Then and Now

Schools tend to teach history in Blocks—the Great Depression, the Revolutionary War era, The Gilded Age, and more.

These artificial boundaries distract us from one of the greatest lessons we can possibly learn from history—the trends, tides of change, and how evolving times in economies, culture, and society as a whole—are one long and enduring progression of time.

Recently I read that American’s attention spans are growing ever shorter. In 2004, the average attention span was a brief 2.5 minutes. In 2024, it is 47 seconds.

This inability to concentrate or absorb information makes it even more difficult to understand the compressed sound bites of today’s news. We have no context for why things happen, simply that they do. Major events, crises, and even catastrophes rise and fall in our consciousness like sharp pinpoints, then quickly fade.

We don’t realize a culmination of action, a resolution, or even a satisfying finish to any story. Major events appear to exist in isolation.

That is one reason, among so many, why the study of history is so very important. History teaches trends, cause and effect, and perhaps even more importantly, that those who came before us faced many of the same issues we face today. They were just average people, who found themselves in extraordinary situations. And they stepped up.

Thankfully teachers are stepping up today to make a difference too—connecting the threads of the past to help young people understand how we came to be where we are today. Numbers of them are working to involve young people through capturing their curiosity and their imaginations—to discover not only events and trends but the people who changed their world. And ours.

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Recently a high school student wrote to me on my website asking if I would talk with her about one of the women in my book, Virginia Hall.

She was intrigued by Hall’s career with the Special Operations Executive (SOE) in World War II and then with the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). Hall served in France and trained and led French resistance fighters in efforts to slow and disrupt Nazi efforts to reinforce operations in the north of France, particularly following D-Day in 1944.

It was a pleasure to speak with her. She had nearly all of the books written about Virginia Hall (there are at least six) and had built a website detailing Hall’s exploits during the war. The website will be entered in a national-level contest – History Day.

This is but one example of ways in which new generations can find ways to engage with history. Many patriotic organizations such as the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), the American Legion, and more sponsor essay contests about history. Others grant scholarships.

It is reassuring to learn that new generations are interested in learning more about history. Because we need all the stories of how events unfolded, how every person who lived during a certain period in history was affected and changed by those world events, and what they did to create change, improve the lives of others and make a difference.

Ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Our next generations can do that too.