Digital Commons @ Montana Tech

IN THE CRUCIBLE OF CHANGE: Welcome to this website which is hosted on Montana Tech’s Digital Commons in order to preserve and present all the pertinent material related to the Montana history series In the Crucible of Change. Evan Barrett of Highlands College/Montana Tech is the series’ on-screen host and writer as well as its Executive Producer (John Garic of Highlands College also executive produced the series). All the videos and other backup material chronicle the period of dramatic progressive change in Montana between 1965 and 1980. That was a time when the citizens of the state cast off the “copper collar” of virtual corporate rule that had dominated Montana for its first 75 years and created a citizen-oriented state in which the power was much more vested in the people. In 43 one-hour video episodes sixty-eight Montana history-makers recount the history of that time from their perspective in a series of topical discussions with series host Evan Barrett. Below you will find links to the videos (and transcripts, if you prefer reading) and supplemental material. Also currently available on this web site are biographies and photos of participants, recognitions that the series has received, and acknowledgements of those who helped with the series. Soon to be available will be historic context of each episode and a photo gallery of the period. We hope you will find both information and insight in the discussions about this 2nd progressive period of Montana history.