SUNY Plattsburgh History Faculty Work
Recent Submissions
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The Obligation to Support the Widow: Settlement, the New Poor Law and the Scottish Local StateAlthough the New Poor Law was passed by the Westminster Parliament, it was implemented at the most-local level through newly established parochial boards. By tracing the case of a Paisley widow in need of poor relief through the changing landscape of the Scottish Poor Law in the 1850s, this article analyzes the changing interpretation of the law regarding widows’ settlements and highlights the interplay between local bodies and higher courts in interpreting the law. Individual experience and practice in localities worked together to create a national system that reflected Scottish understandings of gender, marriage, and independence.
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Shake This Square World and Blast Off for Kicksville: Teaching History with Post-WWII Prescriptive Classroom FilmsThe article discusses using social adjustment films from the late 1940s to the 1960s to teach students about U.S. history. It examines several films' themes including sexuality, manners, and drug use. Other films concerned safety, driving, and dating. The author reflects on her students' reactions to the films and analyzes humor as an educational tool. Several prescriptive classroom films are discussed, including "Marijuana" starring singer Sonny Bono, "A Date With Your Family" and "What to Do on a Date." The article also comments on viewing these mental hygiene films as reactions to social change.