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The Lakeside Journal of History and Social Studies |
The Lakeside Journal of History and Social Studies provides an avenue for students in Lakeside’s Upper School to develop and discuss ideas, hone research, writing and editing skills, and to present strong work to the community. The Journal is an opportunity for our students to distinguish themselves as thinkers and writers in the Social Sciences. Teachers have selected the essays as representative pieces of work from all grade levels in the upper school. The essays are representative, too, of the broad range of interests and study of our students. We hope that the Journal will stimulate interest and good scholarship in History and Social studies at the Secondary School level.
Volume III: 2007-2008
"Children in Industrial Era America and England" by Tess R. ('11)
In this paper written for Modern World History (H100), Tess explores how industrialization affected childrens' lives. In the introduction, she discusses conflicting opinions on the question, but is clear about her own point-of-view. Tess uses quotations from primary sources particularly well in defending her thesis. Noteworthy, too, are her pithy annotations of her sources at the end of the paper.
“The Coffee Crisis in Latin America” by Rebecca M. (’10)
For her 20th Century World History research paper, Rebecca investigates the history of coffee production in Latin America, particularly the harms that resulted from industrialization. She argues for a return to more traditional modes of production for the economic, social, and environmental benefits. Notable in Rebecca’s paper is the clear structure and skillful use of a wide variety of sources.
“The Evolution of American Political Rhetoric” by Maya G. (’09)
Maya’s research paper for American Studies analyzes how the language of politics has changed over the course of our nation’s history, from Washington to Obama. Her excellent close reading and attention to specific rhetorical and literary qualities in the speeches makes this paper truly exceptional. Maya’s paper demonstrates that with the right kind of focus, even a topic spanning hundreds of years can result in an elegant synthesis.
“A Call to Action: Desegregation in Seattle Public Schools” by Chibuzo O. (’09)
Chibuzo explains how the attempt to voluntarily desegregate public schools in Seattle during the late 1960s and 1970s resulted in unintentionally reinforcing some of the problems of de-facto segregation that it was supposed to correct. This paper is a fine example of the Local History Research Project, in which students took on a historical question of local relevance, and used primary as well as secondary sources in their research. Chibuzo writes with clarity and force, combining evidence and point-of-view in an engaging manner.
“Andrew Carnegie’s View of Labor: Industrialist as Philosopher” by Steven D. (’09)
In his U.S. history research paper, Steven seeks to explore the apparent contradiction between Andrew Carnegie’s support for labor unions and his brutal repression of his own workers. Steven masterfully intertwines historical context from secondary sources with his own analysis of Carnegie’s writings. The introduction is a particularly fine example of how to bring one’s personal voice into the research essay.
“Illinois vs. Rodriguez (1990)” by Kevin K. (’09)
In the fall term of United States history, all students choose a federal court case to explore in depth. They must clearly explain the case, the constitutional issue at hand, and both sides of the argument using primary sources (usually transcripts of oral testimony, decisions, and dissents). Students then give their own opinion and justification. Lastly they conduct and interview with someone about his or her opinion. In this paper Kevin explores the ambiguous nature of the 4th amendment’s prohibition on “unreasonable” searches and seizures. He uses court documents very well to unpack the issues in this complicated case, tracing its path through various stages of the legal system.
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