Tuesday/Thursday 12:30 – 1:45 Sierra Hall 288

Instructor

Dr. Thomas W. Devine

Office Hours: Sierra Tower 624, Tuesdays and Thursdays 2:30-3:30 and by appointment gladly given.

Email Phone: (818) 677-3550

Teaching Assistant: John Vurpillat

Spirit of the Course

From Horatio Alger to Hanson, from the Katzenjammer Kids to Eric Cartman, Americans have long been obsessed with youth – heralding it, romanticizing it, protecting it, clinging to it, and, at times, exploiting it. Today, just as one hundred years ago, we as a nation are seemingly preoccupied with “what is to become of the young.” Yet in our public discussions, we typically have no historical context – no awareness that each generation before us argued and worried over the same issues, often operating under the same dubious assumptions that we continue to hold decades later. In hopes of providing some historical context, this course will offer an overview of what it was like to be young in America from the turn of the century to the present day.

To the greatest extent possible, the course will approach the topic from the perspective of the young people themselves. We will pay close attention to the practice of “sex-typing” and the role gender played in shaping youths’ daily experiences. Also, by looking at the experiences of various kinds of youth – rich, poor, black, Latino, white, college educated, uneducated – we will challenge the very notion of a singular “American youth culture.” At times, however, we will also examine how adults reacted to the behavior of their children. In particular, we will focus on how adults sought to keep the nation’s youth from being “corrupted” and how young people responded to their efforts.

Required Reading

The following books – listed in the order in which we will read them – are available at the Matador Bookstore.

David Nasaw, Children of the City
Grace Palladino, Teenagers: An American History
Russell Baker, Growing Up
Anne Moody, Coming of Age in Mississippi
Michael Patrick MacDonald, All Souls: A Family Story from Southie

To subvert the system and to save yourself some money, you might consider buying used copies of the books. You are likely to find used or discounted copies at significantly lower prices at the following websites: www.bookfinder.com; www.half.com; www.amazon.com.

All other readings will either be distributed in class or available through the password protected links below.

Requirements and Grading

Class Participation/Quizzes --20%

Quiz 1 [February 15]

Quiz 2 [March 6]

Quiz 3 [April 24]

Quiz 4 [May 8]

Midterm Examination [March 29] --20%

MIDTERM EXAM STUDY QUESTIONS

1st Paper [due March 18 or 9 April] --15%

OPTION A PAPER ASSIGNMENT

OPTION B PAPER ASSIGNMENT

2nd Paper [due 9 May] --20%

SECOND PAPER ASSIGNMENT

ORAL HISTORY SAMPLE PAPER A

ORAL HISTORY SAMPLE PAPER B

Final Examination [24 May] --25%

FINAL EXAM STUDY QUESTIONS

All grading will be done on the +/ – system.

The midterm will be an essay exam designed primarily to confirm that you have been keeping up with the reading and have given thought to the topics and themes raised in discussion. There will be a choice of short answer questions and a longer essay. The final will be similar in format and will not be cumulative. I will distribute study questions for the midterm and final at least a week before you take the exams.

The paper assignments will focus on the material covered in the assigned readings and during class discussion. For the first paper, there will be a choice of topics that will be handed out two weeks before the due date. There will also be two options – “option A” will be due 14 March; “option B” will be due 9 April. You only need to do ONE option. The second paper assignment will allow you to conduct an oral history or try your hand at creative writing. It will be due on 29 April.

On Writing Papers…

Both papers should be NO LESS THAN 5 pages with one-inch margins. Grades will be based on the quality of your ideas and how effectively you present them.

Though the TA and I will make grammar and spelling corrections on your papers, you are not being graded on grammar and spelling per se. A poorly written paper, however, usually fails to convey ideas effectively, so in this sense good writing does matter. There is no way of separating “the writing” from “the ideas.”

As you will find out, we will read your papers thoroughly and offer detailed constructive criticism. Do not be discouraged by our “heavy edits” of your work. My goal is to insure that every one of you leaves this class a better writer than when you entered. You should make this your goal as well.

I also encourage you to ask me or the teaching assistant for assistance. We both have extensive experience in copy editing and teaching writing skills. We are willing to work with you one on one, sentence by sentence to improve your essays. Take advantage of this offer – you may not get another like it before you graduate.

If you submit a completed draft of a paper at least five days before the assignment is due, either the TA or I will read it and give you comments.

Surviving History 476…

Course Format

Though this course will include some lectures, it is not a “lecture course.” The emphasis will be on discussion and classroom interaction rather than listening to the professor. Class participation is important and will count heavily in your final grade. Our meetings will in fact be conversations – free, open, and informal exchanges of ideas based on the assigned reading, and I expect everyone to take part. I will do my best to insure each student has ample opportunity to contribute, but, ultimately, it will be up to you to make certain that you remain an active participant rather than a passive observer. Have the reading done BEFORE you come to class and be ready to discuss it.

Though no one should feel intimidated, I understand that some of you may be more comfortable speaking to a smaller audience, so we will occasionally break into small groups. Your performance in these groups will also count toward your overall participation grade. This grade will be based on the quality of participation – simply “being there” or saying “something” will not insure you a high grade.

Attendance

Since the success of this course depends on each student’s active participation, it is important, and it is expected, that you will be present at every session. I do take attendance. If you have had trouble showing up for class on a regular basis in the past, this is not the course for you. Inevitably, an occasion may arise when you are unable to attend. Out of fairness to your classmates who do attend, however, each absence beyond the first three will adversely affect your final grade. Also, given the heavy weight placed on in-class discussion, any absence is likely to detract from your participation grade.

Common Courtesy & Academic Honesty

Since I assume that all of you are of upstanding character and possess impeccable manners, most of this should go without saying, but I put it in writing here so that there will be no misunderstanding. Please turn off all cell phones and other electronic gadgets before you enter the classroom. This includes laptop computers. Please arrive on time and do not walk out in the middle of class unless it is an emergency or you have spoken to me about it ahead of time. Do not tell me things that are not true and expect me to believe you. This is dishonest, but, more importantly, is an insult to my intelligence. Do not cheat. Do not plagiarize. If you do so, I will track you down and make your life miserable. (References available upon request.)

Problems

I appreciate that many CSUN students are stretching themselves quite thin, often working full time or raising families while taking classes. If you are feeling overwhelmed, find yourself falling behind, or are having any problems outside of class that are adversely affecting your performance in class, be sure to let me know. Do not wait until the end of the semester when it will be too late. I am more than willing to work with you to insure you “survive,” but I need to know you are having difficulties. You will find that as long as you keep me up to speed, I will be very sympathetic.