Friday 20 April 2012

Spring Clean


The blog has been given a slight tidy up for the spring, with a few things removed and a new logo added. Please let us know if there is anything else you think can be improved.

Frog on the Blog

We have added a link to Frog, Nonsuch's new digital platform, on the page.  It's still early days but the History and Politics section is up and running, with information about the courses we teach, useful links, a section for the HP Society and a large number of resources for A-Level, GCSE and Key Stage 3. We hope these will be of particular help for everyone going on study leave in a few weeks. Please take a look and tell us what else we can add.

The link on the right hand side will also tell you when our pages were last updated. We hope you find this useful.

Tuesday 17 April 2012

The 70s



There was a fascinating programme on BBC2 last night about Britain in the 1970s. Historian Dominic Sandbrook cut through the stereotypes of that era to show that the decade was remarkably progressive culturally and socially. Last night's episode dealt with with the early years of the decade, and considered issues as diverse as the Ugandan Refugees, the 1972 Miners' Strike and David Bowie.  Politics students will find the struggles of Ted Heath to maintain political control during increasing economic and social turmoil to be of particular interest, with Mrs Thatcher hovering ominously in the background...

PS: There is more about Britain in the 1970s, including contributions from Andrew Marr here.http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/decades/1970s/default.stm

Korean Army Chaplain's Sacrifice



Here is an inspiring story of a US Army Chaplain, Father Emil Kapaun (on the right in the picture above, helping a wounded soldier), who, in the middle of a fierce firefight during the Korean War in 1950, refused to leave the wounded and so was captured and sent to a North Korean labour camp, where he died from the terrible conditions sixth months later.  Kapaun's bravery has led to calls for him to be given the Congressional Medal of Honour, and he has been named a Servant of God by the Catholic church, the first step towards sainthood. You can read more about Father Emil in this sequence of articles from the Wichita Eagle, in his home state of Kansas.

Titanic Graphic



Here is a fascinating graphic showing statistics about the Titanic. As you are probably aware, the 100th Anniversary of its sinking on 15 April 1912 took place this weekend. You may also find this BBC archive material of interest and this Titanic Facebook page.