The Automotive Restoration Technology program at McPherson College was established in 1976, and since its inception the curriculum has included the study of the technical and social history of the automobile. Given this experience, Yohn addresses how McPherson might inform teaching the specialized field of motor racing. He will begin by giving an overview of the McPherson automotive history curriculum and conclusions about substantive content choices and best teaching practices. By examining the comparative scope of automotive history and motor racing history, Yohn will present areas of substantial overlap and differentiation. Finally, he will present suggestions for curriculum and teaching practices. Participants will be requested to share their reflections on the following question: What 3 key topics should every motor racing historian understand?

As a student of the Automotive Restoration program at McPherson College, a four-year degree that centers the skills needed for the preservation and/or restoration of the vehicle itself and its associated history, a younger generation is given the chance to take the torch. Hands-on skills such as engine rebuilding and general mechanical work are supplemented by a dive into proper research methods, archival building/handling, general history of automobiles and their artistic and technological designs, along with literature courses that help create a unique liberal arts education. Using an example of a current project involving the digitization and creation of an archive of original Duesenberg road car, racing car, and marine engine blueprints that are housed within the school’s library, this presentation will show how the curriculum at McPherson College culminates in a comprehensive educational experience.

This episode is sponsored in part by: The International Motor Racing Research Center (IMRRC), The Society of Automotive Historians (SAH), The Watkins Glen Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Argetsinger Family – and was recorded in front of a live studio audience. And has been Edited, Remastered and Produced in partnership with the Motoring Podcast Network.

Bio: Ken Yohn

Ken Yohn is a social scientist keenly interested in how the automobile shapes our lives. With a Ph.D. in political science and postdoctoral work in history and economics, Yohn has held faculty positions at universities in Japan, Germany, France, and Poland, including a sabbatical as scholar in residence at the University of Science and Technology in Lille, France. For the past 25 years Yohn has been teaching at McPherson College in Kansas, where he is currently chair of the history and politics department.

Bio: Kristie Sojka

Kristie Sojka earned her BA in History from Wichita State University and her MLIS from Kent State University. She has worked in a variety of roles in Kansas libraries for the past 13 years. Sojka is currently entering her third year as the director of library services at Miller Library McPherson College. Her responsibilities include providing library and research services, support, and instruction to the entire campus community. She also oversees the two special collections located within Miller Library: the Brethren and College Archives and the Paul Russell and Company Center for Automotive Research, which houses the special automotive materials collection. Sojka is currently serving as vice president of the College and University Libraries Section of the Kansas Library Association.

The Paul Russell and Company Center for Automotive Research housed within Miller Library at McPherson College currently holds over 5,000 automotive related titles. This presentation will consider the benefits and challenges of curating a special library collection and archives, which supports automotive restoration education. The presenter will discuss the types of materials currently available to researchers, the varying processes of obtaining materials, and options for organizing the collection.

Bio: Jeremy Porter

Jeremy Porter, from Seneca Falls, NY, is a senior studying automotive restoration technology at McPherson College in Kansas. First bitten by the car bug at the age of five after attending the Vintage Festival at Watkins Glen, he is fascinated by the mechanical aspects of vehicles and other machinery. He was a part of the team that restored the school’s 1953 Mercedes Benz 300S Cabriolet that finished second in class at Pebble Beach. His interests include vintage Ferraris, pre-war Bugattis and Alfas, open-wheel race cars, and the development of technologies within the drivetrain.