MYA RILEY
STAFF WRITER
The Explorers of the Past History and Anthropology Club met Saturday, Sept.14 in Egan G-19 for a screening of “The King’s Speech,” spreading awareness of both the club and an often-overlooked story in history.
“The King’s Speech” follows Prince Albert — better known as King George VI — as he struggles to manage the throne and overcome a speech impediment during the beginning of WWII. His speech therapist, Lionel Logue, helps “Bertie,” not only by improving the mechanics of his speech but also by boosting his confidence and providing him with a friend.
“A lot of us are into military history,” senior Katie Hugo, the club president, said when asked why the club chose to screen “The King’s Speech.”
“We had a list of movies and … thought this one sounded cool,” she said.
This sentiment was echoed by the over a dozen students in attendance — a turnout Hugo said was one of the largest the group has ever had.
“I think it was really interesting,” said freshman Peter O’Keefe. “Someone overcoming a difficulty like that, … and [they] made a movie about it.”
The audience generally agreed that the obscurity of the topic made the movie all the more interesting. Vice President Felicity Moran, senior, pointed out that looking into lesser-known figures and time periods is a big part of history, and several students agreed.
“I’ve never heard of (Prince Albert) having a speech impediment,” sophomore Kirra Riley said. “I think that should be taught. … It’s a really encouraging story.”
With about half of the participants having been new students, the History and Anthropology Club is looking forward to expanding its ranks. “We want to make sure that the club keeps up after we’re gone,” Moran said. While Hugo agreed that the club fair had a big impact on attendance, she hopes that students will continue to participate in future events.
The Explorers of the Past club is heading off–campus Saturday Sept. 21 to visit Meadowcroft Rockshelter, which is “the oldest site of human habitation in North America” according to the location’s website. For more information on the club and excursion, interested students can email [email protected]
later this summer — if you’re a mid-budget filmmaker, the one thing you cannot do is skimp on the music rights!) But there’s one scene near the end where the pleasantly predictable plot zags into unexpected territory, and there’s nothing I would rather do on the Tuesday before a long weekend than unpack it in exhaustive detail. It’s the closest this eminently tasteful film comes to a risky creative decision, and to reveal more we’ll have to talk about spoilers. Do you want to know a secret? Then read on.