On October 6, students from Theresa Tirado’s “Women in Literature” class at Souderton High School paid a visit to Peter Becker Community. They came to interview community members about the changing roles of women through time. According to Tirado, the interviews are part of a larger goal that involves a course culminating writing project and video.
Students arrived equipped with thought provoking questions which started all kinds of interesting dialog. The visit included lunch and a one hour interview session. Twenty five residents volunteered to be interviewed by the students. There were open discussions about how times have changed for women. Major topics included: women wearing bathing suits, going to work in factories during the war, the definition of being “lady-like”, women in leadership roles like the U.S. Presidency and more. Residents talked about the things they lived through in their own lives and the students responded with enthusiasm and ample note taking.
This intergenerational get together was the first of three partnerships that are being planned with school students. The next two classes will be writing resident biographies and stories about the war through the eyes of community veterans.
We are all anxious to see what comes out of the conversations and new friendships that are being created. Thank you to all who made this day possible.
See all the photos from the day on our facebook page.