6-8-10

This evening’s blog will be a little shorter since my broken toe is hurting. To begin, today we stopped a short distance from our hotel to look at a Henry Ward Beecher statue.

I was unaware of the Beecher-Tilton Affair.

We walked across the Brooklyn Bridge and it was amazing. I believe the experience of walking across the bridge will allow me to better relate the concept of turn-of-the-century America to my students. I asked Dave H. to take a picture of the U.S. flag framed by the impressive and distinctive wirework, as it symbolizes to me the advanced nature and aesthetic value of the design. I do not believe I will ever forget the experience.

We returned to the African Burial Ground Memorial/National Monument, but this time we got to go inside the museum. The film was very powerful and moving. The “Laws affecting Africans in New York 1681-1683” and “A law for regulating Negroes and slaves…” were profound and Dr. O’Donnell said that he would get us a PowerPoint containing the documents.

We then went to Central Park. I briefly teach about Central Park and the visit will enable me to teach about it more affectively. I teach about Frederick Law Olmsted, but Dr. O’Donnell and today’s tour hopefully will help me to remember the crucial contributions of Calvert Vaux. The stream was really cool and reminded me of Monkey Mountain in Pueblo when I was a little kid. That tiny mountain seemed monstrous to a little kid from LaJunta.

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