Sandra K. Mathews

For the first time, there is now a textbook that addresses state standards for the teaching of New Mexico history at the high school level. In this thoughtful work, the authors delineate New Mexico's role in the shaping of the United States by carefully analyzing how the rich histories of the many cultures of the region affected and in turn were affected by influxes of newcomers seeking health benefits, minerals, farms, relaxation, and new beginnings. Supplementing this richly illustrated and accessible textbook is the optional Teacher Guide Book on CD for use with A History of New Mexico Since Statehood, which will help in structuring lessons, tests, and student activities. The Teacher Guide Book is included free with the purchase of twenty-five classroom copies.

The Teacher Guide Book on CD for use with A History of New Mexico Since Statehood, will help in structuring lessons, tests, and student activities.

In 1958, Alaska was not yet a state; it was one of the last frontiers in the West and offered a life of adventure to anyone willing to relocate there. Donna Joy McGladrey, the daughter of a Methodist minister, had recently graduated from college and was ready for what Alaska promised. McGladrey became the first band instructor in Dillingham, a remote fishing village 350 miles west of Anchorage. Before she arrived, someone showed her a photo of Dillingham and her immediate reaction was, 'It's terribly primitive'. But later she reported in a letter to her family: I saw a glacier! Wow!... Fall colours are the most gorgeous I've ever seen. And the mountains - Wow. On her first day of class, the new music teacher discovered there were no instruments for the students to play - she had to convince the parents, who depended on the annual salmon harvest for income, to buy them. But her students were excited about music and they energised their young teacher as much as she inspired them. McGladrey made new friends, learned to appreciate Alaska and its ruggedness, and decided to make her home in the forty-ninth state. In those days before instant communication, she and her family maintained close contact through the mail. Sandra Mathews, McGladrey's niece, made extensive use of that correspondence to tell the story of her aunt's experiences in Alaska. Mathews also interviewed people who had known McGladrey and supplemented the letters and interviews with archival research. ""Between Breaths"" reflects Donna McGladrey's willingness to adapt, accept, and, perhaps most importantly, to rely on herself.