Online Activity Week 4: Prelinger Archives

The film I watched this week is titled “America for me”. It is about two young women who travelled around the United States riding a Greyhound bus. This film is important to students of our modern information structure because it made us realize the importance of travelling. Even though, we can learn a lot just by browsing the internet, travelling gives us a new set of experiences that could not be replicated by simply reading books or online articles.

Travelling is something important to broaden one’s knowledge. The woman with red lipstick and glasses said “the more we get around the country, the more we know what makes America tick.” As a teacher she was given a chance to travel the country in order to be better at teaching. Through their journey, they can see how different parts of the United States may differ greatly from each other and how each area is unique in a lot of ways. They also got a chance to learn about the diversity of cultures like watching tribal dances. The teacher kept a record of her journey in a notebook and wrote down things she learned and things she found interesting to share with her students.

Travelling by bus becomes a common way to get around the country in the 1950s. There is a network of well-connected roads that connect from city to city. These roads facilitate the integration of the vast areas of the United States. This integration is important to spur migration of skilled workers and exchange of knowledge. Despite the availability of air travel today, we can still see people travelling around the country by bus. It is an inexpensive way to travel and suitable for people who want to enjoy the beautiful scenery. Buses can also make strategic stops to places inaccessible by airplanes.

Link to film: https://archive.org/details/0655_America_For_Me