The Griffin was the mascot of the school. You’ll see it used often in the design of the windows. This window was in Ambrose Hall and was given by the class of 1907.
Oh, I do adore stained glass windows. I think that’s partly why I long to work with the Czech glass beads of various types. I like the gem like quality and wide diversity glass offers. On our first visit to the Kemper Center was to tour the Durkee Mansion the stained glass windows caught my eye then. On our recent tour of the Kemper Center proper I got to see them through out the center. It was a tradition from the earliest classes to design, commission, and donate a window with the class motto to the center upon graduation. Some windows in the campus chapel were donated as memorial or honors for individuals by families or groups.
The earliest windows were made in Germany. I can’t imagine they were cheap to have made there and shipped here. I’m sure the project took all senior year if not started in their junior year. Later windows were made in England such as the Angel and Mary one. Still not cheap I’d bet. Then later ones than that were made here in the US. I’m sure it was a be thing to have your class window come in and be installed.
We were lucky when we toured the center that it was very bright day. The sunlight through these windows was amazing. I can’t say the images did it justice but it gives you a good idea of how lovely these works of art are.
Kemper Center is an important landmark here in Kenosha. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976 for historic significance in architecture (Italianate/Gothic), Education (girls school 1865-1975), and religion (Episcopal Sisters of St. Mary Western Provence). It is named for Bishop Jackson Kemper, the First Missionary Bishop for the Northwest Territory of the American Episcopal Church. It’s Register number #76000067. The last time I did a post about it was highlight the Durkee Mansion during the holidays. Today highlights the school itself.
It’s not often open for tours. Mike and I were determined to see the center when we read in the paper it was to be completely open for tours on that Sunday. From the nun’s lodging through the chapel to class areas including the first women’s chemistry lab and the Griffin observatory then out through the Simmons Gym. Sounded great and we were looking forward to seeing the interior.
The campus of the school grew of the years. We started in Ambrose Hall which was home to 36 nuns and was built in 1911. It even had a red door – yes I made a picture of it! It is named for Sister Mary Ambrose who was Mother Superior and headmistress at Kemper for nearly 40 years. This hall featured the dining room for the nuns where they took their meals in silence but had a wonderful view of the lake. Upstairs were the quarters for all the nuns except the Mother Superior who resided in the Durkee mansion. There is a private chapel upstairs for the nuns. This area was off limits to students and men it was the nuns area.
There were many beautiful stain glass windows here as there were in the Durkee manison. It was tradition that each graduating class design and donate a glass window to the school. I’m going to give them their own post since the were so colorful on the sunny day of our tour. Just know they are beautiful.
Next the tour moved into the Red Brick Cloister built in 1911 connecting Ambrose Hall to the campus Chapel. This was the final area of the sister’s retreat. It is made of dark wood and red brick with Gothic arch ceiling. Both sides are lined with beautiful stain glass windows each window offering a different stylization of the lily. The Order of the Sisters symbol was the lily. The area was very peaceful and calming.
From there we moved into the brightness of the campus Chapel built in 1875. Like many structures it’s been expanded and elaborated upon since it was built. In 1904 the marble Baptistery was added. That features stain glass windows of the archangels. The iron gates to the Baptistery and the Baptismal font were gifts from the Morrell family in gratitude of their daughter surviving the Chicago Iroquois Theater fire. The rood screen separated the sitting area of the sisters from that of the students. It was designed by Anna Upjohn a student and was built in 1889. The altar and pews were hand carved in the Germany. The triptych over the altar features the main painting is a copy of The Mystical Marriage of St. Catherine by Fra Bartolommes. The two side panels were painted by Anna Upjohn the same student that designed the rood screen. There were numerous stained glass windows given as memorials, honorariums, and class graduations.
From there we entered the school proper. The intention of the school was to teach the girls to have spiritual, intellectual, and physical force to become leaders in society. Roy Roger’s daughters attended here as did Basil Rathbone’s as did the future Mrs. Alan Ladd. Ms. Frances E. Willis the first woman ambassador was a member of the 1916 graduating class. Today there are about 2,000 living alumnae living in all 50 states and 8 foreign countries.
Through this connecting hall to the larger part of the school we passed the Bridal room. A lovely room for brides to dress in their gowns and prepare for their wedding. Also there were various displays about dorm rooms, class rooms, preparation of the chapel for services, and such. Oh and yes still gorgeous stain glass windows continued throughout.
Then we entered the dining hall. We’d been here before for A Casino Night fund raiser for the care of the hall and observatory. There was a lady that had worked in the kitchen. She told us stories about the girls, nuns, and priests. Seemed many of the girls were children of families that traveled for work. She remembered daughters of circus performers, diplomats, military families, and such. She said she thought they started awfully young, at 5th grade. Hard to be away from your family at that age. School was year round not September – June as it is today. They always sang a Latin prayer before meals and two sisters roamed the dining room watching for proper use of utensils and table manners.
Next for us was the chemistry lab that was built in 1894. It was modeled after a new one installed in Harvard at the time. One of the Sisters came into an inheritance and felt this area of the school needed attention. They did not shy away from teaching the girls science offering classes in astronomy, biology, botany, and chemistry. This was the first chemistry lab in Wisconsin and the best lab outside of Harvard. IN A SCHOOL EXCLUSIVELY FOR GIRLS! I found that amazing! I was very proud of the progressive stance these Nuns took in their education of the girls.
Next was the Tower Stairway to the Observatory built in 1890. We didn’t get to use the stairway as it is close due to not being to today’s code. We used the modern elevator but were allowed to look down it and hear of hopes to renovate it. It was astoundingly beautiful. I can’t imagine climbing those stairs in those long dresses of the time.
Dining hall today with the lady that once worked in the kitchens.
From there we went out onto the astronomy observation deck. Talk about a view of the lake! WHEW! It was lovely. We could look at the aged copper dome over the Griffin Observatory but the actual telescopes were locked. They are now used by the local Carthage College and were secured.
From there we went back down to the floor where the chemistry lab was and looked over the study hall, library, and classrooms. These were all located just above the dining hall. Each student had an assigned school desk in study hall where they kept their books for various classes. Some classes were also held in the Durkee Mansion. The classes often took place in several rooms. The example we were shown were the foreign language rooms. All girls were required to study Latin and another language. There was a classroom sitting where they did their basic classroom studies of the language. There was a conversation room, where the girls would adjourn in small groups with a teacher to converse only in the language being studied. The thought was moving about and changing venue for different aspects of the lesson helped the learning experience.
As always you can click any image to enlarge. This is the the class of 1886 who chose for their class portrait to be in chemistry class. This was before the spiffy new lab. Still the women were studying chemistry back then. Look into the background on the left and you will see diagrams of the human body posted full size in the other room.
Finally we made our way back past the chemistry lab, observatory elevator and out to the Gilbert Simmons Gymnasium built in 1901. NOW I know why people always go on about the Simmons Gym. It’s not like my high school gym oh no! It’s painted beautifully in the style of the Bayeux Tapestry! There’s an ornate balcony where the Sisters observed the gym class. The mural is stunning! It was painted between 1910-1916 under the supervision of the art teacher Edit Bacon. It was drawn by the students and painted by professional painters. The center design has the motto of the school in Latin “fight the good fight” The work on the mural was a gift from the 1915 and 1916 graduating classes. The other dates on the shields were dates that restoration work was done. The other tour members had been to weddings in here and say it’s lovely when fully decorated for a reception.
From there we exited the school and enjoyed looking over the exterior given what we had just learned. Then we gawked at Lake Michigan from the fishing pier. The day was beautiful and many sailboats were making use of it. Another tour group waved to us from the astronomy observation deck. All in all it was an excellent tour and I was glad we went.
This was a small book for young readers that was offered to me for 50 cents when I was buying some used copies of Wolverine Novels on-line. Thought what the heck give it a try. I was a volunteer at an elementary school library for two and half years. So I do enjoy YA material.
Now for the credits: Barry Lyga, author, Marvel Entertainment Inc., Publisher, Copyright 2009, ISBN 978-0-7851-3757-3. The cover art is by Todd Nauck and John Rauch. The interior features art work by the follow: Roland Boschi, John Cassaday, Phil Jimenez, Julia Bax, Kris Justice, Hugo Petrus, Francis Portela, Roger Cruz, Andrea DiVito, Salva Espin, Clayton Hentry, Steven cummings, Bob McLeod, Sal Buscema, Matteo Lolli, Jim Calafiore, Andy Park, Dave Cockrum, Mark Robinson, GURIHIRU, Joe Barney, Joe Madureira, Mike Norton, Juan Santacruz, and Julia Bacellar.
Okay X-Men fans let’s roll the clock way back to when Xavier ran a school for mutants in Westchester with a non hairy Beast on staff, Jean Grey called herself Marvel Girl, Cannonball was a student, and Wolverine was the new teacher on the block. That’s the setting for this story. It is written as if it is a blog from a new student to the school. The pages are set up to have a bloggy-computer look to them to add to this feel. (more…)
Now we return to our Waukegan Trip. The Haines Museum in Bowen Park opened and we got to tour it. It’s operated by the Waukegan Historical Society. This home was originally built as a one room cabin to go with the farm that is now Bowen Park. Over the years with various owners it was added onto it until it because the Victorian home you see now.
Mayor Hull of Chicago and his family lived there as their summer home until the great fire then lived there full time. I learned that back then there were yearly elections for mayor. CAN YOU IMAGINE YEARLY ELECTIONS? Always being bombarded by the campaign trail, all the calls from the various parties and interests groups. The constant ads… it’d never end. The mayor would never be a leader but a figure head and it’d open up for another machine that stayed in tact to actually run the city. Oh wait… that’s what happened in the Chicago Political Machine.
Okay back to the house, it’s restored to its Victorian period to go with the architecture. It was the center of the Bowen Country Club. Here is where the children would be taught the ways of society. It was thought part of the barrier of improving oneself was not understanding the societal norms of table manners, dances, polite conversation, etc. I think honestly some that still holds true today knowing how to behave in the boardroom as well as the local bar is key to advancement. Today there is a room dedicated to the club and those kids it helped in so many ways not just the social graces classes in the house.
None of the items in the house are from the original owners. They are from the correct time period and exemplify the types of things the home would have contained in this 1870s time period. The last addition was the red parlor, a more formal parlor, and the master bedroom. The master bedroom now contains a bed and settee set that Abraham Lincoln used during his visit to Waukegan. The room is dedicated to him.
There were exhibits to the Waukegan area residents Alfred Gustafson and James Elsbury who died on the Titantic. There was an exhibit honoring Waukegan son Jack Benny, which explained why there was a Jack Benny art center (where the unhelpful lady was). There was also a time line of Waukegan events including when their town got curb side recycling! YAY! From there I’ve added the Genesee Theater as a place I want to visit for a photo post.
Also I noticed that all their doors were painted red. I had to get photos of each one to add to my red door collection! Heck some day I might make a poster of doors to sanctuary – all red doors I’ve photographed. I have to say of all the doors my favorite one on the Haines Museum was the servant’s door with the aged screen. Some doors to sanctuary aren’t ornate but are well used.
Let’s take a break from our trip to Waukegan to go back to the weekend before. That weekend we went to a place my has been wanting to go for year – the Russell Military Museum. It’s a local single owner place where the guy collects old military equipment. He used to lease/rent it out to the large movie studios but CGI has quickly done away with most of that. The last movie he leased to was Transformers 3. Just don’t get the offers with the computer graphics as they are today.
Mike was thrilled with the place and talked it up the following week. I’m not as into equipment as he is so for me touring a restored Victorian house or art museum is more thrilling but I appreciate both. As does he for that matter, just he prefers the equipment and I prefer the other. Different strokes for favorites but the ability to appreciate something else too – that’s what makes the world go ’round.
I found it interesting and vaguely sad. Much of it is in various states of decay. I pondered how many dead or dying men saw these walls as their last things in life. I thought of the tension and the fear that permeated the sheer steel of the structures. Now peacefully sitting in flowers. I didn’t say it to my military husband I did secretly hope that someday all weapons of war would so retire. I know it’ll not happen, never happen humans aren’t built that way. Still I wish.
It was interesting to see it all (laughed at the Dog Doo-Doo Disguised Transmitter) and gave me much fodder for the lens. Be sure to click on an image below and hop over to my Flickr account to see MUCH more.
Last photo post left you on the Road To No Where also known as the Amstutz Expressway or IL-137. We were on the odd road heading to Bowen Park in Waukegan. We’ve commented on the park for years as we’ve passed. It’s restored Victorian house up front, the rolling hills and gardens, the use of its other building and sporting facilities have always caught our eye. We’ve talked several times of going down there to see just what it offered and touring the house. That was our agenda this Saturday before the University of Tennessee versus Florida game.
Oh my, she wasn’t much help.
We pulled in and weren’t sure where to begin. He headed down to the Jack Benny Arts center. There it appears they have a place for the performing arts. However we weren’t to learn much about the place. The lady behind the counter wasn’t very helpful and seemed put out that we didn’t know how the park operated. She kept her arms crossed over he chest the whole time, dismissed the idea there was more to tour than the house as if seeing well kept historical buildings and a museum sign didn’t suggest that maybe all were open. She didn’t offer to explain what the art center was or if there was something to see there. After struggling to get any useful information we learned the house was the historical societies and opened in twenty minutes. With that she turned her back to us to tend the stack of mail. Being so dismissed we wandered out into the sunny day and beautiful landscape.
What we learned wandering, reading plaques, and later from the helpful AND friendly historical society gentleman was that Bowen Park park has long been a park. Originally it was purchased by a family from New York City and was a farm for years. Then a Mr. Buck purchased the place, he was a forward thinker and wanted to designate the area as a park preserve for the town of Waukegan. Now the town thought this was strange because this was just a farm out in a large swath of farmland between Waukegan and Chicago. We’re talking pre-Civil War era. However Mr. Buck was convinced that an area needed to be preserved because the growth of both would one day meet and such areas would be needed. However, his idea didn’t fly.
It was then purchased by a Chicago Mayor and his wife. Well they used it as a summer home to get out of the heat of the city until the great fire. Then while Chicago was rebuilding they lived there full time. Along the way it was owned by Louise Decoven Bowen was a Decoven of the affluent Decoven of Racine, live here long enough you get to know the names. Upon her husband’s death she thought it’d be nice to bring underprivileged children from Chicago out to the country to get fresh air, do outdoor play, and learn things to help them get ahead in society. She’d spent years working with such families and saw the need for the children. The Bowen Country Club was born. Not a Country Club like we think of but club in the country for underprivileged children to get out of the sooty city and enjoy the countryside. The land was converted from farming to this park use. That’s really when the root of the park design started. The idea was Buck’s, the basis was Bowen.
This club officially ran from 1912 – 1963. That was when the dorms and cottages were finished and opened. Before them she hosted small groups in her home and out buildings. When the club closed the land was converted to a park for Waukegan. By then Mr. Buck’s idea didn’t seem so odd. The growth of Chicago and Waukegan proved to meet as he had predicted and this was a green gem in middle of them.
Today many of the buildings from the Country Club are still used for various activities. The Lilac Cottage houses a library and class rooms for the arts. Other buildings serve as offices for the park department or historical society. It’s still a place to get away from the city and enjoy the land. Judging from the children’s garden we found it’s still a refuge that caters to children. We eventually sat down on a bench and listened to the drumming circle. We watched children enjoy rolling down a little hill in front of us while a family set up a pavilion for their family reunion that day. All in all I think Mr. Buck and Mrs. Bowen would be pleased by the park’s usage today.
I’ve got lots of thinkin’ to do. (I’d posted this over at Google+ but thought I’d share it here too because any help would be GREATLY appreciated)
This one was thinking about how search engines see your site. We are now moving into the aspect of website design to increase traffic to your pages/blog. This lesson was about keyword use and how search engine spiders look for good use of key words. They have algorithms that discount over use of keywords that wouldn’t be natural & would be deliberate spamming of spiders. The assignment is to come up with five keywords for our website and work them in naturally to specific locations in the site. This link was provided by the professor as a tool to see your keyword usage as a website spider sees it. It’s free just put in your address and type in the captcha code to show you aren’t automated and in just a few seconds it generates a list of keywords based on typical search engine techniques. WOW that was an eye opener to me.
My top five were
1. Comments
2. Continue Reading
3. Mary Louise Eklund (good my name good)
4. coffee let’s chat
5. Comic Comments (good a repeating column like posting)
Oh dear seems three of my top five aren’t great. They are really blah stuff that every site should have. I like my name being there and want it to be in the top five but I’m not sure what other words I should make an effort to incorporate regularly into text, titles, backside search engine fields, and such.
Obviously too much weight is put on the tag line, that’s where coffee let’s chat appears ONCE but the weight it is getting is heavy. I need to rethink my tagline to represent me. My thoughts on my keywords are summed up in the following list in no particular order –
1. photographer
2. writer
3. comic book fan
4. hobby genealogist
5. custom jewelry maker
6. Mary Louise Eklund (gotta have name recognition).
So if you’ve stuck with reading this whole post I must ask a favor in the comments. Give me a list of 5 key words for me that you think represent me. I just did a quick 6 there. If you can’t do five then one. If you can’t do one what one from my list there do you think is the most important?
Mike wearing UT orange, driving his 1966 Mustang with the top down.
It’s become the weekend tradition to go somewhere local on the weekend and do something. This suits Mike fine, he’s a go-and-see type of guy. It suits me well as I have to collect ideas, images, and such for posts here M-F. It’s become known as collecting Blog Food. Lately the weather has been grand and these outings are taken in the Mustang with her top down. Doesn’t do much for my hair but makes these jaunts all the more special and enjoyable.
This past weekend one of the places we went was in Waukegan, Illinois. Not far from here just south a bit between Kenosha and the Navy Base. On the way there we always take the Amstutz Expressway. This always struck me as an odd road. It’s about three miles long. It is a divided four lane highway with limited access that passes a downtown that isn’t congested. I pondered the purpose of it and questioned locals about why it existed.
Seems like it was a pork barrel project over all. It was intended to connect to more but the southern neighboring town of North Chicago didn’t build their part. Then industry that was there closed down and moved so the road lost it’s connection and purpose. It isn’t much traveled now, just a handful of cars any time I’ve been on it. It is more known now as a place to shoot car commercials and movies.
Some of the movies shot there were Groundhog Day (when they were stuck on the interstate), Batman Begins (great place for car chases), Ice Harvest (set in Kenosha filmed in Illinois), Blues Brothers (chase scene and awesome movie in general), Planes Trains & Automobiles (“I’ve got my hand between two pillows”) and Transformers (not sure if it was 1, 2, 3, or a combo of them). So chances are you’ve seen the road to no where on the big screen.
As you can see not a lot of traffic here. BUT it is complete with ramps to over passes, look on the right and you’ll see one.
If you’ve not seen those movies then you’ve definitely seen it in car ads where a car drives on the empty interstate while the voice over tells you how great it is. Usually that shot is accompanied by a warning about a closed course with professional driver. Those warnings always have Mike asking me why they put that there when we’ve driven that road just like that? I dunno Mike, I dunno. Maybe the road isn’t crowded because only those who can drive as well as professionals dare to take it?
The nickname of “road to no where” is what the locals call it. I find it kind of a romantic and spooky name. I’ve cruised the road to no where in both directions and lived to tell the tale. If you ever find yourself in north eastern Illinois you too can do the same.
Until next time.
There are several styles of overpasses on the short distance to give movie and commercial producers choices of back drops.Still going no where but there’s a bridge style overpass.If you are going to cruise to no where it’s best to do it in a classic car with the top down. Best way to go no where fast and enjoy the ride.
A few weekends ago it was pleasant weather and I suggested we go out in the Mustang for a drive. Mike, being an engineer, can’t just go out for a drive to see where the road goes – he needs a destination. He got on his laptop and soon announced he was ready to go, bring my camera. Well d’uh when do I not bring my camera on weekend outings? Really you’d think he doesn’t know me saying that.
We filled up the Mustang and took off down the road. I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to be making pictures of on the drive so I snapped away at things that flew past. He had a mysterious note he referred to periodically then would make a turn. Soon we were in Wadsworth Illinois, then we turned on Dilleys Road. Then I saw it! A wall with Egyptian hieroglyphics!
I love Egyptology! Ever since I was a kid I’ve found it so interesting. I took several classes in basic Egyptian hieroglyphics at the local museum. I was just curious to understand how that lovely picture writing worked. Now I can with some effort and a reference book read most Middle Kingdom stuff – and Old Kingdom and some Late. So when Mike found this as a roadside site to see that was near us he knew I had to see it!.
We pulled off so I could get out and make photos! I soon learned this was the Golden Pyramid House and you can tour it. We have to go sometime and Mike promised we’d do our best. There’s a few things coming up that might make it late October or early November. Until then you’ll have to be happy with what we could see from the road. As always you can click on any photo to be taken to my Flickr account and surf more photos from the day!
Let me explain without getting to personal – I’m having some minor medical issues, nothing too serious but needs tending. I’ve been working through the appointments to have a procedure that’s the first step to address some of the issue. Let me tell you getting insurance, doctors of various disciplines, hospital departments, and our schedule to all work together is a big job. Finally I’ve got the schedule date then to back schedule all the pre-op stuff… that was completed yesterday. It’s takes about as much planning as the D-Day invasion!
Also planning a week long genealogy research trip to Tennessee and Alabama. On the way dropping Mike off at his parents and picking up my mother. Which means I have to hire care for the felines and canine family members, make arrangements for garden care, and all that stuff. Also helping Aaron get settled in while dealing with his house being robbed. I’m still keeping up with my class and writing while preparing for craft fair season.
With all that, everyday life, and generally feeling icky because I need to get that procedure – I’ve fallen a bit behind. I think I should be caught up shortly now that I’m not spending eternity on the phone or in a waiting room. I have a list of topics I want to write about: Pricing jewelry, story of Miss Mo my kitty, photo post of military museum tour, photo post of the golden pyramid house, completed comic book arcs, and a few more topics. So there’s a preview of what’s to come as soon as I’m not so far behind that I have to look up to see my own tushie.
In the meantime enjoy the serene beauty of yet another rose from our visit to Leu Gardens in Orlando last October.
Mary Louise Eklund 