Tom Dillard and his Upcoming Course: Exploring Arkansas People and Places
Tom Dillard
By: Kelley O’Rourke
Tom Dillard, a historian specializing in Arkansas history and culture, writer for the Democrat Gazette, retired archivist, and an Arkansas History instructor (just to name a few), has been teaching courses here at OLLI
for the past few years. He was nominated for instructor of the year and has an upcoming course called Exploring Arkansas People and Places, on March 13th.
In light of Tom’s nomination for Instructor of the Year, we wanted to know what he felt made a good instructor and what his teaching philosophy was. Tom stated that a good history instructor must have the knowledge and facts, first of all. Secondly, to be a good instructor one must explain the past in a way that is interesting and compelling for the students. Tom explains, he strives to include humor in his classes that is relevant to the topic of conversation, to create that engagement with his students.
When asked about what it meant to teach OLLI students, Tom answered: “I have been deeply honored to be invited to teach in the OLLI program. OLLI attracts people with a craving to know about life—including life in the past.” Adding that his students come to class with their own educated ideas, perspectives, and opinions that help to contribute to class in meaningful ways.
In his upcoming course, Exploring Arkansas People and Places, Tom will lead the class on a visual tour of Arkansas history, exploring places and the people who built the state using a variety of historical photographs. The people this class will explore include political and government leaders, ones you have probably discussed before, as well as artists, athletes, business innovators, writers, and entertainers, and others that may not have been covered in typical history classes.
We asked Tom what his favorite part of teaching this specific course and other history courses was and he stated that “It is so pleasing for a teacher to “break through” to students, to see their eyes open wide in recognition, or perhaps best of all—what a pleasure it is to help a student recognize that he/she is part of the continuum that is history.”
Tom Dillard has had an affinity for history since he was a child, he was fascinated by the ways in which American history played out and those specific ways in which it played out in Arkansas. Tom stated: “Arkansas is a diverse place, and our collective heritage is a quilt of many colors.”
Under the scope of Arkansas history Tom is most fascinated in the roles played by those on the outskirts and how they shaped the people and places we have today. He uses the example of the history of Afro-Arkansas. He explains that the history of this culture is little studied, yet long and complicated. “So, it is good to be involved in reaching into the past and teasing out those overlooked strands of our heritage.”
In closing, the upcoming class Tom Dillard will be teaching, Exploring Arkansas People and Places, will be one that is nothing short of exciting and compelling. It will be held on Friday, March 13th at 10:00am. It will be held at our location in the Drake Field Airport. You can register for this class through our website or by clicking on the following link: https://reg138.imperisoft.com/UARK/ProgramDetail/3330393036/Registration.aspx
