As my daughter struggled to master the Modern History materials required by the Board of Studies, for her escape/graduation from HS and Uni acceptance, I began to play podcasts as I went about my chores during our lockdowns. She began to listen. An historian by 'trade,' and inveterate thinker aloud, from me, she surely had heard a lot of the people, places and things of the early 20th century. Her grandparents had been part of bitter mid-century events. But somehow, she couldn't remember, and for exams based on repetition and memorization, it seemed a problem loomed on the horizon. Enter Prof. Painter, the Kaiser Wilhelm awards , the Teddy Roosevelt prizes and over time, the early days of my American Century shifted into focus for her and understanding followed. In these presentations, there are facts, loads of them, but served with soupçons of delight that people can be astoundingly good, humor at their shenanigans, wonder at human stupidity often innocence. Facts, data, serious and technical information are larded through with the most charming music, well chosen to convey the spirit and feelings of the times. There are also good jokes to lighten the heavier times. All these means combined to make it easier for my daughter to really understand events in the multi-dimensional way required; not to mention that for years, she had heard episodes often in the car, on the way to ballet or Hebrew school so Prof. Painter's kindly voice was already familiar to her. Listening to him, made her relaxed, lessened her anxiety and helped her learn the basics so that she could go on to critically analyse events, etc. Thanks to his clear tutelage, she graduated with honors. In short, I only wish Prof. Painter could be cloned to teach Europe, West Asia, East Asia, the Americas, for as many centuries as the clones could last! Oh, and by the way, there is one other thing I've encountered: a lack of discussion of Americans in the Middle East early in the century. Americans during the early century provided a benevolent balance to the Brits. Does anyone outside Iran remember that an American teacher died fighting for Iran during the 1905 Constitutional Revolution? His name was Howard Baskerville, he died trying to relieve the siege of Tabriz, besieged by the new Shah who thought constitutions were nonsense. When Howard was asked by the US Consul's wife, why he dared try to break the siege, he replied, "The only difference between me and these people is my birthplace, and this is not a big difference." A Princeton graduate, Baskerville died in 1907, after taking a rifle round directly in his chest. The head of the squad had Howard's rifle engraved with his name and dates and some poetry, wrapped the rifle in the Iranian flag and had it sent to his parents back in Nebraska. He was 24 when he died. Thank you Prof. Painter for all you do.
