Sunday, April 30, 2017
Saturday, April 29, 2017
Old City Jail Had Me Shook
Click here to read about my spooky experience at Charleston's Old City Jail!
Friday, April 28, 2017
A Spooky Semester: iMovie Semester Recap
Click here to see my semester recap video of my time in Beyond the Grave!
Wednesday, April 26, 2017
Monday, April 24, 2017
Sunday, April 23, 2017
Final Exam Study Guide- Test is Monday, May 1, 7:30 p.m.
This guide is posted on the class blog (charlestonbeyondthegrave.blogspot.com)
in the top right corner “gadget” spot. This online version will have links to
the material you need to study for the test.
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.
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.
20
Point Video Project: This is due by (at the latest!), Monday, May 8 (final grades are due May 9 by noon) and
should be posted on your blog and the class blog. Produce a slideshow "semester in review" piece using the Kizoa or iMovie platforms. Have at least 20 images. Use text information to tell a story and apply music as a background element. An excellent free music site is incompetech.com.
If using Kizoa, embed it into your blog post after appropriate set up writing, links, label words, etc. With iMovie be aware that if your projects exceeds 100 MB, you'll have to upload it to YouTube first, then post to your blog from there.
80 Point Final Exam Test Material to Study:
I. Textbooks: “In the Arms of Angels: Magnolia Cemetery-
Charleston’s Treasure of History, Mystery and Artistry”
- Chapter 3, “Confederacy Legacy”- read about the six CSA generals at Magnolia Cemetery on pages 98-109- be able to match their names with their significant contributions or distinctions in the war/battles
- 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 at 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.)
“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: bad blood, brain fever, Bronze John, cerebritis, cholera, consumption, diphtheria, encephalitis, falling sickness, French pox, Grocer’s itch, infantile paralysis, lung fever, meningitis, myelitis, palsy, paroxysm, scarletina, smallpox, thrombosis. Be able to match the disease with the description from this book.
- Pages 22-23, “Glossary of Major Epidemics/Pandemics”- be able to recognize the names of the most common epidemics listed and be able to list some of the diseases. South Carolina is on this list. Name the year and disease.
II. Other Test Material:
- How Different Religions Bury Their Dead” (handout and link here): what are distinguishing customs/rites from each religion?
- Funeral Rituals Around the World” Tibet, Indonesia Torajanese, Australian Aborigine, Scandinavian Vikings: distinguishing characteristics of each
- Dr. George Dickinson blog post (Mr. Harwood’s post): Review carefully the bullet-pointed information at end of this post (different death euphemisms, for example)
- “Longevity Throughout History: How Has Human Life Expectancy Changed Over Time-:what was the average length different peoples lived in prehistoric and ancient times? What factors contributed to longer life expetancy?
- The Truth About Sullivan’s Island and Slavery: little known facts about the role what is today a resort and upscale residential community had during the slave trade era
- Cholera Outbreak”- History Channel video: What is cholera? What was the breakthrough that helped stem the outbreaks and epidemics? And where did this take place?
- Prezi: Charleston and Magnolia Cemetery's Confederacy Legacy: Be able to list three things Charleston "contributed" to the Civil War, historically. Also, review the data given on Magnolia Cemetery's Confederacy connections/legacy.
- Prezi: Victorian Splendor/Victorian Tragedy: Review data and disease types and descriptions given here; also the information about the Lincoln and Davis families
- FindaGrave's "Interesting Epitaphs" link: Be able to list three humorous, pointed, poignant and/or unusual epitaphs from this list.
III. Essay: This may be about what you have learned and may take away (knowledge-wise) from this class. The essay question at the end of the test will deal with this.
Extra Credit Note: Extra credit blog posts will be accepted until Monday, May 8, 5 p.m. You must let me know if you do any extra credit posts, so that I will know to look for them. Also, the blogs with the three most page views will receive extra credit points on the final exam!
Thank you for an excellent semester! Keep on bloggin'!
Wednesday, April 19, 2017
Tuesday, April 18, 2017
Monday, April 17, 2017
Epic Epitaphs Across the Peninsula
Click HERE to see some awesome epitaphs across the Charleston Peninsula!
Sunday, April 16, 2017
Monday, April 10, 2017
A Founding Father
Click here to learn about a founding father that was laid to rest in Charleston SC
Langdon Cheves: American Politician, Lawyer, & Businessman
To see my "Old Charlestonian" blog post on Langdon Cheves, click here!
The Life and Times of Ebenezer Thayer
Click here to find out more about the life of Ebenezer Thayer!
Old Charlestonian: William Ashmead Courtenay
Click Here to learn about the life of the 46th Mayor of Charleston
Exploring the Life of an Old Charlestonian
Click here to view my post on General Francis Withers Capers
George Washington's Biggest Fan
Click here to learn about Edward Rutledge, Washington's biggest fan.
A Side to Charleston You Never Knew!
Come check out my post on Solomon Legare and see what cool things happened back in Charleston 200 years ago!
Sanctity of Life or Quality of Life- Where Do You Stand?
At the polls last fall, Colorado voters approved Physician Assisted Suicide (PAS), joining five other states and Washington D.C. in legalizing what some call "active" euthanasia.
According to Wikipedia, PAS is often confused with euthanasia (sometimes referred to as "mercy killing") in that euthanasia involves a physician administering the means of death, usually a lethal drug. In PAS, the patient self-administers the means of death.
Euthanasia is not legal in the United States, nor in most countries. "Passive" euthanasia, taking a loved one off life support systems, is legal in all 50 American states, according to College of Charleston sociology professor Dr. George Dickinson
An international expert on the study of death, dying and other "end of life" issues, Dickinson says in coming years he can envision more states approving Physician Assisted Suicide.
"It comes down to sanctity of life versus quality of life," Dickinson told CofC students on April 3. Speaking to Patrick Harwood's First Year Experience course "Beyond the Grave: What Old Cemeteries Tell and Teaching the Living," Dickinson said sanctity of life supporters oppose any type of assisted death because to them, "God has given me this body, who am I to destroy it?"
Those who support the quality of life position say those suffering incurable, painful diseases and illnesses should have a "get me out of this" alternative, as Dickinson put it.
Along with Colorado other states that in recent years approved PAS are California, Oregon, Washington, Montana and Vermont. Last fall, Minnesota lawmakers dropped a bill to introduce PAS in their state after impassioned hearings on both sides of the controversial issue. In 2012, Massachusetts voters rejected a "death with dignity" proposal by 51-to-49 percent.
Is PAS a blue state, red state issue? Perhaps, Dickinson said. "Different cultures deal with death differently," he said. "African-Americans, for example, tend toward a sanctity of life philosophy."
Dickinson said he became interested in studying end of life issues in the 1970s after asking a third year medical student at the University of Minnesota, "How's your death and dying course? I nearly fell out of my chair when he said he hasn't taken one."
A 1976 inquiry to America's then 113 medical schools by Dickinson found that only seven offered a death and dying course. Thanks to the advocacy by Dickinson and others, today's 136 U.S. medical schools offer at least something on death and dying.
Among other noteworthy topics discussed by Dickinson in the presentation he titled "The American Way of Death":
According to Wikipedia, PAS is often confused with euthanasia (sometimes referred to as "mercy killing") in that euthanasia involves a physician administering the means of death, usually a lethal drug. In PAS, the patient self-administers the means of death.
 |
| Dr. George Dickinson (left) and Patrick Harwood Photo by Bridgette Johnson |
An international expert on the study of death, dying and other "end of life" issues, Dickinson says in coming years he can envision more states approving Physician Assisted Suicide.
"It comes down to sanctity of life versus quality of life," Dickinson told CofC students on April 3. Speaking to Patrick Harwood's First Year Experience course "Beyond the Grave: What Old Cemeteries Tell and Teaching the Living," Dickinson said sanctity of life supporters oppose any type of assisted death because to them, "God has given me this body, who am I to destroy it?"
Those who support the quality of life position say those suffering incurable, painful diseases and illnesses should have a "get me out of this" alternative, as Dickinson put it.
Along with Colorado other states that in recent years approved PAS are California, Oregon, Washington, Montana and Vermont. Last fall, Minnesota lawmakers dropped a bill to introduce PAS in their state after impassioned hearings on both sides of the controversial issue. In 2012, Massachusetts voters rejected a "death with dignity" proposal by 51-to-49 percent.
Is PAS a blue state, red state issue? Perhaps, Dickinson said. "Different cultures deal with death differently," he said. "African-Americans, for example, tend toward a sanctity of life philosophy."
Dickinson said he became interested in studying end of life issues in the 1970s after asking a third year medical student at the University of Minnesota, "How's your death and dying course? I nearly fell out of my chair when he said he hasn't taken one."
A 1976 inquiry to America's then 113 medical schools by Dickinson found that only seven offered a death and dying course. Thanks to the advocacy by Dickinson and others, today's 136 U.S. medical schools offer at least something on death and dying.
Among other noteworthy topics discussed by Dickinson in the presentation he titled "The American Way of Death":
- 80 percent of Americans now die in institutional settings, away from their homes
- Today, 45 percent of people who die in the Charleston area are cremated, up from 10 percent in the 1970s
- By 2025, Dickinson expects that cremation figure to rise to 50 percent
- The average earth burial today in the U.S. costs around $10,000 when embalming, caskets, burial vaults and gravesite costs are added
- Cremations, on average, cost $1,200-$1,500
- Dickinson said many in Europe, where cremation is much more popular, "think we are crazy" in the U.S. for our expensive and elaborate funeral and burial rituals
- The British, Dickinson said, are much more community oriented than Americans in terms of having an extensive network of free standing hospices, where people with terminal illnesses can go to die
- Americans have many euphemisms for death that are used to avoid its harsh realities
- In 1900, the major causes of death (etiology) in America were pneumonia and tuberculosis and that today it is heart disease (followed fairly closely by cancer, then chronic lower respiratory diseases and accidents due to unintentional injuries) and strokes
- Death Cafes are a trend in America- these are places and events where people can come together and talk about death and dying in a relaxed atmosphere
- Dickinson recently has expanded his research to include veterinarians who euthanize dogs, cats and horses
- From vets and others, he has collected stories about how dogs and cats seem to, literally, be able to smell death before it happens. He told a story about a Rhode Island nursing home where, if a cat got on a patient's bed, that person would die in six hours
Sunday, April 9, 2017
"Epic Epitaphs" Presentation and Assignment
Grave marker epitaphs are another key element to the Victorian-era and other distinctive burial sites.
Carefully selected wording can leave the departed with a special, everlasting tribute, and offer the survivors lasting thoughts and remembrances they otherwise may not receive.
Here's my presentation on what I call "Epic Epitaphs."
Epitaphs are often sad, solemn and spiritual. But they can also be humorous, irreverent and even crude and disturbing. Here's one of many listings of not-so-epic epitaphs I found online.
Carefully selected wording can leave the departed with a special, everlasting tribute, and offer the survivors lasting thoughts and remembrances they otherwise may not receive.
Here's my presentation on what I call "Epic Epitaphs."
Epitaphs are often sad, solemn and spiritual. But they can also be humorous, irreverent and even crude and disturbing. Here's one of many listings of not-so-epic epitaphs I found online.
Saturday, April 8, 2017
Thursday, April 6, 2017
Tuesday, April 4, 2017
Monday, April 3, 2017
Beautiful Symbolism at Bethel
Click here to see more about symbolism at the Bethel United Methodist Church.
Bethel United Methodist Church- National Landmark
Click HERE to get a glimpse into a Charleston Landmark that our class had the pleasure of touring!
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| Class Photo |
Beautiful Symbolism at Bethel United Methodist Church
If you want to learn more about the types of symbols on graves, click here!
Small Bethel Church Graveyard Packs Lots of Interesting Sites and Symbols
Last Monday my "Beyond the Grave" students didn't have to walk far to visit a beautiful, historic Charleston church and graveyard.
Bethel United Methodist Church, at the corner of Pitt and Calhoun streets, is a stone's throw from CofC's Addlestone Library. The church dates to 1797 when a wooden church was erected. That church was moved across the Calhoun Street in the mid-19th century. It was replaced by a large white columned church, which continues to serve Methodists in and around the Holy City.
Bethel United Methodist Church, at the corner of Pitt and Calhoun streets, is a stone's throw from CofC's Addlestone Library. The church dates to 1797 when a wooden church was erected. That church was moved across the Calhoun Street in the mid-19th century. It was replaced by a large white columned church, which continues to serve Methodists in and around the Holy City.
My trip to Bethel United!
Check out my post about our trip on Monday to the Bethel United Methodist church.
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