History Camp 2014 Survey Results

History Camp Survey ResultsMarch 19, 2014

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History Camp• History Camp, the first unconference dedicated to history, took place on March 8,

2014 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Anyone could sign up to speak and anyone could attend for free, but they were asked to register. All of the spots were taken in the days before the event. 129 people attended the 23 sessions and 2 panels. More information about History Camp is at www.HistoryCamp.org.

History Camp

The schedule is online as a public Google document

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0As-7KD6OX1ejdFdBR1R0X3BZcHVmSFZaVmZsZDJKYWc&usp=drive_web%23gid=0

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0As-7KD6OX1ejdFdBR1R0X3BZcHVmSFZaVmZsZDJKYWc&usp=drive_web%23gid=0

Introduction

About the survey

Results

Overall

Content

Logistics

Shortcomings

Responses

Respondent profiles and states

First heard about it

After heard about I

Registered because

Would have attended

Would have stayed

Attend if held a year from now

Refer to a friend or colleague

Rate relative to expectations

Fell short

Fell far short

Would present

Supporter tables

Author tables

Would have gotten more out of History Camp and enjoyed it more

Really liked sessions/speakers

Disappointed with sessions/speakers

If held again, what I hope is different

If held again, sessions or panels

Organizational supporters

Individual supporters

For more information

Contents

Introduction

• The results that follow are based on a survey sent to everyone who signed up for the History Camp mailing list, including everyone who registered, regardless of whether or not they attended, and people who only signed up for updates but never registered.– All groups were included in order to understand the process from initial interest all the

way through to attendance, including what caused them to be interested initially and what kept them from attending.

– Individuals who did not attend were not shown questions about the sessions or other aspects of the event itself.

• The goal of the survey was the same as one of the primary goals of History Camp: To understand whether the format worked, whether it should be held again, and if so, what changes should be made.

About the survey

• Conducted online using Survey Gizmo.– 205 people received two e-mail messages about the survey.– Both made it clear in the subject line that the survey was for everyone, even if they

hadn’t attended.– The open rate was 60% and 55%.

• The survey was available to complete from March 14 – March 18.• The response rate was quite good

– 129 people attended History Camp– 86 of the 115 respondents attended History Camp

Results: History Camp overall

• Most people enjoyed History Camp. – For 95% of respondents, History Camp met, exceeded, or greatly exceeded their

expectations. – 98% would probably or definitely recommend History Camp to a friend or colleague

interested in history who lived in the area.– 94% would probably or definitely attend if it were held in the same area next year.

• One of the subjects that appears in many of the comments is enjoying having a day dedicated to history and meeting so many others interested in history.

Selected verbatim comments appear on the following page. All verbatim comments appear later in the slides.

Results: History Camp overall“I registered for History Camp because . . .”

I am extremely interested in history and thought the nonconference style fit my needs.

I wanted to fill my history well.

I wanted to meet with, learn from, and exchange ideas with others involved in local history

Excellent sessions, interesting people

Great sessions and panels. Good demo products.

I had high hopes, many were met.

I hoped it would be good . . . and it was great

Reasons given for their rating of History Camp relative to their expectations:

Results: History Camp content

• Other than two sessions, remarks about topics and speakers were generally positive. One person felt that more research needed to be done before people were approved to speak. Another wished that speakers were more “accredited.” One of the core ideas behind the unconference format is that anyone can speak, regardless of whether they have traditional credentials. In the opening remarks, people were encouraged to move to a different presentation if they weren’t satisfied with the one they were attending. As was noted by at least one respondent, the size and layout of some of the rooms made it hard to get up and leave during a talk.

• Some expressed a desire for history topics other than from the Revolutionary era or, more broadly, other than American history. Anyone who wanted could have presented on any history-related topic. People were invited to add new talks that morning, and it was made clear that there were rooms and time slots to accommodate additional talks.

• Comments about the the unconference format were generally positive.• The reaction to the sponsor and author tables was generally positive; no one

expressed any feeling that the event was too commercial. Some were interested in more book tables and displays.

Results: History Camp logistics

• The biggest complaint was the tight scheduling, with many feeling was that there wasn’t enough time to both hear the presentation and take questions. When sessions ran over, this created problems for those who followed.

• Similarly, there was very little time for networking with other attendees.• There was no formal session wrapping up the day.• The location and facility were rated highly. • A few people wished there had been other choices for lunch.

We didn’t have enough money to cater in Panera or similar, though we tried, so we handled all of the food ourselves to hold down costs and looked at several pizza places in Cambridge to get the best quality we could find. Salad, yogurt, fruit, and granola bars were provided to supplement the pizza.

• One mentioned a desire for recycling. We should have explained that the office building does single stream recycling so everything was going to be sorted and recycled even though there weren’t separate bins for recycling.

Results: History Camp shortcomings

• Looking closely at people who didn’t attend for a reason other than illness or a conflict with work, those or left early, and those who felt that History Camp fell short or far short of their expectations, the primary issues were . . .– More topics, including more advanced or in-depth topics Unlike traditional conferences, the content of an unconference is dictated by the

attendees. Anyone who wished could have walked in that morning and presented on other history-related topics.

– More time for sessions

About the responses

• In order to encourage as much participation as possible, most of the questions were optional.

• People who didn’t attended weren’t asked questions about speakers, the facility, and related event details.

• All of the verbatim comments for selected questions are included with the exception of negative comments that referred to specific individuals. In those cases, constructive feedback was forwarded to the individuals mentioned.

n = 106

Respondents represented a broad cross-section of people involved with history, including those who work directly with history, volunteer with history organizations, and those who simply have a deep interest in history.

State (incl. region, country) 106 total respondentsMassachusetts 88Maine 4New York 3Rhode Island 3Connecticut 1New Hampshire 1Vermont 1New Jersey 1 Florida 1Virginia 1Washington 1Australia 1

Unsurprisingly, most respondents were from Massachusetts. All the other states in New England were represented, as were New York, New Jersey, and a few from much further away.

Word of mouth was most important, as it usually is. Social media, including LinkedIn, was also important. The flyer distribution wasn’t worth it.

n = 115

There were 161 people registered. Of these, 34 did not attend. Based on e-mail messages received and responses to a question in the survey, the primary reasons people didn’t attend were illness, family emergencies, and a change to work schedules.

n = 115

“I registered for History Camp because . . . “

• Responses appear on the following pages. • Most had to do with the person’s love of history and the opportunity to meet

others with the the same passion. • Some added that the fact it was free, and some that it was on a Saturday.• There were a few reasons that were unexpected, and they are indicated in bold.

They are along these themes:– The unconference format– Network with others for work-related reasons– Gather information to take back to their local historical society– First conference ever attended– Opportunity to present


Because in general I love historical conferences and panels (and heard John Bell was coming)

History buff, and local tour guide.

I am a historian (on the Board of a local Historical Society) and a big history fan.

I am a history buff I wanted to attend an "unconference" the location was very convenient

I am curious about the intersection between research and archives

I am extremely interested in history and thought the nonconference style fit my needs

I am interested in History, and later I was asked to present.

I am interested in bringing American History to the people in a commercial format.

I am interested in history learning opportunities for adults.

I like history and I'm currently applying to History PhD programs.

I like history, especially local history, and the initial speaker list looked really enticing.

I love History, wanted to learn more, and wanted to network.

I love history (I'm doing my masters in Public History)- and I want an alt-ac job in history

I love history and things organized by people!

I love history and wanted to network with others.

I love history!

I thought, and still think, it was a great idea.

I wanted to fill my history well.

I wanted to hear the speakers and spend time with historians and re-enactors.

I wanted to learn about how financial records are used to support historical research

I wanted to learn more about techniques in the history field.

I wanted to meet with, learn from, and exchange ideas with others involved in local history

I wanted to see how an unconference works and because I wanted to support it.

I was incredibly excited to meet more history enthusiasts and share ideas.

I was interested in meeting others in the profession.


I work for Hstry, we were sponsoring and it was good opportunity to meet historians.

I'm a history nerd

Interested to see format, network, seemed some interesting content

Interesting speakers & topics

It looked creative, fun, well put together, and grounded with some good speakers.

It seemed like a good and fun networking opportunity.

It seemed like a good opportunity to learn more about some historical topics I’m interested in.

It sounded fun and one of my friends agreed to go with me.

It sounded like a fun and interesting way to spend a Saturday

It sounded like a great opportunity to meet people and learn

It sounded like fun and I might gain career skills

It's such a great idea!

Lectures/ like-minded people.


Lee asked me to. And it sounded like fun.

Lee told me about it and it sounded very interesting...

Like history; make connections with like folks.

Love history and try to absorb as much as possible.

My husband and good friend Jen Deaderick told me about it.

Networking

Personal interest

Several of the talks appealed to me

Sounded like fun, and I like to encourage history activities of all kinds.

Thought it was a great idea/fun and free!

To participate and meet other history buffs.

Was interested in learning some specifics about history.


Was interested in what Camp would be like -- what the presentations et al would be about

asked to present

idea

interested in revolutionary era history

it looked like the kind of event I would enjoy

it sounded fun and relaxed and was free.

it sounded interesting, and I work in the field.

I am a history buff, wanted to see the presentations and meet people. (Not a professional historian.)

I have a general interest in history and I don't often get to attend workshops on historical topics.

I'm a history fanatic, first and foremost, but it was also an opportunity for me to make connections relevant to my work.

I had travelled to Boston from Australia to use archives, and I knew it was on. I thought it would be a good opportunity to meet likeminded historians.


I like to support efforts outside of the academy and it seemed interesting plus offered job hunting hints/networking

I was looking for networking opportunities and it seemed like a fun way to engage with local history and see what other people are working on.

it offered a large variety of topics i was interested in learning about. I like history and enjoyed the kind of history you don’t often hear about.

I thought it would be exciting to meet others interested in history and to learn about new subjects.

I am an educator with a strong interest in history, I work with pre-service teachers and am always looking for resources. I also have recently become involved with an all volunteer historical society in Maine and I was specifically looking for ideas and resources to bring back to the Board and the Education Committee.

I had never attended a conference before and wanted to get experience speaking at one. Plus, I wanted to meet new people!

I wanted to alert more people I thought would be interested in attending my show Drums Along the Mohawk Outdoor Drama.


I saw presenters who would be speaking about topics I was interested in, and I was eager for an opportunity to learn about them!

it sounded like an excellent meeting place for academics, public historians, and people who love history to meet and share knowledge and expertise

It seemed like it would be an interesting event, offering a variety of lectures and an opportunity to interact with others with similar interests.

I love history and was looking for fun activities to do over Spring Break, so it killed two birds with one stone!

I have a BA in the subject but work on high tech. Wanted to mingle with other History nerds, and learn something new.

the topics were interesting and I was eager to share some of my research with those who would appreciate it.

I loved the do-it-yourself aspect, and I loved watching it develop. The speakers looked interesting, too.

I thought it would be an excellent way to draw feedback from fellow historians and learn about happenings in the history realm.


I am inspired by other volunteers and professionals who are passionate about local history. My time is limited, so I find such experiences to be so helpful in making contacts and gathering information and "tools" to make my volunteer time more effective and proper given my lack of "professional" credentials. I was particularly interested in meeting folks who may have experience with a small museum and small group of volunteers.

An unconference sounded like a fun idea. I also recognized some of the organizers, so I knew that it would be an interesting and engaging event.

I was very excited about the opportunity to network and attend presentations that would assist me in my volunteer role at our local historical society.

history is awesome and I thought it would be a good opportunity to network and meet other people who also love history.

I thought it would be a fun and relaxed way to learn about history. As a casual history-lover, that sounded like a great way to spend a Saturday.

it's so freakin' cool to hear people take an itty bitty historical detail and give a detailed explanation of it. Something about allowing people to make it free form that allows them to talk ONLY about what they love. And ... it's FREE. How could I go wrong??


A friend was going to meet me there and the Salem Witches/social history talks looked interesting. I don't work in the field, so wasn't interested in how-to's.

I was interested in experiences an unconferences for those interested in history. I also had some ideas in my head that I wanted to present on, but never found an outlet for my ideas until HistoryCamp.

I'm interested in History, I'm thinking about taking History courses or enrolling in a graduate program in History.

I love history and it looked like a great venue to learn about local history. Also, I knew it was the first year it was being put together and wanted to support it. I also consider it a great venue to present and am thinking of topics I could present on at future History Camps

I'm an Reenactor / Living Historian and interested in looking for opportunities and for networking

I am an artist and my paintings are inspired by "historic lore" and historic figures. I was interested in the free admission! and the fact presentations were given by professionals and amateurs. I think history is subjective, as my paintings are my interpretation of historic events. I went for inspiration and to participate in an open forum. The free part was key for myself since I drove with friends from Connecticut. Thank you fan interesting day.


“I would have attended if . . . “

• “I wasn't as busy, my friend had gone and there were more talks on histories of oppression, oppressed peoples or clothing.”

“I would have probably stayed for the rest of the day if . . . “

• “the sessions had been more diverse in the scopes of geographic, time, and subject areas.”

• “it was better organized ...I understand hiccups during an inaugural conference but one speaker failed to show up due to poor communication with the direction. I would have stayed longer if the employment (find a job in history etc...) wasn't so disappointing. I really wish more research had been done before the panelists were approved to speak.” [Other comments about specific panelists being out of touch with current hiring practices.]

n = 50

Three out of four definitely would go to History Camp if it is held next year; 94% probably would go or definitely would go. (Includes responses from people who weren’t able to attend this year.)

n = 88

Two out of three definitely would recommend History Camp; 98% probably or definitely would. (Shown to only those who attended.)

More than half of attendees reported that History Camp exceeded their expectations. Only 5% felt it fell short or far short of their expectations. Their explanations are shown first, followed by all respondents. (Shown to only those who attended.)

n = 90

“Fell short of my expectations“

Four respondents selected “Fell short;” two answered why:• “I wish the sessions were longer, the presenters had a difficult time communicating

their point in the half hour allotted. I also wish the sessions had been a little more illuminating. I expected a bit more of an academic kind of feel. Some of the presenters were sharing information that could be helpful and illuminating to some people who are just history buffs, but I wanted sessions that would really add to my knowledge base about history. (Like the difference between original research and just a summary of popular public history books)”

• “Some talks covered material I already knew. One was pure self-promotion of bad content and there was no way to sneak out of the room. There were some interesting bits in some talks.”

“Fell far short of my expectations“

One respondent selected “Fell far short:”• “The sessions were very idiosyncratic and too focused on the Revolution period.”

Rating History Camp relative to their expectations

A couple of the presentations were so-so, but the rest were phenomenal.

Definitely an interesting mix of content sessions and more practical how to sessions.

Excellent sessions, interesting people

Extremely well-organized, great group of attendees, really interesting presentations

FOOD is essential to learning - well done!

Great sessions and panels. Good demo products.

I had high hopes, many were met.

I hoped it would be good . . . and it was great!

I wasn't sure what to expect but it was great to be surrounded by others who enjoy history..

I wasn't sure what to expect, but it was a lot of fun.

Impressed by the level of interest, taking up all available places in advance.

It was an interesting conference with a lot of different lecturers.


It was well-organized, sessions were interesting, and there was a great mix of topics.

The sessions were very idiosyncratic and too focused on the Revolution period.

There was such a variety of people and backgrounds that it made things very interesting.

Would have liked some of the presentations to be less driven by market research.

i did not realize when i signed up that there would be that many sessions to choose from all day.

solid presenters, great venue, good support

I was worried that as a layperson, I would feel incredibly out of place. Indeed, when the morning introductions were done, I was worried that I had made a huge mistake. But as the day went on, I didn't feel that any of the talks I chose were beyond my understanding or interest. It was a really fun time. I think the format works well, since a 30 minute talk is just long enough to convey an idea (if the speaker is rehearsed and moves quickly), but short enough that if you find yourself in an uninteresting talk, the end is near.


It was a lot more fun than I expected! The group was a lot more diverse (in terms of professional backgrounds, stages in their career, etc) than I expected.

I did not look at the lineup before that morning. I was able to find plenty of topics that interested me.

I was impressed with the number of talks that were offered and the professionalism of the speakers. Also, the event was extremely well organized, the space was perfect, and the lunch was very nice.

I'd register again in a heart beat. I was fun to meet people from such a wide variety of background and interest.

some talks covered material I already knew. One was pure self-promotion of bad content and there was no way to sneak out of the room. There were some interesting bits in some talks.

I wish the sessions were longer, the presenters had a difficult time communicating their point in the half hour allotted. I also wish the sessions had been a little more illuminating. I expected a bit more of an academic kind of feel. Some of the presenters were sharing information that could be helpful and illuminating to some people who are just history buffs, but I wanted sessions that would really add to my knowledge base about history. (Like the difference between original research and just a summary of popular public history books)


The people were great and genuinely interested in what everyone was doing and what they had to say.

Even though I did not attend any of the sessions, I noticed the topics. I was interested and impressed with the topics of discussion.

I absolutely loved the first two, and last three presentation I attended. But some of the presenters in the middle were kind of "meh." From others I spoke with, it seemed that I probably just picked dud speakers and I wish I could have access to some of the other presentation notes.

It was session heavy in the afternoon. I wished there was a 15-30 minute coffee and networking break in the afternoon. The last session could include an incentive, like a raffle, to have people leave at the end.

I had no idea so many people were attending, and I had no idea so many people were interested in my session! It was a great way for me to shake some of my nerves about presenting in public.

The sessions were mostly good, but mixed. The better sessions were creative and historically serious. The poorer sessions were thin historically and not interactive.

It was exciting to, each hour, be able to, on a whim, pick a fascinating topic to explore in depth. It was very social too.


There were so many different subjects and genres of history, all of them interesting, that it was difficult to choose which lectures to attend. I wish I could have been in 2 or 3 places at once.

Both of the sessions that fell below expectations were run by the same person . . . As a result, two subsequent sessions in that room started late, the second of them so late that it was interrupted and ended at about its halfway mark. This was disappointing and avoidable.

There was a great variety of subjects discussed. The presenters and attendees alike represented a diverse cross-section of career historians.

I came away with ideas and resources and I will be sharing those this week at the historical society

I enjoyed the casual environment, the food, the people, and most of the sessions. My only negative feedback is that I wish that some of the presenters had been more focused and that they had stuck to their time.

The variety of topics was amazing. No one leading the sessions I attended seemed like an unapproachable "expert."


So many folks were happy to share information and encouragement. I especially admired the younger "20 or 30 somethings" who were patient with some of us who are not so technosavvy. I also liked meeting some of the folks who came to share information about their publications, and historical reenactment and Museum Trek programs.

I was not sure what to expect. I had never been to an unconference. very well organized. great space. good food. excellent greeting/welcomes.

All the programs were interesting, I met a lot of terrific people. I rarely meet anyone who shares my excitement about history. Thanks especially for having everyone introduce themselves.

I expected it to be a mix of history "classes" and other types of workshops relating to history.

Wish there had been better descriptions of the talks in the schedule. Would have helped choosing which sessions to attend.

I was happy with most of the presentations, but one stuck out as being just a pitch for their TV show and was not good. There were some presenters who were very scared, but muddled through and I think this is a good place for those types of people to get their feet wet in presenting.


For the first time for this event, I think it went well -- most of the folks who signed up to put on presentations showed up and the ones I went to were informative and sometimes standing/sitting-on-the-floor room only

Some top notch presenters and novice presenters all in one place. Sharing their interests and livelihoods with peers. A very nice method to collaborate and showcase components in history that might not have previously been available.

Most of the sessions were informative and provided me with new ideas or questions to think about.

I found that it was a bit too America-centric for my tastes, but I also understand that, as we are in Boston, it was likely to be focused on early American history. I would like to see more non-American history next year!

I am always inspired by how others go about doing the work of research & what they find out from primary resources

It was really fun! I liked the casual atmosphere a lot, and the size was just right â€“â€“ plenty of cool people to talk to, but not so many that it was overwhelming. I hope it happens again next year.


It had the potential of being really disorganized and/or chaotic, but instead it felt like a great communal effort. The presentations were interesting, and felt intimate. Everyone felt like a colleague.

There were a lot of different programs on a number of different topics. I liked that it was informal.

The topics were great and varied enough that I wouldn't have gotten the breadth of knowledge at any other single event.

The breadth and quality of the presentations, and the enthusiasm of the attendees, left a good impression.

There was a lot of new material in some of the sessions, and other sessions, it felt like nothing new.

Because I'm trying to determine if I should enroll in a graduate program in History and I'd like to know the differences between the ones available locally.

One in ten said they would definitely like to present at a future History Camp; half said they would seriously consider presenting.

n = 63

More than half learned something from the tables with information from supporting organizations; only one felt they detracted.

n = 81

Similarly, more than half appreciated the author tables and engaged with the authors.

n = 78

"I would have gotten more out of History Camp and enjoyed it more if . . .

...the sessions were longer.

A few of the speakers showed up for their presentation.

I could suggest topics.

I don't know. I had a good day

I had been able to access the WiFi to use and interact with social media during History Camp

I had been able to stay for the entire day.

I had gone for the purpose of attending the presentations.

I think it would be hilarious to double up on the encouragement for reenactors to dress up.

It had started an hour later.

Map to location was clear.


More non-u.s presentations,

More variety of topics, but some of that can't be controlled

I got a lot out of the sessions I attended.

Needs video taking/posting for those of us who cannot make it to Boston area.

Perhaps sessions were a tiny bit longer

Really the biggest issue was that one could attend only one session at a time.

Sessions had been 15 min longer for more Q&A

Several of the sessions were longer

Several sessions were too short time-wise

The sessions been broader in their geographic and time areas and less idiosyncratic..


The sessions were longer.

The sessions were longer

The sessions were ten to fifteen minutes longer

The speakers had been more accredited and recognized within the history field.

There had been a greater variety of speakers beyond the Revolutionary War.

There was more of a variety of eras discussed.

There was more time at each session.

There were even more sessions to choose from!

Topics grouped by local historic interest.

better descriptions for panels, maybe an area that people could just hang out and talk

only history content presenters participated in the individual sessions


parking weren't such a hassle

the presentations had been longer, less rushed and more about Boston/Massachusetts history.

the sessions were longer enough to accommodate going beyond the basics.

there were more opportunities to just sit and chat with folks!

If I lived closer to Cambridge ..........I would have come early enough...but. But I was able to come late and still enjoy the day. If the doors were locked after the start, maybe someone could be "paged" to open the door. If the "slide presenters" (WWII ads) had been able to say "NO" to the one videographer so we could see the Slides with lights down...it would have been better/easier to see

I had had more time. Was not able to stay to the end or go to the Massacre reunion. Sorry about that,


we could have socialized in a bit more organized fashion during registration and lunch time - maybe have gathering areas to "eat" by area of interest? This might have made afforded more effective opportunities to engage in conversation with the little time available.

... the sessions had been a bit higher-level and gone into more depth. It might also have been helpful to divide into research tracks and living-history tracks. I hope now that the first one has happened it can have greater outreach and offer more speakers and draw more attendees in the future.

The history camp twitter handle was promoted more. I'm glad a number of people participated online, but there could have been more, perhaps.

i found the place on time and if the breakfast was more substantial to last the whole morning. next time starbucks coffee please. i would pay for better food in the morning and good coffee in the afternoon.

I ran out of time during lunch! It was the only real downtime and I had lots of people to catch up with, so I had barely sat down with my pizza before it was time to catch the next session.


there was an open discussion session after some presentations. There were a lot of professional attendees who could have added more insight into the subjects.

Wanted more time to mingle and meet other historians. I would like to see it fall in winter when the lure of outdoor activities in nice weather does not conflict. Admittedly it was an unusually nice Feb day.

There had been more graduate students presenting their work in progress and professors discussing their research.

There were more discussion of current historiographic trends, of the role of the public historian, of the dialogue between public historians, museums, archives, educators, teachers, college professors, etc.

Have I mentioned coffee in the afternoon? And I did feel sad that I didn't get to see everything. Video of everything would be great.

the subjects covered in the workshops were more global. They tended to be too "precise" and didn't have a larger perspective of a historical event.


I really enjoyed the event. One small criticism would be that several events that would appeal to the same audience were in the same time slots. For example, a time slot with two RevWar talks, and another time slot with two women's history talks. I really regretted having to choose between JL Bell's Boston Bankruptcy and Liz Covart's Erie Canal.

The sessions that ran long didn't, and if there was more opportunity to interact with the other people there.

The lectures were longer. I think to distinguish itself from NEHA and other historical conferences, a thematically based one-day "camp" might be more interesting. Would definitely like to see longer speeches. What's the rush? It's not necessary to learn all in a day. Would rather delve more deeply into fewer topics and really enjoy the topics. People sit in classrooms for three hours at a time. I think we could sit in a conference session for 45 minutes to an hour and really get to know a particular topic.


more in-depth topics or clearer descriptions so i would have known about depth. i bet i missed some good stuff because i went to talks that turned out to be too shallow

I know I should provide the sort of comments that would make another History Camp that much better, but I was really happy with the day. Sorry not to be more critical! Maybe there were some sessions where I wanted to see more than one of the presentations but they were held concurrently so I had to choose. Hold sessions more than once?

"I really liked these sessions / speakers:

All of the American history and public history presentations I went to.

All that I went to

Bromances and Frenemies, Rhode Island democracy, provenance

Colleen Janz and JLBell

Colonial army commissary

Elizabeth Covart, Adam Hassler, JL Bell, Thomas Ketchell

Eric Bauer, Thomas Ketchell, Adam Hasler, Adriene Katz

Founding Father Frenemies and How One Person Caused the American Revolution

Google Books, Using Social Media (with Lee), WWII propaganda, Crowdsourcing newspapers

History of politics in RI, mannerisms and personalities in Copley paintings


History, Oral history

Hstry = Fabulous

I can't pick just one or two. Everything I attended was great.

I thought that the Bromances and Frenemies session was fun and original.

J. L. Bell!!!!! employment panel graduate school seminar

J. L. Bell, Sue Felshin, the talk on Temperance and Suffrage.

JL Bell. Frenemies and Bromances. Copley.

Lee and Paul's sessions, both of those by the Boston 1775 guy, and the crowd sourcing one.

Liz Covart - excellent

Liz Covart and JL Bell


Liz Covart, J. L. Bell, Colleen Janz, Matt Williamson, Adam Hasler, and of course Lee Wright!

Liz Covart: Saratoga and Second New England, Sam Forman: Copley

MHS session on crowd sourcing Erie Canal history, New York immigration history

Nice to see Sam Forman. What a plus!

Oral history, Harbottle Dorr/MHS, Marketing to groups

Provenance- Rico and Katz, Google Books

Rhode Island presentation, MHs presentation...

Sam Forman is a good speaker who used his material well.

Sam Forman's presentation on Account Books, JL Bell's The Boston Bankruptcy.

Saratoga, Boston bankruptcy, Copley, 18th century lace

Susan B Anthony, Folk songs


Susan B Anthony, Mass Historical, and Account books

The Boston Bankruptcy

The Bromances/Frenemies of the Founding Fathers

The John Singleton Copley paintings session was my favorite.

The Temperance Movement:A Doorway to Suffrage. Colleen Janz was very interesting.

The one on the temperance movement, the one on account books.

War Bonds Advertising, Crowdsourcing Documents

mass hist soc / Dorr Rhode Island politics

Mass Historical Society Amazing – Bell Great subject and knowledge of subject – Forman Loved both of his talks – Felshin Incredible knowledge on the subject


Pretty much everything I went to. There were a few time slots when I wanted to attend multiple sessions, and some slots when nothing especially engaged my interest, but you can't please everyone all of the time.

My "365 roving ideas for fun in Boston history" list is growing - I had great conversations -- also loved the Susan B Anthony presentation

From "Folly" to Great Idea Political Music" (until it was interrupted and terminated by the next session scheduled for that space) Bromances and Frenemies of the Founding Fathers, John Singleton Copley in America, The Peculiar History of Democracy in Rhode Island: 1636 - 2004

Erie Canal was exceptionally good. Found the crowd-sourcing indexing interesting. Also like the folk music session.


Truthfully, I found something of interest in all the ones I attended, but that's an advantage to being a person of broad interests with no depth in any! However, I would have to say my favorites were the two presented by Sam Forman. I also found the one on lace to be fascinating! (Surprisingly, the lace presenter and Sam Forman's presentation on John Singleton Copley nicely complemented each other! Who knew?)

Mixing Social Media and History, Marketing Your Historical Society to Teachers, Tools to Help Your History Organization Reach more People. I am sure I would have enjoyed the content sessions too (my husband did) but I was specifically looking for "how to" this year.

J.L. Bell - always entertaining and authoritative. Liked his real-time on-line demonstration of searching Google books for frequency of word and phrase usage over time.

Using financial records for historical research, How the Mass Hist Soc is thinking about citizen archivist support,


Colleen Janz was great talking about Temperance. I wished she had more time. The presentation on Rhode Island was surprisingly good and entertaining. That guy should come back for sure. I also really loved the presentation about Copley.

"Crowdsourcing Possibilities Relating to a collection or Revolutionary-ear Newspapers" "How Mixing social media & history can create an online audience for your institution [...]" Allie Rico (Speaker)

I liked all the speakers. In particular I liked the Oral History lecture, the lecture on the excel based program to catalog items. I liked the talk on Susan B. Anthony. The speaker was very enthusiastic and entertaining, but did not give enough credit to Eliz. Cady Stanton re: the idea and conception of suffrage for women. I thought the speaker re: the founding fathers and their friendships and rivalries was interesting. Her passion for the subject translated to the rest of us. Mark Gardiner's lecture on RI History was informative and presented in a very entertaining way.


Crowdsourcing Possibilities Relating to a Collection of Revolution-era Newspapers (Heywood & Barker), The Temperance Movement: A Doorway to Suffrage (Janz), How mixing social media and history can create an online audience for your institution, organization, or historical work (Ketchell) Tools to help your history organization more people in person and online (Wright)

"I was disappointed with these sessions / speakers:

Employment

Everyone met or exceeded my expectations.

History jobs.

I missed so many!

None of them disappointed.

None, really.

Not disappointed with any sessions I attended.

Panel on publishing was good but needed more time with so many speakers

People in panel who refused to use microphones. Hearing impaired people like history too.

Some presentations not particularly scholarly...just PowerPoints and chat.

no disappointments but I sat out some sessions due to lack of interest

"I was disappointed with these sessions / speakers:

The panels could have been a longer -- didn't feel like everything got to be discussed that could have been for either panel.

No one, really. I found all the sessions engaging. Because everything I went to felt informal and kind of communal, I never felt trapped in something boring.

Publishing panel because there were to many self published and not really a discussion about going though the traditional means. It was interesting, but not quite what I was hoping for.

No real disappointments, but I have to admit that I was less interested in the "content" sessions and more interested in the sessions that dealt with public history topics, research topics, outreach, etc.

the panel about getting published was frustrating because there were too many panelists for such a short window, and the first audience member to ask a question asked two or three follow-up questions, which took up the entire time.

Comments about individual sessions and presenters have been omitted above and that feedback was sent directly to presenter or presenters named.

”If History Camp is held again next year, here’s what I hope is different:

A place to sit at lunch and better food options. Less rushed lectures.

Again, just the coffee in the afternoon issue. Really.

Diverse range of history represented--not just Rev. War!

I hope that no session will run over-time

Just different topics, everything else was great.

Keep finding awesome venues - Apple Store?

Longer and more sessions, which might mean going for two days. More booksellers.

Longer lecture times, more food options.

Longer sessions

Maybe a longer lunch break, so there would be more time to chat with other people


More book vendors, more Q&A

Perhaps more space to eat communally during lunch.

Perhaps one less session so we could have one or two longer sessions.

See answer to first question on this page. A general theme for the camp would be welcome.

See boxes above...

Several times the sessions I wanted were at the same time, hope I'll have better luck next time.

The day was a bit too long. I think that ending it at 4pm would have been better.

There are discussions about controversies over historical interpretations or analysis.

WiFi access


another largish room -- some talks were too crowded

better parking situation

more on youth

more space in the session rooms, more historians from different areas/time periods

see above but this is just because you asked. overall: Great conference. Pls do it again.

that more people present and bring other perspectives to the discussion.

I'd like to get a certificate of attendance that could be applied to professional development hours.

More consolidated layout of rooms, would have liked to bounced out of a lecture and into a different one more easily. More focus on "main stage" speakers or rock-star speakers getting a little longer time


better directions to the event, better coffee and coffee in the afternoon, a facility where the workstation computers work if they are required to follow along the lecture, historic novel author or authors maybe someone like William Martin, Cape Cod, Back Bay, Harvard Yard, author.

As I mentioned earlier in my answers - I think it would be helpful to offer some different-length sessions and asking speakers to pick their top preferences for time when they submit a proposal, since some speakers ended early, some ended right on time, and others went over their allotted time.

If we have another employment panel, it needs to be longer. With 6 speakers, 30 minutes was not nearly enough time. I would have liked to been able to answer more questions from the audience.

If possible, I hope there are a few more interactive sessions. Are there people who have topics/projects that would benefit from an unconference approach--people really helping brainstorm or create something? (Maybe/maybe not?)


Better control of scheduled use of space. The Temperance Movement session went well overtime (perhaps because it started late - I'm not sure) leading to disruption of the following session in that space.

I hope to provide some of my costumed living history presentations, and possibly a Printmaking demonstration. Although the time slot of 30 minutes is very restrictive. But will try to work something out.

Allow a time for author tables (and misc. socializing) near the beginning or middle of the day (but don't try to combine author tables with lunch). Have one or two time slots that allow for longer presentations. Give presenters a time in the morning (during registration??) when they can set up their technical equipment and familiarize themselves with the system, so they don't have to do it in the 5 minutes just before their presentation begins.

Later start time, varied lengths for presentations, healthier munchies (fruit!), and more strict on presenters about sticking to their allotted time.


Honestly ... I wouldn't change a thing. Sure ... if I PAID, I'd probably have more to say here, but I like the fact that the sessions were SHORT and held my attention.

Somewhat longer sessions, perhaps a greater variety of authors and "vendors" with people to staff them.

Overall, I'd just ask for a bit more downtime to be built in to address my first answer. I know that's difficult with everything in one day, but a longer lunch could help a lot.

Again, longer sessions. If you get enough interest from speakers that you can be choosy, maybe be a little choosier.

Table for attendees to display one copy of their book(s) or magazine(s), not attended all the time. Giveaway/handout table.

It would be cool if there were more interactive activities similar to the political song sing-along panel, though I loved the lectures as well.

More intellectual conversations about the boundaries of history, public history, local history, and the academy


I think it was a great event. I would like to see more variety in the lunch options, or simply time to run out to the Galleria food court. I would also like better wifi/cell coverage. But it was a great event.

An afternoon break for tea or coffee to network with people. That way it feels less session hopping.

It would be very helpful to have the emails and web sites of presenters. There were several sessions by presenters I would like to learn more about (and from) but don't know how to contact them. Also, perhaps in the sign-up stage, you could ask attendees if they would be willing to have their emails posted.

Limit the number of simultaneous sessions to just two at a time. Set the schedule a bit earlier, so one can plan session attendance better.

I understand the 'unconference' concept, but it was hard to convince others to go with the uncertainty of the content. Better descriptions of the sessions perhaps. Perhaps a better ending wrap up.

”If History Camp is held again next year, I hope they have a session or panel about . . .

19th & 20th century immigration, labor issues, ethnic and women's history. Local history.

Anti-Racist history

Anything related to being entrepreneurial with history (like the session on publishing).

Boston history, actually not that particular

Civil War something might be nice.

Civil war or Victorian Era or perhaps more modern history

Comstock & Free Love

Genealogy versus History (which is what I would like to talk about)

How & what primary resources are used for research & support presentations given


I was seriously bummed that both of the women-oriented panels got cancelled!

Internships, volunteer opportunities, civil war, or women's history.

It would be interesting to see some more Boston history.

Local history sources

Local history: for instance, the Lowell canals not the Erie canal

Material culture/ architecture

More ethnic variety...AfAm history, global issues

More on architecture

Museum Education - Broadening the Classroom Teacher's Horizons...

Social media, new media, digitizing archives, engaging a new audience.

The American Revolution in the Mohawk Valley of upstate NY.


The police riots, watch and ward society, or Joseph Warren.

The variety of educational opportunities in the Boston area.

african american topic

employment, again anything about colonial Boston women's suffrage/ feminism

histories other than New England.

mix of colonial/revolutionary/civil war/post cw/modern

non-American history. Africa, Europe, Asia

sessions covering broader time periods and subjects.

the rest of the US, not just New England history, historical fiction

Incorporating research into living history, and living history into research. Teaching history in non-classroom settings (like parks and re-enactments). How to share historic research findings when you're not in the academy.


If I'm feeling especially sure of myself, maybe I'll propose a session on 19th century technologies that enabled landmaking in Boston.

It would be interesting to have some western history. And more diversity would be great. The historic presentations were mostly on specific details about well-covered history.

I would love a session specifically about small museums. As a volunteer myself (in a leadership role), I think it might be helpful to include ways to organize, inspire and manage other volunteers with precious time and resources to offer. There are probably some creative ways to bring these needed resources to our special Museum. :>)

job hunting and entrepreneurial ways to keep your "Love of History" joyful side going loved the chat in the hallway about the history of photography & tin-types.. maybe invite Skinner Inc to sponsor or send someone

Just about anything would sound good to me - it was already difficult to pick between many of the sessions this year!


Issues facing public historians, Teaching in Boston area, Practical use of archives for all HNN, Common-place, and Junto

The employment panel was useful and should be included again. Social media was helpful and useful.

Topics other than just Revolutionary War (and doesn't have to be just Civil War either). I'm sure there is more but I can't think of any at this time, will look to be [more] active on the online discussion board.

Addressing particular audiences, such as children, minority communities, people who don't usually visit historic sites.

I greatly enjoyed Sam Forman's Copley presentation and I would like to see more about interpreting what we see in art as it relates to "real" history. General sharing of lesser known online sites people can go to for information (something along the line of what John Bell did with Google books). "Everyday life..." I find these types of sessions fascinating, for example, "everyday life in an early 19th century Maine fishing village" "or everyday life of a immigrant mill worker." I know so little about the common man and social history prior to 1950.


I love all history, but women's history interests me most. I also love local New England History.

Employment panel for Historians is wonderful to have every year; maybe a different theme each time (networking, finding work, career climbing).

I would love to host another session about objects as sources of history, and go into more detail about using museum collections for research projects and the like!

Re-enactor groups/ the experience of re-enacting. Filming documentaries (more than tv series). Historical fiction how to/experience of writing historical fiction/crowd-sourcing a work of historical fiction.

history of contemporary art in boston, the great molasses disaster in boston, history of jazz in boston

I would be really interested in attending a session on the status of black slave and free persons in Boston and the development of black institutions after the revolution and the adoption of the Constitution.


20th Century Boston History (Didn't see a session on this topic described in the program, may have missed one)

I would be interested in presenting about Canadian-American history, a rarely tapped subject in New England despite its proximity to Canada and rich Canadian immigrant heritage.

Scandalous issues of some sort from the Revolutionary Era and Early Republic (for lowbrow attendees), and popular versions of grad student dissertations (on the ostensibly highbrow end of things).

Archaeology, historic preservation, digital history resources, wider range of American history periods, maybe even a little Greco-Roman / Medieval action.

Special thanks to IBM and the folks at the IBM Client Center Cambridge for making their facility available and to staff who volunteered their time and made sure everything ran smoothly.

Organizational supportersProvided financial underwriting to cover expenses so that History Camp could be free for anyone who wanted to attend.

http://www.wiley.com/history

http://www.museumtrek.com/

http://www.thehistorylist.com/how-the-history-list-is-different

http://www.hstry.co/

http://www.datmod.com/

Individual supportersProvided an additional financial contribution so that all expenses were covered and anyone who wanted to attend History Camp could do so at no cost.

Paula Bagger Charlie BahneKathleen Barker Michele Barker Erik Bauer Laurinda Bedingfield J.L Bell Daniel Bishop libby Bouvier Victoria CaldwellJudith CataldoSuzan Ciaramicoli Laura Cleary

Michelle Marchetti Coughlin Elizabeth Covart Matthew Ehrlich Cynthia Finney Samuel Forman Christina FreiGary Gregory Amy Gelbach Jennifer Glick Leslie Harrington John Horrigan J Lincoln Hallowell Kathy Kottaridis Joseph Lewerk

Ken Liss Matthew List Katy Love Matthew Morin Alli Rico Elaine Robinson Marilynne K. Roach Beth Anne RoyerAnita Tebbetts John Tebbetts Leah Thompson Lauren Walker Paul WexlerLee Wright

Learn more about History Camp and sign up for updates

www.HistoryCamp.org

For additional questions or to discuss

Lee WrightHistory Camp Founder

[email protected]