A Washington historian and retired school teacher is broadening the minds of undergrad students in Nebraska this week.

Mike Zahs was contacted earlier this year by Wayne State College, as he has played a big role in telling the story of Washington residents Frank and Indiana Brinton and the early years of filmmaking over the last few decades and in the 2017 documentary “Saving Brinton.” Zahs was invited to speak to film criticism, international film, and film production classes, showing films as a way to educate students on the early years of film. Zahs traveled to Wayne State this week to from the Brinton collection and magic lantern slides that predate those films. 

Although he was happy to help, Zahs explains how the conversation seemed to come out of nowhere, “They called me and they said, ‘We would like to have you come and do this.’ And I said ‘Wouldn’t you rather have the filmmakers?’ And they said, ‘No, we want you to come and we need to know right away.’ And I thought I don’t know you and I don’t know for sure what you want. He says, ‘We need to know right away because we’ll be introducing a bill in the Nebraska Legislature to have you come and to fund you and the legislature is about to adjourn. So tell us whether you’ll come and we’ll bring you up in the legislature.”

Zahs added that a number of faculty and alumni members were invited to come see his first lectures on Monday. His week-long tenure in Wayne State also included a free public presentation at the Majestic Theatre Tuesday night.