BSU professor receiving state history award
MUNCIE Whether he's restoring a historically significant home in Centerville or inspiring his students to create an online game about the Underground Railroad, Ronald Vaughan Morris has been helping tell the stories of Indiana in many ways.
The Indiana Historical Society is recognizing Morris' efforts with the 2014 Dorothy Riker Hoosier Historian Award.
The Centerville resident, who teaches at Ball State University, will receive his award during IHS's annual Founders Day event on Monday in Indianapolis.
IHS says the Dorothy Riker Hoosier Historian Award is given to a historian who has made distinguished contributions to the field of historical scholarship and/or the affairs and activities of IHS. The annual Founders Day dinner celebrates the accomplishments of historians, teachers, writers and businesses from around the state, as well as the work of IHS.
Morris is a professor and Presidential Immersive Learning Fellow in Ball State's Department of History. Morris guides university students, as well as individuals from across the country, on how to effectively teach elementary history.
IHS says Morris has published numerous books and articles on how to teach elementary social studies creatively with step-by-step guidelines. He has also given many national and regional presentations on the topic.
Beyond writing books and scholarly articles, IHS says Morris has created and led teams of students to create various media resources, including video games, video apps and phone apps, on topics such as state and local Civil War history.
Morris is restoring the former home of Oliver P. Morton, who lived in Centerville before becoming governor of Indiana in 1860 and serving in that office during the Civil War.
J.P. Hall, director of Indiana Landmark's Eastern Regional Office, said in 2013 that Morris is giving the building a "third chance."
Morris has worked to take care of some serious structural issues for the home, which is located at West Main Street and Willow Grove Road.
"It's stabilized now for the next 150 years," Morris said at a celebration for Morton's 190th birthday. "Now we just have to make it pretty. The goal is to take it back to when Oliver P. Morton lived here."
Previous honors for Morris include an Award of Merit for a lifetime of service to the public history field in Indiana from the American Association of State and Local History, Indiana Landmarks' Servaas Memorial Award for outstanding achievement in historic preservation and the Christa McAuliffe Award. He also served as a trustee of the Indiana Historical Society.
Palladium-Item education reporter Louise Ronald contributed to this story.
Learn more
•For information about Indiana Historical Society, call (317) 232-1882 or visit www.indianahistory.org. It is a private, nonprofit member organization. IHS offers exhibits and programs for all ages in its center at 450 W. Ohio St., Indianapolis, along with a research library and aid to local museums and historical groups. It also publishes books and periodicals and sponsors teacher workshops.
•The Underground Railroad game and curriculum created by Morris' students can be found at https://sites.google.com/site/undergroundrailroadgame/