Local Architecture and National Differences

One of the best parts of day two of #ncph2012 was the walking tour of downtown Milwaukee.  The tour was put on by Historic Milwaukee Inc.  This particular tour was especially crafted for the conference and combined elements of various different tours HMI gives. I learned lots about local architecture styles, local history, and the preservation efforts in the city.  I took an abundance of pictures which I will share on this blog at a later date.   Additionally, I volunteered to be a reviewer for the Public Historian and will be writing up a review of the tour and submitting it the journal.

The other major learning experience I had yesterday focused on my current job at the Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre.  Coming to the conference I was aware that there are national differences in the Canadian Residential School system and the US boarding school system.  However, I was unprepared for so many history focused people to have no knowledge of either system.  On the plus side, this has contributed to a number of educational moments where I have been able to share a bit about First Nation-Settler Relations.  Many people I've spoken to have been very receptive to learning about the IRS system in Canada and surprised at the extent to which Canada is still struggling with this aspect of our history.