Written by Alaina Woolf
As the community is preparing to look up into the sky, Harding students will be guiding our community to also look into our past. The annual History Faire is a special event coming to Searcy that students will be involved in this eclipse weekend. April 6, Harding University’s history and political science major students will be helping set up booths at Pioneer Village that will provide educational and interactive activities from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
These students won’t be alone in creating booths for the community to discover as Phi Alpha Theta is the main organizer for this event. Students have been helping put on this annual event since 2018, with the break during 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19 restrictions.
One of the students who is helping out in a big way this year is junior Jacob Anderson. Anderson is heading up the team of Harding students and is also a member of the Phi Alpha Theta group. Anderson’s role has been one of organizational leadership, but he also looks forward to helping set up booths the day of and checking people into this event, he said.
“What I am most excited about is the opportunity to teach future generations about history in a fun and interactive way since many textbooks neglect interesting stories, focusing on dates and names that are unattached to the larger narrative,” Anderson said. “I am hoping to plant a seed of curiosity for the past in every young mind present.”
Events that reach back into the community surrounding the University allow students to connect in a whole new way. Anderson expressed how this is a key aspect in the mission that Harding strives for.
“I think events like these help show the Searcy community that Harding’s purpose is not to just get students in and out with a degree but to give back to the community with the greatest gift of all: the love of Christ,” Anderson said.
Professor of History Dr. Julie Harris has been curating this event since its inception five years ago. Harris expressed that although they had about 200 people in attendance at last year’s History Faire, the faire will be more limited this year because of the eclipse weekend events taking place.
Harris and others that are preparing for the event are hopeful for a good turnout for an event that will spark the minds of children ages three to 10. Harris explained that many events geared towards young children are athletic-based and that the History Faire gives children of all abilities and talents the opportunity to learn in a way that can be exciting for them.
“It’s a really cool event. It shows how hands-on history can be,” Dr. Harris said. “This is a way to show them that there are other things to do that are lots of fun.”
Another student who is eager for this annual community event is senior Isaac Copeland. Copeland explained how this is a valuable opportunity for students who choose to volunteer their time towards an educational cause.
“It allows students to share their love of history with the surrounding community and connects them with people they would never interact with otherwise,” Copeland said.
