8 What Primary Sources Teach Transcript of Figure 1.1 American Expeditionary Forces Young Men’s Christian Association Headquarters: 12 Rue d’Aguesseau, Paris Aug 22, 1918 My dear Mother, I said something in a letter of a few days ago about the approach of fall and of what a [?] and [?] season day that was, at that writing, it was so cold that it did not seem possible that the sun would ever shine, so much, in all its glory, again this year as it now is. Perhaps it is the warmest day that I have experienced in France. The kind of a day from which some one called it sunny France, and wrote, so completely dwelling on the word “sunny,” that the phrase afterward became famous. Even, as on that cold, bleak, rainy day, when a wind moisture laden and shivery, struck my fancy to reflect on warm sunny days, there are times, conditions of things make one see dubi- ous days ahead, forlorn almost hopeless, with a painful realization of the present with all its discomfort and privations. Then, on the days of weather events, I can not help but reflect and feed upon the “sunny” days of home and of love that [?] so much, of the brightness that belongs only to home, standing out among all other things, unrivaled . . . SOURCE: Clapp, Henry Stillwell. Letter to Isabel Clapp. August 22, 1918. Henry Stillwell Clapp Collection, Brooklyn Public Library, Center for Brooklyn History. Example Two: Define Vocabulary This newspaper article is an engaging source for articulating Jackie Robin- son’s role in his community. However, not all students will be familiar with the vocabulary present in the text. Sharing a vocabulary list will help all stu- dents engage with the source. Vocabulary terms needed will differ based on the learning level of your students and any prior knowledge they do or do not have. For the source on the next page, it might be helpful to include “Founda- tion,” “community service organization,” and “record player” if these are terms your students might be unfamiliar with.
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