First "Coal Class"

Tonight we began our first, in a series of five, classes leading up to our weeklong trek through the coal fields of West Virginia later this summer. Steve Beckelhimer got us started with a discussion about the origins of West Virginia coal as well as the various types of coal. Students in the class received their Samsung Galaxy Tablets that will be used throughout our trip to photograph, video, take notes, and blog about their experiences each day. To cap off the evening, we had with us Dr. Paul Rakes, who currently is an associate professor of history at West Virginia Institute of Technology. However he came to be a professor only after spending a considerable amount of time underground. Dr. Rakes is a third generation coal miner who was born in a West Virginia coal camp and worked in the coal industry for twenty years before getting his teaching degree. As an instructor, he specializes in Appalachian history while concentrating on coal politics, technology and disasters in West Virginia. A PowerPoint slideshow that accompanied his lecture can be accessed by clicking HERE. Participants are encouraged to spend some time working with their Galaxy Tabs this week and bring them back next Thursday for our second "Coal Class".