BLACKSBURG, VA, November 12, 2002 -- Seven hundred middle schools and high schools in Virginia have received copies of a new publication, Bringing the Civil War to the Classroom: A Guide for Teachers, published by Virginia Tech's Virginia Center for Civil War Studies. Tech's noted Civil War historians James I. Robertson Jr. and William C. Davis wrote this new tool for educators, designed to assist them in making the Civil War come alive for their students.

Students in Virginia schools study the Civil War in the eighth and eleventh grades.

The two scholars developed the 90-page classroom guide with the assistance of a board of educational consultants representing high schools in Wisconsin, Colorado, California, North Carolina, and Virginia. "The Civil War is the most defining moment in American history," said Robertson, executive director of the center, "yet it, more than any other event in our past, has fallen victim to myth, legend, political correctness, sectionalism, and romanticism. Our booklet is designed for the teacher who wishes to bring the whole dramatic picture into a clear focus that will both educate and enlighten our children."

The publication was made possible by a grant from Nancy Baird of Harrisonburg, Va., whose father was a faculty member at Virginia Tech. In discussing the guide, Davis said, "The Civil War has been for generations the aspect of our past that more than any other captures the attention of a wide segment of the American people. We hope to use the allure of the subject to open a window for students through which they can find interest and understanding of this most pivotal of all our national experiences, while at the same time using it to open their eyes to the fascination and meaning to be found in the broader range of all of American history." Davis is program director for the center.

The guide's format facilitates lesson preparation, with material divided into 10 teaching blocks, or classroom periods, each 50 minutes long. It also includes sections with hints and suggested techniques for the classroom, a glossary, a reading list, a web site list, and other resources.

The first teaching block addresses the importance of the Civil War in United States history and the need for critical thinking in its study, given the myths and misconceptions about the conflict. Other blocks cover background, secession, the war itself, and life on the home front. The authors suggest a final wrap-up session with video, which will appeal to today's students accustomed to the medium.

The guide may be ordered by sending $10, which includes postage, to James I. Robertson Jr., Virginia Center for Civil War Studies, Department of History, 437 Major Williams Hall, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061. Checks should be made payable to the Virginia Center for Civil War Studies.