On Teaching History in the Prisons of Georgia

A Personal View

Abstract

Those of us who teach history as a vocation soon learn that, unless they are unusually blessed by being married to a rich spouse, they must soon seek additional income by teaching part time at another institution. It is a reality that most who begin a career teaching history will have to face. That reality overwhelmed me early in my professional service and demanded that I teach in an environment not considered "mainstream" by most. That environment is the subject of this article.

The following essay is not intended to be a treatise on penology or the criminal justice system as practiced in the stage of Georgia. It is, instead, a brief description, by way of anecdote, of a part time history instructor's experiences in two of Georgia's prisons over a four-year period. I hope it will serve as a help to those who might be considering teaching in such an institution.