❧❧❧ Whatever you can do or dream, you can BEGIN IT. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Goethe ❧❧❧
❧❧❧ You were born whole, not broken. Sandra Hammel ❧❧❧
When death comes
like the hungry bear in autumn;
when death comes and takes all the bright coins from his purse
to buy me, and snaps the purse shut;
when death comes
like the measles-pox;
when death comes
like an iceberg between the shoulder blades,
I want to step through the door full of curiosity, wondering:
what is it going to be like, that cottage of darkness?
And therefore I look upon everything
as a brotherhood and a sisterhood,
and I look upon time as no more than an idea,
and I consider eternity as another possibility,
and I think of each life as a flower, as common
as a field daisy, and as singular,
and each name a comfortable music in the mouth
tending as all music does, toward silence,
and each body a lion of courage, and something
precious to the earth.
When it's over, I want to say: all my life
I was a bride married to amazement.
I was the bridegroom, taking the world into my arms.
When it is over, I don't want to wonder
if I have made of my life something particular, and real.
I don't want to find myself sighing and frightened,
or full of argument.
I don't want to end up simply having visited this world.
From New and Selected Poems by Mary Oliver
About the video~
Brenton Point State Point on Ocean Drive, in Newport, Rhode Island. This
is a popular place to fly kites on Sundays, which it was on October 10,
2010. Across the road, Ocean Drive, from Brenton Point State Park is a
view of the Atlantic Ocean.
Amistad ~ a movie which partly was shot here in Rhode Island, Newport included. My favorite scene ~ ................................................
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"…The natural state of mankind is instead - and I know this is a controversial idea - is freedom.Is freedom.And the proof is the length to which a man, woman or child will go to regain it once taken.He will break loose his chains, he will decimate his enemies, he will try and try and try against all odds, against all prejudices to get home. …who we are is who we were…give us the courage to do what is right..."
Newport, Rhode Island played a leading role during the Colonial Period in the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade. By 1776, several thousand African slaves lived, work and eventually died in this New England seaport. At the peak of the Colonial Period they comprised nearly one third of the total town population with one in three Newport families owning at least one slave. Source: newport history
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Here in Newport, Rhode Island we have several physical ‘touch stones’ to remind us of the legacy left by those Africans and later African Americans who graced our city with their presence. From 1696 when the first documented slave ship, the ‘Sea Flower’, touched our shores, to the present, African Americans have worked, raised their families and prospered in the city by the sea.
The American Slave Trade and Newport share similar origins. Newport, the most prosperous of colonial American ports, saw unprecedented growth throughout the 18th century; mostly from the export and trade of rum, spermaceti candles and slaves. By 1784, the fledgling state government abolished slavery.
Many of the slaves that came to Newport’s shore would arrive, like most goods, at the Long Wharf. These slaves would be auctioned off to the highest bidders at the Granary (market), which is today known as the Brick Market at the foot of Washington Square.
If colonial Newport was known as one of America’s most active slave ports, it was equally known as one of the new country’s most liberal communities for the pursuit of religious freedom. This unique atmosphere of religious tolerance would lead to the demise of popular support of human bondage led by two of America’s first humanitarians and abolitionists; Reverend Samuel Hopkins and Reverend Ezra Stiles of the First and Second Congregational Churches. Both men preached fiery sermons from their pulpits against the evils of slavery. Because of the dedication and vision of these two men, and the decline of Newport as a major trading port after the Revolutionary War, slavery would end in Newport by the commencement of the 19th century.
Where did these slave and free Africans live and work in early Newport? What were they like? Do any of these sites exist in Newport today? Numerous sites exist today that were built, lived in, or in some way touched by Newport’s long history with the African and African American community. Source and for more information ~ www.eyesofglory
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“…unless we all have plenty
one of us will become a thief and the ghief will make you angry
you will hurt him
this will hurt his children
they will punish you
this will hurt your children
they will punish his children
and that’s how it begins
to believe in man is to know
peace will not work if just one man alive
is unjust
if one man alive
is ignorant
or hungry
or crazy
or ashamed
FOR we have seen if only one of us
decides to pull the plug, the millions of us can kiss
the world good-bye
whether we like it or not.
From Joseph Pintauro’s little book “to believe in man”
Illustrated by Sister Corita Kent
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Click the post title for Newport history regarding slavery
............................................... Uploaded at Facebook with lesser quality to fulfill their 1GB limit. But at Facebook, the compression didn't ruin the timing of the music with visual elements, which happened at Youtube (which is below from the original post).
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.............................................. Uploaded by ilovemylifesblog
As stated on the video's end, this video was uploaded numerous times at Youtube. In my software programs, the video project has transitions and text placements perfectly timed to fit the music. But each time I uploaded this video at youtube, the timing was completely off. Obviously, this is a disappointment to me after all the time spent trying to present the music and video the best that I could. But after much tested patience, determination and endurance, I had to surrender and put up a video that is not what I had done. The compression of youtube spoiled what I had attempted to do. But even so, I continue to post one song at a time of this North Central College Choir record from 1968, conducted by Paul Warren Allen and this song therefore had to go up in that effort.
Text from my youtube upload: Warum ist das licht gegeben dem mühseligen (opus 74, 1877) Johannes Brahms (1833-1897), op. 74 no. 1 (1877) [satb], from Zwei Motetten, no. 1.
The imposing opening Adagio (in D minor) of this motet, is punctuated four times by the urgent cry of Warum? (wherefore?). The following sections are in flowing cannon form with a 'warm F major glow' reflecting the text. It ends with a nunc dimittis in chorale form.
Johannes Brahms - (7 May 1833 in Hamburg, Germany to 3 April 1897 in Vienna, Austria)
Brahms studied piano from the age of seven and composition from thirteen. He had a lifelong interest in early music and amongst his generation he was without equal in sophisticated contrapuntal technique. He did not enjoy a meeting of minds with composers of the New German School, but his artistic kinship with Robert Schumann and his passion and veneration for Clara Schumann are well known influences on his life. Whether or not Brahms was a believer, he whole-heartedly accepted the Christain ethic and admired and embraced the literature and poetry of the Bible. His background was North German Lutheran Protestant. This inheritance gave to his choral music 'a noble human consolation' and air of hope.
His musical style was of the romantic school; his nature was introspective, reserved, logical and studious. Musicologists point to the essence of all these influences being demonstrated in the a capella motets spread over thirty years, and in his other sacred music, but most especially in the German Requiem.
Warum ist das licht gegeben dem mühseligen (opus 74, 1877)
Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul; which long for death but it cometh not; and dig for it more than for hidden treasures; which rejoice exceedingly and are glad, when they can find the grave? Why is light given to a man whose way is hid, and whom God hath hedged in? (Job 3, 20-23)
Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens (Lamentations 3, 41)
Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful and of tender mercy. (James 5, 11)
With peace and joy I go forth in the will of God, my heart and mind are comforted, gentle and still. As God has promised me, death but becomes sleep to me. (Martin Luther - 1524)
This recording was done in Pfeiffer Hall in the spring of 1968 in Naperville, Illinois, outside of Chicago at North Central College. Three years later the college eliminated the music department. The decision was made by the college President, Arlo Schilling.
It was the year of 1971, the flourishing music department was cut out of the school. A church affiliated college with no music department.
The following is taken from the NCC website on the history of it association with churches ~ "Originally founded in 1861 by the Evangelical Association, North Central College became affiliated with the United Methodist Church (UMC) when the Association's inheritors, the Evangelical United Brethren (EUB), merged with the Methodist Church in 1968 to form the new denomination... We're proud of our association with the UMC and its deep commitment to spiritual renewal and social justice." northcentralcollege
Eighteen years later, in 1989, the music department was brought back.
The history of The Naperville Chorus ~
In the 1960's Dr. Paul Warren Allen of the North Central College Music Department melded the vocal talents of students, college personnel, and community members into a forerunner of the Naperville Chorus. The NCC-Community Chorus flourished and performed contemporary and traditional choral works until 1971, when financial cutbacks at the college eliminated the Music Department.
The final cut...if you saw the rough cut video of where I live, you will recognize some things. However, some things were deleted and some things added to this one. It took me compressing it four times to get it in this quality. Not perfect, but it's okay. Enjoy the beauty of this area. And watching it at youtube, will allow you to see it in 720p and in an expanded screen size - just double click on the video and it will take you there.
........................................................... Uploaded by ilovemylifesblog
If you go to youtube, click the expand arrows at lower right of the video for viewing on a larger screen. And watch in 720p if possible. To go to youtube, double click on the video.
This video is to show my love for where I live in Newport County, Rhode Island, on Aquidneck Island ~ once land of Native Americans, now a land of immigrants, ancestors of immigrants and Native Americans. Most of the video clips and photographs were shot in Newport, Rhode Island with the others being shot in the adjacent town of Middletown, save one in Portsmouth. I live in the town of Portsmouth, but claim Aquidneck Island as my home. Aquidneck Island includes three small towns: Newport, Middletown and Portsmouth.
Music
Al Green ~ Here I Am
Odetta ~ Hear Me Talking to Ya from the CD titled Blues Everywhere I Go
Please, support artists who don't ban youtube use.
Credits: Videogaphy and photography ~ Sandra Hammel The opening song is extracted from video that I took at the Newport Jazz Festival, August 12, 2007. It is Al Green singing Here I Am as clips of him singing at the 2007 festival are edited in. The view after showing Al sing is the view the artists see from the main stage at Fort Adams park.
Included in the tribute video: Newport Jazz Festival at Fort Adams State Park Narragansett Bay ~ views from many places, including a ride on a sailboat showing the shoreline Views of Jamestown on Conanicut Island Eastons Beach, also known as Newport Beach and First Beach Newport Bridge - renamed The Claiborne Pell Bridge Dance company "Island Moving Company" on St. George's lawn Black Ships Festival Taiko Drumming - New York City group
Brenton Cove Sachuest Beach, also known as Second Beach Sachuest Wildlife Refuge Third Beach Newport Art Museum
Cliff Walk and views from it Trinity Church Touro Synagogue The International Tennis Hall of Fame grounds Goat Island Ocean Drive, view from Brenton Point Park Newport National Golf Course Ida Lewis Yacht Club
Touro Park, The Stone Mill Channing Memorial Unitarian Universalist Church Bellevue Avenue, Newport, Rhode Island Kings Park, Rochambeau statue and gazebo My beloved sunset and cloud photos Picture of my son when he was 11 years old Ducks at Brenton Cove Kay Worden statues: Father and Daughter, The Hurdy Gurdy Man, The Wave, The Skater
Darfur event includes: Americas Cup Avenue Washington Square -- (important scenes of Steven Spielberg's "Amistad" were shot on Washington Square)
Link to interior picture of Saint Mary's Church. St. Mary's is at corner of Spring Street and Memorial Boulevard and it is the church where Jacqueline Lee Bouvier married John F. KENNEDY on a warm summer day September 12, 1953. Seated in the pews of St. Mary's were 800 people of power and privilege. The Peruvian ambassador to the U.S. was there; so was the ambassador from Spain. Joseph Martin of Massachusetts, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, attended as did numerous congressmen and senators from around New England .
Jamestown, Rhode Island a great website about the area - Jamestown is on its own island - Conanicut, which is across the Narragansett Bay from Newport, Rhode Island on Aquidneck Island. The area has a mix of names from the Native Americans and England's town names adopted.
I went to an audition tonight and I am making an attempt to re-enter life to feel normalized after an emotionally-charged event - an audition. We sat there and watched and listened to everyone audition. It was posted on their website to start at 6:30 p.m., but it was well under way when I arrived at 6:15 p.m. After being there for five minutes, I felt like leaving. I am no good at singing in public, but I have been trying to put myself out there.
I had recorded my own accompaniment and took a cd player to use, if they allowed it. But I was told "no, we want to hear you sing with a live pianist", although another auditioner sang without any accompaniment.
We were to sing one upbeat song and one ballad - only 16 measures of each.
My first song was good considering I didn't lose control of being relaxed, as is my typical behavior. That didn't happen until the second song. I suppose part of that was me, but part of that was the accompanist. He was good, but he didn't know how to "blues" up the music for Bring It On Home to Me - a Sam Cooke song. And I am used to the accompaniment that way. At first I thought he was playing it too fast, but I tried to slow him down and it still wasn't working. It was more the style he was playing. Too many notes, too fancy for a simple bluesy song. It overpowered the spirit of the song and I couldn't "feel" the music as I do when I sing and accompany myself. There is soul in the music and he was putting no soul in the way he play the keyboard. You get used to things that allow you to feel the music, meaning I can get lost in the music and not be so conscious of those watching me. And that is when my breathing gets nervous - when I start thinking of all eyes on me. And once that happens it is hard to reign in the nerves and sing relaxed. So the notes start to shake. I can't hold out anything longer than long enough to sing the syllable, because sustaining the note makes the shaking voice so evident.
Surprisingly the applause was long enough to keep going until I got to the back of the room where I had been seated. And one of auditioners, turned around and gave me a thumbs up and an affirmative "that was good". But it wasn't good. Because I do it so much better at home. With soul. Relaxed. Not tensing up the throat. So, tight sounds were coming out.
I asked one of the three "judges" at break time, if there would be more auditions later and she said yes. I said, I wanted to try again because I hadn't done too well. And her body language seemed to say otherwise. We'll see. But, the second song really didn't make me feel successful.
.................................................. Uploaded by ilovemylifesblog This is better watching it at Youtube. You won't get the black bars at the top and bottom, there. Double click the video and it will take you to Youtube.
This work is a work in progress and is in rough cut form at this time, so I ask you to honor my request not embed, link anywhere or download it, until I get the final cut done. I am reserving these things for myself.My Apple computer is in the repair shop at the moment, so I can’t work on it. But I want to share what I have so far with all who also love this beautiful part of Planet Earth.
I’ll see how this “honor system” request works.
This video is to show my love for where I live.Most of the video clips and photographs were shot in Newport, Rhode Island with others being shot in the adjacent town of Middletown.I live in the town of Portsmouth, but claim Aquidneck Island as my home.Aquidneck Island includes three small towns: Newport, Middletown and Portsmouth.
I have no credits on the video itself at this time.
Music:
Al Green ~ ”Here I Am”
Odetta ~ “Hear Me Talking to You” from the CD Blues Everywhere I Go
Please support artists who don't ban youtube use.
Credits:
Videogaphy and photography ~ Sandra Hammel
The opening song is extracted from video that I took at the Newport Jazz Festival, August 12, 2007.It is Al Green singing “Here I Am” as clips of him singing at the 2007 festival are edited in.The view after showing Al sing is the view the artists see from the main stage at FortAdams park.
Included in the tribute video:
Newport Jazz Festival at FortAdamsState Park
Narragansett Bay – views from many places, including a ride on a sailboat
showing the shoreline of Newport
Views of Jamestown on ConanicutIsland
EastonsBeach, also known as Newport Beach, FirstBeach
NewportBridge – renamed The Claiborne Pell Bridge
Island Moving Company on St. George’s – prep school lawn
Black Ships Festival Taiko Drumming – New York City group
TouroPark’s stone structure
Brenton Cove
SachuestBeach, also known as SecondBeach
Sachuest Wildlife Refuge
ThirdBeach
NewportArt Museum
One of the Darfur events I have organized include:
Americas Cup Avenue
Washington Square – important scenes of Steven Spielberg’s “Amistad” were shot here
So I went to the International Tennis Hall of Fame today, thinking it was free. Once a year, local residents are free at different places around the area. Well, it is tomorrow and Monday that the venues are free, but they were nice enough to let me in, today.
I tagged along with a small band of tourists, while the volunteer guide tried to inform us of the Tennis Hall of Fame and what it had to offer - but much of the time - 3 of the 4 people were walking off on their own and she had no one to talk to, but one of us. They others were all from Brazil and I was from ...well, here....where the Hall of Fame is located.
I have never been inside the museum, just to the tennis tournament held on the grass courts there. The inside pictures (below) were taken today. And the grounds pictures were taken in 2009.
The guide wasn't as fond of Rafa as I am - she thinks he should go to Africa like Roddick and Federer and Rafa shouldn't wear the watch that he wore at The French Open. And one of the men from Brazil likes Rafa, but likes his current on-court clothing, which I don't. I started this Facebook page: RAFA NADAL BRING BACK LONG PANTS SLEEVELESS TOPS
But this is the kind of thing that I read and know Rafa is the man.
This is the Hall of Fame and you aren't supposed to be inducted until after you have been retired for five years, although one man was. The guide thought this was because he had some legal problems in his country at the time and they inducted him to let him leave his country. I have no idea. She also didn't like Borg, because he is the only inducted player to choose not to show up for his inductee ceremony - the same year as Billie Jean King.
Rafa was well represented in the museum, although of course, he hasn't been inducted yet. According to the volunteer guide, one of the three main inductees for 2011 will be Andre Agassi.
The court as you enter
The picture below is what is at the base of the pictured statue above.
Picture from the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, RI What men once wore.
What women wore to play tennis in at one time. Must have been a slow game.
June 20 & 21 - Newport County Attraction Days - Free Admission to Area Attractions for Residents & hospitality workers The Attractions Council of Newport County invites all Newport County residents and employees of the hospitality industry to visit many great local attractions on Sunday, June 20, 2010 and Monday, June 21, 2010. A total of 19 attractions/organizations are participating, including for the first time several attractions located in Bristol. Visitors showing proof of residency (driver's license or other identification with an address) or proof of hospitality employment (business card, employee ID or pay stub) will enjoy free admission or another value as noted when visiting the attractions listed below. Please call the individual attractions for operating schedule and other detailed information.
Amazing Grace Harbor Tours/Oldport Marine 401-662-0082 www.OldPortMarine.com Free harbor tour. Sunday June 20 only. Audubon Society Environmental Education Center 401-245-7500 www.asri.org Free admission Blithewold Mansion, Gardens & Arboretum 401-253-2707 www.Blithewold.org Free admission Coggeshall Farm Museum 401-253-9062 www.CoggeshallFarm.org Free admission Firehouse Theater 401-849-3473 www.FirehouseTheater.org Special June 21 performance: The Bit Players at 7pm. Limited seating, reservation required Greenvale Vineyards 401-847-3777 www.Greenvale.com Free tasting Historic Fort Adams 401-841-0707 www.FortAdams.org Free admission International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum 401-324-6033 www.TennisFame.com Free admission Museum of Newport History 401-846-0813 www.NewportHistorical.org Free admission Museum of Yachting 401-847-1018 www.MOY.org Free admission Newport Art Museum 401-848-8200 www.NewportArtMuseum.org Free admission Sunday, June 20 only. Closed June 21.
Newport Grand Slots 401-849-5000 www.NewportGrand.com $5 in Reward Points when signing up for a Grand Rewards Card - Points valid for food or beverage within Newport Grand Slots. New Members only, 18+ Newport Mansions 401-847-1000 www.NewportMansions.org Free admission to The Breakers, The Breakers Stable & Carriage House (open Sunday only), Chateau-sur-Mer, Chepstow, The Elms, Green Animals Topiary Garden, Hunter House, Isaac Bell House, Kingscote, Marble House, and Rosecliff, and a 10% discount at all Newport Mansions Stores. Newport Vineyards & Winery 401-848-5161 www.NewportVineyards.com Free tour & tasting Norman Bird Sanctuary 401-846-2577 www.NormanBirdSanctuary.org Free admission Redwood Library & Athenaeum 401-841-5680 www.RedwoodLibrary.org Free admission & 10% off purchases Sakonnet Vineyards 401-635-8486 www.SakonnetWine.com Tour, tasting & logo wineglass Save The Bay Exploration Center & Aquarium at Easton's Beach 401-324-6020 www.SaveBay.org Free admission Sightsailing of Newport / Bowens Wharf 401-849-3333 www.SightSailing.com Free cruise aboard Schooner Aquidneck Touro Synagogue and Loeb Visitors Center 401-847-4794 www.TouroSynagogue.org Free admission
Suzanne Lenglen at the International Tennis Hall of Fame
Suzanne Lenglen and me at the International Tennis Hall of Fame Bellevue Avenue Newport, Rhode Island June 19, 2010
All photo credits: Sandra Hammel
Roland Garros has a court named after Suzanne Lenglen
This is Rafa's actual clothing from the Australian Open 2010 and the trophy isn't Rafa's trophy....it is some other winner's trophy (I can't remember whose) who donated it or loaned it to the museum. But it is just like the one Rafa won. Also, pictured below.
This is Venus Williams outfit that caused a stir in Paris this year at The French Open. It arrived yesterday at the museum.
I can't remember which tournament this trophy is for. I think it the trophy that the winner takes home from Wimbledon.
What once was the Library now is just an exhibit at the Hall of Fame museum
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.............................................. BdaSailor—June 19, 2010 — The start of the 2010 Bermuda Race which took place on June 18, 2010 of Newport, R.I. in a flood tide and 10kts of southwesterly breeze.
Music: Vanessa Amorosi's Absolutely Everybody
Click post title for a video I made of Sachuest Beach - near my home.
Yesteryear 1988 Melville Elementary School Ms. Hammel, Music Teacher Providing an evening music workshop to parents with their children to let the parents experience being a music student along side their children
This Year I attended a meeting tonight, June 9, 2010, to bring attention to the cut in the Portsmouth Public Schools budget by 1.2 million dollars for the upcoming 2010-2011 school year. This will be a disastrous cut for our community, for our children and education. And the other reason for the meeting was to organize so that we can make an impact on the Portsmouth (Rhode Island) Town Council hearing to be held next Tuesday, June 15, at 7:00 p.m in the Portsmouth Town Hall chamber.
The state of Rhode Island is cutting educational aid funding to communities and if we don't pick up the slack, the children's education will be greatly diminished. This is nothing new. I have seen this happen starting when I was in college and the administration decided to eliminate the thriving music department. Then at the contractual March 1st deadline to send out "pick slips" (termination of employment) in my second year of teaching, I received my pink slip. And this, then, began a career-long effort to keep music in our schools.
June 2, 2010 Budget workshop at which the Town Council voted to tentatively cut $1.2 Million from the Portsmouth Public School proposed budget. Councilor Karen Gleason speaks to Superintendent of Schools Susan Lusi when she is asked to speak about the budget.
SCREAM NOW OR SCREAM LATER NOW, WILL BE THE EASIER SCREAM If parents don't "scream" every time this "slash and burn the education" is in the cards, the whole education system will fail. And when we have practices of firing entire teaching staffs as was the case in one Rhode Island town this year, because of low performances of the students, I would like to ask what we expect to happen when we can't get a grip of civility and find funding for the students of today?
Town Council Members of Portsmouth, Rhode Island
Town Council email addresses: pmcintyre@portsmouthri.com, hlittle@portsmouthri.com, kgleason@portsmouthri.com, khamilton@portsmouthri.com, jplumb@portsmouthri.com, dcanario@portsmouthri.com, jseveney@portsmouthri.com
Contractually all pink slips had to go out in March, so legally cutting more teachers isn't going to work. And the state mandates that the students get the arts, so what they will get is a "spit in the eye" of music, art and physical education most likely. It is hard to water down music in a schedule, for example, that has traditionally only taught music to elementary students once a week for less than an hour. You try teaching something or learning something that you have for 45 minutes or less a week. And the other cut likely is sports. As Ms. Leveque said at the meeting at the Portsmouth Middle School June 9th, it isn't like we can cut second grade.
................................................................ Uploaded by jmcdaid
Melville Peter Deffet as a 3rd Grader
Parents forming an excellent train for the song Little Black Train
My letter sent to the Portsmouth Town Council and copied to the Portsmouth School Committee:
June 9, 2010
Dear Member of the Portsmouth Town Council,
My name is Sandra Hammel, live in Portsmouth, taught music in the Portsmouth Public Schools starting in October 1973 and left after 29 years. All those years I stood up to keep music in our community's schools, attending many School Committee and Town Council meetings and going out on a limb to preserve the minimum of giving the students a weekly music class at the elementary level. Minimum. Music classes should be every day. Music skills are those very skills that the very young benefit from because they develop and nurture the readiness skills needed to learn to read - auditory processing skills, such as auditory awareness, auditory memory, auditory figure ground, auditory discrimination, etc.
A quick google search brought this up:http://www.succeedtoread.com/auditoryskills.html "A common weakness is in auditory discrimination skills. For example, many poor readers do not 'hear' differences in letter sounds. To them, the five short vowels sound almost exactly alike." Music lessons develop the abilities of the child to better discriminate differences of sound and therefore helps the child be more successful not only in the music classroom, but in the reading lessons. This is not "new" news, but well accepted for multiple years. However, many even who should know these things, don't. Oftentimes, teenagers who drop out of high school, do so because they have struggled with their reading skills which affect so many of the subjects required in high school. So if we are serious about keeping our students in school until they graduate this should be on our radar screen of what is a priority.
And rationalizing of the inclusion of music in our schools using this argument isn't the only reason for music's existence in our community's schools. Because this doesn't begin to express what is so advantageous from the standpoint of music's benefits itself. Music can stand on its own as reason enough to be part of the basics of education, although most people may not realize those reasons. But when tied to other subjects it seems to enable people to say, "Hey, well, maybe it is justifiable to include in the discourse of what should be included in the experience of our children's lives."
All the years I taught in Portsmouth Schools, I had no children going to the Portsmouth Public Schools because I had no children. That changed late in my teaching career because a young boy entered Hathaway Elementary School in the second grade who was in foster care. That boy has been my son since his fourth grade year and now is an exceptional engineering student at Northeastern University. I have no students in the Portsmouth Schools at this time. So, I speak now as a taxpayer who pays for others' children to have what they need. I care about the community. I care about the children in our community and the education that we as a community provide for the children.
I speak about music here. But, the Portsmouth Town Council members who voted to cut the Portsmouth Public School budget over a million dollars will necessitate cutting more than music from the schools. I say "You are wrong to do this". I am well aware how these things go. And I know that those who feel brave enough to cut the Portsmouth School budget have their supporters.
Even some of those who feel emboldened to cut, can step back, reconsider and make a braver decision and fund our schools. There will never be a day that this problem goes away. We just need to get smarter about how we are going to get through this immediate year's budget problem, but then get really smart and figure out ways to get ourselves a long range solution in action to thwart future years' similar dilemma. If we care.
There is no better investment that we can give ourselves as a community, than the education that we provide for our community's children. They are our future leaders. They are their future. Sincerely,
or Portsmouth will be the Pits regarding Education .................................................
................................................. Uploaded by PortsmouthSchools June 2, 2010 Portsmouth RI School Department Budget Meeting Part 1
First video of last week's town council/school committee budget workshop. There are 13 separate videos. The 1st one starts out discussing the open space/recreation bonds, but ends with Dr. Lusi presenting the FY 2011 budget.
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................................................. Uploaded by PortsmouthSchools June 2, 2010 Portsmouth RI School Department Budget Meeting Part 2 .................................................
................................................. Arguing Part 11 Motion to "Level Fund" Uploaded by PortsmouthSchools
Tribute to influential teachers ............................................. .............................................
The North Central College Choir that I sang in Uploaded by ilovemylifesblog
In honor of Paul Warren Allen, who was the head of the North Central College Music Department and Conductor of the North Central College Choir recorded here in 1968. Three years later the college eliminated the music department.
I love my life. I love where I live. And I am passionate about my passions. I love to dance. Necessary to live: music, piano, singing, writing, acting, painting.
I have been fighting for and supporting the arts all my adult life. Since 2004, I have been working with other activists to end the Darfur genocide.
I have traveled to Europe many times since my early twenties. Places I have been: many USA states including Hawaii, Montreal, Canada, Barbados, France, Spain, Luxembourg, England, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Greece and Germany - and have wonderful memories.
My last trip was in May - June 2013 to Spain.
I would like to travel to Europe and Kyoto, Japan.
I love the southwest where I have visited Hopi, Navajo, Zia and San Idlefonso potters.
Life is exciting and I intend to live it full-out to the end.
B.S. and M.M., both in music
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Khartoum, Sudan Stop Genocide Time
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Spain Time
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Melbourne Time
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Hawaii Time
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RAFA NADAL -BRING BACK LONG PANTS - SLEEVELESS TOPS
Double Click on Videos to Enlarge
Darfur - The Abandoned Genocide - a video by Sandra Hammel
Want to help? Call 1~800~GENOCIDE
"May I Suggest" by Susan Werner
Satchita - Playing for Change
Stand By Me ~ Playing for Change
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Genocide is not only a word,
it is crying of the whole human race.
There is nothing redeeming about being silent
when speaking up is the humane thing to do.
The honor and integrity of the human race is at stake.
