HISTORY OF THE BAHAMAS

The Island School history program examines the interdependence of humans and their environment using Eleuthera and The Bahamas as a case study for analysis. Students take advantage of the unique aspects of this island nation, from its special sedimentary geology to its role in Columbus’ expedition and its position at the crossroads of later commerce and travel. In studying the area immediately around them, students physically engage the topics they read about, combining classroom and environment to bring across the material in multiple dimensions. Students come to understand the contemporary population of the islands by looking into its past, studying the patterns of displaced peoples and their repeated successes and failures influenced by the environment. Students finish the semester by looking toward the future. Through studying development and conservation issues on the southern end of the island, students gain a more comprehensive understanding of the marine science and environmental issues they have encountered throughout the semester.

Life History Project

The Life History Project is a central element of the History Program.

The Life History Project seeks to record the living history of this island through its inhabitants – their daily lives, their personalities, and their speech. Students experiment with the challenges of ethnography, through interactions with local Bahamians, from the seventh-grade students they teach in Community Outreach, to the local "elders" whose memories hold the stories of past years. Students learn the techniques of interviewing and recording observations, incorporating this first-hand source material with course lectures and research. Each student works to create a presentation of an oral history based on personal interviews, primary research, and secondary resources.

"One of the most exciting experiences for me was our visit with Mr. Sweeting. He welcomed us into his small one-room house. He spoke about his grandparents and told stories of plantations and slavery. He spoke about the simple times before the island had electricity, when people had to work more closely together in the community. He never stopped smiling."

-- Life History Project student note