It is a fascinating tale, all the more remarkable because it was written not by a single author but by a class of journalism students. The book will appeal to history buffs (not just professional historians but average readers interested in history). It will appeal to readers who like a mystery – who stopped the pen pal project and why? It will appeal to journalism students, who will learn how a story can be divided into parts for different writers and reassembled. I think it will appeal to readers who just like a good story. And for those, like me, who remember the McCarthy era it will bring back some chilling memories.”—Roberta Ulrich, veteran Oregonian and United Press International journalist; author of Empty Nets: Indians, Dams and the Columbia River
“This project is solid work of forensic journalism, unearthing Cold War history and geopolitics by using the case study of a small Oregon town and innocent schoolchildren. Adding new insights available in our contemporary post–Cold War context gives the reader a way both to look back at the folly of the past and understand future pitfalls driven by ideological rigidness and fear.”—Markos Kounalakis, PhD, visiting fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University, and McClatchy newspapers foreign affairs columnist
“Two Oregon classrooms, separated by seventy miles and sixty years, are brought together by a brief New York Times clipping. An engaging mix of investigative-reporting and storytelling, Classroom 15 uncovers a long-forgotten footnote in Oregon and Cold War history (I never thought I’d see Yoncalla and Rostov-on-Don in the same sentence), while raising important questions about our current national politics. Hats off to the intrepid student journalists at the University of Oregon who have brought this fascinating story to light.”—Tom Booth, Director, Oregon State University Press
“Peter Laufer and his talented journalism students provide a suspenseful narrative of American kids wanting Soviet pen pals. Through the lens of memory and hindsight, this book illustrates the tensions that governed the Cold War and, ultimately, it is a testimony to the value of cultural exchanges.”—Rósa Magnúsdóttir, Associate Professor of History, Aarhus University and author of Enemy Number One: The United States of America in Soviet Ideology and Propaganda, 1945-1959.
“Classroom 15 is a revealing illustration of the techniques and impact of experiential reporting. This consequential human-interest story is documented with a local and international mindset in its core, which transcends cultures and political systems.” —Juan-Carlos Molleda, Dean, University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication
“Peter Laufer is a consummate writer, erudite and ever-observant. He has the rare ability to communicate with disparate audiences through his writing. Classroom 15 is a prime example of that talent.”—David P. Burns, Professor of Multimedia Journalism, Salisbury University
“Classroom 15 has all the twists, turns, and international intrigue of any political thriller. It’s the gripping story of a government that’s lost its moral perspective because of fear and xenophobia. The warnings here about authoritarian overreach are as resonant today as they were at the height of the Cold War. It’s also the charming story of ‘a group of kids [trying] to do what they do best: to make friends.’ An absorbing and penetrating book.” —Keith Scribner, author of The Oregon Experiment and Professor in the School of Writing, Literature, and Film at Oregon State University
