Ninth in a series on rural universities.
Geography and culture in small communities play essential roles in shaping various traditions, practices and ways of life, according to Spatial Post. While culture seems to exist independently of place in some areas, it is not the case in smaller rural communities. Therefore, rural universities have a responsibility to help create and sustain a positive and productive rural culture. Access to natural resources has a critical impact on culture. Water, fertile soil, minerals and available sunlight are tied to geography and shape culture. The traditions and ways of life that define day-to-day existence are deeply dependent on locally available resources.
In some regions, isolation and connectivity are vital in shaping regional culture. In remote agricultural oil and gas-rich regions, limited interaction with more densely populated areas gives special impetus to how culture is defined locally. It even allows for the pervasive impact of digital communications and all it brings; digital power cannot and will not overtake geography as a force affecting everyday life. Thomas L. Friedman, author of The World Is Flat, argued that globalization was enhanced, in part and to the benefit of all, by digital communication. While the force is inarguable, the question remains unanswered as to whether or not globalization and its ensuing economic and social impacts benefit all. Steve Melluish argues that globalization leads to cultural homogenization. Local, regional, state and national sovereignty still has pervasive cultural effects which cannot be overlooked but are often undervalued. Rural universities are obligated to the public they serve to heighten and understand local values and their impact on every aspect of local life, including enterprise. In the Texas Panhandle, that means producing food, fuel and fiber.
Rural universities play a significant role in explicating, supporting and sustaining rural culture. Curricula focused on local history, tradition and cultural studies can help students understand and appreciate their values better. Too frequently, students and faculty from major metropolitan areas view rural cultures as quaint. Rural institutions should embed themselves in local communities. At West Texas A&M University, to engage the constellation of small communities doting the Panhandle, the Sybil B. Harrington College of Humanities and Fine Arts conducts programs entitled Showcase in a Suitcase. These programs bring students and faculty to the smaller communities and engage in various forms of enrichment.
An unparalleled collection of historical artifacts cataloging Texas history is owned by the Panhandle-Plains Historical Society and housed in the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum on the West Texas A&M University campus. The remarkable collection is comprised of millions of artifacts of various kinds. Schoolchildren from districts across the South Plains and Texas Panhandle annually visit the museum. It is not easy to find a high school, public or private, student in the top 46 counties of Texas who has not been on a field trip to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum. The importance of this geographic and cultural connectivity cannot be overstated. The museum has been committed to preserving and interpreting millions of artifacts unique to our state for over a century. It is a “cultural center” affecting life across the Panhandle and South Plains. Additionally, these artifacts transmit a deeply embedded culture rich in regional, frontier and Western values, which are equally crucial to our state and nation. And, even in their multiple imperfections, the values are the nucleus of what makes our region, state and nation exceptional. And American Exceptionalism is extraordinary, according to Kim R. Holmes of the Heritage Foundation.
A university can protect and promote culture through the initiatives and practices that attend to traditions, celebrate the various perspectives of people in rural communities and create and foster understanding. Promoting and protecting happens through curriculum development, cultural studies programs, language preservation and interdisciplinary approaches, which allow the fullness of the rural community to be understood. Cultural centers and spaces that establish institutes and focus areas attending to history, traditions and the values of specific community groups are essential. At West Texas A&M University, The Hill Institute intends to carry this burden of responsibility into future scholarship and teaching on issues and challenges in rural communities, which can be especially provocative. Understanding cultural heritage and traditional practices, as well as challenges in the future, is essential. The new doctoral program in education at WT supports the efforts of smaller school districts in rural regions; some have a population pre-k through high school totaling less than 100 students. Small rural districts are the pressure cookers of a republican form of government at work and should never be overlooked. All public outreach into small communities helps reinforce their value for the future and the future of the state and nation.
The sustenance of local culture is critical to the future of public higher education in the “outback” of America. (It is sometimes referred to derisively as “flyover country.”) These diverse locations and perspectives can help fuel a positive future for our nation, which is the nucleus of our work at West Texas A&M University. If pursued purposefully, our work will redefine excellence and carry the Panhandle to the world and the world to the Panhandle.
Walter V. Wendler, President of West Texas A&M University. His weekly columns, with hyperlinks, are available at https://walterwendler.com/.
