Wordsworth, History, and a Tale of Two Villages
“Hearing the residents' stories completely changed my perspective of the Village of Elsah.” —Junior Samantha Bronkar
“I talked with a 96-year-old woman who was full of amazing stories. Speaking with these wonderful townsmen and women made the town come to life. I appreciate it so much more now.” —Junior Patty Gray
“I saw the power of stories to bring people together, not just from differing opinions or cultures, but even across time.” —Senior Gabe Hudson
For many Principia students, the quaint, 19th-century village of Elsah is just a place to drive through on their way to campus. But for a group who recently slowed down and took time to listen to longtime residents, it was an unforgettable opportunity to bring history to life and learn about the Union Hotel, the train that followed the river before the Great River Road was built, the ice house, the stone schoolhouse, and a home that played the part of Principia’s Pub, among other stories.
English professor Dr. Heidi Snow was clearly onto something when she recognized an opportunity for a living history storytelling session in conjunction with Annenberg Scholar Jeff Cowton’s campus visit last month. Along with students and graduate assistant Jessica Wingert (US’11, C’15), Dr. Snow planned an evening of dialogue with longtime Elsah residents to capture their oral histories for a book to be published with the Historic Elsah Foundation.
As curator for the Wordsworth Trust in England's Lake District, Cowton has worked on similar projects in the Trust’s home village of Grasmere—one of a variety of initiatives designed to cultivate the idea that history and Wordworth’s literature can be brought back into the hands of ordinary citizens. He’s also passionate about inspiring the next generation to pursue careers in museums and the arts. The latter struck a chord with junior Gemma Ritchie. “Hearing Elsah residents’ stories made me realize the importance of shared history,” she notes. “This is why I am interested in curatorial work. It is only through learning from past experiences that we can have a better tomorrow.”
In addition to meeting with those interested in museum work, Cowton selected two students for internships this summer and next year at the Wordsworth Trust—a rare opportunity for American college students. He also visited three different classes, constructing lessons on postcolonial literature, 17th- and 18th-century art history, and Romantic literature. In a two-hour extended session for the Romantics class, Cowton provided facsimiles of an original manuscript and led students through an exploration of Wordsworth’s revision process.
Finally, he gave a talk titled “To See, to Think, to Feel: How the Wordsworth Trust Engages New Audiences" in Wanamaker Hall. Besides reporting on activities of the Trust, Cowton engaged the audience in discovering for themselves the value of taking time to encounter original manuscripts and objects.
Cowton’s visit held an extra bonus for Professor Snow, a Wordsworth scholar herself and author of William Wordsworth and the Theology of Poverty. As she put it, “The opportunity to sit and chew over ideas from Wordsworth’s writings and to share our enthusiasm for the subject was really priceless!”
Listen to Jeff Cowton’s talk here.