Real-Life Communication -- Solution
Here is a sample summary of this historic climb:
History
was made when a group of Skookum climbers claimed the peak of Mount Ruse,
led by the pioneering female mountain climber Gabrielle Santos.
The
year was 1934. Five courageous souls from Skookum braved animal attacks, frostbite
and blizzards to reach their goal -- the peak of Mount Ruse, the highest mountain
south of the equator. Santos, an experienced mountain climber and possibly
the only female mountain climber of her time, successfully led the expedition
over protests that it was "unwomanly" or "wasteful." She was joined by fellow
crew members Daniel Logie, Richard Beck, Stanley Piasecki and Patrick Smith.
The
expedition, which began May 1, 1934, was fraught with problems. By the second
day, the crew was already behind schedule. Three days later, blinded by a
blizzard, Patrick Smith plummeted through a crevasse, snapping his leg. Less
than two weeks into the expedition, a mysterious animal -- described as looking
both like a bear and a human -- attacked Piasecki's tent and stole essential
food and supplies. Despite the almost overwhelming challenges, Santos and
her crew continued their mission.
Once reaching the peak, Santos and
her crew had new, serious problems. The altitude was giving the climbers severe
headaches. Both Beck and Logie had frostbitten toes. Some climbers privately
wondered if they would ever reach the bottom. Their planned 10-day adventure
was spiraling into a battle of life and death.
In the face of these
challenges, Santos was praised for keeping the team motivated and focused.
And in the end, the expedition was deemed a success. Despite the mysterious
animal attack, frostbite, injuries and freezing temperatures, Santos led the
team off the mountain May 15, 1934. Her dedication earned Santos the Amazing
Feat Award granted by Gov. Bill Gush on May 20, 1934. Her pioneering courage
and the courage of her teammates earned all a solid place in history.
You
have to communicate well if you want to be a historian.
"Writing and
speaking are the backbone of what we do," says historian C. Morgan Grefe.
"If we can't communicate what we're learning, then what's the point of learning
it? It's expected of us to be able to write clearly and cogently,
and to a variety of audiences."
Historians write academic papers and
present them at conferences. They also write grant proposals and entries for
encyclopedias.
"Publishing something is how you get a job and how
you keep your job," says historian Elizabeth Dale. "You have to be able to
write reasonably well."
And many historians communicate every day
in their role as professors and teachers.
"Teaching is not just getting
in front of a class and talking, but making things clear and providing some
kind of structure so it's not all gobbledygook," says Dale.