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!
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I'm glad to see I'm not the only one not coming up with ample material to analyze. However, I am impressed with your plan to interview certain key individuals. Now I feel like I should go back and review the requirements of the final project because I hadn't planned to interview anyone--just look at already published material. That's why I always check your progress as a measuring stick! Nice job thus far and good luck with the project.
ReplyDeleteI think it is a great idea that you reach out to the locals to hear their version of the flood. I found someone in Jamestown who has given me a paragraph and is sending me notes from others in the town. I like articles and stories that have quotes from those who actually experienced the emergency / tragic circumstances.
ReplyDeleteI also have a person who resides in Boca Raton who was from the area and can give some info of her point of view – watching the flooding and how it affected her and her friends in North Dakota.
I is also good to see that you and your family is doing okay. Great job with getting the interview with the mayors – this will add some good data to your paper!
I believe you are well on your way to writing a good paper. It is a very good idea to get some first hand information from the people that went through the hard time. I also think you are correct when calling the people "survivors" because there just isn't a word out there that would describe what they are better than that. It is also very difficult going through all of the articles because like you said every day there is a new one out so you could have probably almost 100 articles to go through.
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