Michael R. H. Swanson, Ph. D.
Office: GHH 215 Phone:  ext. 3230
Hours:  M, T, Th, F 9:00-10:30
  or by Appointment
mswanson@rwu.edu

The Week's Work
AMST 333
House and Home in America
Roger Williams University
Fall, 2013 M, W, F:  1:00-1:50
GHH 208
Ever wonder what the thinker was thinking about?  Now you know--or you will if you click on the picture.
Due: Friday, November 22, by Midnight.  On Bridges (alternately, e-mail) (Note Change of Date)

Length: c. 5 pages, more if the essay is copiously illustrated.  (Which I hope it will be.)

Instructions:We’ve been tracing the evolution of American Houses and Homes from the days of the Walking City to the Automobile Age.  I’d like to have you write an essay which relates changes in the spatial patterns of our living to changes and innovations in transportation, using materials from Jackson, Stilgoe, appropriate assigned readings on the internet through the class website.  You’ll want to differentiate between
•The Walking City
•The Railroad Suburb
•The Trolley Suburb
•and the Automobile Suburb, prior to and post the development of the interstate highway system.

The best essays will illustrate the changes by using photographs or screen captures, both historic and contemporary.  Some Sources:

•Cities and Buildings
•Detroit Publishing Company Postcards
•Daguerreotypes and Photographs
•Panoramic Photographs
•Small Town America
•Turn of the Century America

Repeating my thoughts from the syllabus of 11/4, Every time I've taught this couse since the beginning,  I've taught it on a twice a week schedule.  I thought it wouldn't prove too difficult to switch it into a three times 50 minute schedule, but it turns out I was a little wrong about that.  Some of the videos I planned do show, took more than a full class to present.  Discussion boiled over (I rather liked that) so we began to get a bit behind.  Consquently, I'm making a change in the first examination.  There will be one question, not two.  I expect there will be a change in the final exam as well.  It will still be take-home.  That's always the case in every course I teach.