Digital Commons Network^™

Walking The Line: The Legacy Of The Lost Cause In Redefining Femininity At The Normal, 1909-1942, Jennifer D. Page

Masters Theses, 2020-current

The students who attended the State Normal and Industrial School at Harrisonburg during the early period (1909 – 1942) used social organizations to echo, amplify, and rehearse Lost Cause hierarchies of class, gender, and race. The Lee and Lanier Literary Societies were the two elite groups on campus which provided spaces for the women to practice these societal norms. These groups created a system of gatekeeping that ensured exclusivity and elevated the social standing of those who were members. These organizations were spaces to rehearse refinement and to practice the white women’s own roles in society. Their understanding of their …

Population Study Of Native And Invasive Turtles In Harrisonburg, Virginia, David R. Weisenbeck

Senior Honors Projects, 2020-current

The Red-eared Slider, Trachemys scripta is an invasive species responsible for declines in turtle species across the world. Trachemys scripta is native to two parts of southern Virginia but the species has been introduced throughout the rest of the state, often related to the release of pet trade animals. This study aimed to identify the extent of Trachemys scripta’s establishment and impact on native species in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Turtles were trapped in a mark-recapture study during the springs and summers of 2018, 2019, and 2020 in four local ponds in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Cormack-Jolly-Seber population models were constructed using data …

Counselors As Advocates For Change In Local Homelessness Discourse: A Content Analysis Of Harrisonburg, Virginia Media, Sarah E. Brown

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

Data on homelessness does not reflect the vast numbers of people living without stable housing. Research shows that while the public may feel compassionate towards those without homes, they may also blame and stereotype people experiencing homelessness. Stigmatization can impair public support of policies that would provide the structural change needed to address the housing crisis. Studies have found when media use non-stereotypical examples of people without homes, stigmatization decreases and public support for systemic change increases. Using person-first language and the concept of housing as a moral human right further increase public support. This content analysis examines media in …

Expanding Business To Harrisonburg, Graham Maguire

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

This study will attempt to determine whether Harrisonburg is a viable option for expanded retail options. Fifteen stores will be examined that have performed well throughout the United States over the past several years based on several different metrics. Data used to compared these stores will be collected via a survey distributed to James Madison University students and public census data. Additionally, several stores that are already in operation in Harrisonburg will be assessed to serve as a comparison group. By the end of this study, I will offer recommendations on which of the 15 stores in the study would …

Girls Rock Camp, Erica Lashley

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

The objective of this creative honors project was to create, plan, fund, and spearhead a week-long day camp for girls ages 8-18 to learn the basics of a rock instrument and collaborate with other girls to form bands and perform. This paper synthesizes my experience organizing, fundraising for, and counseling Harrisonburg’s first Girls Rock Camp, which took place August 14-19, 2017. In this paper, I outline the purpose and importance of Girls Rock Camp, the research and planning conducted to design the project, and the camp experience. I aim to provide insight, words of wisdom, and inspiration for future projects …

Theatre Education For Homeschooled Children, Jonathan A. Martin

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

In recent years, the push for theatre education from arts education advocates has been increasingly prevalent, especially in the face of substantial budget cuts from many public schools’ arts programs. While there is still a long way to go before theatre education will be integral to school curricula, there are clear steps being taken to promote theatre education in the United States.

Similar to the recent push for theatre education is a rise in homeschooling in America. Homeschooling has been on the rise domestically for several years now, continuing to grow between 2% and 8% annually. It is now estimated …

Analysis Of The Responses To Poverty In Harrisonburg, Virginia, Kara Krantz

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty was established in 1964 to eradicate poverty in the United States. There have been great strides towards accomplishing this goal; however, poverty continues to persist. The purpose of this study is to analyze poverty in Harrisonburg, Virginia and how it compares to poverty at the state and national levels. In addition, this study evaluates the services provided by nonprofits and government agencies to the poor in Harrisonburg. Finally, it investigates the interactions among the nonprofits and government agencies. Poverty statistics come from the U.S. Census Bureau. Analysis of the data reflects that the presence …

Old Furnace Artist Residency: Art Is A Conjunction, Jon William Henry

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Old furnace artist residency is an ongoing body of work that encompasses a long-term art project that relies upon social aesthetics. This project weaves together social sculpture, relational aesthetics, intervention, gesture, performance, community art, and participation art to create a praxis of social justice and art. The underlying principles of the project are rooted in feminist and queer theories of activism that focus on enacting social, political, and economic liberation. Thus, old furnace artist residency focuses on using art as a tool to weave people together.

Students As Neighbors: Utilizing Dialogue And Deliberation To Manage Town-Gown Tensions, Courtney C. Herb, Lauren A. Holder, Alison L. Steed

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

The integration of the university and its students into the broader Harrisonburg community has promoted increased interaction amongst JMU students, JMU faculty and staff, and community members. Navigating this complex relationship can be challenging and, in recent years, this relationship has become increasingly strained. The following research seeks to cultivate processes that aid in its improvement. The research finds that utilizing dialogue and deliberation as an approach to designing public process is a promising approach to mending and maintaining the relationship between JMU students and the broader Harrisonburg community, as well as to addressing town-gown tension at large. The research …

Family And Child Development Education For Harrisonburg Adolescents, Mollie M. Moran, Jennifer E. Corser, Julia M. Glauber

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

The pregnancy rate among 15- to 17-year-old women in Harrisonburg is double Virginia's state rate (Townsend, 2008). While meeting administers and guidance counselors of Harrisonburg High School we learned that Harrisonburg High School views this issue as one that cannot be addressed by teaching abstinence in their public school. They have found that because of cultural beliefs, abstinence is not an effective tool for preventing teenage pregnancy. Instead, HHS teaches their students about safe sexual practices and how to have a healthy pregnancy in the event they were to become pregnant. The high school offers a class called “Child and …

Tried It With Glasses Off Too; Sometimes., Nolan John Fedorow

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

I use a small wedge of wood as a tool to pick out food scraps that find themselves lodged between my teeth. I also use a small wedge of wood as a tool to keep a straight door from swinging freely on a crooked house. The small wedge of wood I stuff in between the floor and door as a tool is a controlling apparatus, much like landowners who use fencing to keep people from walking repeatedly through their land and inadvertently creating a path where they shouldn’t. A wooden door stopper will come to adorn a perpendicular-patterned patina across …

Evaluation And Design Of E-Government: A Holistic Overview Of E-Government Initiatives In Harrisonburg, And The Challenges Of Adopting A Citizen-Centered Design, Brian Perez

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

In the past decade, e-Government has received a lot of attention from academia, policy agencies, and IT providers, all of whom attempt to assess and track the factors that lead to a successful e-Government service. I propose a top-level approach assessing e-Government in Harrisonburg as a whole, and then I explore project-level methods of design and implementation. More specifically, I identify 29 electronic services offered by the City and rank them according to a pre-defined four-stage ranking system. This assessment demonstrates that the majority of the services considered fall under the Interaction and Transaction stages (Stages 2 and 3 respectively). …

1883-12-27, J.K. Smith

Old Commonwealth, 1865-1884

The Old Commonwealth was a weekly newspaper published in Harrisonburg, Va., between 1865 and 1884.

1883-12-20, J.K. Smith

Old Commonwealth, 1865-1884

The Old Commonwealth was a weekly newspaper published in Harrisonburg, Va., between 1865 and 1884.

1883-12-13, J.K. Smith

Old Commonwealth, 1865-1884

The Old Commonwealth was a weekly newspaper published in Harrisonburg, Va., between 1865 and 1884.

1883-12-06, J.K. Smith

Old Commonwealth, 1865-1884

The Old Commonwealth was a weekly newspaper published in Harrisonburg, Va., between 1865 and 1884.

1883-11-29, J.K. Smith

Old Commonwealth, 1865-1884

The Old Commonwealth was a weekly newspaper published in Harrisonburg, Va., between 1865 and 1884.

1883-11-22, J.K. Smith

Old Commonwealth, 1865-1884

The Old Commonwealth was a weekly newspaper published in Harrisonburg, Va., between 1865 and 1884.

1883-11-15, J.K. Smith

Old Commonwealth, 1865-1884

The Old Commonwealth was a weekly newspaper published in Harrisonburg, Va., between 1865 and 1884.

1883-11-08, J.K. Smith

Old Commonwealth, 1865-1884

The Old Commonwealth was a weekly newspaper published in Harrisonburg, Va., between 1865 and 1884.

1883-11-01, J.K. Smith

Old Commonwealth, 1865-1884

The Old Commonwealth was a weekly newspaper published in Harrisonburg, Va., between 1865 and 1884.

1883-10-25, J.K. Smith

Old Commonwealth, 1865-1884

The Old Commonwealth was a weekly newspaper published in Harrisonburg, Va., between 1865 and 1884.

1883-10-18, J.K. Smith

Old Commonwealth, 1865-1884

The Old Commonwealth was a weekly newspaper published in Harrisonburg, Va., between 1865 and 1884.

1883-10-11, J.K. Smith

Old Commonwealth, 1865-1884

The Old Commonwealth was a weekly newspaper published in Harrisonburg, Va., between 1865 and 1884.

1883-10-04, J.K. Smith

Old Commonwealth, 1865-1884

The Old Commonwealth was a weekly newspaper published in Harrisonburg, Va., between 1865 and 1884.

1883-09-27, J.K. Smith

Old Commonwealth, 1865-1884

The Old Commonwealth was a weekly newspaper published in Harrisonburg, Va., between 1865 and 1884.

1883-09-20, J.K. Smith

Old Commonwealth, 1865-1884

The Old Commonwealth was a weekly newspaper published in Harrisonburg, Va., between 1865 and 1884.

1883-09-13, J.K. Smith

Old Commonwealth, 1865-1884

The Old Commonwealth was a weekly newspaper published in Harrisonburg, Va., between 1865 and 1884.

1883-09-06, J.K. Smith

Old Commonwealth, 1865-1884

The Old Commonwealth was a weekly newspaper published in Harrisonburg, Va., between 1865 and 1884.

1883-08-30, J.K. Smith

Old Commonwealth, 1865-1884

The Old Commonwealth was a weekly newspaper published in Harrisonburg, Va., between 1865 and 1884.