If you can get hold of my book, take a look at the bibliography. You’ll find lots of interesting works in sensory studies. It was particularly lively a few years ago applied to the Church during the Reformation and Counter-Reformation.
I remember one about the olfactory sense in the medieval church IIRC, and I copy edited a book of essays of medieval sound studies called Resounding Images (ed. Boynton and Reilly).
And I believe Leila Marie Lawler is correct—my own grandfather was *always* whistling. Whistling as he built a fire inside, whistling as he built a fire outside, whistling as he worked in the garden—it was such a beautiful sound. I will always think of him when I hear a beautiful, melodic whistle (which I sadly don’t anymore!)
Right? My mother was always singing and both my parents would make up funny little ditties on the spot just for fun. One of the reasons I think this happened was that my parents were really deliberate about not having "background noise" on all the time -- tapes/records, or TV were for deliberate use, not for background use. So I grew up appreciating what came out of silence -- music! Whistling! Quipping! Conversation!
I enjoy listening to music or a podcast while doing a chore as much as anybody, but I think we need to take deliberate action to make sure we aren't always filling our ears with piped-in sounds. We have to have times of silence, too, or we will be left without the opportunity to create sound ourselves. I.e., no more whistling!
So delighted to have discovered the parlor music album from this post! I think I’ve seen Anonymous 4’s medieval choral music go by and had no idea they also did American historical albums. I’ve been on an American historical novels kick lately and it’s a great complement.
Dixie, this was a delight to read, and gave me so many ideas for my homeschool. Thank you! I love that you played that game when you were a little girl; it's wonderful when those childhood fascinations/passions translate into a life's work. I have a vivid memory of comparing a children's Bible to a real Bible on my bed when I was 10 or 11, and noting what the children's Bible chose to leave out, how the language was different in the adult Bible, and so on...and no one who knew me was surprised when I got to college and decided I wanted to study and teach theology. :)
That is a wonderful (and telling) anecdote, Christina. I love that children can have these personal intellectual interests and really start to fan them into flame even on their own, and quite young.
I really enjoyed this post. I think it gets at the heart of helping impart history to children--and adults! Being about to view the people of the past as people through some of the exercises you mentioned gets us further along the road of understanding why some things happened. We can't always understand the choices of the past and many we disagree with vehemently, but hopefully it helps bridge the gap between facts and real life (and maybe help us not repeat the past in some cases).
One of my daughter's favorite books is If You Lived in Williamsburg in the Colonial Days. It's really helped her wrap her mind around what life might have been like for her living in that era. Of course, visiting helped too. :)
Love this! A few years ago, I accomplished one of my dad goals by reciting the Gettysburg address to my kids at the same spot Lincoln stood. Though they merely tolerated my nerdy recitation, they remember it vividly. They also vividly remember when we made them run up Bunker Hill in Boston. History is so much stickier when it is stood upon, felt, touched, and heard.
This is so creative! I never would have thought about any of this, to be honest. My high school English teacher also played us a recording of Chaucer in Middle English (or read it herself; I can’t recall.) She was surprised when no one understood a single word- it sounded like utter babble to me.
I have been blown away by certain sound experiences in history so this interest comes from personal experience for me. I think most people don't necessarily encounter historical sounds in that way...this is why I want us to pay better attention to using them!
I love this! There's a whole sub-discipline you may be aware of in academia, "sensory studies." I wrote about the sense of hearing and "conversion through the ear" in 19th-century England here: https://www.routledge.com/Sound-Sin-and-Conversion-in-Victorian-England/GrellaOConnell/p/book/9780367591403?srsltid=AfmBOoqwGNi93TYxfkTALsZlEBEaPIiLg5kjDNX9LBwLonNO1qDvpJXE
Wow, that looks like an amazing book! I look forward to reading it! I was not aware of that academic field.
If you can get hold of my book, take a look at the bibliography. You’ll find lots of interesting works in sensory studies. It was particularly lively a few years ago applied to the Church during the Reformation and Counter-Reformation.
My husband is probably aware of this stuff, then. He studies Early Modern France. Thanks!
I remember one about the olfactory sense in the medieval church IIRC, and I copy edited a book of essays of medieval sound studies called Resounding Images (ed. Boynton and Reilly).
I love this idea for approaching history!
And I believe Leila Marie Lawler is correct—my own grandfather was *always* whistling. Whistling as he built a fire inside, whistling as he built a fire outside, whistling as he worked in the garden—it was such a beautiful sound. I will always think of him when I hear a beautiful, melodic whistle (which I sadly don’t anymore!)
Right? My mother was always singing and both my parents would make up funny little ditties on the spot just for fun. One of the reasons I think this happened was that my parents were really deliberate about not having "background noise" on all the time -- tapes/records, or TV were for deliberate use, not for background use. So I grew up appreciating what came out of silence -- music! Whistling! Quipping! Conversation!
I enjoy listening to music or a podcast while doing a chore as much as anybody, but I think we need to take deliberate action to make sure we aren't always filling our ears with piped-in sounds. We have to have times of silence, too, or we will be left without the opportunity to create sound ourselves. I.e., no more whistling!
So delighted to have discovered the parlor music album from this post! I think I’ve seen Anonymous 4’s medieval choral music go by and had no idea they also did American historical albums. I’ve been on an American historical novels kick lately and it’s a great complement.
Oh my goodness, it is *such* a good album. You are in for a treat. (Although much of that particular album is kind of mournful, fair warning.)
You should also check out two other American albums by them: Gloryland and American Angels.
The 2yo is a big fan so it's a win win.
"Hard Times, Come Again No More" has become a family favorite around here.
Oh, I like this and agree this is a great way to really engage children in history.
Thank you so much, Melisa!
Dixie, this was a delight to read, and gave me so many ideas for my homeschool. Thank you! I love that you played that game when you were a little girl; it's wonderful when those childhood fascinations/passions translate into a life's work. I have a vivid memory of comparing a children's Bible to a real Bible on my bed when I was 10 or 11, and noting what the children's Bible chose to leave out, how the language was different in the adult Bible, and so on...and no one who knew me was surprised when I got to college and decided I wanted to study and teach theology. :)
That is a wonderful (and telling) anecdote, Christina. I love that children can have these personal intellectual interests and really start to fan them into flame even on their own, and quite young.
I really enjoyed this post. I think it gets at the heart of helping impart history to children--and adults! Being about to view the people of the past as people through some of the exercises you mentioned gets us further along the road of understanding why some things happened. We can't always understand the choices of the past and many we disagree with vehemently, but hopefully it helps bridge the gap between facts and real life (and maybe help us not repeat the past in some cases).
One of my daughter's favorite books is If You Lived in Williamsburg in the Colonial Days. It's really helped her wrap her mind around what life might have been like for her living in that era. Of course, visiting helped too. :)
I haven't seen that book! I'll have to check it out.
These are great. Thanks so much. My younger three really enjoyed the Rebel Yell especially.
Thanks! I'm so glad they enjoyed it...that video is amazing.
Love this! A few years ago, I accomplished one of my dad goals by reciting the Gettysburg address to my kids at the same spot Lincoln stood. Though they merely tolerated my nerdy recitation, they remember it vividly. They also vividly remember when we made them run up Bunker Hill in Boston. History is so much stickier when it is stood upon, felt, touched, and heard.
I love it! They'll probably use these things as models for when they are moms and dads teaching/torturing their own children, too! Well done.
This is so creative! I never would have thought about any of this, to be honest. My high school English teacher also played us a recording of Chaucer in Middle English (or read it herself; I can’t recall.) She was surprised when no one understood a single word- it sounded like utter babble to me.
I have been blown away by certain sound experiences in history so this interest comes from personal experience for me. I think most people don't necessarily encounter historical sounds in that way...this is why I want us to pay better attention to using them!
Middle English is so interesting.