I had a wonderful opportunity tonight. I spent the evening at the County Council Meeting. Now you may say "that doesn't sound like fun." But it truly was...
Every year my boss (the visual arts facilitator) and his resource teacher choose work from the Columbia Mall Show to travel to other exhibits for the following year. The exhibits could be at one or any combination of the following: the State House, the Governor's Mansion, the State Board of Education, the HCPSS Central Offices, the MAEA (MD Art Education Association Conference) in the Fall, or the County Executive's Office, etc. This past year another stop was added, the Banneker Room at the George Howard Building, where the County Council meets. Some of the work that was pulled from last year's mall show was featured in the Banneker Room. It was a great night. There was a reception for kids that had their work featured. We had one 5th grade student from last year who had work on display. Although that student has moved on to middle school I still felt that I should be there. Unfortunately our student that was featured did not show, and to be quite honest, it wasn't well attended at all. That's truly a shame, because the members of the county counil really appreciated the work on display and went the extra mile to talk to kids and parents. In addition, every student that was featured, received their own individual county resolution. This is a big deal, something that I wish would've been available when I was in elementary school. And the attendance just wasn't an issue for parents or children, there weren't many teachers there at all either. As much as I was proud to be there, I truly felt bad because there wasn't as many people there as there should have been. In the future, when stuff like this takes place, PLEASE ATTEND!
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Just read the news that Carroll Shelby has died. For those of you that don't know, Shelby was a huge car designer, perhaps best known for for the GT Mustang in the '60's. Now I'm an art teacher, and that's my claim to fame (lol), but I great up as a normal boy into normal boy things. From my days in elementary school into high school even, two big things in my life were cars and comic books. Shocking, huh? Posters of Porsche 911's & 959's, Lamborghini Countach, Ferrari Testarossas, Shelby Cobras, and yes the Shelby GT 350 'stang, all graced my walls. It wasn't until high school that prints of Art Deco pieces, 1930's advertising, and Jackson Pollock, would arise to hang next to those car posters and comic book drawings. I always had that dream of owning a European sports car or classic American muscle car (kinda still have that dream in the back of my head). I actually saw a green GT 350 'stang for sale the summer of '10 in KY.
It's just a shame to see just another giant die. Recently it was Maurice Sendak that passed away. Before that it was Adam Yauch (MCA) of the Beastie Boys. It just seems like more and more my childhood is slipping away. Maybe that's the way it's destined to be, but I won't go down without a fight. I guess that's one of the reasons I teach elementary school. It's a way of still keeping a hand clenching to my youth. (It does have a tendency to keep a person young, I tell ya!) We can never stop the hands of time, but recently I feel like those hands are smacking me upside the head! Maurice Sendak died today. I'm fairly certain I can say that name, and everyone knows who that is. In case you didn't, he wrote and illustrated Where the Wild Things Are, amongst many other books. I remember my elementary school media specialist, Mrs. Webb, reading that book to us. I think it was first grade. And I also remember my first grade teacher, Mrs. French, reading that book aloud as well. I remember how animated they would get reading that book. I also remembering as a child, wondering what the heck a "rumpus" was. Oh well, I digress. It's just hard to say goodbye to a part of your childhood period. I think it takes away that innocence, that "jois de vivre" if you will. Just a sad day indeed. Shall we all go to bed without our supper this evening, and let our imaginations fly...
Well, in addition to heading to Santa Fe, NM this summer for my class on the Pueblo Indians, I'll also be heading to L.A. I have a great friend of mine that I'll be visiting right after my class is over. I've known her since 6th grade, and she's very much like a sister to me. I can't wait to visit California for the first time. So much to do and see, and I get to do it with a great friend.
Adam Yauch, MCA of the Beastie Boys died today. I can't help being a little melancholy about this. I tease my Dad when he gets upset about jazz musicians from his youth and adulthood dying. He always wants a copy of the obits from the NY and LA Times newspapers. However, I think I understand it a little more. I was never a huge fan of the Beastie Boys, but I was a fan. I didn't much care for their first album, Licensed to Ill, but was very much a great fan of the albums Paul's Boutique and albums after that. Yauch was only 47, only ten years older than me. However, what's scarier, is that this is a musician of my generation. One that I saw rise to stardom, and become a champion of equal rights throughout the world. Anyone can say what they want about the music, if you liked it or not, etc. But this guy was a humanitarian, and that is something the world could use a little more of...
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B.D.SchmittHusband, Father, Archives
November 2015
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