Historians at Work

Have you ever seen television? Of course you have! But did you know TV is not always true? Historians are constantly checking the facts and sometimes they don't add up. Do not be fooled, however. Television can also be used to teach about history and keep the record straight. Sometimes TV even gets to make history; did you know that when a policeman writes a report, he's recording history right there! Unless he is a woman, in which case she is. Of course, not everyone on TV is a cop.
What about history and the average person? Not everyone gets to be a historian, or even to play one on TV. While some people are lucky enough to get chosen for clinical studies, or to be cast as extras in historical recreations, most people sit quietly at home and history just slips right by them. How can this be stopped? Get involved! Take a picture. Make up a story and sell it to a history magazine. There are lots of interesting characters out there just waiting to be histori- calized! Get your children involved and they might do better in school. Remember, 14% of television programming was actually historical!