Monday, December 10, 2018
Odd Occurrences at the Old City Jail
Strange happenings and unusual phenomenon all captured on image in my new blog post!
Sunday, December 9, 2018
Kizoa "Kreation": Old City Jail Tour
I have been using the fun and free Kizoa slideshow platform for several years. This is the first time I put together a project using Kizoa's phone app. I liked it once I figured it out. I would have liked to lengthen some shots- that's one part I didn't figure out. Maybe it's not possible.
This is a short video, just 45 seconds, from our recent tour of Charleston's eerie Old City Jail that dates way back to 1802.
We had a great tour on Dec. 3 with Glenn McKenzie from Bulldog Tours.
This is a short video, just 45 seconds, from our recent tour of Charleston's eerie Old City Jail that dates way back to 1802.
Saturday, December 8, 2018
The Stories of Prisoners
Click here to take a walk with me through one of Charlestons most haunted attractions.
Thursday, December 6, 2018
Wednesday, December 5, 2018
Ghost Tours, Jails, Female Serial Killers, OH MY!
Hey bloggers! Check out my latest blog post about my latest excursion the haunted Old City Jail of Charleston, SC. Get ready to be spooked!
Monday, December 3, 2018
Kevin's Old Charlestonian
Hey friends, check out my latest blog post on the history of Dr. Edward Henry Strobel. Thank you!
My Old Charlestonian
Click here to see yet another old Charlestonian, this one with a more personal connection.
James Adger Smyth: College of Charleston Graduate and Mayor
Check out my blog post on James Adger Smyth, an important figure in Charleston history!
Edward Henry Strobel - The Most Interesting Fella in the World
Salutations ghosts n' grave guys! Check out my blog post on this prolific figure from the Charleston area.
Charleston Star!
Hey everyone! Come check out my Old Charlestonian post! https://awalkwithdeath.blogspot.com/?m=1
My Old Charlestonian
Click here to go straight to my blog!! All about John Bennett and his wonderful life!
Old people? In MY Charleston? The truth may be more surprising than you think
My post for my Old Charlestonian is ready, click here to see more!
Sunday, December 2, 2018
Old Charlestonian
Augustine Thomas Smyth Was born on August 22 1918 and died may 12 1991. The Epitaph on his grave says"For him honesty was the nutrient which gave him the rare strength to be right with God, to be right with himself, to be right with his family and to be true to his fellows." This is from the letters of saint Paul to the romans. He is not buried in a family plot but he is buried along side his wife and her name is Nancy Conner Smyth. There is a butterfly on his grave which symbolizes resurrection. And there is also a eagle which symbolize hope and strength. And it is in a cemetery. He was buried at Second Presbyterian Church. It was hard to find a lot about him but he is in the Harvard law book. His named is highlighted.
This is his grave. It is a head stone with 2 symbols on it. One is an eagle which stands for strength and the other one is a butterfly which stands for resurrection. This is a the second Presbyterian church.
Saturday, December 1, 2018
Sunday, November 25, 2018
Extra Credit Opportunity: Kizoa End of Semester Slideshow
This is optional but if you would like to earn extra credit points I encourage to do this project. Create a semester in review slideshow using the free Kizoa platform. Embed on your blog so it looks like this. If you choose to do a Kizoa slideshow you must let me know that you have posted it by Dec. 12. Final grades are due Dec. 14.
Magnolia Birds
Previous semester Kizoa examples:
Caitey Ronan, Spring 2018
Maddie Cybulski, Spring 2018
Thomas Greene, Spring 2018
Marina Craig, Spring 2018
Magnolia Birds
Previous semester Kizoa examples:
Caitey Ronan, Spring 2018
Maddie Cybulski, Spring 2018
Thomas Greene, Spring 2018
Marina Craig, Spring 2018
Saturday, November 24, 2018
Confederacy Legacy: Charleston and Magnolia Cemetery (Prezi)
Many important things happened in Charleston leading up to and in the early part of the Civil War.
Click here in unable to view this Prezi.
Click here in unable to view this Prezi.
Friday, November 23, 2018
Sunday's Enlightening (and Exercising) Excursion!
My students and I crisscrossed the peninsula on Sunday, Nov. 19 to visit two of Charleston's oldest church graveyards located at Second Presbyterian Church on Meeting Street and Unitarian Church on Archdale.
As a bonus, we got to see the inside of the Unitarian Church as it was open for tours. Read more about the successful outing here on my BirdsEyeViews blog.
Here are approaches I have shared with the students about conducting research on "Old Charlestonians" interred at graveyards like the ones we visited on this day.
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| The class has 22 students- here are the "Nifty Nine" who took part in the outing |
Here are approaches I have shared with the students about conducting research on "Old Charlestonians" interred at graveyards like the ones we visited on this day.
Monday, November 19, 2018
Decrepit Charlestonian
Welcome, fellow blog viewer! Click here to get a little sneak peak at my Old Charlestonian blog!
Kevin's Epic Epitaphs
Hey bloggers! If you are interested in Victorian graveyard epitaphs in Charleston, SC make sure to check out my latest blog post. Thank you!
Epitaphs Older Than Taft
Come and see my documentation regarding several epitaphs from the Unitarian and Second Presbyterian Church graveyards!
Epitaph Exploration - A Trip to Unitarian and Second Presbyterian Graveyards
Check out my awesome blog post about these awesome epitaphs in these awesome graveyards in this awesome city for our awesome class!
Sunday, November 18, 2018
Funeral and Religious Practices Around the World and in the United States
We will review more funeral customs from around the world, past and present. This YouTube video looks at several, which helps illustrate how very different such practices can be.
Tibetan sky burial
(Images found on the Internet)
In America, different religions have specific customs and practices regarding funerals and disposition of the dead through burials, cremations, etc. This article from a Wichita, Kansas newspaper compares and contrasts the most widely practiced U.S. religions.
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| Viking Ship Burning Funeral |
Tibetan sky burial
(Images found on the Internet)
In America, different religions have specific customs and practices regarding funerals and disposition of the dead through burials, cremations, etc. This article from a Wichita, Kansas newspaper compares and contrasts the most widely practiced U.S. religions.
Saturday, November 17, 2018
Victorian Splendor/Victorian Tragedy
Please click here if you are unable to view this Prezi presentation.
This presentation looks at the high death rate, especially among infants and children, in the 18th and 19th centuries, which is well represented in the old cemeteries and graveyards in Charleston.
This presentation looks at the high death rate, especially among infants and children, in the 18th and 19th centuries, which is well represented in the old cemeteries and graveyards in Charleston.
Monday, November 12, 2018
Irish Bloodline
This post is about my 6th great-grandfather, James Linn, who had a life full of history.
Bailey Adams Ancestor Presentation
Hi this is my ancestor project! I decided to uncover all about my great-grandma Christine Brewer. The link is here
Poppy in the Penitentiary: a look into an unfair imprisonment
The STEPS To A Hero
My Great Grandfather grew up in the same place as me, but lead a completely different life. Click Here to read about him!
Family History and Treason
Click Here to check out the life of John C. Sutton as well as an interesting story about my treacherous 7th-great-uncle!
Antonio Millo: A Simple Man with a Big Heart
Hey bloggers! My name is Kevin and I would like to invite you all to come check out my newest blog post where I talked about my great-grandfather, Antonio Millo.
My great-grandfather died when I was eleven years old and I barely knew him.
I remember going to visit him in NJ when I was little and I remember just how much of a sweet old man he was.
Antonio was a very simple man, who worked as a doorman in Manhattan for most of his life.
He was very healthy and always watched what he ate, which is why he lived to be 92.
In order to find details about him, I used ancestry.com and I also talked to my mother Michelle and grandmother Nicoletta to find details about his life.
I was surprised to find out that he was born in Naples, Italy and came to America through Ellis Island when he was 8 years old.
I also found out that before he truly retired, he worked in his 80's as a golf-cart driver in Las Vegas airports.
Antonio died in 2011 from pneumonia from a heart condition called A-FIB. He is buried in St. Raymond's Cemetery in the Bronx, and shares a headstone with his ex-wife Irene.
If you are interested in reading more about this wonderful man, make sure to check out my blog post!
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| Antonio on his 92nd Birthday- the year he died. |
I remember going to visit him in NJ when I was little and I remember just how much of a sweet old man he was.
Antonio was a very simple man, who worked as a doorman in Manhattan for most of his life.
He was very healthy and always watched what he ate, which is why he lived to be 92.
In order to find details about him, I used ancestry.com and I also talked to my mother Michelle and grandmother Nicoletta to find details about his life.
I was surprised to find out that he was born in Naples, Italy and came to America through Ellis Island when he was 8 years old.
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| Ellis Island Naturalization Papers |
I also found out that before he truly retired, he worked in his 80's as a golf-cart driver in Las Vegas airports.
Antonio died in 2011 from pneumonia from a heart condition called A-FIB. He is buried in St. Raymond's Cemetery in the Bronx, and shares a headstone with his ex-wife Irene.
If you are interested in reading more about this wonderful man, make sure to check out my blog post!
A Life Worth Living
Hi guys! Check out some of my content, including my Magnolia Cemetery post & ancestor research!
Sunday, November 11, 2018
Ancestor Blog Post
Hello everyone! Come see the blog post all about my adventurous ancestor William McHale!
Graveyard Visits: Sunday, November 18
On Sunday, Nov. 18 at 11 a.m. we will have a class outing. We will visit two old Charleston church graveyards: Second Presbyterian Church, 342 Meeting St. and Unitarian Church of Charleston, 4 Archdale St.
The purpose of this field trip is threefold:
1. To identify an "Old Charlestonian" to research and write about for this assignment and presentation. Unless you have already found someone from one of our previous graveyard/cemetery visits, then you must pick someone from one of these two graveyards.
2. Take photographs and document "Epic Epitaphs" for this blog post assignment. The task is to find, photograph and detail at least six graves that have, to you, interesting, touching, unusual or meaningful epitaph inscriptions. For this post, you must have some from each graveyard visited on this date. Along with photos and transcriptions of the epitaphs, include their origins (Bible, poetry, literature, songs, etc) and the name(s) of people interred and when they lived and died. Include the type of grave marker also.
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| Second Presbyterian Church Graveyard |
1. To identify an "Old Charlestonian" to research and write about for this assignment and presentation. Unless you have already found someone from one of our previous graveyard/cemetery visits, then you must pick someone from one of these two graveyards.
2. Take photographs and document "Epic Epitaphs" for this blog post assignment. The task is to find, photograph and detail at least six graves that have, to you, interesting, touching, unusual or meaningful epitaph inscriptions. For this post, you must have some from each graveyard visited on this date. Along with photos and transcriptions of the epitaphs, include their origins (Bible, poetry, literature, songs, etc) and the name(s) of people interred and when they lived and died. Include the type of grave marker also.
Tuesday, November 6, 2018
Visiting a Cemetery at Twilight
Hi Everyone! Come see my blog post all about my visit to the scenic Magnolia Cemetery!
Tales of the Magnolia Cemetery
Hey bloggers! Check out my blog where I talk about my incredible experience touring the Magnolia Cemetery in Charleston, SC with my Beyond the Grave class. Thank you!
Monday, November 5, 2018
At Deaths Door
Magnolia Cemetery is absolutely astounding!!! Go to my blog and check out what I have to say about my experience there.
A trip to Magnolia
Magnolia cemetery was a memorable trip, check out my blog post to hear more about my experience!
Magnolia Cemetery: a True Garden of Graves
Recently went to Magnolia Cemetery. Had a wonderful time! Check out my blog post to see more!
Wild World at Magnolia Cemetery
See my blog for my insight on the wonderful Magnolia Cemetery!https://thespookytimes.blogspot.com/
Miraculously Beautiful Magnolia
Last Monday, my classmates and I took a cab trip out to Magnolia Cemetery. We had a fabulous time checking out all of the cool headstones and monuments this place had! It was really easy to write my blog post about this cemetery since it had so much to offer. Go check out my blog!
Thursday, November 1, 2018
Magnolia Cemetery Gives Students a New Perspective
Monday night we caravaned the 10-minute drive from campus to Magnolia Cemetery- a short trip but a very long step back in time.
I look forward to reading the students' blog posts. I hope they enjoyed seeing Magnolia Cemetery as much as I enjoyed showing it to them!
Students were able to see up close and personal many majestic, magnificent and artistic graveyard treasures going back as far as the 1850s. And back then they were all created by skilled artisans using only hammers and chisels, I remind the students.
If you've never been to Magnolia Cemetery, one of the nation's most beautiful and historic, get a taste of it by viewing my "Best of Magnolia Cemetery" video on YouTube.
If you've never been to Magnolia Cemetery, one of the nation's most beautiful and historic, get a taste of it by viewing my "Best of Magnolia Cemetery" video on YouTube.
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| Two days before Halloween and a few costumes in this class photo! |
I look forward to reading the students' blog posts. I hope they enjoyed seeing Magnolia Cemetery as much as I enjoyed showing it to them!
Sunday, October 28, 2018
Magnolia Cemetery Halloween (almost) Visit Set
Tomorrow our class visits Magnolia Cemetery! What adventures await us? Hopefully nothing too ghoulish!
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| I felt I was being watched yesterday at Magnolia Cemetery! I was being watched! |
Monday, October 15, 2018
My spirits were high at Bethel UMC
Bethel United Methodist Church (UMC) has been a part of Charleston since 1797 and lasted through natural disasters and human created disasters, such as the civil war. It first opened as a "wooden shack" uniting both whites and blacks. This little building is known as Old Bethel today and it was donated to the black congregation in 1876 as the whites had plans for a larger sanctuary. Today Bethel and Old Bethel work together to keep the Christian faith going. Bethel was the only Methodist Church that was open during the civil war. It has undergone several renovations through the years but Bethel UMC is the oldest Methodist Church in Charleston and is also pinned as a National Historic Landmark.
Sunday, October 14, 2018
Digging Into Your Own Family's Roots
One of the favorite assignments my "Beyond the Grave" students undertake is to research one of their own ancestors. The relative must be a distant one, a great-grandparent or older- cannot be anyone living.
This, after all, is a class about cemeteries!
I see the project as a good one that can help the young people in the class learn more about their own heritage and connections with the past. The task involves talking with parents and/or grandparents to see who might be a good subject for this project. Other research can involve digging into old family albums and other documents, going to local libraries, historical societies and cemeteries, perhaps.
Online resources such as ancestry.com, familysearch.org, and findagrave can also be tapped. The last two sites are free. The Charleston County Public Library on Calhoun Street has free access to ancestry.com.
The students will present their findings to the class, which is another beneficial part of the assignment, I feel.
I have been very impressed with some of the memorable reports students have given and written about their ancestors. They have included a Union Civil War general, an FBI agent who hunted down gangsters in the 1930s, a "Calamity Jane" type American Wild West woman, an immigrant who began a successful chain of pizza restaurants, and a member of the ill-fated Titanic crew.
To give current students an idea of what I'm looking for with this project, I am attaching links to a few past ancestor blog posts.
Kristina Broome, Spring 2018
Bri Ingram, Spring 2017
Rei Maloy, Spring 2018
Becker West, Fall 2018
Mr. Harwood's research on his grandfather
Each of these students received an A for this ancestor research blog post and presentation. So current students can look at these stories for guidance and maybe some inspiration.
This, after all, is a class about cemeteries!
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| Kristina Broome's Great-Grandfather |
Online resources such as ancestry.com, familysearch.org, and findagrave can also be tapped. The last two sites are free. The Charleston County Public Library on Calhoun Street has free access to ancestry.com.
The students will present their findings to the class, which is another beneficial part of the assignment, I feel.
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| Bri Ingram's Great Great Grandmother |
To give current students an idea of what I'm looking for with this project, I am attaching links to a few past ancestor blog posts.
Kristina Broome, Spring 2018
Bri Ingram, Spring 2017
Rei Maloy, Spring 2018
Becker West, Fall 2018
Mr. Harwood's research on his grandfather
Each of these students received an A for this ancestor research blog post and presentation. So current students can look at these stories for guidance and maybe some inspiration.
Friday, October 12, 2018
Bethel Church Visit- Rainy But Righteous!
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| Church administrator Sue Bennett greets the class |
We needed the protection as off and on rain fell during our Oct. 8 visit.
Sunday, October 7, 2018
Midterm Exam Study Guide Link
Click here to see the PDF file of the Midterm Exam Study Guide.
For a tutorial on how to post PDF files to Blogger, see this YouTube video. The steps involve uploading the paper/PDF to Google Drive, then shows how to embed it to Blogger using the HTML setting. But for whatever reason, the "embed" feature in Google Docs wasn't showing, so I had to use a link as you see above.
For a tutorial on how to post PDF files to Blogger, see this YouTube video. The steps involve uploading the paper/PDF to Google Drive, then shows how to embed it to Blogger using the HTML setting. But for whatever reason, the "embed" feature in Google Docs wasn't showing, so I had to use a link as you see above.
Monday, October 1, 2018
Fun Filled Graveyard Visit!
Our recent class visit to the old graveyard at Cathedral Church of St. Luke and St. Paul did not go unnoticed by some of the regular residents, it would seem!
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| Kizoa's Halloween special effects category was perfect for this image |
Sunday, September 30, 2018
Charleston’s Rich Religious Influences
In 1663, England's King Charles II would appoint Lord Anthony Ashley Cooper as the Lord Proprietor of the vast Province of Carolina in North America.
Ashley Cooper, interestingly, would never come to or visit the Carolinas, but from afar in England, he would do a masterful job of marketing the area to those seeking a fresh start in the New World.
Among the incentives was freedom of religion. Ashley Cooper's "Promises of Religious Freedom from Fundamental Orders for Carolina" in 1669, which Charleston author and historian Ruth Miller has shared with my "Beyond the Grave" students, even gave religious freedom and freedom from religious-based harrassment to African slaves and "heathens, Jues, and other disenters from the purity of Christian religion."
Ashley Cooper, interestingly, would never come to or visit the Carolinas, but from afar in England, he would do a masterful job of marketing the area to those seeking a fresh start in the New World.
Among the incentives was freedom of religion. Ashley Cooper's "Promises of Religious Freedom from Fundamental Orders for Carolina" in 1669, which Charleston author and historian Ruth Miller has shared with my "Beyond the Grave" students, even gave religious freedom and freedom from religious-based harrassment to African slaves and "heathens, Jues, and other disenters from the purity of Christian religion."
Sunday, September 9, 2018
Grave Marker Types Review
We will review the various types of grave markers prior to our visit tonight to two nearby church graveyards. Click here if you are unable to play the Prezi below.
Monday, September 3, 2018
Student Blog Names and Addresses
Please type in your name, your blog name and its address as follows:
Bailey Adams Gothic Gal gothicgalsc.blogspot.com
Olivia Asmar Beyond the Grave: Charleston, South Carolina asmaroj.blogspot.com
Anna Buko Vapor Graves vaporgraves.blogspot.com
Caileigh Burnett Stone Magnolias stonemagnolias.blogspot.com
Landon Choboy Beyond the Grave with Landon landonchoboy.blogspot.com
Molly Connelly Molly Above The Grave Mollyabovethegrave.blogspot.com
Alexis Des Marais Alexis' Cemetery Stories alexiscemeterystories.blogspot.com
Alexandra Dougherty The World Underneath theworldunderneath123.blogspot.com
Joseph Tyler Dunn I See Dead People: Magnolia icdedpl.blogspot.com
Amani Dunston The Thunder From Down Under beyondthegravewithamani.blogspot.com
Max Hildreth Max's Beyond the Grave Tour maxhildreth.blogspot.com
Ben Kelehear A Walk With Death awalkwithdeath.blogspot.com
Declan McCormack Declan Was Here declanwashere.blogspot.com
Kevin Myhre Kevin's Blog myhrekabeyondthegrave.blogspot.com
Becker West Beyond The Grave With Becker beyondthegravewithbecker.blogspot.com
Bailey Adams Gothic Gal gothicgalsc.blogspot.com
Olivia Asmar Beyond the Grave: Charleston, South Carolina asmaroj.blogspot.com
Anna Buko Vapor Graves vaporgraves.blogspot.com
Caileigh Burnett Stone Magnolias stonemagnolias.blogspot.com
Landon Choboy Beyond the Grave with Landon landonchoboy.blogspot.com
Molly Connelly Molly Above The Grave Mollyabovethegrave.blogspot.com
Alexis Des Marais Alexis' Cemetery Stories alexiscemeterystories.blogspot.com
Alexandra Dougherty The World Underneath theworldunderneath123.blogspot.com
Joseph Tyler Dunn I See Dead People: Magnolia icdedpl.blogspot.com
Amani Dunston The Thunder From Down Under beyondthegravewithamani.blogspot.com
Chels Hagan Grave Circumstances Are Upon Us undergravecircumstances.blogspot.com
Reece Hammond The Spooky Times thespookytimes.blogspot.comMax Hildreth Max's Beyond the Grave Tour maxhildreth.blogspot.com
Ben Kelehear A Walk With Death awalkwithdeath.blogspot.com
Declan McCormack Declan Was Here declanwashere.blogspot.com
Kevin Myhre Kevin's Blog myhrekabeyondthegrave.blogspot.com
Cameron Sheffield Chucktown's Permanent chucktownpermanent.blogspot.com
Drayton Siegling Beyond the grave with Drayton draytonsiegling.blogspot.com
Tanner Steffy beyond the grave with tanner beyondthegravewithtanner.blogspot.com
Jack Sutton Ghosts N' Graves Guy ghostsngravesguy.blogspot.com
Mary Katherine Waters Beyond The Grave mk-beyondthegrave.blogspot.comBecker West Beyond The Grave With Becker beyondthegravewithbecker.blogspot.com
Sunday, September 2, 2018
Types of Grave Markers (Prezi)
These are gravemarkers very common to Charleston's old graveyards and cemeteries. If unable to view this Prezi presentation, click here.
Saturday, September 1, 2018
Quick Field Guide to Marker Types
This shows most of the types of markers that can be found at older Charleston area graveyards and cemeteries. Source: Chicora Foundation
This is an interesting link within the Chicora Foundation's Cemetery Research report.
Tuesday, August 28, 2018
Welcome to College!!!
Tonight is the first meeting of my new First Year Experience class at the College of Charleston. With 22 students enrolled, this is my largest FYE class ever!
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| We are fortunate to have a very nice classroom
The students come from many different states. Eleven do come from South Carolina. Other students are from North Carolina, Georgia, Kentucky, Massachusetts, New York and California.
Five of the freshmen are student-athletes. Their sports are baseball, softball, equestrian, sailing, and crew.
I'm looking forward to seeing the students new blogs that they are creating for this class. And their first blog posts are due next week. So we'll see what they have to say about their lives so far in college!
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Sunday, August 26, 2018
"Beyond the Grave" Course Introduction (Prezi)
This is a brief overview of the subject matter to be covered in this FYE course. Click here if unable to the Prezi presentation below.
Tuesday, August 14, 2018
Grave Finding in the ACE Basin!
One of the highlights of my summer was to finally find a mysterious grave site in the woods down in the ACE Basin.
The graves are briefly mentioned in a tour guide of the Boynton Trail located within the vast Donnelley Wildlife Management Area, which from my house about 50 miles south of Charleston off Highway 17.
On my BirdsEyeViews blog I did a detailed post about this adventure. Click here to check it out!
The graves are briefly mentioned in a tour guide of the Boynton Trail located within the vast Donnelley Wildlife Management Area, which from my house about 50 miles south of Charleston off Highway 17.
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| The small grave site I found after much effort |
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| My well earned smile! |
On my BirdsEyeViews blog I did a detailed post about this adventure. Click here to check it out!
Wednesday, May 30, 2018
Bethel Church and Graveyard Tour with Sue Bennett
What a treat this past semester to meet Bethel United Methodist Church administrator Sue Bennett, who is also a longtime Charleston tour guide.
We had the pleasure of receiving a tour of Bethel and its older church across the street. I put together this Kizoa slideshow to highlight what she showed us. Thank you Sue Bennett!
We had the pleasure of receiving a tour of Bethel and its older church across the street. I put together this Kizoa slideshow to highlight what she showed us. Thank you Sue Bennett!
Monday, May 14, 2018
Dolphin "864" Sighting in Charleston's Harbor!
Tuesday, May 8, 2018
Semester Ends in Jail!
On our last day of class, Monday, April 23, we ended with a bang (or better yet a scream!) with a tour of Charleston's notorious Old City (or District) Jail.
See the full post I wrote on my BirdsEyeViews blog.
I hope this won't be the last time I'm able to take students there. Read my post linked above for the dubious news that the old jail may be turned into an office building. No!
See the full post I wrote on my BirdsEyeViews blog.
Monday, May 7, 2018
Thursday, May 3, 2018
Monday, April 30, 2018
Sunday, April 29, 2018
Friday, April 27, 2018
Thursday, April 26, 2018
Wednesday, April 25, 2018
The Best from Beyond the Grave
If you wanna see the semester in review, click here to find the link to my youtube video on my blog post!!
Tuesday, April 24, 2018
End of Semester Video!
This is my end of the semester video, here! The quality, in the beginning, is not great because I had to save the pictures back to my computer, but throughout the video, it gets better.
Monday, April 23, 2018
Friday, April 20, 2018
Tuesday, April 17, 2018
Monday, April 16, 2018
Kizoa Slideshow Demo: Bethel UMC Tour
Tonight I briefly introduced the class to Kizoa, a fun and easy to use platform for producing slideshows. I have asked the students to create a semester-in-review video and suggested Kizoa as a free and pretty easy way to make a high-quality visual project.
For this sample, I used photos I took in February when we visited nearby Bethel United Methodist Church where staff member Sue Bennett gave us a very interesting tour.
For this sample, I used photos I took in February when we visited nearby Bethel United Methodist Church where staff member Sue Bennett gave us a very interesting tour.
Edward Henry Strobel found at Unitarian Cemetery!
Have you ever been to Unitarian Church? If not, I advise you to go! Unitarian Church has been BY FAR my favorite church and cemetery I have ever visited. A few weekends ago I went to Unitarian Church which took my breath away (see picture to the below).
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| Unitarian Church |
It was a big, beautiful, yellow church and had an even more beautiful cemetery (see picture below). The cemetery is overgrown with wild flowers, bushes, and weeds growing over many tombstones, which made this cemetery unique from others I have visited.
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| Unitarian Cemetery |
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| Edward Henry Strobel's Obelisk Tombstone |
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| Front of Strobel's Obelisk |
After looking around for a little while, one obelisk tombstone really stood out, which was Edward Henry Strobel. On the front it said, “Sacred to the memory of Edward Henry Strobel, A.B. LL.B. LL.D. of Harvard University. Born in Charleston, S.C. December 7, 1855. Died in Bangkok Siam. January 15, 1908" (see picture above). Then, on the side of the obelisk it said, “He served his country as charge O’Affairs in Spain and as envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary to Ecuador and Chile. His college as Bemis professor of international law” (see picture below). After seeing the size of the obelisk and reading the messages on the base, I decided to research Edward Henry Strobel.
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| Side of Strobel's Obelisk |
After visiting this grave, I googled Edward Henry Strobel and learned that he was the Secretary of Legation of the United States to Spain until 1890 and wrote a book on the Spanish revolution. This caught my attention because my great grandparents left Spain and moved to Chile because of the Spanish inquisitions. Strobel was also the Third Assistant Secretary of State, Secretary of Legation, Minister Plenipotentiary (as said above), head of a special mission, sole arbitrator between two powers, Professor of Law at Harvard Law School, and the trusted adviser of a progressive oriental government. Wow!!! Strobel only lived until fifty-two years and accomplished so many admirable tasks!!
Other than Strobel’s accomplishments, he was born in Charleston from a family whose fortunes the civil war bore heavily. Strobel grew up in Charleston, went to preliminary school in Charleston, then went to Harvard, and graduated in 1877. In 1882 he took the bar exam to become a lawyer and passed. Then in 1884, Strobel participated in the presidential campaign where he wrote a pamphlet on Mr. Blaine (the Republican candidate in the 1884 election) and his foreign policy. The pamphlet seemed to have helped Cleveland win the election, considering he became president. After Cleveland won the election, he offered Strobel the post of Secretary of Legation at Madrid. Strobel accepted this position and worked in Spain for 5 years, where he worked as Charge d’Affaires for part of the time.
After working in Spain, in 1888 Strobel was sent on a special mission to Morocco. He spent two years in Morocco, moved back to the United States, and then in 1893 he was appointed the Third Assistant Secretary of State. In 1894 he became Minister to Ecuador and then also the Minister to Chile. From 1894-1905 Strobel traveled around the world working for the American Gorvment. In 1905 Strobel returned to the US after being poisoned in Egypt. Strobel suffered for fifteen months to fight off the poison. After he survived the poison, he returned to his work in Siam, Thailand, but Strobel never really fully recovered. He died three years later in Siam where he was greatly respected. Strobel entered relations with the Siamese Government knowing it was dangerous work, but took on the role as the General Adviser to the Siamese Government because he was a brave, highly respected man. I hope that one day I can accomplish a tenth of what Edward Henry Strobel had accomplished in his lifetime.
Sources Used:
https://www.thoughtco.com/the-election-of-1884-1773938
http://www.graveaddiction.com/unitarch.html
https://archive.org/stream/jstor-25130031/25130031_djvu.txt
https://www.jstor.org/stable/25130031?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents
Learn about CofC alum, Major Francis W. Capers!
For my old Charlestonian I have chosen Francis W. Capers. He is buried at Bethel United Methodist Church. Capers was born in 1819 to a Methodist Bishop and became a very prominent man along with his younger brother Ellison Capers. He was a Methodist just like his father and had six other siblings not including Ellison Capers. Records show he also had a half brother named Theodosus William Capers who died young. Francis Capers died in 1892 after leading a very full life and living to the age of 72.
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| Major Francis W. Capers |
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| General Ellison Capers |
As a young adult Capers studied at the College of Charleston and became a mathematics
professor there once he got his degree. Later on he served as the superintendent of the Citadel from 1843 to 1848 until he left to accept a job as the head of the Georgia Military Academy. It was during this time that the Civil War broke out and he became Brigadier General of the Georgia division of troops. He supervised the engineering efforts to protect the coast and fought in several battles before the war ended.
Following the war Capers once again taught at the College of Charleston and went on to become the President from 1880 to 1882 when he retired.
Capers' younger brother Ellison Capers led a very similar life. He graduated from the Citadel, became a professor at his alma mater, and became a Brigadier General in the Civil War. After the war he went back to South Carolina and held a government position along with being rector of Christ Church in Greenville.
Both of the Capers brothers had a passion for education and remained committed to the schools where they earned their degrees. In their honor a hall at the Citadel was christened Capers Hall.
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| Capers Hall at the Citadel |
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| Major Francis W. Capers' Grave |
I chose Capers because he lead a very full life and I admire his dedication to academics. To me he seems like a good person and I wish I could have met him.
Thanks for reading!
Sunday, April 15, 2018
Final Exam Study Guide- Test is Friday, April 27, 7:30 p.m.
There will be several elements to this test: terms/definitions, multiple choice, matching, lists, short answer and an essay. There will not be anything on this exam that is not included in this study guide.
10 Point Video Project: This is due at the start of the exam and should be posted on your blog and the class blog. If using Kizoa, slideshow must be properly embedded on your blog with appropriate set up writing, two/more links and label words. With iMovie and other platforms, be aware that if your project exceeds 100 MB, you cannot put directly onto Blogger- you’ll need to upload to YouTube first.
Ninety Point Final Exam Material To Study and Know:
Course Textbooks:
“In the Arms of Angels: Magnolia Cemetery- Charleston’s Treasure of History, Mystery and Artistry”
- Chapter 3, “Confederacy Legacy”- read about the six Confederate generals at Magnolia Cemetery on pages 98-109- be able to match their names with their significant contributions or distinctions in the war/battles (students did in-class handout on this)
- Chapter 4, “The Children of Magnolia Cemetery”- review the array of illnesses and diseases that claimed the lives of infants and children in the 19th century, and be familiar with some of the statistical data given in the beginning of this chapter indicating the high child death rates back then
- Chapter 6, “Epic Epitaphs”- know the origin of the word “epitaph” and the most common sources of epitaph wording (bible verses, poetry, songs, etc.)
- Chapter 9, “The Way It Was” (pages 192-200)- be able to list some buildings and other structures that Magnolia Cemetery once had that are no longer there
“Stories Told in Stone: Cemetery Iconology- A Manual for Genealogy Research”
- Pages 13-21, “Glossary of Historic Diseases”- know the name and description of the following 20 illnesses and diseases: atrophy, cholera, consumption, diphtheria, encephalitis, falling sickness, French pox, Grocer’s itch, horrors, infantile paralysis, meningitis, myelitis, palsy, paroxysm, scarletina, ship fever, smallpox, St. Vitus’s dance, stranger’s fever, thrombosis. Be able to match the disease with the description from this book.
- Pages 22-23, “Glossary of Major Epidemics/Pandemics”- South Carolina is mentioned only once on this list. Know the year and the disease.
Other Course Material:
- Review this Post and Courier article about Elizabeth Jackson
- Dr. George Dickinson talk information (linked here).
- Review also this previous Dickinson post
- "How Different Religions Bury Their Dead” (handout and link here)
- “Funeral Rituals Around the World” --Tibetan, Torajanese (Indonesia), Australian Aborigine, Scandinavian Vikings
- Prezi: “Magnolia Cemetery (and Charleston’s) Confederacy Legacy”- review facts, details and names given in this presentation; be able to list some of the things Charleston “contributed” to the start of the Civil War; review “The Truth About Sullivan’s Island” piece about its little known role in slavery and the slave trade; and review the article on the causes of secession
- Prezi: “Victorian Splendor/Victorian Tragedy”- Review data and diseases mentioned, the information about the Lincoln and Davis families, and how Dr. John Snow tamed cholera
Also, expect a question at the end asking your thoughts about “what old cemeteries tell and teach the living”- the idea behind this course.
Test Summary:
1. Semester in Review Video/Slideshow (remember to put on class blog): 10 points
2. Multiple Choice- 16 questions 32 points
3. Short Answer- 6 questions 12 points
4. Matching Diseases- 12 24 points
5. Matching Magnolia Cemetery Confederate Generals- 6 12 points
6. Short Essay- 1 10 points
100 points
Extra Credit Blog Posts: Will be accepted until Friday, May 4. After the exam date, you need to let me know if you do extra credit work so that I will look for it.
Final grades: Must be posted by noon on Monday, May 7.
Thank you for an excellent semester! Keep on bloggin’!
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