Hooked on History by Lucie Tardif
Who knew college could be so much fun? That has been a constant surprise to me these past few years. The current semester, though, has topped them all.
I had long wanted to take a class in Maine history, so I was ripe for History of Maine. (If you ever have a chance to take a course with Professor Libby Bischof, grab it and run! She’s fantastic!) Libby, though, makes it even more fun. One of our assignments is to make ten visits to historic sites in Maine (although there are plenty one can do here in the Portland area) and create a one-page journal entry for each via creation of a blog (and, no, this isn’t it), a handwritten notebook or a standard multi-page paper.
We were given a list of suggested sites, but I, personally, like to get off the beaten path and do things others might not do, which meant trucking off to my hometown of Winslow. I was nearly salivating at the prospect of these visits. I love this stuff, and I love playing tourist. Winter break was a perfect time to get going.
I had recently learned there was a marker on Lithgow Street in Winslow, commemorating where Benedict Arnold and his 1100 men disembarked from the Kennebec on their expedition to Quebec. I had long known Arnold had stopped at Fort Halifax nearby, but I had never known about this rock. I lived in Winslow from age 4 to 27 – 23 years. How had I missed that? Though Lithgow Street is not especially close to the house where I grew up, I spent many hours there at the Public Library. Back then, the river side of the street was lined with homes, but all but one of them (further up and on higher ground) were wiped out in the flood of 1987. (Fort Halifax went for a swim, too, but was retrieved and rebuilt.)
I figured the rock may be small and covered in snow at this point, but it was worth a shot. As I rounded the bend at the beginning of the street, I could see the rock at the other end – completely bare of snow. It’s larger than I expected (about the same size Plymouth Rock is now), and on it is a plaque indicating Benedict Arnold had landed there in 1775. Amazing!
I also visited Railroad Square Cinema in Waterville. One might argue, “How is that historic?” Believe me, it is (and my instructor’s personal interest in history lies in the arts)! Railroad Square Cinema, by virtue of its founders, has put Maine on the film industry map with the creation of the Maine International Film Festival. The likes of actors Peter Fonda (sister of Jane, son of Henry), Sissy Spacek, Karen Black, Ed Harris; director Jonathan Demme; and Martin Scorsese’s film editor, Thelma Schoonmaker, have graced Waterville with their presence during the festival. I was charmed by the facility, its former owners (who have sold to the newly-established Maine Film Center) and wish I’d had some popcorn – made on premises and smells divine! (You can’t get popcorn like that at the movies anymore.)
The very next day I headed up to Skowhegan and the Margaret Chase Smith Library. That is an amazing place honoring an amazing woman! I didn’t realize she had represented Maine (in either the House or Senate) for 32 years and through six presidencies (FDR through Nixon). The walls to the right as you enter begin to chronicle her life and political service, year by year from when she was born in 1897 to when she died in 1995 at age 97 (on Memorial Day, no less – how appropriate for a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee).
By the time I left over an hour later, I was in total awe of Margaret Chase Smith. I only regret I never got to meet her. (I did once meet her Democratic peer in the Senate, Edmund Muskie.) I watched a 20-minute video of her life and service and commented afterward that our entire current Congress should see that video!
This class, too, has had an interesting domino effect on my life and quite possibly my prospective life’s work. I joined the Maine Historical Society soon after the semester began and started receiving e-mail updates from them. I discovered the Portland History Docent (yes, PHD) training program. Since our course required a final project, I figured chronicling that program in some way would make a great one. My instructor agreed. I am now in docent training. (Great way to get site visits in for my other assignment, too!)
That led to an interesting connection. I am taking Photojournalism this semester, too, and one way to get extra credit (which I will go for every chance I get) is to snap a picture that gets published in a legit newspaper, magazine or website. I learned Greater Portland Landmarks publishes a quarterly newspaper for its members. I wondered if they needed any pictures of buildings for what was likely to be an upcoming issue. The first person I contacted seemed to think I couldn’t get anything in the next edition, coming right up, but she forwarded my message to the responsible person. That woman said they were “desperate” for pictures of two buildings to accompany an article going in the spring issue. I was out the door with my camera, and they were thrilled with the shots. I’ll get my extra credit, and Greater Portland Landmarks is eager to have me take more. (They are working on a list.) I am just as eager to do it!
Now, I wonder how I might combine degrees in Media Studies and English and a minor in history into a job? The more history I’m exposed to, the more I want to work in it!
I Am An Americorps VISTA by Molly Decleene
I am an AmeriCorps VISTA. An acronym that stands for Volunteers In Service To America, AmeriCorps VISTA is a national service program with the aim of fighting poverty. Members of the program commit to serve in local community organizations for a year working to expand and strengthen programs designed to bring individuals and those communities out of poverty. (1) John F. Kennedy originated the idea for a service program focused on fighting poverty and in 1965 Lyndon Johnson created a domestic version of the Peace Corps resulting in the AmeriCorps program. In his first State of the Union Address, Johnson declared the War on Poverty stating, “It will not be a short or easy struggle, no single weapon or strategy will suffice, but we shall not rest until the war is won.” (2) Programs such as Head Start, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formally known as Food Stamps), and work study were such victories that came from this battle; however, it is fair to say that the war on poverty and equality has not yet been won. While poverty rates have decreased since Johnson delivered his speech (decreasing to a low of 22.9 million individuals in 1973), they are higher than ever before, reaching 46.2 million in 2010. (3)
Poverty is defined as the state of one who lacks a certain amount of material possessions or money. (4) In the United States, official poverty rates are issued each year by the Census Bureau. In 2010, the poverty rate for a family of four was set at just over 22K. (5) However, the face of poverty does not lie in definitions or numbers, but it exists in our communities, our neighborhoods and in many cases, our own families. Growing up in a lower-middle class family (whose parents both work for the United States Postal Service), I have experienced some minor inequalities. Knowing this injustice of disparity has driven me to join the war against the cyclical ailment of poverty and the system that imposes it; meeting the faces behind the casualties of our losing battle.
As an AmeriCorps VISTA, I have lived at the poverty level (a requirement of service) in two communities (not originally my own) serving in organizations that focus on education as a bridge out of poverty. My first position (in Tucson, Arizona at the University of Arizona) exposed poverty rates unknown to my pleasant and (needless to say) less than diverse upbringing in rural northern Wisconsin. In 2010, Arizona ranked among the top five states with the highest poverty levels. (6) My second term, here in Maine, also involved the forefront of a population experiencing high levels of poverty. Although many think of (with appropriate support) Maine as the whitest state in America, it is also one of the leading states in refugee resettlement. Populations within the state represent over 25 different countries. (7) (If you are unfamiliar with refugee resettlement in Maine, please click the footnote to learn more!) While diversity, and the acceptance of that diversity in Maine, is (in my opinion) refreshing, there are still many barriers being faced by these new populations that can push them into the cyclical system of poverty.
Working at the University of Southern Maine in the Office of Community Service Learning as a program coordinator for after-school programs, I define myself outside of these titles as simply someone who seeks to end poverty. If you too believe in equality and are ready to take practical action in your community, please become an AmeriCorps member, serve at a local after school-program in Portland, or simply learn more about poverty in our nation. For further inspiration stay tuned for my next post highlighting one of your fellow USM students who fights poverty by dedicating his time to a local educational program.
Footnotes-
- http://www.americorps.gov/about/programs/vista.asp
- http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1589660
- http://npc.umich.edu/poverty/#3
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poverty
- http://www.statehealthfacts.org/comparebar.jsp?typ=2&ind=6&cat=1&sub=1&cha=15&o=a
- http://cronkitenewsonline.com/2011/09/arizona-poverty-levels-among-highest-in-nation-census-figures-show/
- http://www.ccmaine.org/refugee-immigration-services/facts
This Is Effing Awesome! by Kelsea
Tomorrow is the First Friday Art Walk in Portland. This happens, well, every first Friday in downtown Portland, from 5-8ish. The galleries and coffee shops and restaurants and everything in Portland, I swear, all open up to the public and let you wander through. Lots of them have free munchie food, like cheese and crackers, and free wine (if you’re 21+!), if you get there early enough. This is seriously my favorite date night every month.
And that’s what I was going to write about.
But, then this song happened.
And I remembered how amazing the thrifting scene in Portland is. So, I’m gonna tell you all about it, because I’m a grown up, and I do what I want. (It’s been a long week full of sick kiddo and sick me, and I think I’ve said this to Agent P about a million times over.)
So, here’s the lowdown on thrifting in Portland, with much influence from my girlfriend, who loves thrifting in a way that I don’t think I can even begin to explain. (She says that being around other people’s discarded junk is therapeutic for her. Huh.)
We’ll start with the standards.
First up: Goodwill. My personal favorite is the one in Falmouth, because that’s where folks from Falmouth bring their stuff, and I have found some ah-may-zing things there, like a Le SportSac duffle bag with the tags still on it. If you go to their website, you can check out the color of the week, which are all half off.
Next: Salvation Army. Honestly, this isn’t my favorite. Be prepared for the hunt, as things aren’t organized by size. But, if you shop deal days, you can get some decent stuff for cheap. Be warned: nothing is half off on Monday.
And, now, for the goodies. Portland has a ton of really great, locally owned stores.
Little Ghost Vintage is owned by an awesome girl named Dawn, and is technically more of a vintage store than a thrift shop, but I love it, so I’m gonna tell you about it anyway, so there. Dawn knows her vintage, and while you aren’t going to get stuff super-duper cheap, you are going to find awesome, one of a kind pieces here. She has clothes and stuff for your apartment. Located at 477 Congress Street, you can just hop on the Metro bus and go right there.
Just up the street for Little Ghost Vintage is 604 Thrift. Located right across the street from the State Theater and just a few doors down from Coffee By Design, this is my favorite to stop into when I have just a few bucks in my pocket and I’m not looking for anything special. Fairly priced and locally owned, this store is adorable. I’ve found sunglasses, earrings, and cute sundresses in the summer.
Last, but certainly not least, I’m going to encourage you to check out Portland Flea-for-All. They’re located at 125 Kennebec Street, down near Bayside Bowl. While, once again, technically not a thrift store, they’re only open on Saturday and Sunday, but they are awesome. They have vendors, selling everything from records to vintage clothes and jewelry. If you wander upstairs, you’ll find some awesome housewares. They take credit and debit cards, so be careful. The best thing we’ve found here is a tie between awesome clothes for me at Alley Oop Vintage and some super sweet (cheap!) Rogue’s Gallery gear for my girlfriend.
I hope this gets you started. Do you have a favorite? Leave it in the comments and I’ll check it out!
What the heck are we going to talk about? by Kelsea… and everyone else
When I was approached about starting a blog for University of Southern Maine, and Portland Student Life, I had no idea what I was going to talk about, and who was going to do it with me. When I was given the goal of commuter engagement, I got even more confused. I’m a non-traditional, commuter student, but am no where near the norm at USM. I’m involved in student government, and do work study, and,while I am busy raising a kid, I don’t have a job outside USM, so I spend more time than average on campus.
So, I started asking around. I asked my friends to write for me. I asked strangers to write for me. I just threw it out to folks in my classes and at Board of Student Organization meetings. This is the motley crew I came up with. I’ll let them tell you, in their own words, what they plan on writing about over the course of the semester. When you’re done, go check out our Marco Polo Players, so you can learn more about everyone. Also, I promise you, this will be the longest post. Bear with me, just this once.
Let’s start with me. My name is Kelsea. I am in love with the city of Portland. I’ve lived here for 10 years, and I can think of no place on Earth that I’d rather live right now. Beside editing (which, did you know, consists mostly of chasing writers down?) this blog, I’ll be writing about this city and awesome things that go on. Art walking! Eating out! Awesome bars and places to check out! I’m going to do my best to share my passion for this city with you in every way possible.
Next up, we have Lucie Tardif. Lucie says:
Be prepared! I am a non-traditional (within two months of turning 57) student, reactivated (six credits) from 24 years ago here, transferred SMCC graduate (Class of ’12), currently a junior majoring in Media Studies, minoring in History and looking to double major/dual degree in English. (I call myself an academic mutt!) I am also a bit of an odd (lame?) duck on campus. I am a born-again Christian (have been for 23 years), an active member of my church, who solidly relies on the Bible, and as a result am politically and socially conservative. (Yes, I’m a Republican of a Tea Party mentality.) Some of my posts will certainly stem from that.
Who I am personally will certainly come out. I’m of Franco-American heritage (my mother’s a native of Montreal). I’ve never married nor had children, but I have two nieces I am just wild about. I won’t name them but may use their initials (which are the same) with their ages (AB17 and AB12) when I talk about them. I’ve had an interesting life that can be somewhat entertaining to people. I spent six or seven years as a freelance writer and photographer in the music business back in the early 1980s. I have written numerous pieces for a local Christian newspaper in the mid-1990s to within the past four years. I have been unemployed now for over five years, a former legal secretary/paralegal with nearly 30 years of experience.
When you have never really navigated all this college stuff before, it can be intimidating (you learn). My educational track record wasn’t all that great, either. My high school grades – 36 years earlier – were awful. I look at them now and think, “HOW did I ever graduate?” I was also diagnosed with a learning disability (Non-verbal Learning Disorder or NLD) in 2004 and nearly died of a pulmonary embolism in 2001 (which resulted in the discovery of a rare and genetic clotting disorder). I’m on a blood thinner for the rest of my life. How would THAT all play out? This wasn’t part-time-while-working-a-full-time-job education or doing the paralegal program in Continuing Ed. This was now full-blown, full-time, aiming-to-graduate-with-a-degree-COLLEGE!
You’ll see how that has worked out so far and continues to as I slog through this blog! You’re invited to come along for the ride.
After that, we have Julia. Julia wants you to know:
Blogging has always been something that really intrigues me. The fact that there are actually people out there, writing public journal entries that other people really care about, isn’t really that fascinating…it’s the part where people get famous by doing it! I mean, I can understand why someone like Anne Frank would get famous from her journal (or diary for the purists). There was some really, really important stuff she was writing about. But I’m not sure why our world allows people who write about their hobbies in a public forum to also become famous. Now, just because I don’t understand, doesn’t mean I don’t want to exploit it for my own personal gain. So, that’s why I’m blogging for you all. I want to be famous. I want to share my quirky world with everyone and hope that I get a book deal, a movie deal, or a sitcom on ABC or the WB (if it were 1999, I’d be right after Dawson’s Creek). I’m going to tell you about the silly things that happen to me, my hobbies, my family, and I’m going to hope enough of you read it that it goes viral, and I’m a big star. And you all will be able to say, “I’ve been reading that blog for years”.
Sam Hill works for Portland Student Life, too, and he says:
Throughout the semester I will be writing about issues that come up while living on campus as a traditional college student. From homework woes, to trying to eat on a budget, I’m on the lookout for the average college student.
Next up? Brain McNally! Go:
Hey there! My goal for this blog is to use it as a means to educate people on sexism, racism, homophobia, transphobia, misogyny, and all other sorts of hatred and intolerance. I especially want to try to spread this message to people that these issues don’t directly affect; if I can help a straight white man understand why these issues are poisonous to our society, I’d be ecstatic.
Crystal Farrington, a fellow ginger, is the coolest girl around. Check out what she’s gonna talk about:
Hello! I am a lover of poetry and all things spoken word, and I would like to share this passion of mine with all of you fantastic readers! Portland, Maine is a magnificent area for poets of all sorts: writers, performers, curious new comers, and even those who simply wish to enjoy the art form from afar. I will be writing a blog covering anything poetic I can get my hands on. Whether it’s an open mic, a poet visiting from across the country, a newly published chapbook, or an old book I found in someone’s basement, I’ll be trying to share as much poetry and love as I can. I hope you enjoy!
Mea Tavares works in the Center for Sexualities and Gender Diversity, and he says:
Why USM thought it was a good idea to give me the POWERS OF THE INTERNET I’m not entirely sure but, since we’re here, I might as well tell you some stories of my usual life occurrences. Fun stories. Stories that go a little like “so this one time I was one half of a giant pair of pants posing with tourists in front of the Vegas sign when an Elvis impersonator got pissed that we were taking away his business, but we had carried these pants all the way across the country on the greyhound on our Pants Across America tour so he had to just deal” or “and that was when I learned that white gas is extremely volatile, which would’ve been an easier lesson if it weren’t for the 12′ swinging wooden airplane, but ‘stop, drop and roll’ really does have merit.” (I can assure you, none of this is either fictitious or out of the ordinary in the slightest.) You can expect an eclectic mix of ramblings – a helping of queerness mixed ambiguously with non-binary gender expression and experience, Portland antics on a pocket-flask budget, burlesque debauchery and scientific speculationsfrom physics to metaphysics. A…potpourri of ridiculousness, if you will. You have been warned. Enjoy.
Paige Barker, small and wicked smart, says:
Did you know that feminism is alive and well? Yes, despite the media’s attempts to declare us dead, there are still feminists out there taking action and making the world a better place for people of all genders. This blog will be a record my first attempts at activism and a place to wax theoretic. Nothing I post here is meant to be a definitive statement about What Feminists Think or What Feminists Do. Feminists are a diverse group, so the my thoughts and actions don’t necessarily reflect those of all. Disclaimers aside, I hope you enjoy watching me stumble toward a better understanding of my political (and personal!) identity.
Marco Polo 