HISTORY DAY DRAWS 500 AREA STUDENTS

Dressed in a cotton print dress with her hair bobby-pinned away from her face, Sarah Crouthers of Risco High School recounted the conflicts families experienced in the coal fields of eastern Kentucky.

Portraying Florence Reece, the wife, daughter and mother of coal miners, Crouthers talked about the strikes that marred Harlan County in Kentucky in the early part of the century.

Crouthers was among 500 students in grades four through 12 competing at History Day held Saturday at Southeast Missouri State University.

Students acted out scenes from history through live performances, like Crouthers. Others compiled information for table-top displays.

This year's theme was Conflict and Compromise in History.

Dr. Frank Nickell, who coordinated History Day, said students have an opportunity to study history under a different format.

"One of the great aspects of History Day is the diversity," Nickell said. Project topics ranged from O.J. Simpson's murder trial and the Rams' arrival in St. Louis to a sharecroppers' strike and Civil War battles.

Florence Reece's poem "Which Side Are You On" inspired Crouther's performance.

The eighth-grader then studied how mine families lived, how coal mines operate and how conflicts arose between miners and coal mine operators.

Crouthers told judges after her performance that her research taught her that miners and their families took a stand for what they believed in and she hopes to do the same in her life.

She also explained that it was tough to find a bucket of coal to help illustrate her performance. She found some coal at her local electric company.

Southeast University Vice President for Student Affairs Sue Ann Strom was among judges for the live performances.

"It's real clear these students have done a lot of research," she said. Students who do the live performance develop a better understanding of history, she said. They do research, prepare a paper and also act out a scene.

Crouthers said the project means lots of work. "Once you write the script you study it over and over and over," she said.

The top three students in each category will advance to the state contest April 8. The top two students at state will advance to the national competition in June at the University of Maryland.

Scholarships, trophies, medals and prizes are awarded at each level.