The Forgottonia Project » Podcast

"It’s tough to quantify what’s been lost as more small-town newspapers disappear... but we’re trying to bring back stories that matter most to the people who live here.” — Josiah Chatterton, The Forgottonia Times In This Episode In this episode of The Forgottonia Project, we sit down with Josiah Chatterton, founder of The Forgottonia Times; … Continue reading "Keeping Local News Alive: Interview with Josiah Chatterton of The Forgottonia Times"

“When we asked the community, they didn’t care if their kids went to Harvard. They cared about the kind of people they were.” -Cory Steiner In This Episode As rural schools prepare to welcome students back this fall, many educators and communities are reflecting on what’s working—and what needs to change. In this episode, we … Continue reading "Designing a Better Rural School with Dr. Cory Steiner"

“We feel we need all the counties to really lend credence to what we’re trying to say (which is to make and approve a petition to withdraw & form a 51st state)... I feel that Phase Three is about ready to begin, and I can step down as governor of Forgottonia. I think the time … Continue reading "Illinois: A State Apart – Episode #5 – The Republic of Forgottonia (1973)"

"For rural children, work was at the top of the triangle, followed by school, and only then came play... Play wasn’t a luxury—it was a survival skill. Children turned goats, chickens, and old carts into their playground." -Pamela Riney-Kehrberg On This Episode Historian Dr. Pamela Riney-Kehrberg joins us to discuss her book Childhood on the … Continue reading "Childhood on the Farm: Work, Play, and Coming of Age in the Midwest – a Conversation with Author Pamela Riney-Kehrberg"

"Oftentimes rural places are cast from a deficit perspective, they're portrayed as places where people leave. That can be pretty harmful for students that are growing up in these places. Local history has a real power to draw students in, to help them feel civically engaged and empowered." -Rory Dunn On This Episode Joey Brewer … Continue reading "Reimagining History Education in Rural America: A Conversation with Rory Dunn and Dr. Ariel Cornett"

“Greatness comes from within. It doesn’t matter if you’re from a town of 100 or 100,000—if you believe in yourself and work your butt off, you can do anything.” Joe Decker On This Episode We talk with Joe Decker, Guinness World Record Holder and “World’s Fittest Man” who is a native of rural Forgottonia (Smithfield, IL). … Continue reading "How the World’s Fittest Man Was Forged in Forgottonia: A Conversation with Joe Decker"

"Rural towns may be losing population, but there’s a beauty of history there. If you take the time to look, there are hidden gems everywhere." Bob Chikos On this episode Host Joey Brewer visits with Bob Chikos—an educator, map enthusiast, and Teach Plus alum—who recently completed a remarkable personal quest: visiting all 102 counties in … Continue reading "Every County in Illinois: One Teacher’s Journey Across the Prairie State"

"Play activates neural pathways—it helps children develop emotionally, socially, physically, and cognitively. It’s not a luxury, it’s a necessity." Lisa Hood, Director of Research & Evaluation at Regional Office of Education #17 On this episode Host Joey Brewer chats with Lisa Hood and Paul Larson to explore the impact of play-based learning. The conversation touches … Continue reading "The Power of Play: How Rural Schools Can Lead the Way in Play-Based Learning, with Lisa Hood and Paul Larson"

“Forgottonia’s story reminds us that small towns hold big ideas. When we trust students to lead, create, and connect, we don't just prepare them for the real world — we invite them to change it.” On This Episode What happens when students stop completing assignments for a grade and start creating work for the world? … Continue reading "Classroom Sandboxing in Rural Forgottonia"

"Dialogue isn’t about changing opinions; it’s about understanding each other.” Jared Morris, Education Specialist & Instructional Coach, Office of the Undersecretary for Education, Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C. On This Episode We're excited to share a conversation led by two Beardstown High School freshmen, Vraj and Genesis, as they interview Jared Moris and Ali McKersie, the … Continue reading "Fostering Dialogue and Understanding: A Student-Led Conversation with the Smithsonian’s DiDVE Program"

"Rural schools may lack big-city resources, but they have something just as powerful—strong community ties, flexibility to innovate, and educators who wear many hats to make learning meaningful." On This Episode We sit down with John Glasgow, Program Director of the Rural CTE Project (in partnership with The Association of Illinois Rural and Small Schools … Continue reading "Rural Schools & the Future of Career and Technical Education: A Conversation with John Glasgow, Program Director – Rural IL CTE Project"

"Our job is to find out what the needs and barriers are around early childhood care and education… and help align goals so we’re all working on the same thing." Shannon McKee, Family & Community Engagement Specialist, Birth to Five Illinois: Region 26 On This Episode We had the privilege of speaking with Paul Larson, … Continue reading "Improving Early Childhood Education in Forgottonia with Birth to Five Illinois: Region 26"

"How we define rural is very personal and why we care about it is often for very personal reasons too." On This Episode We sit down with Dr. Pamela Riney-Kehrberg, a historian whose work brings the complex and often misunderstood story of rural America to life. Dr. Riney-Kehrberg helps us unpack two chapters from the … Continue reading "Exploring Rural Identity and History with Dr. Pamela Riney-Kehrberg"

“Once upon a time, Chicago and downstate belonged to the same economy…Factories downstate made things Chicago needed. That’s gone away. What’s replaced it in Chicago is the global economy. What economic vitality there is in Illinois is in Chicago. The economic fortunes of Chicago and downstate are diverging.” Richard C. Longworth, "Caught in the Middle: … Continue reading "Illinois: A State Apart – Episode #4 – The State of Chicago (1925)"

"In Forgottonia, political concerns run deep and personal. They’re about survival, identity, and fairness. Whether it’s fixing roads, supporting farmers, or amplifying rural voices, these issues remind us why local perspectives matter in national debates." Objectives In this episode, we explore the unprecedented political shift in western Illinois, a region known as Forgottonia, where all … Continue reading "Election Results in Forgottonia: Trump’s Unprecedented Appeal"

"Title IX wasn't just about athletics, it was about education. At that time, we had only a few female leaders. We needed a level playing field, everyone needed a fair shake." Robbi Ball Rhonda Garrett and Robbi Ball talk to CHS student athletes Kayleigh Harr (class of '24) and Kacie White (class of '27) On … Continue reading "Oral History of Forgottonia: Title IX and the First Female Athletes at Cuba High School"

"Vulnerable populations were already feeling the pressure” in an economy that saw a shrinking of middle-wage jobs... the middle class has begun to disappear, and fewer workers are able to meet their needs & the needs of their families with wages earned from 40 hours of work each week." -Illinois Future of Work Task Force, … Continue reading "Forgottonia at Work: Future Trends and Community Impact"

"Since 2005, the U.S. has lost more than ¼ of its newspapers and is on track to lose ⅓ by 2025." ON THIS EPISODE On this episode we are pleased to share some interview sound bites from students in our current events class at Cuba H.S. Their work is featured on our inaugural monthly newsletter … Continue reading "Forgottonia Gazette: Rural Youth Reporting, Issue #1 (Podcast Edition)"

"More & more people are “ravenous for admiration” and have “little or no commitment to others... people have “illusions about their importance & fail to recognize their own shortcomings?” Christopher Lasch, The Culture of Narcissism, 1978 ON THIS EPISODE We dive deep into research about self-absorption and its impact on community, inspired by Dr. John … Continue reading "The Spread of Self-Absorption in Our Time: How Narcissism is Disrupting Our Sense of Community"

"Work ethic is instilled in us and sticks with us throughout our lives. This county also comes together when something happens. We’ve suffered through a lot of loss as a county but we always persevere." Patrick O'Brian, Fulton County Clerk and Recorder ON THIS EPISODE Should our local government have political parties? When and where … Continue reading "Behind the Ballot: Navigating Our Complex Local Government with Fulton County Clerk and Recorder Patrick O’Brian"

"I thought about leaving and then life happened and I stayed and I'm glad I did. I raised my kids here. I still teach here and I wouldn't want it any other way." Nicole Thum Mrs. Nicole Thum shows Cooper and Sam a picture of her elementary class at the Smithfield Red Brick School ON … Continue reading "Oral History of Forgottonia: The Red Brick School in Smithfield, IL – Part 3, Cooper & Sam Interview Nicole Thum"

"We need to become informed activists. This Forgottonia movement lasted only a short time. That won't work. It will take years to implement change and we must be willing to expend that." Bill Edley ON THIS EPISODE As part of our Oral History in Forgottonia series, Cuba High School students Cadie & Courtney Churchill continue … Continue reading "Oral History of Forgottonia: Western Illinois Then, Now, and Beyond – Cadie and Courtney Churchill’s Interview with Former Congressman Bill Edley (Part 2)"

"The concept of Forgottonia was that this region was neglected by urban centers, but that wasn't really the problem. The problem was we don't engage at the community level like we should. Bill Edley ON THIS EPISODE As part of our Oral History in Forgottonia series, Cuba High School students Cadie & Courtney Churchill continue … Continue reading "Oral History of Forgottonia: Western Illinois Then, Now, and Beyond – Cadie and Courtney Churchill’s Interview with Former Congressman Bill Edley (Part 1)"

"Mining played a really big part in our town. At one time our population was 2,500, but now it's down to 1,200. This population is the biggest legacy of mining. Most people we know who live in our community have ancestors who worked in the mine." Dick Mowery, local mining enthusiast and former CHS educator … Continue reading "Oral History of Forgottonia: Was Cuba the Strip-Mining Capital of the World? Braxton Humphrey’s Interview with local mining enthusiast and Retired Teacher Dick Mowery"

“When small towns lose, we lose a piece of ourselves.” Marcus Boyer ON THIS EPISODE As part of our Oral History in Forgottonia series, Cuba High School juniors Cooper Leonard and Sam Thum explore the history and impact of the old Red Brick School in Smithfield, Illinois. Like many small towns, the school in Smithfield … Continue reading "Oral History of Forgottonia: The Red Brick School in Smithfield, IL – Part 2, Cooper & Sam Interview Marcus Boyer"

"I couldn't wait to leave, but then I couldn't wait to come home." Lori Noe ON THIS EPISODE As part of our Oral History in Forgottonia series, Cuba High School juniors Cooper Leonard and Sam Thum explore the history and impact of the old Red Brick School in Smithfield, Illinois. Like many small towns, the … Continue reading "Oral History of Forgottonia: The Red Brick School in Smithfield, IL – Part 1, Cooper & Sam Interview Lori Noe"

"Social media has opened up a whole new world for LGBTQ + youth. I didn't have any of that growing up in the 80s and 90s." Libby Lane, Deputy Director of the Rural Assembly ON THIS EPISODE Cuba High School sophomore Amber Cannon shares their interview with Libby Lane. Libby is the Deputy Director of … Continue reading "Pride in the Countryside: Amber Cannon’s Interview with Libby Lane, Deputy Director of the Rural Assembly"

"I wanted to learn more about the Amish community to better understand them. I feel like this is important because they are also members of our community." Ella Bass, Cuba H.S. Senior Class '23 Amish owned & operated Heartland Bulk Foods located on the west end of Cuba, Illinois...one of our town's best kept secrets! … Continue reading "Oral History of Forgottonia: What Insights Can We Gain from the Amish Residents in Our Small Community? Ella Bass Interviews an Amish Mother & Daughter"

"I urge all patriots to sustain the Government in its efforts to vindicate the Constitution." Congressman John A. Logan, a southern IL politician and Civil War General Episode #3 - The Illinois Confederates (1861) In the tumultuous times of the American Civil War, Illinois found itself at a crossroads. Political heavyweights like John A. Logan … Continue reading "Illinois: A State Apart – Episode #3 – The Illinois Confederates (1861)"

"Three fourths of the inhabitants of Illinois proper are a totally different sort of people. They have numerical superiority. The most unreasonable and ill-grounded prejudices against us exist among them. We are the powerless and our voice is if not unheard certainly unheeded in the legislative councils of the State. Whether designedly or not almost … Continue reading "Illinois: A State Apart – Episode #2 – The Rockford Delegation (1846)"

"If her commerce is to be confined to that great artery of communication, the Mississippi, which washes her entire border, and to its chief tributary on the south, the Ohio, there is a possibility that her commercial relations with the south may become so closely connected…. In the event of an attempted dismemberment of the … Continue reading "Illinois: A State Apart – Episode #1 – Nathaniel Pope (1818)"

"We discover who we are face to face and side by side with other people, in work, love, and learning." Robert Bellah ON THIS EPISODE This episode explores the power of SOCIAL Connections and its impact on community. Our post-pandemic world has revealed the damage that isolation has on each of us. Are we social … Continue reading "Are We Social Animals? Exploring the Power of Social Connections"

How do we follow our dreams and be all that we can be without adequately fulfilling our civic responsibilities to the community as a whole? "The unique spiritual mission of America” demanded a positive, welcoming approach to immigrants." Mary Antin, The Promised Land ON THIS EPISODE This episode explores whether or not American society is … Continue reading "Is American Society “Coming Apart”"

"Instead of volunteering and getting-to-know each other, community-building citizens who once typified this nation…Americans have become privatized, atomized, focused within their property lines." Cited by John Hallwas, On Community: A Crucial Issue, a Small Town, and a Writer's Experience ON THIS EPISODE Our topic today is entitled “A Nation of Strangers.” This episode serves as … Continue reading "Are We a Nation of Strangers Living Amidst a Fading Sense of Place?"

"The best ideas are going to come from your generation...it's time to be innovative to address these issues. Action starts with you." Tara Rumler, The 1024 Movement ON THIS EPISODE We are pleased to share this interview with Tara Rumler of the 1024 Movement. Tara is a native of Forgottonia whose work has brought her … Continue reading "How the 1024 Movement is Helping Youth Prioritize their Mental Health"

"We live in an unprecedented era, when community is under siege from a variety of forces, & the negative ramifications of that are continually mounting." John Hallwas, On Community: A Crucial Issue, a Small Town, and a Writer's Experience ON THIS EPISODE We begin our series on the book "On Community: A Crucial Issue, a … Continue reading "10 Obstacles Facing Community Builders: An Introduction to our “On Community” Series"

ON THIS EPISODE This Dime Novel Desperados MINI-POD profiles a Hollywood Western & primary sources that Dr. Hallwas used to write the book. We recommend first listening to the episode this MINI-POD accompanies: Chapter 4: Law & Order and Prison Life HOLLYWOOD WESTERN “High Noon” (1952) starring Gary Cooper, Grace Kelly, & Lloyd Bridges. QUESTIONS … Continue reading "DND Minipod – Chapter 4: Hollywood Westerns & Primary Sources"

On this episode, we’re thrilled to share an update about New Philadelphia with Marynel Corton, the executive director of the New Philadelphia Museum. Last year we interviewed Marynel about New Philadelphia, one of the most important historical communities in the U.S. and located right here in rural Forgottonia (Pike County to be exact; Marynel lives … Continue reading "New Philadelphia Earns National Park Status: An Update with Marynel Corton"

ON THIS EPISODE As part of our Oral History in Forgottonia series, Cuba High School junior Ella Bass hosts this episode about the 1992 Native American protests that took place at Dickson Mounds Museum in Lewistown, Illinois. Dickson Mounds Museum in Lewiston, IL harbors the history of indigenous people who lived in this region as … Continue reading "Oral History of Forgottonia – The Protests at Dickson Mounds by Ella Bass"

ON THIS EPISODE Continuing our Oral History in Forgottonia series, Cuba High School junior Jayson Stead once again takes the microphone to explore Fulton County during the Civil War. In this episode, Jayson shares his conversation with Dr. Tim Roberts about his Civil War book This Infernal War: The Civil War Letters of William & … Continue reading "Oral History of Forgottonia – How Fulton County Was Divided During the Civil War: Jayson Stead’s Interview with Tim Roberts, WIU History Professor & author of “This Infernal War”"

ON THIS EPISODE As part of our Oral History in Forgottonia series, Cuba High School junior Jayson Stead interviews local Lincoln enthusiast Rick Klinedinst, about Fulton County during the Civil War. In his day job, Mr. Klinedinst serves as the president of the MidAmerica National Bank. He is also passionate about history and has even … Continue reading "Oral History of Forgottonia – Fulton County, Abe Lincoln, and the Civil War: Jayson Stead’s Interview with Rick Klinedinst"

"They needed a spokesperson. Neal was ideal because he was a great speaker, he was highly intelligent...and he was kind of a ham actually. He loved to talk in front of people." -John Marshall (friend of Neal Gam, Forgottonia's Governor) ON THIS EPISODE As part of our Oral History in Forgottonia series, Cuba High School … Continue reading "Oral History of Forgottonia – Getting to Know Forgottonia’s Governor: Cadie & Courtney Churchill Interview with John Marshall"

ON THIS EPISODE "The railroads depended on population and product. The population and product depended on shipping. The railroads became the most valuable method of shipping, particularly for landlocked areas like Illinois." -Bill Leitze As part of our Oral History in Forgottonia series, Cuba High School senior Gavin Johnson sits down with local Railroad enthusiast, … Continue reading "Oral History of Forgottonia – Railroads in Western Illinois: Gavin Johnson’s Interview with Local Railroad Enthusiast Bill Leitze"

ON THIS EPISODE "The two most dangerous occupations were agricultural, and mining. I was raised on a farm and worked on the mines." David Lidwell As part of our Oral History in Forgottonia series, Cuba High School junior Braxton Humphrey interviews former miner David Lidwell, about his knowledge and experience working in the mining industry. … Continue reading "Oral History of Forgottonia – Mining in Western Illinois: Braxton Humphrey’s Interview with David Lidwell"

"The community did the best they could with that school, rather than let it sit vacant." Daryle Coleman ON THIS EPISODE As part of our Oral History in Forgottonia series, Cuba High School sophomore Cooper Leonard interviews Retired principal, Daryle Coleman, about her experience with the closure of the Red Brick School in Smithfield, Illinois. … Continue reading "Oral History of Forgottonia – Experiencing a Rural School Closure: Cooper Leonard’s Interview with Retired Principal Daryle Coleman"

"Don't always look into famous people, look into people that helped a person become so well known." Amber Cannon ON THIS EPISODE As part of our Oral History in Forgottonia series, Cuba High School freshman Amber Cannon hosts this episode about Dr. Francis Regnier; the forgotten hero of New Salem. Most folks know a lot … Continue reading "Oral History of Forgottonia – Dr. Francis Regnier: The Forgotten Hero of New Salem, by Amber Cannon"

ON THIS EPISODE We continue our examination of the book “Dime Novel Desperados: The Notorious Maxwell Brothers” by Dr. John Hallwas. This episode provides an overview of Chapter 4 – “Law & Order and Prison Life.” If you recall our last chapter, Ed Maxwell has been arrested after committing his 1st crime robbing a clothing … Continue reading "Dime Novel Desperados – Chapter 4: Law & Order and Prison Life"

ON THIS EPISODE We conclude our series about the social & cultural history of witchcraft based on the book “Witchcraft in Illinois” by folklorist Michael Kleen (check out Michael’s bio below). Please note, the primary purpose of this series is to apply historical skills to this topic and share some interesting info that we find … Continue reading "Witchcraft in Forgottonia – Episode 6: The Strange Tale of James Spiva"

ON THIS EPISODE We continue our series about the social & cultural history of witchcraft based on the book “Witchcraft in Illinois” by folklorist Michael Kleen (check out Michael’s bio below). Please note, this series definitely does not intend to endorse a belief in magic or the occult. Our primary purpose is to simply apply … Continue reading "Witchcraft in Forgottonia – Episode 5: The Scotch-Irish in Illinois, 1818-1885"

ON THIS EPISODE We are excited to share our interview with author and folklorist Michael Kleen. Shout out to Cuba High School students Jayson Stead, Cadie Churchill, and Lilly Markley who did a fantastic job conducting this interview! Students asked Michael about misconceptions people often have about this topic, the difference between folklore and history, … Continue reading "Witchcraft in Forgottonia – Episode 4: Interview with author Michael Kleen"