Worst Seat in the House

[L Verge]

I am finally taking time to begin reading Caleb Stephens's new book on Henry Rathbone, and I was immediately struck by his Introduction. At least the first two pages should be distributed to every history teacher from Grade 4 through college level! It's well written and very easy to understand - and justifies the role that so many of us play in trying to preserve our history.

"Historical tapestry is composed largely of celebrated and appalling events that are cataloged, documented, and preserved, allowing future generations to look back on notable moments and to decipher the clues leading up to them. History provides people with the means to follow chain reactions of seemingly unrelated happenings and map them to a milestone in time. Experts and amateurs alike can trace inconsequential moments to major events in the historical timeline, many times finding that small details can create a domino effect, resulting in tragedy. Although these details typically are imperceptible in the moment, in hindsight they can be glaringly obvious.
" This illuminates the value of studying history. Relating what is learned from the past to the present. The signs, the mistakes, the lessons, and the outcomes. In applying those lessons to our current world, the past becomes a tool. Not just notes in a book or a boring story delivered by an old curmudgeon. The commonalities between the past and present can be stunning and all historical events give us opportunity to learn. ... History, for better or worse, rests largely in the hands of the person telling it."

Caleb goes on for a few more pages with such general analysis of history and historians before turning the subject to his thesis related to Henry Rathbone. Well done, Caleb!