Junior Historians of Texas Sponsor's Handbook

This handbook is designed to assist Junior Historian sponsors with guiding students in grades four through twelve to an enhanced and memorable history experience. Despite the wide range of grade level participation encouraged, the significance and intent of the activities suggested is one and the same; only the level of achievement will vary based on each student's individual ability, maturity, and interests.

In the handbook's current digital form, it is intended to be more available and more up-to-date than previous editions. Current technology makes it possible for this resource to be available to most educators in this digital format through the Internet. Technology also makes it easier to make necessary updates and improvements on a more frequent basis. The handbook will still be available in traditional paper form on a print as needed basis so that the most up-to-date material is distributed.

The activities and resources included in this handbook are the culmination of over sixty-five years of recommendations and practice by hundreds of sponsors across the state. They should be considered merely as suggestions and not as limiting or required. Creative and dedicated sponsors are the core of this organization. The ability to improvise and adapt these activities to meet the needs of your students at the local level is the crux of what has made the Junior Historian experience so memorable for thousands of young people across Texas. You are encouraged to share any successful ideas or activities with others so that even more young people can benefit. The educational services staff at the Association are also available to assist through advice and coordination. It is the flexibility and autonomy at the local level to chose, modify, and plan activities that best meet the needs of students that are key to the success of the Junior Historian movement in Texas.

In revising this edition of the handbook I owe a great deal of credit to my predecessors. Dr. H. Bailey Carroll provided the early organizational history and framework in his guide published in 1961. Dr. Ken Ragsdale provided the ideas contained in the first edition of the handbook published in 1978 and Dr. David C. De Boe updated the handbook in 1990. Much of the content and many of the ideas in this edition, especially the Introduction, flow from the earlier works of these fine men to whom I am grateful. Others have also contributed to this handbook as well, including Elizabeth Battle with the how-to piece for performances, Dr. Fred Bailey with the how-to piece on documentaries, the History Channel with the Save Our History Educators Manual, and the Texas Historical Commission with the use of the Preservation Guidelines Series.