Findlay, Ohio, March 20, 2003 —Paul Chwialkowski, associate professor of history, political science and law and the liberal arts, will speak on “Law on the Frontier of Ohio” and Douglas Switzer, assistant professor of communication, will address “Some Buckeye Tales: A Reader’s Theatre Video of Ohio History” on March 31 from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Alumni Memorial Union, Multi-Purpose Room.

This is the fourth in a series of seven events sponsored by The University of Findlay to celebrate Ohio’s bicentennial.

Chwialkowski will explore how the “rule of law” became more prevalent as Ohio became a state, replacing custom, economic necessity and frontier justice. He will talk about the early laws of the state and how they compare with the complexity of today’s legal system. While divorce, murder, theft, adultery and armed robbery are common in 21st century America, he will discuss the extent to which the earliest Ohioans dealt with these crimes and how their penalties differed from those imposed today.

Chwialkowski earned his law degree from the University of Toledo in 1980 and served as a staff attorney for the Sixth District Court of Appeals in Toledo, Ohio. He became interested in the legal history of Northwest Ohio while earning his Ph.D. in history from Duke University.

In a video created by Douglas Switzer, actual events and stories from Ohio’s past are remembered through both real and imaginary characters. Some tales may conjure memories of well-known stories—good and bad. Yet other tales will bring to life lesser known stories that are every bit as much a part of Ohio’s history.

Switzer joined The University of Findlay in August 2002. He received degrees in communication from Muskingum College and Bowling Green State University. He also has pursued graduate studies in geography at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville.

For more information, contact Charlene Hankinson, executive director of university relations, at 419-434-4515.