THE ALABAMA COAST: A SENSE OF PLACE

Residential Institute

JULY 10–15 • MOBILE

Spring Hill College

Lead scholar: Frye Gaillard, writer-in-residence, University of South Alabama

This institute will explore the history and culture of the Alabama Gulf Coast, with special attention to the recent BP oil spill. The coastal disaster of 2010 has left a cloud of uncertainty over the economy, the environment and the way of life in this part of Alabama. But there is also a deep sense of place that sustains its people. This institute will examine the components of that identity—the history, literature, music, food and coastal economy that have tied the residents of lower Alabama to the waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the vast river delta so critical to the life of the region.

The first French settlements near what is now Mobile date back to the early 1700s, and for the first hundred years of their existence these European communities from Florida to New Orleans looked south to the Caribbean, as much as to the American colonies, for their economic and cultural identity. That began to change in the early 1800s, and when Alabama became a state in 1819, Mobile soon emerged as one of the great seaports of the South. At the same time, fishing villages began to dot the coastline, from Bayou La Batre to Bon Secour, and even today the people of these towns extract their modest living from the sea.

The oil spill, which followed a rash of powerful hurricanes, now threatens that time-honored way of life, but the residents of lower Alabama seem determined to carry it on. Relying on a combination of historians, anthropologists, scientists, environmentalists, fishermen, writers, artists and chefs, this six-day, residential institute will explore that commitment in the context of these recent crises. The primary purpose of this institute will be to understand this important part of our state. But it is also hoped that the participants will apply these lessons to their own communities, exploring with their students the ingredients of their own sense of place. The great Mississippi writer Eudora Welty once said, “One place understood well helps us understand all places better.” With that as the
guiding theory of the discussions, participants will take a hard and first-hand look at the rich history and culture of the Alabama coast.

Note: Participants will receive a modest stipend.

Click here for APPLICATION GUIDELINES

Click here for this institutes's APPLICATION FORM in Microsoft Word format.

Location: Spring Hill College, Mobile

Dates: July 10-15

Times: Program begins Sunday at 3 p.m. and concludes Friday at 12 p.m. Evening sessions will end at 9 p.m.

Format: Residential seminar. Lodging and all meals provided.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner provided daily.

Lodging: Spring Hill College, high-security, single occupancy (one per teacher) dormitory room with private bathroom

CEUs: 45 contact hours

Please check back to this website frequently for session topics, resource materials and activities.

For all questions concerning this program, contact
Thomas E. Bryant: tbryant@ahf.net, (205) 558-3997

Additional program support is provided by:

ALEX (Alabama Learning Exchange)

ACCESS (Alabama Connecting Classrooms, Educators, and Students Statewide)