A Sort of First Anniversary

Today marks roughly the first anniversary of this blog. I say roughly because the actual date of Ash Wednesday varies from year to year. It started a little over one year ago due to a need to really release some emotions felt when my much loved car was almost towed, and continues today with the need to digest last night’s speech to Congress by President Barack Obama. The intelligence and charisma of this man both inspire and encourage me. Here are some of the points made last evening which particularly thrilled me:

Accountability="Nobody messes with Joe!"
CEO's=that party of padding your paycheck with tax payer's money is over...
“It's not about helping banks; it's about helping people.”
"Slowly but surely confidence will return and our economy will recover."
Dropping out of high school=quitting on yourself and your country!
"Countries who out teach us today will out compete us tomorrow."
Our goal should be a complete and competitive education for every child.
The country that harnesses the power of clean, renewable energy will lead the 21st century.
We who invented solar energy have fallen behind Germany and Japan in producing it.
"Healthcare reform can not, must not, will not wait another year."
Living our values makes us safer and stronger and=no torture.
We can again be a nation seeing ‘promise amid peril’.

Twenty-five percent of what I focused on refers to education. Not surprising since I spent 36 years as an educator. Realistically,only time will tell if this President who defines the ‘audacity of hope’ did indeed deliver last night, “Something worthy to be remembered.”

Some of the Rich History of Dorchester

Abraham Lincoln was born on this date, February 12th, 200 years ago. Tuesday I had the unique opportunity to experience some of the rich history of my hometown Dorchester, Massachusetts. The Second Church of Dorchester located in Codman Square had an exhibit of memorabilia from 1864 relating to the re-election campaign of Abraham Lincoln, our 16th and for many our most revered president. The Church recently found evidence of President Lincoln’s popularity with the local townsfolk. During those dark days of the Civil War when the coming election results seemed far from certain, money was raised and a banner was commissioned to show support for Mr. Lincoln in his bid for re-election.

This muslin banner with the words Lincoln and Johnson was hung across Washington Street near Melville Avenue. A second banner with the words: “The Union:It must and shall be Preserved.” was suspended across the road as well. To actually see this banner and to imagine the fears so many people had about the survival of our nation during the Civil War was mind blowing. The exhibit included photos of the 54 Dorchester residents and members of that Church who enlisted in the Union Army including 15 who were killed during the War, many at Gettysburg. After examining the photos I felt a certain awe and gratitude.

Another artifact I particularly appreciated was a copy of the Gettysburg Address complete with words crossed out and editing done by President Lincoln. That brilliant piece of writing, I recall having to memorize parts of it in school, reverberates even more today. “The world will little note, nor long remember, what we say here, while it can never forget what they did here.” Little did President Lincoln know how much his words would be remembered, memorized and appreciated all these many years later.

In 1848 Abraham Lincoln actually visited Dorchester giving a speech in Lower Mills supporting presidential candidate, Zachary Taylor. Lincoln was at that time a Whig congressman from Illinois. He was in Massachusetts for 11 days delivering 12 speeches in 9 towns. With his imposing height and his way with words, Lincoln left a strong impression on the locals.

So when President Lincoln had a difficult re-election campaign in 1864, it is not surprising that those Dorchester residents of long ago would so enthusiastically support the candidacy of this remarkable man. With a sense of Dorchester Pride I salute them.