To start the final week of classes, students discussed the election of 1864, looking at Frederick Douglass’s “Mission of the War,” Anna Dickinson’s “Perils of the Hour,” and the Gettysburg Address. During the break, students met with the two grad TAs to decide positions for this week’s Lincoln and Douglass debate.

Two groups of students standing on either side of a chalkboard

Choosing positions with a coin toss

After a subtext lecture with Professor Mealy and a quick lunch, students headed to their first debate prep session. They worked on familiarizing themselves with Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass’s arguments over the best way to end slavery, honing their arguments for Friday. In the final few hours before close reading essays and videos were due at 7, students worked to fine-tune their arguments. Once everything was submitted, staff and students celebrated with a trip to Massey’s for some ice cream. With work for the day completed, some students relaxed by watching a movie. Overall, it was another day full of learning, and the students felt proud of themselves for completing their close reading assignments!

Two girls sitting on a bench and holding ice cream

Yum!

A group of students sitting on benches eating ice cream

A welcome treat