In my last blog, I had declared Harwood as the focus of my research paper. Over the last week, I have begun the task of finding articles that relate specifically to Harwood’s plight. Although my pile is not very big, I do feel that I have enough good background information to give me a good start.
This week is the start of my interview process. I have compiled a brief list of questions to ask the mayors of Harwood and Reiles Acres. The interview will range from questions about their emotions during Flood Fight 2009 to questions about how well they feel now looking back on how they handled the situation.
Another aspect that will play a major role in my paper is the communications done at the school level. From Superintendent Dana Diesel Wallace to Harwood Elementary Principal Jerry Barnum, information was flying constantly in every direction.
It seemed that everyday there was something new to e-mail to the media, or an updated message to post on the website. There were always telephone calls to make to the Harwood and Reiles Acres parents about what the current and future plans were for their students. There were also a lot of calls to take from those same parents; concerns about their child being away from home and the parents having to evacuate without them, concerns about washed out roads and the safety of their children on bus routes, and of course questions about having to make up those days that they kept their children home from school.
My final planned aspect (who knows, inspiration may strike in these last few days) is about the “survivors.” I know that is a rather dramatic term, but for what some of those people have gone through, I could not think of a more encompassing word. I hope to be able to get interview time with some of the residents that live north of town. I think their impressions of how well their officials handled this crisis are much more valuable than mine, as an outsider looking in.
That is what I have fleshed out so far. If anyone has any advice about obvious aspects that I missed, let me know!
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
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