Administration

Communications

C-SC presents 1861: The College, The Community, The War
Tuesday, September 20, 2011

CANTON, Mo. – Culver-Stockton College will mark the 150th anniversary of the Civil War and its impact on the college, the Canton community and surrounding area Wednesday, Oct. 26 and Thursday, Oc. 27 with 1861: The College, The Community, The War, a two day symposium. “Missouri had such an interesting and prominent place in the war—it wasn’t all about the battlefields back East. We hope the public will join us in learning how profoundly the war shaped the Tri-States,” said C-SC Associate Professor of History Scott Giltner.

The Civil War marks the only time in Culver-Stockton’s nearly 160 year history that the college completely shut down. “It is easy to forget sometimes that when you talk about the Civil War you are talking about real people, real communities being forever altered,” commented Culver-Stockton Professor of History Patrick Hotle. “The symposium is meant to both educate people about the war but also bring home the deeply personal and local nature of the conflict in our own backyard,” Hotle continued.

The Civil War commemorative symposium will begin Wednesday, Oct. 26 with an introductory event at the Lewis Street Playhouse in Canton, Mo. The reception begins at 6:30 p.m. and is free and open to the public. The evening event will include presentations and historical reflections on the Civil War by a roundtable of speakers. “The playhouse event is our opportunity to explore the context of the war in the region including slavery and abolitionism, guerilla warfare, and the war in Canton and Lewis County,” explains Giltner.

On Thursday, Oct. 27 select area high school students will take part in an interactive educational experience on the C-SC campus. “The planned activities reflect Culver-Stockton’s commitment to experiential education,” explains professor Giltner. Planned activities include drills with war re-enactors, lessons in period music and dance and demonstrations of weapons and equipment. “We hope this event will allow students and guests to engage the Civil War first hand,” continued Giltner. Community members are invited to attend and take part in the activities and presentations, which will take place on various locations on the C-SC campus, from 2 to 4 p.m.

Keynote speaker Christopher W. Phillips, professor of history at the University of Cincinnati and author of numerous books and articles, including Missouri's Confederate: Claiborne Fox Jackson and the Creation of Southern Identity in the Border West, will close the symposium with a keynote address. An open house and reception will precede Professor Phillips’ presentation at 6 p.m. in the West Wing of Carl Johann Memorial Library. Professor Phillips’ keynote address will begin at 7 p.m. in Merillat Chapel inside the Robert W. Brown Performing Arts Center on the Culver-Stockton Campus. Phillips’ presentation will address the key role Missouri played in the war. “Professor Phillips is an expert in Missouri’s Civil War, and we are thrilled to welcome such a timely presentation by such an esteemed historian,” added Hotle.

This free event is coordinated by the Culver-Stockton College 1861 Symposium Committee with assistance from various community organizations, service groups and volunteers. For more information please contact, Carrie Strobel, director of external campus events at (573) 288-6468 or at cstrobel@culver.edu.