Facing History and Ourselves is senior social studies elective at WHS that has been offered for the past two years. I am currently taking this course, and I am very thankful for being a part of such a great class.

The goal of this course is to develop a better understanding of oneself, one another, and the world by studying bias, racism, and prejudice in a historical context (please see WHS course selection book for a more complete course description).

The reason Mr. Gallagher introduced the course into the curriculum was because he found himself teaching all U.S. history courses; he missed teaching the curriculum he is most passionate about: WWII and the Holocaust.

When asked what specifically makes this course so meaningful to him, he replied, “To be able to take the lessons of the past and help students apply them to their lives today is the chance of a lifetime.”

It is so incredible to be part of a class in which the teacher and students are so enthusiastic about this course. The class consists of watching films, analyzing and drawing conclusions on the films we watch, class discussions, and blogging our ideas on Mr. Gallagher website. We also have had two guest speakers Father Boghosian who spoke on the Armenian genocide and Rabbi Michael Swarttz who spoke about the Holocaust.

For the seniors who get to experience this half year course, be aware of school budget. In order to keep this class alive for many more years, the class elects officers to obtain ideas for fundraising.

The teacher can only do so much; the students have to support the class equally. The secretary of the Facing History and Ourselves Club Tucker Brady was asked to describe the class using one word. He replied, “Exhilarating.”

Mr. Gallagher, the students, and the
Principle Mr. John Smith all repeatedly express their interest but most importantly, the IMPORTANCE of the course.

When asked what comes to mind after hearing the words “Facing History and Ourselves”, Mr. Gallagher took a brief moment to think and then responded, “People should never be bystanders.”