Modern Lessons And Ancient History
Newcastle Herald
Thursday August 30, 2007
A GROUP of 15 history students from Lambton High travelled to Italy, France and Belgium at the end of term two, 2007.
This excursion was an opportunity for students to see first-hand the key locations in their modern and ancient history courses. The students visited the major battlefields of World War I: Ypres, the Somme and Villiers-Bretonneux; plus the ancient ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum, the cities destroyed by the volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. The students were quick to empathise with the effects of this disaster after experiencing the devastation of the June storm in Newcastle. All the cities bore the force of furious natural disasters, which had long-term physical, social and psychological effects, even though they were worlds apart. Pompeii was a prosperous residential, commercial centre, much like modern day Newcastle. The eruption of Mount Vesuvius that destroyed Pompeii preserved the town in a hermetic seal, capturing the moment of disaster forever for generations to experience.
© 2007 Newcastle Herald
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