WAML dinner talk

Before dinner two nights ago, I had a lovely talk with Dr. Peter Simpson, former Wyoming legislator, Republican nominee for governor, and retired history professor. Oh: and Duck U alum. He shared fond memories of many of our emeriti in the geography department, where he rounded out his education. I shared with him that there are only two real disciplines in the social sciences: history and geography. All others are derivative.

He seemed to really like that.

After dinner, he gave a great talk that revolved around the history 5oo yards around the restaurant where we sat. The three terraces of the Shoshone River have been settled in three distinct phases, and he walked us through the social and economic developments of each. And he charmed the comfortable shoes off the room full of librarians. There are rumors that we'll publish the talk in its entirety. I'm not sure if the whiskey jokes will be included.