woman's History Committee hosted the 3rd Colored Infantry Regiment for a living history presentation in the Large Auditorium on 2 February. The re-enactors discussed the role of African-American troops in the Union Army and displayed various Civil War artifacts. Students enrolled in the college's American Civil War course were on hand for the event. Learn more about the 3rd Colored Infantry Regiment at http://www.3rdusct.org/

The African Roots of the Blues

2010-11-04T13:58:00.004-04:00

University of the Arts literature professor and Blues guitarist Chris Devenny gave a talk/performance on the African roots of American Blues music on 27 October in the Large Auditorium. The DCCC Student History Club and Public Service and Social Sciences Division sponsored the event.

Professor James Robertson(History) Hosts a Seminar at Temple

2010-09-24T12:32:00.002-04:00

James Robertson(History) was selected to present a six week seminar for the Temple University Life Long Learning on the Renaissance and an eight week seminar on the Holocaust for the Kol Ami Synagogue in Elkins Park. This is the second seminar he has put on for Temple University, having done a six week seminar in the spring on the Holocaust which included four survivors in the group attending the function.

Professor LaMonica(History) Attends Conference in Kansas City

2010-09-24T11:07:00.002-04:00

The National World War I Museum

Professor Jeffrey LaMonica(History) attended the joint National Seminar of the Western Front Association and the Great War Society at the National World War I Museum in Kansas City, MO on 10 and 11 September. The seminar was entitled The Men and Women of the Great War. Presentation topics included, US Army officer training for African-Americans, US Army Nurses in Europe, and the Austro-Hungarian Army. LaMonica serves as secretary of the Western Front Association.

Professor Bohm(Sociology) Attends Conference on Racism

2010-09-24T10:59:00.002-04:00

Professor Adriana Bohm(Sociology) attended the annual Society for the Study of Social Problems(SSSP) Conference in Atlanta, Ga in August. She was one of two people who ran a session entitled "Working Together to End Racism" in which she worked with students of color.

LaMonica(History) Attends WWI Seminar

2010-07-02T11:23:00.003-04:00

Professor Jeffrey LaMonica(History) attended the East Coast Chapter of the Western Front Association's Spring Seminar at Fort Meade, Maryland on 5 June 2010. Topics included the US Signal Corps, American tank production, the burial and commemoration of American dead, and the Irish Uprising of 1916. The chapter presented Professor LaMonica with a certificate of appreciation for his service to the organization.

Professor LaMonica poses with the Five of Hearts, a Renault FT-17 tank used by the US Army in World War One on display at the Fort Meade Museum

Human Service Associate Degree Program Growing in spring 2010

2010-05-04T09:27:00.003-04:00

Kathy Schank(Human Service) and Her Students

The Department of Public Service and Social Science began the fall semester by unveiling their newest degree option: an Associate Degree in Human Services. Currently there are students enrolled in new Human Service courses, like Foundations of Addictions, Human Sexuality and Theories of Counseling.

Authentic learning opportunities abound when students embrace active, unique and creative approaches to the course content as some students did this semester in Kathy Schank’s Theories of Counseling class. The students formed small groups and were assigned to complete research on different conditions that may lead someone to seek help from a psychotherapist. Students then developed role plays to present for the class that were based on their research findings on topics like anxiety, depression and bereavement. The students were videotaped acting their role play scripts in front of the class.

The students were recently polled about their experience with this assignment and they reported that the information they are learning from the textbook is interesting but this assignment enabled them to directly engage in some of the situations that they may one day encounter as therapists. Students stated that the role plays enabled them to creatively apply techniques from different types of therapy that they had only read before, thereby putting the textbook concepts into action. Some students wrote scripts that were open ended, giving them the ability to really feel the client’s emotions, as one student stated: “I really felt that the client (fellow student actor) pushed my buttons” just as can happen in an actual therapy session. Students also stated that they felt supported by their classmates, as they are all highly interested and engaged in learning the content of the course. They also found this to be a very good fit with the knowledge they bring from their other human service, psychology and sociology courses.

DCCC uses a competency based curriculum model that defines the skills and knowledge expected of our graduates. One of the goals of this assignment was to achieve objectives relating this course content to the college competencies. In particular, College Competency 3 which focuses on career choice and exploration and College Competency 5 where students learn how to use decision making processes to solve problems. These students are now better able to recognize the challenges that we all experience as we struggle with serious life issues and the value of therapy as a solution to our problems. As they advance their knowledge and successfully complete this course their hope is to help to decrease the stigma that seeking therapy stills holds.

Submitted by: Kathy Schank, MSS, LCSW, BCD

The History of Cable Television

2010-04-23T13:03:00.003-04:00

The DCCC Student History Club invited DCCC alumnus Joseph DiJulio to speak about The History of Cable Television on 22 April.

Scholarly Reflections of Africa

2010-04-23T12:35:00.009-04:00

DCCC's Black and Woman's History Committee members Ife Williams(Political Science) and Albert Fu(Sociology) held a discussion on Scholarly Reflections of Africa on 22 April.

Dr. Ife Williams(Political Science) discussed her attendance at
the World Conference Against Racism in Durban, South Africa

Shelia Santoro talked about visiting her daughter in Tanzania

DCCC student Kelly Brennan described her study abroad experience in Egypt

Roberta Jackson spoke about her visits to Liberia and Swaziland

Air Power in World War I

2010-04-23T08:55:00.004-04:00

The DCCC Student History Club held a seminar on Air Power in World War I by Steven Suddaby, editor of French Strategic and Tactical Bombardment Forces of World War I on 9 March. Suddaby spoke about the history and development of aircraft, how aircraft changed war tactics, and how aircraft was a crucial part of the Allied victory in the Great War.

Suddaby presented images of kite balloons used to observe enemy lines miles away. He explained how balloons were tethered to the ground with ropes and sent Morse code through cable lines. Balloon crews directed the fire of artillery batteries on the ground.

Airplanes were originally used to take aerial photos of enemy territory. Suddaby explained how this set off the development of camouflage. Ground forces threw nets over railways and built wooden vehicles to fool enemy observation planes.

Suddaby talked about the development of aviation in ground and naval tactics. Naval observation aircraft helped Allied navies overcome the German submarine threat.

Suddaby concluded that aviation had a substantial impact on the outcome of World War I and dictated how armies and navies fought future wars.

Adriana Bohm(Sociology)

2010-04-05T11:55:00.003-04:00

The Gender Question-Is It Over?

Dr. Adriana Bohm(Sociology) facilitated a discussion with faculty and students about gender issues in American society on 30 March 2010 at the main campus.

Dr. Bohm during the question and answer portion of her talk

Haiti Relief

2010-01-24T18:43:00.005-05:00

Kudos to the DCCC Student History Club for raising over $500 in four days for Haiti Relief!

Jeff Salavitabar (Business)

2010-01-07T18:47:00.008-05:00

Jeff Salavitabar (Business) hosted Business Survival: Tough Economic Times with Ed Herr on 9 April 2009.

Ed Herr Visits DCCC

Some Student Movie Picks

2009-11-18T11:25:00.010-05:00

The Pianist
Gladiator (2000)
Troy (2004)
Elisabeth: The Golden Age (2007)
300 (2006)
The Patriot (2000)
Saving Private Ryan (1998)
La Vita e' Bella (1997)
Kingdom Of Heaven (2005)
Cinderella Man (2005)
1776
Miracle at Saint Anna
Catch Me If You Can
Godfather 1 & 2
Forrest Gump
The Aviator
Titanic
Valkyrie
Dream Girls
Cry of Freedom
Glory
The Color Purple
Thirteen Days
We were Soldiers
All the President's Men
Gettysburg

Professor Tony Makowski's (History) Movie Picks

2009-11-18T11:16:00.009-05:00

A Man For All Seasons (should be mandatory viewing in college)
Downfall (one of the better films about the collapse of a regime - an evil one at that)
All Quiet on the Western Front (enough said)
Danton (the subtitles are killer - but the depiction of the French Revolution is quite good)
Goodbye Lenin (for a bit of humor)

Dr. Joseph Myers' (History) Movie List

2009-11-13T12:05:00.017-05:00

Movies of 1990s and 2000s that Professors Want their Students to See Before they are Out of College

1990s
Braveheart (1995)
*Elizabeth (1998)
*Fight Club (1999)
The Matrix (1999)
Jurassic Park (1993)
New Jack City (1991)
*Schindler’s List (1993
Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Titanic (1997)
American History X (1998)
Bonus: Life is Beautiful (1997)

2000s
*Billy Elliot (2000)
Castaway (2000)
*Chocolat (2000)
Dark Knight (2008)
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
Gladiator (2000)
*O Brother Where Art Thou (2000)
The Pianist (2002)
Series: 28 Days and Weeks
Series: Bourne Series
Series: Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter
Apocalyptic Movies 90s and 00s : Armageddon, Deep Impact, The Day After Tomorrow, I am Legend

Math Makes History at DCCC

2009-11-13T11:59:00.005-05:00

Recently, the DCCC Student History Club, Campus Life, the Public Service and Social Sciences Division, and the Math Division hosted speakers from the Battleship New Jersey. Two members of the Battleship New Jersey Museum and Memorial, Michael Flynn and Roger Willig, spoke about the battleship’s history and explained how algebra helped win WWII. The DCCC Student History Club was given a chance before the seminar to speak with them and more information about the speakers and the museum.

History Club: What is your job at the Battleship New Jersey?

Michael Flynn: I am the Director of Education at the museum. I have been there for two years. I am in charge of our on-board classes, which students of all ages enjoy, and the school outreach program, which brings the “ship” to the schools in presentations like today.

Roger Willig: I was a battleship tour guide for many years, and now I volunteer for the school outreach program. I was also a Professor of Math at Montgomery County Community College for twenty years.

History Club: Can you give us some interesting facts about the ship’s history?

Michael Flynn: The Battleship New Jersey was the longest battleship ever made. It had the largest guns and it is the most decorated American battleship with nineteen battle stars from WWII and Korea. It was the only battleship used in the Vietnam conflict. In 1991, the Battleship New Jersey was “mothballed” (decommissioned). The Battleship New Jersey was restored and, in 2001, opened as a museum and memorial.

History club: How did algebra help on the battleship?

Roger Willig: Algebra was used to figure out that they needed 660 pounds of gunpowder to fire the two-thousand-pound shells down the sixteen-inch gun barrels. The technology on the Battleship New Jersey was very advanced for its day. The guns on the battleship had sixteen different measurements that had to be taken before they were fired, like wind, humidity, ship speed, and direction. Some of the measurements included use of quadratic formulas.

History Club: Where can we get more information about tours and other events?

Michael Flynn: You can go to our website www.battleshipnewjersey.org to find the museum’s hours and prices. Information about our overnight visits, exciting special events, and how to become a member can be found there as well. The website also offers a detailed history of the Battleship New Jersey.

Interview by Kelly Brennan

Professor Jeffrey LaMonica (History) Attends Conference in Baltimore

2009-11-09T15:04:00.006-05:00

Professor Jeffrey LaMonica attended a meeting of the East Coast Chapter of the Western Front Association on 7 November 2009 at the Maryland War Memorial in Baltimore, Maryland. Seminar topics included, World War One weapons technology, fortifications, and aviation. Professor LaMonica is vice chairman of the WFA's East Coast Chapter.

Professor LaMonica Poses Next to a German Minenwerfer Captured by American Troops in 1918

New Human Services Program

2009-11-02T08:53:00.001-05:00

The Department of Public Service and Social Science began the fall semester by unveiling their newest degree option: an Associate Degree in Human Services. The introductory course had been well attended since it previewed as a special studies course so Southeast Center student interest was apparent from the start. Currently there are 18 students with a wide range of interests and majors in the Introduction to Human Service course (HUS101). Some are considering Human Services as their major and using this new degree to transfer to a Bachelors of Social Worker degree program at a four year institution.
Students were recently polled about the course content and they reported that the information they are learning is very interesting and applicable to their everyday experience. Students stated that they are finding it a very good fit with the knowledge they bring from their psychology and sociology courses. They also discussed their developing awareness of the complexity of human problems and the challenges of creating effective solutions. Many students agreed that they are experiencing an increase in empathy as they learn about serious issues like homelessness and mental illness. On November 9, 2009 the students have an opportunity for genuine service learning. They have been invited to participate in a meeting of the Delaware County Food Pantry coordinators, under the leadership of Alan Edelstien, MSW (Executive Director of Family & Community Service of Delaware County). Students will learn about the food pantry operation, the increased need for these services and how an agency coordinates this outreach. They will later partner with Phi Theta Kappa, the DCCC Honor Society, for a Holiday Food Collection Drive on campus. The next few weeks of the semester will be busy and exciting for the students. They are also participating in a group project where they will be presenting research on a particular problem and their creative approach to solving that problem to their fellow students. This collaborative project has resulted in many creative solutions that may one day impact the human service field as our DCCC students move into professional roles.

Dr. Joseph Myers' (History) Movie List

2009-10-29T11:13:00.002-04:00

Movies of 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s that Professors Want their Students to See Before they are Out of College

1960s

The Apartment (1960)

*Dr. Strangelove (1964)

Cool Hand Luke (1967)

*In the Heat of the Night (1967)

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (1966)

The Graduate (1967)

*Planet of the Apes (1968)

Psycho (1960)

Seven Days in May (1964)

Bonnie and Clyde (1967)

1970s

Animal House (1978)

Apocalypse Now (1979)

*The Godfather I & II (1972-74)

Jaws (1975)

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)

Paper Moon (1973)

Rocky (1976)

Saturday Night Fever (1977)

Shaft (1971)

*Star Wars – all of them (1977-2006)

1980s

9 ½ Weeks (1986)

Amadeus (1983)

*Blade Runner (1982)

*Raging Bull (1980)

*A Soldier’s Story (1984)

She’s Gotta Have It (1985)

The Natural (1984)

War Games (1983)

Wall Street (1987)

The Year of Living Dangerously (1983)

Bonus: Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) -- all of them

Somali Pirates

2009-10-29T10:55:00.006-04:00

The Black and Women's History Committee sponsored a presentation by Dr. Mohamed Mukhtar on the Somali Pirates on 28 November. Dr. Mukhtar is a professor of history at Savannah State University in Savannah, Georgia.

Dr. Ife Williams(Political Science) Introduces Dr. Mukhtar

Dr. Mukhtar Speaks on the Somali Pirates

Dr. Ife Williams (Political Science) Goes to Harlem

2009-10-15T14:31:00.004-04:00

Dr. Ife Williams led a group of DCCC students on a trip to New York City on 14 October, including stops in Harlem and Manhattan. The group visited the Schomburg Library and Archives, the Apollo Theatre, and the Lucy exhibit at the Discovery Times Square Exhibition.

DCCC Students "Perform" Backstage at the Apollo Theatre

Dr. Williams Directs the Group Around Times Square

Dr. Joseph Myers' (History) Movie List

2009-10-13T14:25:00.005-04:00

Movies of 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s that Professors Want their Students to See Before they are Out of College

Pre-1930s

Birth of a Nation (1916)

*Metropolis (1927)

*The Jazz Singer (1927)

*The Kid (1921)

The Poor Little Rich Girl (1917)

1930s

A Night at the Opera (1935)

*All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)

*Gone with the Wind (1939)

It Happened One Night (1937)

King Kong (1934)

M (1931)

Modern Times (1936)

The Public Enemy (1931)

Stagecoach (1939)

*The Wizard of Oz (1939)

1940s

*The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)

Casablanca (1942)

Citizen Kane (1941)

Great Dictator (1940)

It’s a Wonderful Life (1947)

Maltese Falcon (1940)

*Philadelphia Story (1940)

The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946)

*Sergeant York (1941)

Treasure of Sierra Madre (1948)

1950s

*12 Angry Men (1957)

An Affair to Remember (1957)

African Queen (1951)

The Blob (1958)

On the Waterfront (1954)

*North by Northwest (1959)

Rebel Without A Cause (1955)

*Roman Holiday (1953)

Seven Samurai (1954)

Some Like it Hot (1959)

Professor Marc Henley (Psychology)

2009-09-14T13:55:00.002-04:00

A new musical--"Let Go! A Brief Therapy Revue" with music by Paula Skutnick-Henley, lyrics by Eartha Holley, and book by Marc Henley with Paula Skutnick-Henley--will have its premiere performances at The Mermaid Inn in Chestnut Hill on Wednesday October 7, and Monday October 12. Both shows are at 8:00 p.m. Tickets are free, but reservations are required; send your request to sales@ivorytoweragenda.com. If you have questions, contact Marc at x7381.

Dr. Albert Fu (Sociology)

2009-09-14T13:44:00.004-04:00

In between wrapping up his time in Binghamton and moving down to DCCC, Albert spent a few weeks in Turkey and Germany before heading off to San Francisco for the American Sociological Association meeting. In racking up all those miles, he managed to see beautiful cities and meet wonderful people (including everyone here).

Albert in an underground city in Cappadocia (Derinkuyu Yeralti Sehri)

A mosque in the Ortakoy neighborhood of Istanbul

Professor Jeffrey LaMonica (History)

2009-09-14T13:37:00.005-04:00

Jeffrey LaMonica attended the combined national seminar of the Western Front Association and Great War Society at the National World War I Museum in Kansas City, Missouri on 11-13 September. Topics included technological developments during the war, Dada art of the 1920s, and African-Americans in the US Army in France. LaMonica serves as secretary for the WFA and vice chairman of its East Coast Chapter.

Western Front Association

Great War Society

Professor Nilufar Jamir (ADJ) on Ramadan

2009-09-14T12:11:00.001-04:00

Acceptance or Indifference?

Most Muslims learn in their childhood about the five pillars on which Islam is anchored: Shahada, (Faith), Salah (Prayers), Saum of Ramadan (Fasting), Hajj (Pilgrimage to Mecca) and Zakat (Charitable giving). Whether one is a practicing or a non practicing Muslim, no other time is a better reminder of our heritage than the month of Ramadan; the month during which we fast. Once in a while I notice eyes enlarge as this information is exchanged. I hasten to reassure them that the fasting is not for a continuous month but actually only from dawn to dusk every day. Kind eyes flood with relief and comprehension.

It reminds me, as Americans, how little we know about each other. Diversity, which is the hallmark of this great country, sometimes does little to tell us much about the “other”. We are very PC in accepting differences, but often fail to fathom how and why those differences enrich the tapestry of our society. So my

question is this- if we don’t know about the “other” how can we actually have accepted what we don’t know? Is this acceptance or mere indifference?

The month of Ramadan is here again this year and millions of Muslims are fasting worldwide dawn to dusk. And when I say fast, I mean fast…. no food, no drink, no sex, period. We break the fast as the sun sets with water or a refreshing drink such as lemonade. Then we feast with a variety of food from the ordinary to the sublime. The first few days of fasting, everything tastes sublime since our bodies are still adjusting to the cycle of eating and our eyes are bigger and hungrier than our stomachs. So we pile our plates with food for three and learn in a few days that our stomachs have more sense while our sensory organs have temporary lapse. Our stomachs actually shrink and as the days go on the urge to overeat abates a lot. Now, ladies and gentlemen, if you are thinking “what a great way to loose weight”……….. you are more than welcome. Just know that’s not why Islam asks us to fast.

The month of Ramadan is a month of prayer and contemplation. It is a time to go within and reassess our lives; a time to recognize our blessings and learn and relearn discipline and self-control; a time to receive with graciousness and give with generosity. Which brings me to one of the other five Pillars of Islam-Zakat (Charitable giving).

Though Zakat can be paid anytime within a year, the practice of giving Zakat during the month of Ramadan goes hand in hand with fasting and introspection. Every Muslim with earthly possessions is obligated to pay this charitable contribution. How much will depend on each person’s worldly riches. Zakat is primarily given to the poor and the needy members of ones own family; neighbors; and other members of the community. To me this makes perfect sense. Who better to take care of a community, than it’s very own? Charity begins at home, does it not? Today in our modern civilization we have government welfare and many social services to lend a hand to those amongst us who are less fortunate or temporarily unable. While we disagree on who should be the recipients of such support and debate over how far our obligations should stretch, we all recognize that it is a necessity for our very well being. Just as this recognition is present today in all civil society, so it is built in as a social obligation for all who believe in Islam and it’s five Pillars. No matter how diverse we are in this country, the fabric of our basic humanity is not very different.

So, get going…..know each “other”

If you are fasting, hang in there. Only a few more days left. Once the sliver of the next new moon peeks out, the month of Ramadan will come to an end and fasting will be over with the celebration of Eid -Ul- Fitr.

In the meantime…………….Happy Ramadan!!!.

Nilufar A. Jamir

Adjunct Professor

Personnel: Additions and Departures

2009-05-26T12:54:00.003-04:00

The Public Services and Social Sciences Division at DCCC is happy to welcome Kathy Schank (Human Services) and Jeffrey LaMonica (History) as new full-time faculty.

The division bids farewell to Audrey Ervin (Psychology). After three years at DCCC, Audrey is bound for Delaware Valley College in Doylestown, PA. We wish her well in her future endeavors.

Dr. Beiye Gu (Psychology) and Dr. Audrey Ervin (Psychology)

2009-05-20T23:07:00.003-04:00

Congratulations to Beiye Gu (English as a Second Language Online Resource Center) and Audrey Ervin (Infusing Cross-Cultural Perspectives in the Classroom: Using Technology to Foster Critical Thinking and Deepen Global Understanding) who were recipients of mini-grants.

Professor Jeffrey LaMonica (History)

2009-05-20T22:53:00.007-04:00

Jeffrey LaMonica, Assistant Professor of History, was the coordinator and commentator for the spring seminar of the East Coast Chapter of the Western Front Association on May 9 at Fort Mifflin in Philadelphia. Topics included the British Army in World War I and naval aspects of the war.

Fort Mifflin

WFA East Coast Chapter Website

Congratulations to Professor Chuck Baker (Sociology)!

2009-05-06T09:01:00.004-04:00

Sociology professor Chuck Baker was awarded the 2008-2009 Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching on 5 May 2009.

The Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching was established by the Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Foundation. Mr. Lindback was the president and principal owner of Abbotts Dairies Inc. and a trustee of Bucknell University. The Foundation created the award to honor excellence in training activities and superior teaching skills of a tenure-track faculty member from colleges or universities within the dairy's service area of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia.

Economic Crisis Panel Discussion

2009-03-20T10:49:00.007-04:00

The Public Services and Social Science Division in collaboration with the Business Society discussed the nation's current fiscal situation. The symposium titled "When Work Disappears: An Assessment of the American Economic Crisis" covered a variety of important topics. Each panelist shared researched information about issues central to the current fiscal situation. Bill Walsh, Congressman Joe Sestak's District Manager, discussed the political implications of what got us into the economic mess. Professor Jeff Salavitabar discussed the $700 billion from last year that was earmarked primarily for the banking and finance sectors of the economy. Professor Charles Baker discussed banks and financial institutions being "To BiG to Fail" in the global economy, HItler's rise to power due to the Great Depression and how WWII led to the development of an economic system that is integrated globally. Professor Ali Ataiifar discussed the $787 billion bailout that goes to healthcare, education, construction and other projects designed to sure up American schools, access to medical care and the crumbling infrastructure. Lastly, Basil Gordon discussed what the local community can expect from the recent bailout. The feedback and responses from the community were positive and well received.

Recovery.gov

Civil War Medicine at DCCC

2009-03-16T10:17:00.008-04:00

The DCCC Student History Club, Campus Life, and the Public Services and Social Sciences Division hosted a presentation on "Medical Treatment during the American Civil War" in the Large Auditorium on 25 February. Officers of the Student History Club conducted a brief interview with the presenters, Ian Semmler from the Civil War Museum of Philadelphia and Herb Kaufman from the Civil War Institute at Manor College. Professor Jeffrey LaMonica is offering a course on the American Civil War and Reconstruction at the main campus this semester.

Where is the Civil War museum located?

Ian Semmler: It is actually not open currently, it will reopen in 2011.

How long has Herb Kaufman been doing these presentations?

Semmler: He has been teaching and doing civil war presentations for about thirty years.

Are most of your presentations done at colleges and universities?

Semmler: Well actually we go to a good number of elementary schools as well. In fact, one of the programs I am working on is bringing this presentation to schools in the city of Philadelphia that can't really afford to go on field trips to the museum. Untill we reopen in 2011, these are the kind of educational programs we will be working on.

What kind of education or training qualified a person to be a doctor?

Herb Kaufman: There was no training for doctors; all you needed was enough money to attend lectures. You gave your money to the professor, and went to his lectures for nine months, and then you would do this again the following year. After eighteen months of listening, you called yourself a doctor and went out and practiced on patients. That is why they call it practicing medicine. Surgeons learned by watching other surgeons and by reading European books. Sometimes they would stand over the patients during surgery, and have an assistant hold the book and would actually be reading and referencing the diagrams while performing the surgery.

How did they sterilize the tools and themselves before surgery?

Kaufman: They didn’t. They did not know what germs were. They would wipe a tool off with a dirty, bloody rag and move on to the next person. They also wore their uniform or street clothes during surgery. Some doctors would wear an apron so it would not ruin their uniform.

What kind of uniform did a doctor in the military wear?

Kaufman: The same as everyone else, except he had a green sash. The green came from the flag, a hospital tent would have a flag with a green “H” on it, this was before the Red Cross had come around. The problem with a doctor wearing the same uniform as everyone else is that they were shot at also.

How did a soldier seek treatment if wounded?

Kaufman: During the civil war a gentleman by the name of John Leatherman came up with a system that is still used on the modern battlefield today. There were three parts, first a field station. This was pretty much on the front line and they would triage you. They would assess the soldier and if needed, they would be sent to the division hospital. The division hospital was away from the action but still close to the battlefield, here is where they would set bones or perform surgery. From there you would go to the general hospital to recuperate; this was far away from the battlefield.

Did they really amputate limbs without anesthesia like in the movies?

Kaufman: No, they did not. That is a Hollywood myth, no one was biting bullets. All medics had ether or chloroform with them.

What did a medic carry on him?

Kaufman: While traveling he would carry a smaller set of tools and his drugs.

What was the main tool the doctors used?

Kaufman: Their finger. Remember they did not have a concept of germs. They used their fingers to probe wounds and try to find the bullets or shrapnel inside. When Lincoln was shot several different doctors stuck their fingers inside of his head trying to find out what was wrong and where the bullet had went.

What did they use for pain?

Kaufman: Large amounts of drugs like opium and alcohol. Of course they became addicted to it but they did not understand that either. It wasn’t wrong back then to be addicted to drugs and alcohol, they called it soldiers’ disease.

Was amputation really necessary?

Kaufman: When a bullet would hit a bone in your arm or leg it would shatter it, or sometimes the bullet did not exit; this can cause serious infection and you would die. If they amputated the limb it would get rid of the problem and a person would have a much higher rate of survival.

Student History Club Officers, Kelly Brennan and Sean Bray Interview Herb Kaufman

Herb Kaufman Presents on Civil War Medicine

Herb Kaufman Speaks with a Group of DCCC Students

Links

The Civil War Museum of Philadelphia
The Civil War Institute at Manor College

Dr. Ife Williams (Political Science)

2009-03-16T09:16:00.007-04:00

On 27 February, Dr. Ife Williams led a group of students from her African-American History course to the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology and the National Constitution Center. The group visited the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology in the morning for a tour of their permamnent Ancient Egyptian collection and special exhibit, "Iyare! Spendor and Tension in Benin's Palace Theatre". They traveled to the National Constitution Center in the afternoon to see "Freedom Rising", the center's permanent theatrical performance, and "America I Am: The African-American Imprint", a special exhibit from now until 3 May. Dr. Williams is offering a course on African-American history at DCCC's Southeast Center this semester.

Dr. Williams and her students in the U. Penn Museum's Egyptian Room

Dr. Williams' Students Tour the Benin Exhibit

Dr. Williams and Her Students at the Constitution Center

Links

Egyptian Exhibit at U. Penn Museum
Benin Exhibit at U. Penn Museum
"Freedom Rising" at the Constitution Center
"America I Am" at the Constitution Center

Inauguration Event at DCCC

2009-01-15T17:10:00.005-05:00

The Evolution to the Election of Barack Obama

Public Services and Social Sciences is pleased to announce that on Tuesday, January 20, 2009 at 10:00 o'clock AM, the large auditorium will be open to all students and all classes for full viewing and participation in the Inaugural Ceremonies for the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama.

Public Services and Social Sciences will offer background and an explanation of the events via Power Point and Videos prior to the swearing in ceremony. For any further information please contact Professors Chuck Baker, Ife Williams, Joe Myers, or Tony Makowski. All are invited to attend.

Dr. Joseph Myers (History)

2009-01-08T21:00:00.004-05:00

Dr. Joe Myers has a son. A baby boy was brought into his family in October 2008, though he was 3 and a half weeks early. The event dominated his semester and he had to fight to keep on track. Over the winter break he spruced up an article for a peer reviewed publication which should go out shortly – a deadline that has been pushed back over a year now – on a member of the Continental Congress, “David Howell Comes to Philadelphia: The Impost Crisis of 1781 and the Most Significant Member of the Continental Congress.” While Howell’s impact helped create the necessity of the movement towards a new constitutional framework, he was more significant in noting certain cultural and identity patterns that went into the making of a Federal Union. Most of Dr. Myer's research, writing and teaching focuses on how cultures construct themselves and the mentality behind words, ideas and actions as they display identity features. This process of analysis will be employed in DCCC’s newest history offering in the Spring 2009 Semester, “The History of Modern Islam and the Middle East,” where his class will explore how the Islamic cultural construct is developed and the further development of institutions, like government, business and educational systems, support the maintenance and alteration of that culture.

DCCC Student History Club Magazine

2008-12-29T22:28:00.001-05:00

DCCC Student History Club Hosts Vikings

2008-12-29T22:20:00.008-05:00

Our history faculty started a new Student History Club in Fall 2008. The club sponsored a presentation by the Leif Ericson Viking Ship Living History Group in the large auditorium on 24 November.

A Viking Speaks at DCCC

Our Students Speak with Vikings

Dr. Audrey Ervin (Psychology)

2008-12-29T12:26:00.002-05:00

Audrey Ervin, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Psychology, has been selected to sail as staff psychologist with Semester At Sea http://www.semesteratsea.org/ for the summer 2009 voyage. Semester At Sea is the world's premier shipboard program for comparative international education. A floating university, approximately 700 students live aboard the MV Explorer, circumnavigate the globe and earn undergraduate academic credit through the University of Virginia. The theme of the summer 2009 voyage http://www.semesteratsea.org/voyages/upcoming-voyages/summer-2009.phps is "Human Rights and Social Justice in the Mediterranean World." The ship will sail from Halifax Nova Scotia to Spain, Italy, Croatia, Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria, Egypt and Morocco.

Audrey Ervin, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Psychology, has been selected to serve as the national spokesperson for the Association of Women in Psychology (AWP) http://www.awpsych.org/ in November 2008. AWP is a not-for-profit scientific and educational organization committed to encouraging feminist psychological research, theory, and activism. A three year appointment, she currently serves on the Implementation Collective board.

Dr. Adriana Leela Bohm (Sociology)

2008-12-29T12:15:00.005-05:00

Assistant Professor of Sociology, Dr. Adriana Leela Bohm helped facilitate a workshop at the Society for The Study of Social Problems (SSSP) Annual Conference this past summer in Boston. The workshop was entitled "Working Together to End Racism." She was also a committee member for the SSSP Minority Scholarship Award for 2007-2008. This year (2008-2009), Dr. Bohm chairs the scholarship committee. The annual conference will be in San Francisco.