Americanism Redux March 14, your today, on the journey to the American Founding, 250 years ago, in 1774 A public problem has grown into a public crisis. Some people are part of pushing and driving the growth. Others resist and seek its undoing. Still others rush to stand apart and build a wall against whatever is coming. And life rolls ahead, over stones and rocks in the river. … [Read more...]
Americanism Redux: March 14, Your Today, On The Journey To The American Founding, 250 Years Ago, In 1774
March 14, 2024 by
Americanism Redux: March 2, Today, On The Journey To American Founding, 250 Years Ago, In 1773
March 2, 2023 by
Americanism Redux March 2, on the journey to the American Founding, 250 years ago today, in 1773 Walk down Newbury Street. Come to the intersection with Pond Street. There's the house, right over there, the big house with the fancy door. That's your destination. You're about to knock on the fancy door. When the servant opens it you'll ask for the owner. You need to see him. You have … [Read more...]
Americanism Redux: 250 Years Ago Today, November 2
November 2, 2022 by
Americanism Redux November 2, 250 years ago today Dozens of candles and lanterns glowed against the walls and columns painted in white. The flickering light revealed each delicate wave and curving line in the glass of the window panes. People talked, loudly and in urgent tones. A vote was called for. Hands raised up. All in favor. Yes. Passed. Gavel smacks down. Murmurs rippled around … [Read more...]
Americanism Redux: September 28, 250 Years Ago
September 28, 2022 by
Americanism Redux September 28, 250 years ago today The parents looked down at the crib. Their baby, their first, is two days old. A beautiful daughter. Maybe something is not quite right, a little too pale and a little too fussy and a little too congested. Well, who knows. Maybe everything will be fine. Mom is Martha, nicknamed Patty by her husband, who is Tom. Patty and Tom were … [Read more...]
September 7–Today–250 Years Ago
September 7, 2022 by
Americanism Redux September 7, 250 years ago today The signboard of The Dog and Pot hangs over the front door of the same-named tavern in Boston. Sign of The Dog and Pot tavern in Boston Inside, candles flicker in lanterns fixed to the walls. Scattered across heavy tables are tankards of ale, a tin plate or two, a carved wooden bowl, and half-filled bottles. The air smells of old … [Read more...]
Wave Two–From 2020 To 1918: September 21
September 21, 2020 by
Now And Today, September 21, 2020 A thread woven into threads. A fiber woven into fibers. A strand woven into strands. So many strands and fibers and threads that you can't tell one from another or this thousand from that thousand. They're a tangled mess. Your time and energy are nearly impossible to allocate into a tangled mess. You know you're expected to do something, yet you have no way … [Read more...]
Learning From The 1918 Influenza Pandemic: Day 77
May 27, 2020 by
San Francisco family, before and after the siren A siren has a sound all its own. It fills, pierces, and overwhelms all at once. The sound enters your ears and holds in place beside your brain. Open your mouth and it will enter there, too. Your nose is next. Hear it? A siren cannot be escaped until the sound starts its steady winding-down. Less. Fading. Stopped. Silent. Now … [Read more...]
Learning From The 1918 Influenza Pandemic: Day 39
April 20, 2020 by
Mail carrier In New York City, on the 39th day since the outbreak at Fort Devens, Massachusetts, begins October 16, 1918. A mail carrier walks down the street with a mask on his face. An office worker sits at her desk, typing a letter and wearing a mask on her face. Across the city, if the reports are accurate, more than 400 people die today of influenza or a related illness. And the hard … [Read more...]
Learning From The 1918 Influenza Pandemic: Day 26
April 7, 2020 by
Telegraph machine, a better Twitter This guy has the perfect name for Day 26, that's for sure. Dr. Benjamin Franklin Royer sits in his office in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The sign on his desk reads: "Pennsylvania State Health Commissioner." During a fast-flowing 26th Day of influenza, Dr. Royer directs his assistant to type a message. In a few minutes the message will be converted into a … [Read more...]
Learning From The 1918 Influenza Pandemic: Day 24
April 5, 2020 by
American flag, 1918 500 young men raise their hands and look up into the sky. Their focus is a flagpole standing in the center of the young men. Atop the pole is the 48-star American flag. An Army officer and a Union College official read aloud, in full speaking voice, the words from of a sheet of paper. At this ceremony in Schenectady, New York, the incoming class of Students' Army Training … [Read more...]
Learning From The 1918 Influenza Pandemic: Day 22
April 3, 2020 by
The first influenza case arrives at Camp Custer, Battle Creek, Michigan on Day 22 Do you know that thing you're doing? That sacrifice and extra effort? Well, you better get yourself ready to do more. Today, Day 22, September 29, 1918, doing more than expected is how life goes. At Fort Devens, Massachusetts the medical facility was meant for 1200 patients. No longer—6000 sick men were there. … [Read more...]
Learning From The 1918 Influenza Pandemic: Day 17
March 29, 2020 by
September 24, 1918 Camp Dix, New Jersey, the shadows of a sunny day Warm and sunny, one of those great fall days. You're in line. One by one, they line up. You're stepping forward, a few feet at a time. You normally train for war but today, you're doing something else. Into the wooden shed you go. They hand you a cup of warm, salted water. They bark at you: go outside, tilt your head back, … [Read more...]
Learning From The 1918 Influenza Pandemic: Day 10
March 22, 2020 by
From Boston, 1918 Among the vast reality of Day 10 come these two moments on the same day from nearly the same place in Massachusetts. In Cambridge, Massachusetts a telegraph operator tapped out a message. Seconds later, the transmission sped like a flash to South Dakota where another telegraph operator recorded the signals and wrote a note. Within an hour or so, Mrs. Arthur Neilson of Hot … [Read more...]
