Event Title
The Liberal Arts on Trial: the Inside Story and Legacy of the 1939 'Red Scare' Firing of College President Charles H. Fisher
Description
Expanding on his recent History Master's thesis, veteran Seattle Times reporter and adjunct Western Washington University Journalism instructor Ron Judd examines the successful 1930s ‘Red Scare’ political campaign to remove Western Washington College of Education President Charles H. Fisher from office. Judd's presentation places Fisher's firing for the first time in the context of local and national anti-communist, "super-patriot" political trends. His study, based on archival research conducted in the collections of Heritage Resources, places Fisher squarely in the crossfire of a prolonged, bitter political war between New Deal liberals and old-guard conservatives in Bellingham, and examines whether the forced removal of Fisher by radical political operatives could happen in Washington state today.
Ron C. Judd is a journalism instructor and Freshman Interest Group seminar leader at Western Washington University, and a 2015 James W. Scott Research Fellow at the Center for Pacific Northwest Studies (a program of Western Libraries Heritage Resources). A 1985 graduate of Western with a Bachelor of Arts in History and Journalism, his 30-year career in journalism has included stints covering general news, higher education, the outdoors and the environment, professional sports, and seven Summer and Winter Olympic Games for The Seattle Times and other publications. He currently writes a Sunday news column, "The Wrap," as well as in-depth profiles and essays on environmental, historical, and Northwest-lifestyle topics forPacific NW, the Seattle Times' Sunday magazine. One of his recent provocative magazine pieces, defining the traits of a true Northwest native, was selected by a historical committee to be sealed in a Washington State Archives time capsule that will be opened in 375 years, to celebrate the state's 500th anniversary. A three-time nominee for the Pulitzer Prize in feature writing and investigative reporting, he also is the author of numerous works of humor and nonfiction, including a spectator's guide/history of the Winter Olympics. His presentation today, based largely on research of primary documents from the archives of Western's Heritage Resources, is drawn from his thesis for a Master of Arts in History program at the University of Nebraska, where he has concentrated on the political, religious and cultural history of the Pacific Northwest from 1900 to 1950. As part of his change in emphasis, he continues to strive to modify his writing style from plain old English to full-on academic jargon -- with what he calls "decidedly mixed results."
Document Type
Event
Start Date
5-5-2015 4:00 PM
End Date
5-5-2015 5:30 PM
Location
Western Washington University. Libraries.
Resource Type
MovingImage
Duration
01:30:58
Title of Series
Heritage Resources Distinguished Speakers
Genre/Form
lectures
Contributing Repository
Digital object made available by Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Program
University Archives
Identifier
HRSS_20150505_Judd
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Education, Higher--Washington (State)--Bellingham--History; Whatcom County (Wash.)--Politics and government--History
Subjects – Names (LCNAF)
Western Washington University--History; Fisher, Charles Henry, 1880-1964; Sefrit, Frank I., 1867-1950
Geographic Coverage
Whatcom County (Wash.); Bellingham (Wash.)
Poster
Event poster by Simon Bakke
Rights
This resource is displayed for educational purposes only and may be subject to U.S. and international copyright laws. For more information about rights or obtaining copies of this resource, please contact University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University. Any cited materials must be attributed to the Heritage Resources Distinguished Speakers series, University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Language
English
Format
video/mp4
The Liberal Arts on Trial: the Inside Story and Legacy of the 1939 'Red Scare' Firing of College President Charles H. Fisher
Western Washington University. Libraries.
Expanding on his recent History Master's thesis, veteran Seattle Times reporter and adjunct Western Washington University Journalism instructor Ron Judd examines the successful 1930s ‘Red Scare’ political campaign to remove Western Washington College of Education President Charles H. Fisher from office. Judd's presentation places Fisher's firing for the first time in the context of local and national anti-communist, "super-patriot" political trends. His study, based on archival research conducted in the collections of Heritage Resources, places Fisher squarely in the crossfire of a prolonged, bitter political war between New Deal liberals and old-guard conservatives in Bellingham, and examines whether the forced removal of Fisher by radical political operatives could happen in Washington state today.
Ron C. Judd is a journalism instructor and Freshman Interest Group seminar leader at Western Washington University, and a 2015 James W. Scott Research Fellow at the Center for Pacific Northwest Studies (a program of Western Libraries Heritage Resources). A 1985 graduate of Western with a Bachelor of Arts in History and Journalism, his 30-year career in journalism has included stints covering general news, higher education, the outdoors and the environment, professional sports, and seven Summer and Winter Olympic Games for The Seattle Times and other publications. He currently writes a Sunday news column, "The Wrap," as well as in-depth profiles and essays on environmental, historical, and Northwest-lifestyle topics forPacific NW, the Seattle Times' Sunday magazine. One of his recent provocative magazine pieces, defining the traits of a true Northwest native, was selected by a historical committee to be sealed in a Washington State Archives time capsule that will be opened in 375 years, to celebrate the state's 500th anniversary. A three-time nominee for the Pulitzer Prize in feature writing and investigative reporting, he also is the author of numerous works of humor and nonfiction, including a spectator's guide/history of the Winter Olympics. His presentation today, based largely on research of primary documents from the archives of Western's Heritage Resources, is drawn from his thesis for a Master of Arts in History program at the University of Nebraska, where he has concentrated on the political, religious and cultural history of the Pacific Northwest from 1900 to 1950. As part of his change in emphasis, he continues to strive to modify his writing style from plain old English to full-on academic jargon -- with what he calls "decidedly mixed results."