Introduction
The 1920's in America was a period of opulence and excess that led to the inevitable consequences of the 1930's and the Great Depression. Our romantic image of the Jazz Age (Roaring Twenties) is hightened by the images of flappers, pin striped suits, Model T's, the Charleston, Prohibition, and Speak Easies.
The Task
How were such romantic excesses of the Jazz Age reported at the time? How were they viewed in such delightful duplicity, and how do we today explain the Great Depression to which the Jazz Age led? In order to answer these questions you must know the culture of the day, "live" the times, and "become" the people. As reporters for a Jazz Age newspaper, you and your classmates will be able to assume the identities of 20's correspondants. Your task will be to report the news as it happened.
The Process
You and a partner will personally take on the roles of 1920's newspaper reporters/editors/publishers.
Using Aldus PageMaker, the two of you will layout, design, and produce a two-page newspaper that would be representative of the times.
Because historically there were various concerns and interests of the day, much too much for one two-page newspaper, you and your partner will be given an area on which to focus your writing. Areas of focus will include: mass production and credit, the automobile industry, entertainment industry, sports celebrities, heroes, the "New Woman", Prohibition, Organized Crime, the Scopes trial, music and dance, The Harlem Renaissance, the Lost Generation, art and architecture, racial issues, and Sacco and Vanzetti.
You will be randomly paired up with a partner before beginning the project. Please do not trade off.
Each newspaper should contain the following sections and information: a) A news banner that would be appropriate for the times -- choose a name, date, and price that would be indicative of the 1920's and also be historically correct. b) A headline story that is historically accurate. It should be written in journalistic style. c) A feature story representative of the Jazz Age d) A political cartoon e) Filler stories, want ads, advice columns, and/or advertisements that would be indicative of the time -- enough to fill two pages.
Oral presentation of the paper will be during the seventh class period after the beginning of the project. (First day for learning PageMaker, days 2 through 6 for research, writing, and publication, and the seventh day for presentations)
Resources:
Use the resources below to conduct your search.
- Culture in the Jazz Age
- The History of Jazz
- Arts of the 1920s
- "Echoes of the Jazz Age"
- Calvin Coolidge Welcomes Charles Lindbergh Home
- The Jazz Age Page
- The Roaring Twenties-- The Jazz Age: An Outline
- Jazz Age Biographies
- The Jazz Age: A Fusion of Music and Literature
- A Decade of Change
- The Economic History of the 1920's
- Roaring Twenties: Another Outline
- The Flapper and the Roaring Twenties
- The twenties: an age of new beginnings
- Eighteenth Amendment Plus
- The Roaring Twenties Roar Again
- Fashion of the times
- History of the Roaring Twenties
- Your U.S. history text book
- Handout entitled "Intolerance: A time of Fear and Prejudice" may be picked up from me.
Learning Advice:
For your team's newspaper to be both successful and informative, you must work together to integrate each of the five separate Action Plans into one "Special Edition." You will need to prioritize what you think the most important issues are. This will take detailed and supported discussion among team members. In the end you must create and present an informative and engaging presentation through your "Special Edition."
Conclusion:
You now have a better understanding of the role of news correspondants during any era, a better understanding of the power of words, and a better appreciation for meeting deadlines and of team work. The next time you pick up a daily newspaper, perhaps you'll take a closer look at what went into the finished product.
Susan Miera
susan_miera@breadnet.middlebury.edu