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.
I live in a quiet neighborhood. Our house is just over 70 years old. We’re typical of the community. We like it here. It offers a good mix of ages, people are friendly, there are sidewalks (a must for me as a walker), conveniently located to things, and over all it’s a slice of Americana. One problem was high speed traffic cutting though on our promenade street. It’s a street where the median separates the two directional lanes. The median is wide and has grass, gardens, and is edged by ancient walnut trees. This runs diagonally through the square of our neighborhood and complaints of people speeding (going above the posted 25 mph) have been a normal chorus among residents. Requests for speed bumps or speed tables or other traffic ‘calming’ devices fell on deaf ears. Then one day construction started. After neighbors that live on that street questioned workers they learned a round-about was being installed to slow traffic flow. No hearing, no public debate, just being done. It’s an answer to the speeding problem.
Now, don’t get me wrong I’m glad to have an answer. I was mildly annoyed by the cut-through, and made a point of holding them up by driving 23 mph when on the road. Nope not faster than going on the main roads now is it cheater! I was for repaving the place and putting speed tables in. We had them in our neighborhood in Tampa and they worked like a charm but didn’t disrupt traffic flow.
You see I’m not a big fan of roundabouts. They were diminishing in popularity when I was getting my driver’s license. Many communities were paying to take them out and install traffic lights. I can remember driving to Kingsport when I was learning to get experience with them. All of those are now gone to except Church Circle. But it seems roundabouts are making a resurgence in popularity at least in this area. I can think of four that have been installed in the past three years (not counting the one in constructions just two blocks away). I strongly object to them because I find they don’t help traffic flow but hinder it. I think a light is more helpful and you don’t have people starting, stopping, cutting you off or riding your butt because they aren’t sure what the hell they are supposed to be doing.
Now back to my neighborhood, the road is closed and torn up now. The project was budgeted to take 4-6 months depending on the weather. Some residence can’t get in or out of their driveways for days during construction. My days with the windows open are fill with back-up beeps, shouts of construction workers, clangs of construction, and loud machinery. When I work on my porch I get to watch speeders slam on their breaks at the road closed sign then speed down my street to blow the stop sign on their cut through. There’s been two wreck there so far despite the added warning signs.
I’m left wondering is this the most cost effective way to address the problem? I watch the large crew work as I walk Rappy and wonder if this is less expensive and more effective than speed bumps/tables in ‘calming’ traffic. Really do we need this BIG production and expenditure? I guess the city fathers/mothers thought so and we’re getting it. I’m just wondering how many decades before they fall back to the thoughts of that were popular when I was learning to drive – then go around removing roundabouts that are being installed now.
While we were car shopping what was left of Hurricane Isaac hit Wisconsin. The cloud formations were interesting. It moved through in a ban and then it was cooler and clear. I shot photos of the approaching when we were test driving various vehicles. The BOY did the rain come and need all the rain we can get this year. Enjoy the odd clouds.
Wednesday was Aaron’s last day here. He spent the day waiting on the car. Once it was ready from the garage at 5pm he wasted no time in loading that puppy. I can’t say I blame him. I remember being so excited to get to a place of my own back in my college days. I know he feels the same. Also he wanted to get up there and unload his stuff. Thursday morning bright an early (5:45 am) he had to report to ROTC for weight training. That’ll be a regular occurrence on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Don’t worry on Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays he gets to report at the same time to run 5 miles. The first Thursday up there he had to be available to help his girlfriend Sara move into her dorm.
Just as Mike rolled in from work he got to help in the final moving out of his son. I can’t say a tear was shed because it wasn’t Not by me, not by Mike, not by Aaron. We were happy and excited. We laughed as Mike flounced carrying out the Army uniforms “Look at me I’m in the Army!” said the old salty Navy Captain. Aaron was all grins with a car of his own and place of his own to go to. There hugs and cheers and off he went to waves.
I have to say I don’t feel an empty nest, never got that concept. This is why we have kids for them to mature and go out on their own. This was the purpose of raising them not to mother them but set them off on their life prepared. Empty nest stuff seems so selfish like your kids are there to make you whole, they aren’t. Kids are just loaners we get for 18 years or so. We train them a bit and do our best to prepare them then if all is right we watch fly. The trick is to raise them so they don’t need you. That’s what parenting is about, making yourself obsolete.
I feel we’ve done well. At 19 my son has job security for the next 8 years and his college education paid for. He’s serving his country just like his father as he does it. He’s got a good head on his shoulders and bright future ahead of him. He’s an honor student in college and has plans for his future. I have nothing to shed a tear about. Actually I’m joyous! Honestly the parents I feel should be crying are the ones who have kids that aren’t moving on with their lives in an independent manner.
OH the places he will go, the adventures he will have and the messes I no longer have to clean up! Here’ to you Kid you are off to a great start!
Every community has its landmarks. Some stick around for a long time, even beyond the thing that caused them to be landmarks. I grew up in Greene County, Tennessee with such landmarks in my neck of the woods as the twin barns (now gone), dead man’s curve (no longer has much traffic due to by-pass), red gate (never seen a red gate any where near there), the broom factory (it’s not been there for almost 100 years), tin top, and a few others. All of which I know exactly where they are but if you haven’t lived there a while and learned the jargon you’d be as confused as hell by the directions from Mosheim “go out 11E toward Greeneville stay on it through dead man’s curve keep follerin’ it past the broom factory and make yer right between the twin barns.”
Every time I’ve moved into a new community I’ve had to learn the local landmarks and jargon. The South seems to have more and more colorful ones than any other area I’ve lived. They are the basis for directions from the locals. Something that was much more important back in the days before everyone had a GPS. I’ve been in new towns following sketched directions on a paper towel looking for the two clowns so I could turn left all before the days of GPS.
Kenosha has a few but with the system of streets and avenues being numbered you don’t need them so much. Streets here run East West or as I remember it they go Splash into the lake S for street ya see. The higher the number the further North from the Illinois boarder you are. Avenues on the other hand go North South Along the lake, A for Avenue ya see. The higher the number the further west away from the lake you are. Got it? Simple if an address is 7563 19th Avenue (don’t know who that is just made it up) That place is between 75th and 76th Street on 19th Avenue. Given this system Kenosha doesn’t do much landmark directions but there are a few things that people reference.
The first is the Hob Knob. It was established in 1954 in the supper club style of the 50s. It’s kitchy by today’s standards but fun. Sitting right on the shore of Lake Michigan the views are unsurpassed. I’ve only eaten there once years ago. I don’t remember much about the food but I do remember the decoration made me expect to see Frank Sanatra lead in the Brat Pack telling them this was hip little dinner club just North of Chicago he was talking about.
I snapped this picture as we drove by in the Mustang. Yes the top was down and I was enjoying myself. I always like the big Cosmo painted on the side of the building. It just lets you know what you are in for when you go inside. Dining there again but this time calling to be sure we get seats that face the lake is on our Kenosha bucket list. Last time we had seats that faced the street but we walked in and took what’s available. I really need to go by there at night when the neon is all lit up and snap some more shots.
Next up is a place on my Kenosha Bucketlist. It’s been on the Food Channel as a great road trip stop. Yes I’m speaking of none other than Kenosha’s cheese royalty the Mars Cheese Castle! It’s been recently rebuilt to look more castle like. However they kept their iconic sign. Being next to the interstate where they get most of their business I’m told, it’s good to keep the logo.
I’ve lamented that I have been delinquent in going into the Cheese Castle. I mean I’ve been in and to the Brat Stop many times. (subject of another post but let me say it’s not a place you stop for misbehaving kids but a bratwurst place). I’ve taken the exit from I-94 where it sits to head home as I did on the evening I snapped this photo. But I’ve never gone into the place. The locals tell me not to worry, it’s a tourist trap being the first big cheese place just north of Chicago. It’s more known in the community for the iconic sign. Well that I’ve seen so maybe that’s good enough.
It seems that landmarks in Kenosha are food related. There are more I’ll cover in the future there’s the afore mentioned Brat Stop, Sunnyside Wine Shop and Bar, Frank’s Diner, Capt Mike’s (gourmet mac’n’cheese), D’Angleos and several more. Let me know what are your local landmarks and how are they used? What were the landmarks of your childhood? I’m thinking now when I go back to visit I’ll have to get photos of tin top, broom factory, and others too.
The Wisconsin Dairy food stand’s paint job made me laugh.
Our day at the fair was more than just gawking at livestock while they gawked at us. There were demonstrations by the Sheriff (tazed a rookie for us!), winners of competitions, midway, food (only got a diet coke but gawked at the offerings), crafts, sales, static displays, and concerts. All the stuff that makes a local county fair – a local county fair.
We decided not to wait around two hours for the mud racing (in South that’s be racin’). I think Mike kinda regretted that but our day in the sun left us pleasantly tired and hungry. We stopped by one of our favorite Mexican restaurants to split our favorite burrito before heading home to watch movies and enjoy the lake breeze blowing through the house. All in all it was a fantastically relaxing day out.
Saturday was a beautiful clear day. The weather was pleasant and we planned to head out to the country fair. We’ve lived in Kenosha eight years now. We have never gone to the county fair. Where I grew up south of the Mason Dixon fairs were fall things to attend say in September or early October. Here they are things to do in August. To many times they just passed us by because we never thought of it until it was too late.
On this glorious day we put the top down on Mike’s Mustang and headed out from the lake toward the west end of the county. We’re not too familiar with this area of the county tending to be lake people you see. We spent some time driving about in the general area of the fair feeling our way there. Luckily we did find it. Despite our theorizing they kept packing it up and moving it when we got close.
There was one downside. I didn’t get to take my trusty Nikon with me. I’d forgotten to charge the batter D’oh! So I took my small Olympus which I hadn’t used in so long I didn’t notice the white balance was set off for a sunny day. Also the Olympus only has the damn LED screen that’s useless in the bright sun. Yet another reason I shall prefer an SLR or at least require a viewfinder. So excuse some of the pictures harsh contrasts. The Nikon is charged now. I’ve reset the Olympus after re-familiarizing myself with the setting. Oh and I’m eyeballing one of these Agfaphoto cameras. I’m thinking Christmas list for this red baby right here.
It was pretty much like the Greene County fairs I grew up attending. The only difference was the fields were flat and we were glad to have a cool day instead of hoping for a warm one. We paid our fee and set about taking in the sights from displays, to livestock, to demonstrations, to contest winners, to concerts and finally the midway. It was classic Americana of a county fair.
Our local newspaper’s mascot
Back to a great day at the fair, I made many pictures. I’ve broken them up into two posts. This one is centered on my favorite part – the animals. The next post will the other stuff. Come and enjoy the sights with me. (There’s more on Flickr just click on any photo to hop over there and surf until you’re content.)
Back to school was always an exciting time for me. For most of my life I welcomed it. It was a time to get to see people of my own age on a regular basis. Living out where we did I didn’t see my friends as much as I wanted in the Summer. I envied city kids on TV who could walk out there door and BOOM! there were their friends and in a short walk together they could be at school. For me to see friends it took planning. The trip home from school was over an hour on the crowded school bus as it wound in out of tiny country lanes to drop off a person here and there.
That’s me back row second from left. I have on the light shirt and have shoulder length hair.
College for me was an exciting time in the big town of Knoxville. Going home to puny Greeneville paled in comparison. Heck there wasn’t even a midnight showing of Rocky Horror! GASP! Most of my high school friends didn’t go to UTK like I did. I’d made a whole new set of friends (and a boyfriend that became my husband) that didn’t just scatter across the state for the summer but the world. Once I moved into an apartment I went to summer school in college. Honestly I liked that better than regular quarters. It was smaller classes and closer knit group but I was also an upper classman by then so who knows.
Then my next school experience was at Western Michigan University. It was different this time – I was working and paying my own way. I loved it. I liked the organization of it. I liked learning new things. Heck I even like the stuff of school pens, paper, books, and such. I went from the social aspect being the strongest attraction to learning being the big attraction.
From there life has been a series of seminars, self teaching, parenting a school age child, on-line classes, and supporting Mike’s various graduate degree processes (he’s gotten three so far). I think I turned to writing because I love the research it takes to write fiction well. I like learning new things then exploring them in my writing.
Now it’s time for my new experience. I’m taking an on-line class on how to use WordPress. I know I use it regularly here but I feel I under use it immensely. I know there are many resources out there to learn how to use it but they haven’t quite fit my need. I love the structure of school learning, remember? I want one lesson to build on the other. I’ve tried books but never found one that worked well for me either moved WAY TOO SLOW or WAY TOO FAST. Finally I looked about at local schools and found that University of Wisconsin Parkside offered two on-line classes, WordPress 101 and 102. Looking them over 101 starts out basic (how to set up a blog on WordPress, got that check) but ended past my knowledge. That’s where I started it moves fairly fast looking at the syllabus. My first week starts – TODAY!
I am looking forward to getting more out of WordPress and spiffing things up around here. Making the place more my own, kinda like I did in a dorm room or college apartment. But this means a few things for you dear reader… you might experience some assignment posts. Don’t worry they’ll not be painful, nothing required on your end but a look-see, and there will be NO POP QUIZ at the end of them. Next my new routine posts might not be daily now, depends on the workload. I’d like to keep Comic Comments daily until my backlog of arcs has been worked through but, I’m making no guarantees here until I see how class fits into other required life things. I’d like to get no lower than three a week on those. Photo posts are up in the air, I’m getting slim on new photos and have to get out there to get more of them. So again it depends – I’d like to stay at least weekly on those.
There you go I’m going back to school today. I’ve got a new notebook, new pens, new paper, my computer, and my blog. I’m set to learn!
I’m not a gardener, never have been, never will be. It’s just not in me. I find it miserable work. Though I enjoy the fruits of the labor be they flowers, vegetables, or fruit. If I had to do it I would. Mike on the other hand finds it relaxing. He likes to garden and looks forward to it. It’s beyond me just like my comic book hobby is beyond him. He appreciates it makes me happy. I appreciate produce and flowers.
Join me as I checked in on Mike’s garden. It’s coming along fine. The kritters enjoyed watching me take photos of the garden. Except Rappy, she slept in the sun. Can’t say I blame her.
How in the heck Mike gets in there to bring in the harvests he does is beyond me. I think of gardens as being measured in portions of an acre with nice wide rows not a jungle where if you step wrong you crush your next harvest. It’s his garden done his way. Left to me, I’d be living in a condo but it makes him happy. So there for the dense garden makes me happy.
Mary Louise Eklund 