Tom Isern, NDSU

It's in the news now, although some of us have known about it for a while (and been undergoing security checks on account of it) - First Lady Laura Bush is coming to Sims, North Dakota, on Thursday, October 2. I suspect that quite a few people are searching the Internet for information about Sims and about the Sims Lutheran Church & Parsonage. It happens that on 14 July 2005 I took a suite of photographs at Sims, a selection of which I just now posted to Webshots. Go to the Center for Heritage Renewal and see "Heritage Video" at lower left, or follow this link for a slideshow of Sims images. The photos were taken during a restoration work day on which members of Preservation North Dakota joined volunteers from Sims Lutheran Church in restoring their wonderful old parsonage.

We're just back this weekend from the 43rd Annual Northern Great Plains History Conference, in Brandon, Manitoba. I participated in a couple of panels, but what I really want to mention is the delivery of papers by a couple of our outstanding graduate students. Dan McCullom presented the paper, "Like a Flash of Lightning in a Clear Sky: The Nonpartisan League and Insurgent Progressives." Jessica Clark presented another piece of her dissertation research in the paper, "Beauty on the Plains: Germans from Russia Remember Growing Up on the Great Plains." Congratulations to these two scholars for their good work and for showing the NDSU flag in Brandon.

I regret to say, I'm unable to attend the Circle of Players recognition ceremonies on October 4. A prior commitment to extension work out of town that day prevents me from attending. I'd like to be there, though, to express my respect and support for the Circle of Players. This is the donor group founded by Don Larew, prof emeritus of theater, for theater scholarships. The theater program has made amazing progress in recent years, and Don, as the old hand of the crew, has played a gracious part in the upward transition, not only practicing his craft and teaching it but also looking to the future. By founding the Circle of Players, he has sought to consolidate his legacy. He's a good man, and this is a good cause, to which I will continue to give. Thanks, Don.

I'm just back last night from a couple of days spent in Albuquerque attending the executive council meeting of the Western Social Science Association. I've been a part of the WSSA since I delivered a paper at its 1978 meeting, which I think took place in Denver. (I remember that the late Homer Socolofsky, that fine gentleman-scholar from Kansas State, was the commentator for my paper.) It's been my honor at various times to have headed up the Rural & Agricultural Studies Section of the association and to have founded its New Zealand & Agricultural Studies Section. I've long lost track of how many papers I have brought to the conference (perhaps they were not all that memorable?), but not of the friends I have made there. Now, serving on the governing council of the association, I enjoy the opportunity to observe how the thing is made up and managed, which, fortunately, does not bear out the old saying about seeing sausage made. The association has challenges, sure, but it is healthy and well managed. To all my colleagues here at NDSU and across the academy: let me commend to you the WSSA as a venue in which to present your research, network with colleagues, and enjoy yourself. Come on in, and I'll introduce you around.

In the center tomorrow (Wednesday) midday. Beets and carrots and spuds as fresh as can be, just lifted them from the garden this evening. Red, red borscht. Plus, Suzzanne has a batch of Swedish light rye in second rise as I write. Anthropology, Zoology, Psychology, Agronomy, all of you, eat your heart out. History has the good grub.

That's what's in store for those dropping by the center for lunch tomorrow. You can read about it in my Plains Folk blog, Travel on the Gravel.

This Wednesday the 10th I'll be resuming a custom established last year for staying in touch with grad students who are working with me--the soup kitchen.

On Wednesdays I expect to spend most of the day working in the Center for Heritage Renewal. Any time around midday, I invite all grad students who are working with me (either as staff of the center or as teaching assistants) to drop by the center for lunch. I'll have a crockpot full of soup, chili, or stew. Sometimes Suzzanne bakes for us. Fill a bowl, sit down, and tell me what you've accomplished, and we'll talk about the work, OK?

Those of you who are preparing for comps with me--I expect to commence another regular rendezvous in October. This will be a late-afternoon session on Thursday when anyone reading for comps with me is invited to have a cup of coffee and talk books. More on that later.