The history department at the University of North Texas held its annual Teaching of History Conference in September. The conference, cosponsored by the AHA, and intended primarily for those who teach in grades 4 through 12 and to those who teach survey courses in colleges and universities, attracted 255 registrants, including a significant number of community college teachers.

The conference offered nine presentations—three each in world history, U.S. history, and Texas history—by recognized authorities in those fields. "The Biographical Approach to History" served as a unifying theme for the presentations, and John M. Merriman, Charles Seymour Professor of History at Yale University spoke on "The Ambiguities of Napoleon Bonaparte" at the conference luncheon. Speakers emphasized course content and also provided bibliographies of the most important studies relating to their topics and offered suggestions concerning teaching methods. The conference was an indication of a successful collaboration by university and school historians to improve the teaching of history.

The history department expects to hold a similar conference in September 2000, with the tentatively defined theme of "Cities in the Modern World."

The Philip R. Jonnson Foundation of Dallas provided a grant in support of the conference.

—Report from Randolph B. Campbell
Coordinator of the Conference