Same. I’ve been looking forward to it since I started my PhD.

To be sure, I was incredibly lucky to have had such an awesome group of Baylor students this semester!

I’m also beyond thankful to the Texas Collection for accommodating us. 🗃️

(quotes shared anonymously with student permission)

“I now see historical documents as more than just words on a page but instead as emotions and the thoughts of real people at such transformative times.”

“It even made it more interesting when I actually reflected and thought about how [F. B.] Chilton was a real person and experienced and accomplished the things he did from these documents. I never thought I would enjoy something like this.”

“This experience has made me think about pursuing working in an archive in my future. Even though I am pre-med and plan to go to medical school, I would love to find a way to participate in historical archive work in some form.”

“Being an apprentice historian for three days really put into perspective how much fun being a historian can be. . . . Being able to read and physically handle firsthand accounts of something that took place over 50 years ago is an incredible experience.”

“Yet, this difficulty was also part of what made the experience rewarding. I learned to read carefully, look up terms, and piece together information. It felt like a form of detective work, where every detail contributed to a larger understanding of the [Mother Neff State Park’s] history.”

“I grew in admiration for Roxie [Henderson] and other nurses while working on the archives project, as they are faced with lack of resources and severe injuries.”

“I enjoyed every aspect of this archival project, as it has forced me to redefine what it means to be a historian, as it requires time, and often numerous hours, to determine what a document is conveying.”

“[This assignment] has given me a much greater appreciation for the complexity and time taken to preserve and understand historical sources and documents.”

“For the very first time in my life, I felt like a real researcher.”

Please add me! Thanks in advance