Giving Thanks & Thanksgiving : 11/22/10

     In light of Thanksgiving being just around the corner, I just thought I would list a few of the many people and things I am thankful for.

I am thankful for:

- My Family
- My Parents

- My Brothers

- My Grandparents

- My Friends
- My Faith
- My Lifestyle
- My Talents
- My Strengths
- My Education
- The Opportunity to attend St. Olaf
- My Past, Present, and Future Opportunities

I am truly thankful for everyone who influences my life every day.  Thank you for being a part of mine!

WR

Jefferson's Crop Rotation and Other Interesting Practices : 1/16/10

     I never realized how scientific Thomas Jefferson really was.  After reading the material this week, I have come to appreciate Jefferson's attention to detail and precision.  Being from a farm, I found it especially interesting that Jefferson experimented crop rotation.  As any farmer knows, crop rotation is a practice that should be implemented on most farms.  Planting different crops each year on the same field helps combat problems like erosion and lack of nitrogenous soil.   Not only did he implement crop rotation at Monticello, but he documented his crop rotation scheme. I applaud Thomas Jefferson for practicing the trend of crop rotation: his concern of knowledge and science is evident.
     Not only was Jefferson interested in science and agriculture, but his hunger for books and writing is also evident.  Two fascinating contraptions come to my mind when I think about Jefferson's love of reading and writing.  The first is his five-sided, walnut bookstand.  This bookstand, which is thought to be an invention of Jefferson's, reveals Jefferson's true passion for reading.  The functionality of the bookstand should also be noted--I wish I had one!  The second object Jefferson often used was his coping machine.  The machine, created by John Hawkins, was used by Jefferson when writing letters and other important documents.  By using Hawkins machine, Jefferson was able to keep copies of his writings; a sign that Jefferson cared about the information he was sending and writing.
     In brief, Jefferson's passion of crop rotation, reading, and documentation can be seen throughout his many books, inventions, and machines.    

Jefferson's Crop Rotation Documentation

Jefferson's 5-Sided Bookstand

Jefferson's Copy Machine

Caricatures About the Tea Party : 11/15/10

     While doing some dense fact research for my editorial, I found some really cool caricatures done by Henry Payne.  I actually used one for my dense fact.  I wish I could have used more, but I thought I would share them because they really are cool!  Most of Payne's drawings illustrate the Tea Party's influence on the other political parties in our government.  I hope you enjoy them!  (The first one is the drawing I chose as my dense fact.)

Holland Hall: A Dense Fact for St. Olaf College : 11/11/10

     After reading the article, "New Norman Gothic 'Mount St. Olaf',"written by Carl Melby, I was immediately interested in discussing my thoughts on the buildings of St. Olaf's campus.  I especially enjoyed Melby's point about the style in which the new administration building--now called Holland Hall--was to be modeled.  The building was inspired by the "Merveille" building, which is one of the many buildings that make up the Mount St. Michael Castle in Normandy, France.  Isn't it fascinating to think some of our buildings here at St. Olaf were modeled after ancient castles?  Castles--prestigious and timeless buildings--are perfect models for St. Olaf College as well.  The institution represents outstanding students and a long heritage.  By modeling Holland Hall after Mount St. Michael, the college highlights its distinguished and everlasting reputation.  Not only is the architecture itself impressive, but the architects themselves played a large part as to why Holland Hall was created.  Melby's article states that the architectures of Mount St. Michael were Normans, or Scandinavian immigrants.  With that in mind, remember that St. Olaf College was founded by early immigrants from Norway and Scandinavia.  Therefore, not only was the college building created to invoke the castle feel of Mount St. Michael, but it was also erected to honor the college's heritage as well.  Obviously, the thought process that went into the plan for the Holland Hall was well-planned.  I find it fascinating that one way the college invokes its heritage is by constructing buildings.  Thus, Holland Hall serves as a dense fact for St. Olaf College by representing its reputation and Scandinavian heritage.

Here is a links you may find interesting about Holland Hall and the St. Olaf Campus:

http://www.stolaf.edu/map/HollandHall.html

I also did some research on the architects who build Holland Hall.  Being from Nebraska, I couldn't help but notice that the same architects also created many building for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.  Here is a link to that information:

http://historicbuildings.unl.edu/people.php?peopleID=8&cid=15

The Tea Party Declaration of Independence : 11/10/10

Here is a link to a website that describes outlines the Tea Party's Declaration of Independence.  It's very interesting!

Insight to the Declaration of Independence : 11/10/10

I feel it would be interesting to travel back in time to the writing of Declaration of Independence.  Not only would it be interesting to experience early America, but it would be a great way to gain insight about the founding fathers of our country.  When I think of the founding fathers, the thoughts of very smart, influential people come into my mind.  However, by traveling back in time, I feel we would attain a much different view of America's founding fathers.  To see their everyday faults and to learn their actual feelings on a first-person basis would be fascinating.  While we cannot travel back in time, we can only imagine our founding fathers though the historical texts.

Picture Blog 12 : The Declaration of Independance

The Declaration of Independence

July 4, 1776

Picture Blog 11 : The Tea Party Movement

The Present Tea Party Movement

Picture Blog 10 : The Boston Tea Party

The Boston Tea Party 1773

Picture Blog 9 : Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin (1706 - 1790)

Picture Blog 8 : Everyday Items & Inventory Lists

Everyday Items & Inventory Lists

Picture Blog 7 : The Native Americans & Pocahontas

The Different Images of Pocahontas 

Picture Blog 6 : Landscape

Landscape & St. Olaf College

Picture Blog 5 : Anne Hutchinson

Anne Hutchinson (1591 - 1643)

Picture Blog 4 : The Puritans

The Puritans & The New World

Picture Blog 3 : Positive & Negative Freedom

Positive & Negative Freedoms

Picture Blog 2 : The Four Freedoms

Norman Rockwell's Four Freedoms Series 

Picture Blog 1: Dense Facts

Dense Fact: Cigarettes 

New Idea for Blog Posts : 11/07/10

I'm going to try this new idea for some of my blog posts.  I'm going to post images of the different subjects we've been studying, in hopes of reminding us of me of what we have studied throughout the term so far.  I hope it can also help readers too!

WR

Inventory List: 10/25/10

Inventory List:

-Bed
-Bedding
-Pillows
-Dresser
-Clothes
-Closet
-Jackets
-Coats
-Desk
-School Supplies
-Pencils
-Pens
-Scissors
-Post-It Notes
-Rubber Bands
-Paper Clips
-Push Pins
-School Books
-Books
-Movies
-Pictures
-Computer Cables/Wires
-Bags
-Laundry Supplies
-Fridge
-T.V.
-Food

Pocahontas: A False Image : 10/11/10

     While we continue to reflect on the impacts that have shaped our country, I thought I would talk about the role Pocahontas plays in shaping the America today.  In our class, we have discussed what kinds of influences Pocahontas had on John Smith and John Ralph.  In both cases, Smith and Ralph talk about the Indian princess with good intent.  However, Pocahontas' view is never truly known because it was never documented.  Thus, I am skeptical on the way Pocahontas is portrayed in our society today.  Many would say she is a romanticized character in our history from the accounts of John Smith and John Ralph.  However, because we don't have a first account of Pocahontas' actual feelings, I fear the portrayal she has in our society is false.  I find it unfortunate that we have been guided with tainted information, and I find it upsetting her impact on our society has the potential to be false.  Although we will never know the entire side of her story, Pocahontas will remain an important character in our nation's history.

Perceptions of Early America : 10/8/10

     While reading the commentary by John Smith, I noticed how our language has changed throughout time.  For instance, the many words are very close to the ones we use today.  The spellings are just different.  Here are some examples:

"wee" = we
"bee" = be
"speede" = speed
"daies" = days
"downes" = downs
"cittie" = city

"counsell" = council 

Those words are some of the many that stood out to me while reading.  Here is a link to the page if you would like to experience reading John Smith yourself!  I would definitely suggest reading it--the history involved in the piece is great.  Have a nice weekend and TGIF!!! 

WR

Freedom Expressed : 10/6/10

     The saying, "We want what we don't have," rings true after reading the introduction to Deloria's Playing Indian.   For instance, while describing early American, her book states, "Americans had an awkward tendency to define themselves by what they were not" (5). Additionally, while describing the Native Americans, Deloria writes, "Indians represented instinct and freedom. . . Whites desperately desired that spirit" (5).  Finally, the paradox of "wanting what we don't have" is truly apparent when Deloria writes about the Boston Tea Party and states: "Mohawk disguises allowed Bostonians not only to articulate ideologically useful Indian identities but also to perform and experience them" (6).  The "euro-americans" seized the opportunity to dump the tea in Boston's harbor by dressing up like Native Americans.  By doing so, the Bostonians received a brief experience of what it is like to be a Native American, or at least what they thought life was like as a Native American.  By disguising themselves, the people of Boston were able to let go of their inhibitions and express their feelings toward the tea tax and government.  Who knew this "short moment"would become such a major part of our nation's history?

Our Location : 10/1/10

     Location is an important aspect of life.  As we reflected in class this week, I thought about the location we are in right now.  This college, St. Olaf, will always be an aspect of our lives.  We are lucky to be in such a great environment.  The community of our school is so welcoming and friendly.  Our academics push us but also prepare us for the future.  I am so grateful to experience my college life here--thank you for being a part of it.  We all belong in this great community, and this location, St. Olaf, is the perfect place for us to grow.

Have a Great Homecoming weekend--Go Oles!

Will

One of those Days : 10/1/10

     Well, this is one of those times where I really have nothing to expand upon as far as the readings go.  It's been a long week.  I did find the article about Jack-O'-Lantern quite interesting though.  I'll try not to be so flat next time.  Have a nice weekend!

WR

Description in More Ways than One: 9/28/10

     While reading John Stilgoe's, Common Landscape of America, 1580 to 1845, I noticed an interesting point Stilgoe made about America.  He says, " Timber remains the favorite building material in the United States not only because it is enduring and inexpensive but because it is easily modified" (344).  After reading this quote, I felt that Stilgoe's assumption not only seemed true about Americans, but that it also described our country as a whole.  America is an enduring country.  Throughout her young history, she has held her ground during many wars and battles.  Like wooden foundations that last many years, America has withstood the test of time.  Although many aspects of America are expensive, traveling throughout Europe and living in foreign countries can cost much more.  Finally, America can transform into almost anything.  At first, America's history was like a rough block of wood with no shape or definition.  However, after achieving success and creating a foundation for her government, America began change.  Throughout time, her hard, square edges soon became smooth.  Now, we live in a country that offers limitless opportunities, and where we partake in many freedoms.  Who knows what our great country will be like in the many years to come.
  

Views of Anne Hutchinson : 9/27/10

     After reading various materials about Anne Hutchinson and the Puritans, I noticed one very interesting point: articles that mention Hutchinson are either positive or negative.  For instance, when reading Anne Marbury Hutchinson Against the Massachusetts Bay Colony, by Davida Crabtree, her article states: "Contrary to the understanding provided by most male historians, we assert that Mrs. Hutchinson was no more than a fanatic than anyone else living in seventeenth century Massachusetts" (27)  Obviously, Crabtree is pro-Hutchinson.  Therefore, her article's perspective focuses on Hutchinson in a positive way.  However, in Jim Cullen's, The American Dream, the text reads, "The most vocal proponent was . . . Anne Hutchinson . . . whose controversial views on the subject [antinomianism] led to her trial . . ." (27).  While Cullen's view doesn't necessarily give of a negative air, his brief statement gives Hutchinson's argument no justice.  His lack of information causes the reader to guess whether Hutchinson was right or wrong for beginning her movement.  In either case, Anne Hutchinson has been and will continue to be viewed upon in various ways.

Our Freedoms in Perspective : 9/27/10

     During this past week, I have reflected on our ideas of freedom.  We are lucky to be here, and to have this college experience.  An idea dawned on me during one of the concerts I attended this past week.  I asked myself two questions.  First, how many people can attend free music concerts in their spare time?  And, how many people have the option of doing so.

     Many people don't have the means or time to attend functions such as concerts.  Plus, many don't have the opportunity to do so. I consider having the time and option to attend any such function--like concerts, football games, or extracurricular activities--as an overlooked freedom.  I think we often forget that we have so many great opportunities given to us.  I count myself lucky to be in a place that gives me both the freedom to participate and the freedom of option.  

Similarities in Contrasting Worlds : 9/23/10

     Not many similar ideas come to mind when comparing our present-day society with that of the Puritans.  In fact, a stigma seems constantly attached to any mention of the world "puritan."  To most, it seems that the Puritan's actions and lifestyle are almost polar opposites of the lifestyle most Americans live today.  However, after reading William Bradford's, Of Plymouth Plantation: 1620-1647, I have observed two apparent similarities between the Puritan's and our present-day society.  To start, while the Puritans are lost in the wilderness, Bradford's book states, "But at length they found water and refreshed themselves, being the first New England water they drunk of, and was now in great thirst as pleasant unto them as wine or beer had been in foretimes" (73).  Whether Puritans in the 1600's or Americans in the 2000's, we all need the same elements to survive.  The Puritan's needs still match our own as a society today.  The recognition of this fact is powerful and reminds me that we, as humans, are all the same.  Also, Bradford's text mentions God numerous times.  For example, the book reads, "What could now sustain them but the Sprit of God and His grace" (71).  The Puritan society obviously placed God at its center.  He was their most important focus, and he sustained their needs.  Today, many Americans put their trust in God.  While they may not be as focused as the Puritans, God has truly impacted the lives of many people today.  Whoever or whatever it be, spirituality is still a very important aspect of American culture today, just as it was in the Puritan's society many years ago.

The American Dream--Puritan Style : 9/21/2010

     After reading chapter one of Jim Cullens The American Dream, I drew two conclusions concerning the Puritan's views on the American Dream.  To begin, I realized that the dream is never perceived exactly the same way.  For instance, Cullen's book states, "The problem with pursuing dreams, even shared ones, is that not everyone sees them in quite the same ways" (25).  Because no two people have the exact same mindset, attaining the goal [American Dream] can be a difficult task, which can create more discord rather than good.  Additionally, while an initial dream may be in mind, other dreams can easily shadow, if not erase, the original.  Cullen states, "Not only must they [dreams] compete with other dreams, but they are mortal, whether realized or not" (33).  In the Puritan's case, their ideal goal was to create a society where the worship of God--through personal suffering--gained them acceptance into Heaven.  However, their obsession with this acceptance led them to actions of destruction and murder.  After discovering the error of their ways, the Puritan's initial dream was lost.

America in Poetry: 9/19/2010

     After reading many poems, most having America as their main focus, I have drawn two important conclusions as a whole.  First, American is always changing.  For example, in Ostriker's "The History of America," the poem reads quickly.  The imagery of the poem reminds me of a train running through America in her earlier stages as a country.  Phrases like "Keeps moving" and "Expanding and contracting" are used throughout the poem as well.  Second, there are many different view points of America.  To illustrate, in Haugen's poem, "Home from America," the speaker in the poem has a negative perspective of America and states:
                                                                       it was an awful thought:
                                                                       if you went to America
                                                                       you became
                                                                       a different person
However, the Djanikian poem's speaker has very different outlook concerning America and states: "The air was colder than we ever felt, / and already these were wonders to us."  America is a fascinating country.  Whether it evokes a sense of wonder, or casts a negative shadow, America is always changing, and is always in motion.  

The Great Shift : 9/19/2010

     Preparation for college is an exciting adventure.  After receiving the long awaited acceptance letter, it's hard to think of anything else.  The summer between graduation and college seems to last forever.  "I can't wait to get out of here" became my favorite phrase during the months of June, July, and August.  The freedoms associated with college life seem great--no parents, no chores, not another boring weekend.  With all this in mind, I couldn't wait to pack up and hit the road.  My departure day finally came!  I remember pulling out of my driveway and saying goodbye to my house--after all, it would be quite a while before I'd be back on Nebraskan soil.  After arriving on campus, and unpacking all my things, I remember feeling a "tinge" sadness to think that my family would be leaving me in a few days.  The morning they left was tough--it is for any new student.  The freedom I previously counted as blessing, seemed like a curse.  No one to help me with laundry, no familiar face greeting me in the morning, and no one to whisper "I love you," right before bed at night.  As they drove off, I remember thinking, "It's all up to me now."

      While I gained new independence, I lost a certain connection with my family.  Although the adjustment didn't seem like such a big deal in the beginning, I truly realize the impact of family and friendship.  You definitely don't know what you've got until it's gone.

___________________________________________________________

     I am now going on my third week of college.  Between the classes, activities, and friendships I have made, I know I can get through.  This new shift--college--isn't so bad after all.  My future here looks bright.

Ideas on Freedom: 9/17/2010

     I recently read the introduction of Eric Foner's The Story of America Freedom.  Although many of Foner's views are powerful and compelling,  I especially enjoyed this idea.

"The meaning of freedom has been constructed not only in congressional

debates and political treatises but on plantations and picket lines,

in parlors and bedrooms." (Introduction XV)

     I frequently take my present-day freedom for granted.  I am lucky to have the liberties I exercise.  However, I attribute these freedoms to our nation's ancestors.  These individuals were not only politicians or famous leaders in history, but common people who believed in freedom and justice for all.  The battle for freedom was not won easily, and we continue to pay a steep price for this luxury.  Thank you to everyone who has and is currently fighting for freedom--I am truly grateful.