including the History of Monmouth Mayors

Monmouth College
700 E. Broadway
Monmouth, IL 61462

Contact Information:

Phone: 309-457-2340
Email: tbest@monm.edu
Office: Wallace Hall 209

Education:

B.A., University of Northern Iowa, 1981
M.A., Western Illinois University, 1991

Courses Taught:

The Civil War
Secondary Social Studies Methods

About Thomas Best:

Thomas Best has been an instructor within both the Department of History and Education since 1995. Since 1983, he has also worked as a 7th grade Social Studies Instructor in the Monmouth Roseville Junior High. With a B.A. in History and Political Science from the University of Northern Iowa (‘81) and his masters from Western Illinois University (‘91), Best has served on a number of committees for the Illinois State Board of Education in curriculum development and standards. He is also a board member for the Illinois Council for the Social Studies and has written articles for various local and statewide publications, including most recently two articles regarding historical instruction for Illinois History Teacher focusing on Civil War era Anti-War Democrats and the Chicago's role as a 19th century railroad hub.

His personal research spans topics ranging from using primary sources to trace experiences of families on the Oregon Trail to a future book-length biography on "Lonesome Charley Reynolds," George Armstrong Custer's chief civilian scout. For his efforts, Best has been named a Western Illinois Master Teacher, 1991; a finalist for teacher of the year in the state of Illinois, 1995-96; and Western Illinois University Department of History Distinguished Alumnus, 1997.