Who would have the audacity to break off part of Stonehenge and take it home as a souvenir?
Enough people did just that in 19th century Britain that their actions helped excite a movement for the preservation of the landmark, said Marjorie Wheeler-Barclay, a Randolph College history professor, during a lecture Wednesday, June 29. The event was sponsored by the College’s Summer Research Program, an intense eight week program that provides students with the opportunity to work closely with faculty on various research topics.
This year’s Summer Research students are examining topics such as race in Disney films, observing how hands-on experiments change children’s views of science, reviewing the history of the College’s Honor Code enforcement, revealing the way enslaved cooks shaped culinary culture in the South – and that is just the beginning.
Over the next few weeks, watch this blog and Randolph’s website for stories about each project.
Wheeler-Barclay’s lecture allowed her to share research she began in the spring of 2009. She continued her studies at a library near Stonehenge last year.
The national discussion about preserving Stonehenge resulted not only from chisel-wielding tourists and stone-toppling winds. The discussion also reflected a change in British culture that moved toward a rejection of modernity and an embracement of rural folk culture, Wheeler-Barclay said.
