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Written by History Teacher and History Department Chair Pat O’Connor, his newly published book, The Political Reconstruction of American Tobacco, 1862-1933, explores how the federal government influenced the tobacco industry following the Civil War.

“It explains how the tobacco industry — a pillar of American political economy since the early colonial period — was utterly transformed in the decades after the Civil War,” O’Connor said. “Broadly speaking, I am interested in how law and politics shape markets and the costs for those who lack the political power to participate in that process.”

The “deeply researched and clearly argued account,” digs into everything from labor to consumption; manufacturing to regulation, and demonstrates how tobacco emerged as a new industry that created immense power and stifling poverty across the nation, according to the description.

As a teacher, O’Connor often stresses to his students that they themselves are historians.

“They should know how to generate analytical questions about any information they encounter,” he said. “They should know how to find sources that can help them learn how to answer their questions, and then they need to know how to read and interpret those sources and put them into context to understand why they’re important. That’s what historians do professionally, and that’s what our classrooms are intended to help students learn.”

Throughout his book, there’s no question that O’Connor puts his teaching philosophy into practice.

“My book shows that the American tobacco market changed so much after the Civil War because of politics: manufacturers formed trade associations to shape federal tax policy (and ended up playing a crucial role in the construction of the Bureau of Internal Revenue —now known as the Internal Revenue Service); fertilizer producers and warehouse operators coordinated their efforts to determine international definitions of tobacco’s quality; and crop scientists promoted US tobacco production,” he said. “The tobacco market these people created overlooked, and even dismissed, the interests of tobacco growers, especially newly emancipated Black farmers and impoverished white farmers throughout the South. Like many markets, the tobacco market came to seem natural, but it was not. It was a political creation that rationalized debt, poverty, and intensified labor for thousands of small farmers.”

The Political Reconstruction of American Tobacco, 1862-1933 was published by Fordham University Press. A copy is available at the Putney library.

 

 

 

 

Spanish Teacher and Language Department Chair Abelardo Almazán-Vázquez received a 2025 Distinguished Teacher Award from the Vermont Foreign Language Association. Part of the Vermont Organization of Classics and Language Educators (VOCALE), each year the organization honors an outstanding World Language teacher in the state.

“Although one of my school’s fundamental beliefs is ‘to work not for badges and honors,’ I am sincerely grateful,” Almazán-Vázquez said. “This achievement in my teaching career presents an opportunity to continue connecting, collaborating, and learning alongside inspiring educators. I hope to continue lending a hand to the community at large and not just teaching in an “ivory tower.”

The organization looks for those who are innovative, creative, and reflective in their practice, strive for professional growth, inspire and encourage students to become active global citizens, share expertise with colleagues, and exceed professional expectations.

“In addition to his dedicated work in the classroom, where students learn Spanish language and hispanohablante culture in a variety of authentic ways, Abelardo also serves his school as a soccer coach and dorm parent, among other titles,” VOCALE said in a press release. “His colleagues state that ‘students are centered and seen in Abelardo’s classroom,’ and ‘people talk about identity and work-life balance, but Abelardo is a teacher to the bone.’

“His work on the school’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Committee demonstrates his commitment to his school’s student body and community as a whole. It is an honor to present Abelardo with the Distinguished Teacher of the Year Award, and we at VOCALE congratulate him on his deep and meaningful work.”