The Kennedy Conundrum- a lecture at Christ's Hospital school
This article was written by one of our Young Reporters, a scheme that gives 14 to 18-year-old school students a chance to write for a real newspaper. Find out more at the Young Reporter website.
On Thursday the 6th of November, Dr Wines, a teacher of history and politics, gave a captivating lecture in Christ’s Hospital school's theatre, about the life of John F Kennedy. Filled with audience participation, music and conspiracy theories unravelled, what more could you want.
The theatre was adorned in typical American fashion with a massive flag projected on the stage and glittering lights. It was the perfect atmosphere for the American himself, Dr Wines, who is no stranger to giving a fascinating talk.
To commence, the audience was asked to scan a barcode to interact with the slides of questions and opinions on the topic. Already, this was more intriguing than your average lecture.
Firstly, Dr Wines outlined Kennedy's humble beginnings from his great-grandfather's struggles during the potato famine in Ireland and his travels to America, to working his way up to the top ranks of society.
At this point, Dr Wines felt that it was essential to include a good old folk song. So two students from Christ's Hospital took to the stage to sing a wonderful representation of Danny Boy.
After a short interlude of refreshments, Dr Wines jumped straight into the scandals, conspiracies and controversy that Kennedy was associated with.
For example, his scandalous affair with Judith Campbell, who had also been with mob leader Sam Giancana at the same time, had caused a lot of controversy as she became the channel between the American mafia and Kennedy.
We were also introduced to other greats such as: Frank Sinatra and Marylyn Monroe with a short clip from the classic film ‘Some Like it Hot.’ Obviously, Frank Sinatra couldn't be mentioned without some more music, so a student took to the stage once more for a final song.
Dr Wines summed up Kennedy as having a ‘clash of public virtues and private vices,’ which perfectly encapsulates his presidency portrayed in the talk. As well as comparing two versions of Kennedy in contrasting video clips.
Finally, Dr Wines was asked a few questions about Kennedy's involvement in Vietnam and his comparison to Donald Trump. All of which were answered diligently and supported by much knowledge.
The Kennedy conundrum is not something that can be solved or fully understood in one lecture, however, Dr Wines created a fully immersive and engaging atmosphere for all who attended.
