Returning to Carleton for my 45th Reunion - Reconnecting with the spirit of Dacie Moses House in a Good Way

Entry to Dace's Kitchen in Northfield, 110 Union Street Pictured here is Takashi Kodera, on Sunday June 22.  I just learned this weekend from Jim, as he is addressed out east, that he made this sign one summer in the 1960's at a YMCA in Wisconsin while at summer Camp.  Takashi, as I know him,  in 1965, was as he puts it, "a foreign student, one of 10 that year at Carleton".   I remember meeting at the Carleton Book Store the first week of school. I learned to be curious about other cultures in my home, where I collected postage stamps from all over the world.  I am so grateful that I have been able to stay in touch with Takashi, who in my opinion has a very enlightened and broad view of spirituality and multiculturalism through his experience as a naturalized citizen of the US.  Along the way, he received his PhD and has been ordained into the Episcopal Church.
 Here is his  bio on the Wellesley College website

http://www.wellesley.edu/religion/faculty/kodera

At the end of an amazing reunion weekend in Northfield, I am still digesting all the connections and learnings.  Beginning with noticing the floods and waters, almost Biblical as I thought about my grandfather Noah Elwood Weaver, during my presentation on Genealogy How Tos, on Friday.   Happy that 12 of my classmates joined in the conversation in Olin, with the spirit of Harold Henderson present in his two page handout. 

 Here I am as seen through the lens by Takashi.  He spoke very kindly and deeply over the weekend, from his heart as to how Carleton, in specific Dacie Moses, the owner of this home, who honored the community by giving it to Carleton  While we were here for the weekend, Megan Dolezal, Carleton 2013, was in the home signing her 2014 publication, self illustrated honoring Dacie and the house, with her evocative "The Cookie House"  Here are some pages from the book, starting with Takashi's Eulogy for Dacie.  For a guy that said, he had to take the Freshman course called "Rhetoric" twice, his heart felt words are clear like another man, writing in a second language, Joseph Conrad.  In Heart of Darkness, I was assigned to read in Freshman Rhetoric at Carleton was written by a guy whose first language was Polish.  These words, written by a naturalized citizen from Asia with a big heart, lands on my heart in a good way.  Thanks Takashi for your generous heart.

 

 P 33, The Cookie House, front door of 110 Union

http://www.carletonbookstore.org/Cookie%20House

 

 p 42  "The Knights were here since 1955" Carleton singing Knights founded by Dixon Bond '59 - the story of how the house was saved through the support of students and alumni.

 p 43.  The thread of the warmth of the Kitchen, and cookies baked there, and the Dace's Kitchen sign constructed by Takashi Kodera at a YMCA summer camp.  (See photo of the creator above)

 P 45 with the continued events including Sunday brunch 10 -12 in the spirit of Dacie, and Cecil Hutton's bread. :-)

 

p 46, Continuing the spirit of generosity, acceptance and welcoming that is the essence of Dacie Moses' spiritual legacy. Songs and food!  

p 44 Honoring the continued work, maintenance that goes into keeping the spirit of Dacie Moses House, the cookie house, alive for future generations. 

Snow in West Carrollton Ohio and surrounding countryside, 1917 and 1920 Photos of Noah Elwood Weaver

Here in the pages of a large format album with photos from 1912 to 1922, is this photo of 321 E Main Street, recently shoveled. Note the hitching post to the right at the base of the stairs. By NEWeaver

 

 1917 photo of the sled NEWeaver had from the 19th century, that my father helped me label back around 1980-81 before he died. His is my dad, Paul Henry Weaver in front of his home with his mom, Edna looking out the window.

 Paul Henry with a snow bridge dug out of a snow drift at the base of his family home at 321 E Main, West Carrollton, Ohio. By Noah Elwood Weaver winter 1917

 Paul Henry at downtown W Carrollton OH.

 1917 taking the old sled on Bellbrook Road toward the Eicher corner home at Springboro Pike. Binkley Farm

 1917 snow on Bellbrook Road, with Schuder House.

 Winter 1920, Paul Henry Weaver age 10, with his new Flexible Flyer.

John Moore and Paul Henry Weaver on Flexible Flyer 1920 near Weaver Family farm

 
P 20 Noah Elwood Weaver snow photos 1/20/18, Alex Bellbrook Road Paul Henry Weaver with Edna Eicher Weaver  -------
 

Noah Weaver, Noah Elwood Weaver, Paul Henry Weaver- Henry Eicher my legacy of father's - Remembering on Father's Day

A series of photos of from Noah Elwood Weaver's albums.  A request for father and son images from the curator of an exhibit led to these being uploaded. It occurs to me that in the early albums, N Elwood took photos, not only at home, at two family homes on Main Street in West Carrollton, he also visited farms and other natural sites in the Miami Rive Valley with his son.
1911 - In rental home, Walnut and Main This is the full page, page 7, in the Brown Suede Leather Album of NEW's that starts prior to Paul Henry's birth in the home they rented.  Portraits of Noah Elwood himself and Edna in a chair with this open collar full dress with Paul Henry as an infant, likely in their home.

 Paul Henry the winter of 1911-12 at the corner rental home, now Main and Walnut, with his son, Paul Henry Weaver.  p 32 Brown Leather Album,

 Three generations of Weavers, ca 1911 Paul Henry, Noah, Noah Elwood, Harriet, William.P 13, Brown Leather Album - Taken at a non identified home with a lattice work entrance.

 

Page 13 of the Brown Leather Album, N Elwood's portrait with a boy and girl, with his infant son, in 1911, at the same home, with the lattice work.  No labeling in the album.  Son on the lawn, perhaps backyard of this home or rental home in West Carrollton?  

 Christmas Tree 1911, in rental home. P 34 Brown Leather Album Note Photograph album small black format in front of letter blocks for Paul.(And look at the ornate wall paper!)

 1915, Paul Henry and his mom, Edna Helena resting at the base of the Geo Eicher Hill, on the Eicher farm Sect 15, Miami Twp just west of West Carrollton -  This area is now part of a subdivision of West Carrollton.  In these times, Dayton was a city 7 miles to the north, with farm fields and hills .

)Henry Eicher, resident along Bellbrook road, with his horse and buggy, 1915 , p 14 Large Format Black Album of N Elwood Weaver photography. Enda Eicher Weaver inside, likely with Paul Henry.

Edna Helena Eicher Weaver with her son Paul Henry, rental home Main Street West Carrollton Ohio, 1911 by Noah Elwood Weaver p31 Brown Leather Album

Edna H E Weaver with Paul Henry.  Blouse with neck cameo. 1911 NEW p 4 Brown Leather Album

1917  Esther and Henry Eicher's home on Bellbrook Road at Springboro Pike Intersection.  Henry in his rocking chair with Paul Henry, holding a walking stick, under the big locust tree.

1916-17 Paul Henry Weaver wading in Hole's Creek, about 1 /2 mile N of Henry and Esthers home on Bellbrook Road  by NEWeaver Photo p 25 Large Format Album

P 29 Girls and Paul Henry Weaver in W Carollton Schoolyard, ca 1917-18 by NEWeaver, Large Format Black Album

Green Line Light Rail Opening June 14 - Target Field Minneapolis to Union Station St Paul "With Smart Phones, we are all photographers now." Andy Snow

I had a vision to meet friends at the West Bank Station, the first new station on the Green Line Light Rail during the Grand Opening, yesterday, June 14. When the first line opened I on a June 20 Saturday, I traveled with Steve Basil, Rhonda Robinson, Deborah Aurianivar and Ron Morris.  I sent an email invite to many, and Bob Pahl, new resident to St Paul was the only one who agreed to meet at 1 PM for ethnic food and music.  Thanks Bob....A spontaneous adventure, as I walked to the corner of Dakota and Cedar Lake Road just before noon, and had a free bus ride from the MTA, Metro Transit Authority to the Bus Transit Center by Target Field.  Here is first photo image of the day as I was directed to join the line east to St Paul while live folk music was played below on a stage.
Image of the stage with musicians, and noticing the windy and rainy weather influenced the size of the crowds showing up. Did not  dampen my spirits however.  :-)
Signage at Target Field Station, so as to not get lost.  I lot of helpful guides around for the event. 

View to the N East from the line, the converted Ford Factory building in the background with the stairs to the stage below, with trains indicating that his is the hub for the North Star Line to Big Lake (and eventually to St Cloud) as well as places east like St Paul. 

 
Standing in line to get on a Green Line Train, saw many folks having fun in costumes.
Storm Troopers and Princess Leia in the distance with the black hatted photographer guy in the foreground.  Like how I heard my 21st Century Photographer Cousin, Andy Snow say ""With Smart Phones, we are all photographers now."  This guy looks like he has a serious SLR set up too.

Scene as first in line for the next Green Line Train.  Everyone very helpful and seem to be having a good time, despite the cloudy weather.

After I sat down, and looked back through the cars, the kind gentleman recognized me "Hi Tom Weaver" and on the Green Line, it is Ken Green with his purple dressed partner. I did not recognize him without a beard.  He was the first ritual elder I knew in our MN LKP community back in the 1990's.  The Greens on the Green Line!   Fun memories. 

Somehow when I got to the U of M West Bank Station, I forgot to take photos as I was engaged in finding Bob Pahl. There was a music tent behind Midwest Mountaineering and food tents with a fusion of Somali, Ethopian, Greek and Mexican food.  Bob and I shared a meet pie, talking to a Somali and a Mexican guy, Middle Eastern meat and veggies dipped in the Mexican jalepeno sauce, with a baklava for dessert. MMMM got my West Bank pin here. I new thing to get souvineer pins of 7 of the new stations.....And as we went east, the Welcome Station Tents had no greeters. We learned at Stadium Village where they were closing (got our last direct pin) that storms might be heading this way, and they had orders to just have events in Union Station.  (I couldn't help but think about over reaction led by teams of lawyers afraid of being sued..:-) ..and it is what it is) I think this is Snelling or Hamline Station somewhere in St Paul, showing the evacuated tents.  :-)

After the ride down University Ave, I learned that the green line loops around the Capitol complex before crossing I 94, going down Cedar to a Central Station, prior to ending at the iconic Union Station.  Here is the front entrance.  Live music on two stages. Ran into Blaine McCutcheons son who is a photographer here and an author, Steve Glischinski, a Minnesota Native who sold me a copy of the 2012 U of Minnesota Press: Minnesota Railroads, A Photographic History 1940-2012.  Nice fellow and he knew about the Rock Island, MNS, Chicago and NW, the routes I took with my grandparent Glessners to Chicago.  One train I took, left Union Station I recall back in the 1950's. Fun to share stories   He autographed the book and writes "To Tom Weaver. Keep watching and liking trains!" 6-14-14

Union Station front stage with dancers, Indian style from India, as we considered eating here. For price and ambiance reasons, Bob and I decided to try the Kelly Station Bar that Steve the author suggested where got good food at a reasonable price, and met a retired U of M physiologist who worked in Millard Hall and did his undergrad at MIT (from Michigan) with his IT experienced wife who worked at Control Data back in the Norris Days.  Fun to share in the spontaneous adventure with tehanshi Bob.

 

This author with several of the pins I received at the various stations.  Leaving Union Station for the ride back to the West Bank. Then to check my PO Box and head home by 6 PM.  6 hours of fun and enter train ment.......if I were to coin a new word. 

1928 West Carrollton High School Graduates - Friends and Family West Carrollton - Miami River Valley Ohio

 Paul Henry Weaver, in a low resolution photo, with a pergola in a back yard view, Spring 1928 - Wisteria or Trumpet Vine.
In preparing for the July West Carrollton Historical Society Exhibit, curated by Sarah Allison, she requested some photos from the 1928 High School Graduation.  The Weaver's lived down the street from the high school and I have noticed a variety of photos of the two high schools built of brick, likely taken by Noah Elwood since he moved close by around 1912.   P1 of NEW 1928
Small Black Album to be archived later this year with Wright State University.

Two of the female graduates of West Carrollton High School, not labeled. p1 NEW Small Format 1928 Album. I invite folks to look at the 31 faces on the 1928 WCHS image below.  7 faculty 24 grads it appears. 

 Paul Henry Weaver backyard blooming fruit tree, P 2 1928 Small format album Noah Elwood Weaver

 Three girls in long dresses by WCHS, p1 NEW 1928 small black format album.

 

Five women, WCHS building, p2 NEW Small Format Album 1928

 1928 summer, ?___gird friend of Paul Henry Weaver by NEWeaver p 3 Small format black album

 1928 small format black album, p3 NEW photo.  Farm and boys with dog and car, Paul Henry Weaver center.

 

1928 view of Little Miami River from Ft Ancient, Warren County Southeast of West Carrollton OH about 20 miles.  Page 4 NEWeaver Black Small Album

Unknown man with hat in hand, Paul Henry Weaver and Noah Elwood Weaver, woodland area likely Ft Ancient as on the same page, p 4 of 1928 NEW Black small format album

http://www.fortancient.org/

History of Fort Ancient State Memorial

In Warren County, Ohio, an isolated peninsula rises 80 meters (about 260 feet) above the muddy banks of the Little Miami River. There exists an immense monument to the dedication and technological savvy of the original inhabitants of prehistoric North America. This vast 51 hectare (about 126 acres) plateau is enclosed by embankment walls that stand 1.5 to 7 meters (about 5 to 23 feet) high, constructed by repeatedly dumping baskets loaded with soil upon one another. The Hopewell, known for their engineering expertise, built these walls and many other features both within the enclosure and on the steep valleys that surround the site: conical and crescent-shaped mounds, limestone pavements and circles, and many subsurface elements that are currently coming to light. Today, the Fort Ancient State Memorial is listed on the National Register of Historic Places because of its importance to Ohio prehistory.

1928 West Carrollton High School basketball team.  Paul H Weaver tallest 4th from left back row. In PH Weaver binder, collection and of  genealogy PH Weaver by Tom Weaver...