Outschool
Search

$15

per class
Class
Play

Vietnam - A Personal Reflection

New class
Ages 16-18
Live One-Time Class
This 60 minute conversation shares personal reflections from my own life related to the Vietnam War protest movement as well as my own service in the USAF following my being drafted. It includes math, music, images, serendipity and more.
Average rating:
5.0
Number of reviews:
(1 reviews)

Live video meetings
Meets once
2-4 learners per class
60 min

What's included

1 live meeting
1 in-class hours

Class Experience

US Grade 7 - 9
Beginner Level
This 60 minute class consists of personal experiences dealing with the anti-war movement during the Vietnam War Era of American History. Mr. Draper was both an active anti-war protester and after he was drafted he served in the USAF lying C-141 in and out of southeast Asia. The topics covered are widespread: from the mathematics of the Moratorium on Washington, DC to the folk music to Woodstock to the serendipity of the first draft since WWII. I use slides, lecture, music, Q & A, and a wealth of reflections that you will find informative, entertaining and colorful.

Learning Goals

Get a personalized perspective from someone that lived through this turmoil in America when he was about the same age you the learner are now.

Other Details

Parental Guidance
So the singular event in my life at age 16 was the job I was assigned in Job Corps LBJ version of Peace Corps) at the Long Island National Cemetery where I worked on burial details. All day along young men only years older than myself were being buried as result of being killed in Vietnam. It was quite "upsetting and scary" for me back then. I guess I will need to be careful in how I present that. My actual "in country" service while in the air force has stories but nothing like what an "in country" infantry soldier would have to share.
Pre-Requisites
Watch the CBS coverage of the Vietnam War draft of Dec. 1, 1969. Great trivia question is "What popular CBS TV show was canceled so that coverage of the draft could happen on CBS?" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-p5X1FjyD_g
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Sources
What is generally referred to as "The Moratorium" has a useful reference at Wikipedia. This is a nice summary of interconnected events in terms of both protest activities and political responses. Check it out. The drawing of the drat numbers that changed the lives of half a million draft age young men was only carried by CBS. It is worth Googling and although not exactly riveting drama it does speak to serendipity and life outcomes. The Vietnam War Memorial in DC was the "founding father" of displaying the names of the fallen. My wife and both my children watched me cry when we went to DC for a National Academy of Sciences meeting and went to visit the memorial to see if I could find the names of two fraternity brothers from college that I was sure had not made it back. A virtual tour of the memorial means more to me than the history of its creation; but to each their own. I may invoke some music from the protest movement. Again with personal preferences. The only song that comes to mind to me that was "pro-war" or at least not anti-war was "Ballad of the Green Berets" which got considerable airtime. 1966 the year I graduated from high school. I recall singing "Walk Away Renee" far more often though.

Meet the teacher

Profile
Teacher expertise and credentials
Virginia Teaching Certificate in Elementary Education
New Jersey Teaching Certificate in Elementary Education
LBJ created Job Corps in a manner not unlike JFK and the Peace Corps. At age 16 my mother insisted I stop caddying and get a real job so I joined Job Corps and worked at the Long Island National Cemetery where every day of that summer I watched burial ceremonies for 18 year old boys/men(?) that had been killed in Vietnam. The taps, the gun salute, the folding of the flag, the passing of the flag to the grieving mothers. As an impressionable 16 year old high school student it is no wonder I morphed into an antiwar activist. But as Paul Harvey the radio commentator was so fond of saying "here's the rest of the story." 

Reviews



Parents also liked
African American History Course || Black History || Ongoing
Zhane A
5.0
(2,375)
$11 per class
Next session at 8 PM tomorrow
Group Class
1/wk, 30 min
7-12
Black History From a Decolonized Perspective (African American History)
Kind Academy-Online MicroSchool for Future Leaders
4.9
(703)
$22 per class
Next session at 10 PM tomorrow
Group Class
8 wks, 1/wk, 35 min
9-14
Dark History: True and Terrible History
Academy of Wonder: History FNAF Gaming Film Coding
4.9
(998)
$18 per class
Next session at 1 AM on Fri 3/7
Group Class
1/wk, 50 min
13-18
History Explorers (U.S. History)
Tamara J Stafford (T.J.)
4.9
(175)
$15 per class
Next session at 5 PM on Monday
Group Class
1/wk, 45 min
9-14
African American History || Why Do We Celebrate Black History Month?
Zhane A
5.0
(2,375)
$10 per class
Next session at 7 PM on Sunday
Group Class
1 wk, 1/wk, 30 min
7-12
US History or World History Writing Workshop
Nicole Trusky
4.9
(496)
$15 per class
Group Class
14 wks, 1/wk, 15 min
13-18
American History - United States History
Tina Hugall MHA MBA
4.9
(886)
$12 per class
Next session at 4 PM tomorrow
Group Class
1/wk, 45 min
13-18
World History Class - History Through The Ages
Miss Shauna
4.8
(106)
$10 per class
Next session at 5 PM on Tuesday
Group Class
36 wks, 1/wk, 30 min
10-15
US History Condensed - A People's History
Courtney Runchey
4.9
(55)
$13 per class
Next session at 6 PM on Tue 9/2
Group Class
14 wks, 2/wk, 50 min
14-18
History Help in American, Government & World History
Kim Guthriegabs M. Ed
4.9
(424)
$35 per session
1-on-1 Tutoring
On Demand
7-18
Celebrate Black History & Bake: Make a Sweet Potato Pie.
Mrs. Lisa aka Chef RD
5.0
(149)
$29 per class
Next session at 8 PM on Tuesday
Group Class
1 wk, 1/wk, 55 min
9-14
African American History: The Amazing Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. | Black History
Zhane A
5.0
(2,375)
$10 per class
Next session at 8 PM on Mon 3/3
Group Class
1 wk, 1/wk, 30 min
7-12
The Origins of Black History Month - How And Why It Started
David Miller
4.6
(1,028)
$15 per class
Next session at 5 PM on Saturday
Group Class
1 wk, 1/wk, 30 min
10-15
1 to 1 History Tutoring
Military History 101 by Amber Chaffee
4.9
(500)
$25 per session
1-on-1 Tutoring
On Demand
6-18
Celebrate Black History & Bake: Make a Sweet Potato Pie
Mrs. Lisa aka Chef RD
5.0
(149)
$29 per class
Next session at 8 PM on Tuesday
Group Class
1 wk, 1/wk, 55 min
9-14
Cook & Celebrate Black History: B. Smith’s Vegetable Soup
Mrs. Lisa aka Chef RD
5.0
(149)
$27 per class
Next session at 4 PM on Tue 6/3
Group Class
1 wk, 1/wk, 1.08 hr
9-14
See More Classes
Home
Search
Give a Gift Card
Open currency, time zone, and language settings
Language & Region
Log In