From the Southwest Ledger By James Finck, Ph.d. Right now, the academic system as we know it is under attack, not just at my university but at colleges all around the country. Colleges are moving away from traditional liberal arts models to career readiness. While I do not believe finding a job is the sole … Continue reading In Defense of Liberal Art
Tag: writing
Remembering 9/11 25 years later
From the Lawton Constitution By James Finck, Ph.D. Historian’s View I am going to confess upfront that this has been a difficult piece to write. Over the past 25 years, I have written about 9/11 many times, and I have pondered what I could say that would be different? What would add some new thought … Continue reading Remembering 9/11 25 years later
The queen is gone. There will never be another
from the Lawton Constitution By James Finck, Ph.D. Aug 30, 2026 I write a lot about country music. It’s my favorite genre. In several of my columns, I have debated the top country singers or most important influential and/or inspirational songs. Many of these debates are subjective, but there has always been one that is … Continue reading The queen is gone. There will never be another
Historic Travels: Pierre’s Hole, Idaho
From the Southwest Ledger By James Finck, Ph.d. One of my favorite periods in history is the golden age of the mountain man. It’s what I want to be when I grow up, but I’m afraid my wife won’t let me. Being one of my favorite subjects, I have visited the sites of some of … Continue reading Historic Travels: Pierre’s Hole, Idaho
Summer Road Trip Playlist: C Artists
From the Lawton Constitution By James Finck, Ph.D. Aug 9, 2026 Even though it doesn’t feel like it outside, summer is coming to an end as kids get ready to head back to school. I’m planning on making my way back home soon since my own semester begins shortly, which means I have one more … Continue reading Summer Road Trip Playlist: C Artists
Summer road trip playlist: B Artists
From the Lawton Constitution By James Finck, Ph.D. As the summer continues to roll on and a few more road trips are behind us, I thought I would continue sharing songs from my ultimate road trip playlist. Last month, I listed my A artists, so it only makes logical sense to share my B’s. The … Continue reading Summer road trip playlist: B Artists
The Battle of the Little Bighorn: A victory and a turning point
From the Lawton Constitution By James Finck, Ph.D. Jun 25, 2026 Stepping away from celebrating our nation’s anniversary, it is important to recognize the anniversary of one of the most significant battles fought on American soil and arguably the most famous battle of the Indian Wars. It was 150 years ago this week, on June … Continue reading The Battle of the Little Bighorn: A victory and a turning point
My summer playlist – A: bands
From the Lawton Constitution By James Finck, Ph.D. Jun 23, 2026 Finals are done and grades are all turned in. That means just one thing: summer. While there are many things that represent summer, my favorite is the road trip. I love traveling, seeing new things, and especially visiting historical sites. Hopefully I’ll be able … Continue reading My summer playlist – A: bands
Book review: ‘Jedediah Smith: No Ordinary Mountain Man’
From the Lawton Constitution By James Finck, Ph.D. May 12, 2026 This past semester for my reading seminar class, we read several books about mountain men. We read several about famous mountain men like Davy Crockett, Kit Carson, Hugh Glass, and Jim Bridger. While all these men led extraordinary lives, my personal favorite mountain man … Continue reading Book review: ‘Jedediah Smith: No Ordinary Mountain Man’
Disappointed in our Olympic Spirit
From the Lawton Constitution By James Finck, Ph.D. Mar 11, 2026 I have been very disappointed over the past two weeks watching the Olympic Games. I am a huge Olympics fan and watch as much as I possibly can. I can’t explain how I suddenly became a passionate fan of sports I normally never watch, … Continue reading Disappointed in our Olympic Spirit
Historically Speaking 