Marsalis: master teacher

I have been listening to several Wynton Marsalis videos these past weeks; not just his Jazz at Lincoln Center sets, but this Skain's Domain series of talks and interviews. Marsalis is so articulate, intelligent, intense, and tender that he cultivates an amazing cadre you young performers whose relationship with him goes well beyond musical instruction.

This video reflects the thoughtful, respectful, and inspired dialogue that he carries on with his students about their thoughts concerning their role as artists during the pandemic.

I learned a lot from these young people. Give a listen to the young man at about the 24:00 mark.
Skain’s Domain: An Intimate Weekly Conversation with Wynton Marsalis - Episode 7 from Wynton Marsalis on Vimeo.

Dear Class of 2020

Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Afton, Chenango County, New York.

Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Afton, Chenango County, New York. Sanborn Map Company, Sep, 1885. Map. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, .

For years and years I have been hauling out a piecemeal taped-composite photocopy of the Afton Historical Society's Sanborn Fire Insurance 1885 Map from Afton, Chenango County, New York.
I am delighted to report that it is online at the LOC along with similar maps from 1891 and 1897!

Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Afton, Chenango County, New York.
September 1885
https://www.loc.gov/item/sanborn05722_001/

Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Afton, Chenango County, New York.
July 1891
https://www.loc.gov/item/sanborn05722_002/

Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Afton, Chenango County, New York.
March97
https://www.loc.gov/item/sanborn05722_003/

1922

Scanned and made a composite image of my favorite photograph in the library; 1922 Afton high school students labeled and keyed with their names. Wonderful surprise to find the hand-written names on the back. Zooming in on the faces and imagining their stories gives me chills.

This week's thread

The past few days I have been doing some digital grunt work; scanning a couple hundred pages (and assorted inserted documents) from the 1917-1934 Afton Board of Education minutes. It is a nicely disciplined task ... for posterity.

There is an enterprising stretch in there when an ACS building project added a gym, auditorium, and plumbing (1927), and then the consolidation of over a dozen one-room school house into the central school along with the purchase of the first fleet of four buses (1932). Difficult not to stop an read the entries while trying move through them.

Then last night, my brother links me to a video about the construction of Hoover Dam (1931-1936) where the word enterprising finds its ultimate example; the sheer vision, moxy, and brawn of American know-how and industry carving out an icon to modernity.

And I guess I'm wondering if Afton's own modest climb into the 1930s wasn't just another reflection of a country and a time coming into its own.

Paving the way

Our school announced plans last week for an after-school activity program for students featuring staff coverage for homework help, a LEGO room, yoga, and STEM projects. You were there first with ATCI, Abby and Dominic; ahead of your time.

Lest we forget

A small plaque commemorating the naming of this library after the bequest for this library's first automation system, Dynix, by Harriet Carr VanValkenburg, Class of 1940.

Best foot forward

Provided the setup/infrastructure for the annual recent-alumni/senior-class convocation. The over-riding message was " you need to be an advocate for yourself." Good tip for everyone.

Post-poetry glow

Many thanks to the friends, colleagues, and students who came to our library Coffee House last night and were such comforting listeners as I read a selection of my poetry. It was good to be among their warm company and to share so many diverse conversations about the community, books, and history.Looking forward to the next Coffee House in february.

Rockin' the Library

Some good community friends of ACSLIB brought in their rocks & minerals for a display in support of our Coffee House night. There are some awesome samples here! (Importantly, this very morning the display unlocked an opportunity for me to connect with two students; a fellow rock-hounds!)

Autumn Reading

Started sharing, mailing, and posting my reading handbills.

Monday morning coffee klatch

Made a "neon" sign for the Monday morning coffee klatch we'll be hosting in the library!

Made some table runners from my old American heritage covers, too.

Rockin' the Garden

Going to try to extend the lesson of our school-wide rock-painting experience by incorporating them into some hallway posters.

ACS Library Links

We reopened of nine-hole golf course these last few days of school to give students and staff a venue to bond at their leisure as part of our upcoming Fun Day.

A good opportunity also for some product-placement: our Summer Reading program!

2019 and counting (backwards)

I made poster-prints from our own online library archive of Class photographs for a next lobby display.

Charles Decker on Tubby Crane

Didn't want to misplace this:

February Coffee House

Working up my stuff for our February Coffee House:

* Let me know about typos!

Or maybe this:

The Power of Reading

(Thank you, RAD!)

Public pride

Tickled to see that one of few menu links at the Afton Free Library home page is for Afton Historical Minutes; the database of weekly articles by Charles J. Decker that our library curated, scanned and posted at the Internet Archive. Proud.

P.S. Learned from one of their board members at our coffeehouse last night that they recently had part of their Afton Yearbook collection digitized! Cool.

Our Winter Coffeehouse

Had a swell turnout at our Winter Coffeehouse last night; teachers, non-instructional staff, community members, retirees, alumni, and walk-ins from Open Pool Night! It ran from 6:30 to 8;30, but we were still talking at 9:30. Plan to do it again in February and March.