The Humanities Under Attack
The critique is not new. Those espousing the implied superiority of so-called “hard” disciplines have been attacking the humanities for decades. It was partially in response to these voices that the enabling legislation creating the National Endowment for the Humanities spoke, some 46 years ago:

An advanced civilization must not limit its efforts to science and technology alone, but must give full value and support for the other great branches of scholarly and cultural activity in order to achieve a better understanding of the past, a better analysis of the present, and a better view of the future ... democracy demands wisdom and vision in its citizens. It must therefore support a form of education, and access to the arts and the humanities, designed to make people of all backgrounds ... masters of their technology and not its unthinking servants.

As a supporter of the humanities, you understand the continuing relevance and poignancy of these words. However, sadly, the current economic recession has reignited the anti-humanities critique. The implications of this debate spell crisis—and not just for well-meaning, often financially-challenged parents, who are concerned about the “job prospects” of their children’s education. This crisis is playing out here in Louisiana, just as it is nationally, via the erosion of public support for libraries, museums, arts and humanities councils, and virtually the entire spectrum of America’s cultural infrastructure.

Please Stand With Us
The crisis facing the LEH is fiscal: a 75 percent cut in state appropriations over the past three years (more than $1.5 million annually), with the prospects of additional cuts in both our state and federal funding looking all but inevitable. However, we are NOT suffering an “identity crisis.” Like you, we know the value and import of the LEH’s four decades of cultural and educational investment (more than $60 million) in all 64 Louisiana parishes. In a state possessing cultural diversity and riches without parallel, the LEH considers it an honor to proudly serve as the standard bearer for the embattled humanities.

So much of what we do is made possible by the generous support of you, our annual fund supporters. With your continued support, we will: keep inspiring kids and parents to read together; continue helping teachers to be better prepared, feel more appreciated, and therefore work harder; and continue to bestow recognition and support upon those working in the arts and culture of our great state. Working together, we will weather both the fiscal and the ill-informed ideological storms.

Shell Funds National PRIME TIME Expansion with $200,000 Gift

An exciting – and in many ways precedent-setting – new partnership was just initiated between The Shell Oil Company and the LEH’s PRIME TIME Family Reading Time program: The Shell-LEH National Gulf States PRIME TIME Initiative.  In the first year of an anticipated three-year collaboration, Shell is contributing $200,000 to initiate a major expansion of PRIME TIME afterschool family literacy programming across Louisiana, as well as Florida. In subsequent years, PRIME TIME anticipates expanding into additional Gulf South states.  In addition, Shell is funding the development and pilot implementation of a new teacher professional development program (“PRIME TIME HomeRoom”) which will distill the proven, evidence-based PRIME TIME methodologies into a format that educators can quickly and effectively utilize in Pre-K through 4th grade classrooms.  “The Shell partnership will truly be transformational for educational improvement in Louisiana and the rest of the Gulf South,” stated Miranda Restovic, PRIME TIME Director and Acting LEH Deputy Director.  “Over the three years of this projected partnership, more than 2,000 children and their parents, as well as some 500 classroom teachers, will be directly impacted; I am ecstatic that a committed, visionary company like Shell has the resources, capability, and interest in collaborating to bring such a tremendous, positive impact across the Gulf South.”

“Shell is proud of its new partnership with the LEH and PRIME TIME to support family literacy across Louisiana and the Gulf Coast,” stated John Hollowell, Executive Vice President, Deep Water, Shell Upstream Americas, the company’s top official in Louisiana.  “This program, along with the PRIME TIME ‘HomeRoom’ teacher professional development training, will support Shell’s continued commitment to education in the communities where our employees work and live.”

Part of the significance of the Shell-PRIME TIME partnership is its timing.  In an ironic twist of fate, just as PRIME TIME’s successful track record and aggressive strategic planning have positioned the program for a marked increase in impact, the LEH’s state appropriations have suffered more than a 75 percent cut over just the past few years.  Therefore, Shell’s support stabilizes the LEH’s delivery of PRIME TIME across Louisiana, while also fueling a dynamic, national program expansion – allowing a successful Louisiana/LEH-developed family literacy model to be exported across four other states.  I congratulate and thank Shell for its forward-thinking philanthropy.   

Zapp's Potato Chips and Roderick P. Olson Pledge $60,000

Zapp's Potato Chips President Roderick P. “Rod” Olson recently made a two-year, $60,000 pledge to the LEH, vastly expanding the company’s philanthropic commitments.  Two-thirds of the cash and in-kind donation will support the PRIME TIME Family Reading Time Program across Louisiana, as well as in other states bordering the Gulf Coast.  The remaining third will support the LEH’s Annual Fund – which has become increasingly essential in this period of significant reductions in state funding.  “Zapp’s is excited to be sponsoring PRIME TIME across Louisiana and the gulf region,” stated Mr. Olson.  “There is no greater gift than to help create the love and joy of reading.  The LEH makes a positive difference in the lives it touches and Zapp’s wants to participate in making that happen.”

Mr. Olson’s personal commitment to the LEH’s mission also includes membership on the Board of Directors, as well as the Board Development Committee.  I cannot thank Rod enough for his generosity and dedication to improving Louisiana’s future, one child at a time.

Harrah’s Foundation Supports KnowLA           

With its recent $25,000 gift, the Harrah’s Foundation, now part of Caesars Entertainment Corp., became the first corporate sponsor of the LEH’s cutting-edge KnowLA Online Encyclopedia of Louisiana History and Culture.  The comprehensive, interactive website debuted in beta format on January 1st of this year, and has quickly become the online authority for trustworthy, freshly-written information on all things Louisiana (see: www.knowla.org).  The LEH looks forward to a long and productive partnership with Harrah’s/Caesars.

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