Volume 17, No. 9 www.daytonsbluff.org November 2004

Inside This Issue: Exhibition at Metro State....Page 2

Rec Center meetings........Page 2

A busy season.................Page 3

Hauser Dance Company.....Page 3

History of Dayton’s Bluff..Page 4

Hat Lady of Marian.......Page 5

Poet Victoria Vang.........Page 5

The Clothes Line..............Page 6

Mounds Ghost Story.....Page 6

ECFE says “hello”............Page 7

Women befriend mothers....Page 7

Starting November 2, Dayton’s Bluffrecyclers should sort their materialsinto two categories: all PAPERS &CARDBOARD go together in one binor paper bag and all BOTTLES &CANS (glass, aluminum, steel andplastic bottles) go in another bin orpaper bag. This sorting system makesit possible to collect plastic bottlesaffordably. There are many challenges tomaking plastic bottle recyclingaffordable, and recyclers must do theirpart to make it work. The success ofthis addition relies on you doing thesefour things:1. ONLY plastic BOTTLES marked

with a 1 or a 2 in the triangle onthe bottom! Anything you try to“slip in” with your bottles, likethose yogurt tubs, must be sortedout and disposed of at a cost.

2. Flatten it! Driving around light andbulky plastic bottles full of air isexpensive and wastes fuel.

3. Don’t use plastic bags! Bags are notthe same plastic as bottles andcannot be recycled in thisprogram. Recycling in plastic bagswill not be collected, exceptclothes and linens.

4. No needles! Do not put plasticbottles that have been used todispose of needles with recycling.Throw them in the trash!

Need additional blue bins? Pleasecall the Dayton’s Bluff District 4Community Council at 651-772-2075.Any other questions? Call EurekaRecycling at (651) 222-7678.

Several changesto recycling

program beginin November

Plastic now picked up

Photo by Rich DuPaulAbove: Visitors watch three flash pots blow off large fireballs from the skywayconnecting New Main to the new Library and Learning Center. The heat couldbe felt by visitors in the library parking lot.Left: Deb Vos, Metropolitan State University Grand Opening Planning CommitteeChair, checks that everything is ready before the big celebration begins.

Metropolitan State Libraryand Learning Center had a

great Grand Opening

Above: Dr. Wilson G. Bradshaw (left), President of Metropolitan State Universityand St. Paul Mayor Randy Kelly (center) at the ribbon-cutting in front of thelargest book you’ve ever seen.Below: Dr. James McCormick, Chancellor of Minnesota State Colleges andUniversities, was one of a number of guest speakers at the Grand OpeningCelebration. Hundreds of people were on hand for the opening events and visitedthe beautiful new library. Photos by Rich DuPaul

Photo by Karin DuPaul

At large representatives: DonavanCummings and Walter WarankaSubdistrict A: no new representa-tivesSubdistrict B: Jean Comstock andErin StojanSubdistrict C: Pamela Yang andPaul GodfreadSubdistrict D: David Murphy andLinda LaBarre They will serve with:Subdistrict A: Roy CarlsonSubdistrict B: Sharon McCrea andKristine Butler KarlsonSubdistrict C: Carrie Dimmick andChee VangSubdistrict D: Jacob Dorer andBarry White In November the board will chooseexecutive officers for the next year. To learn more about the Commu-nity Council call Executive DirectorNachee Lee or Community OrganizerKarin DuPaul at 651-772-2075.

Dayton’s BluffCommunity CouncilElection Results

Page 2 Dayton’s Bluff District Forum November 2004

Dayton’s Bluff District Forum798 East 7th StreetSaint Paul, MN 55106Phone: 651-772-2075FAX: 651-774-3510E-mail: KarinDD@msn.comMonthly Circulation: 6,000. Also available online at www.daytonsbluff.org Thisis a publication of Hopewell Communications, Inc. and is intended to provide aforum for the ideas and opinions of its readers and to be an instrument fordeveloping community awareness and pride. No material contained in this papermay be reprinted without consent of the editor. Guest articles and letters to theeditor are welcome and may be emailed to KarinDD@msn.com or faxed to 651-774-3510. The Dayton’s Bluff District Forum is delivered to every home in theDayton’s Bluff area. If you live outside this area, subscriptions cost $12 and maybe arranged by calling 651-772-2075.Board of Directors: Allen Clausen, Greg Cosimini, Robert Johnstone, Debra Vos,and Karin DuPaul. Editor: Greg Cosimini. Layout by Greg Cosimini.Next issue: December 2004. Deadline for material: November 10, 2004.

Church DirectoryFirst Lutheran Church463 Maria Ave.St. Paul, MN 55106651-776-7210Located one block north ofMetropolitan State UniversitySunday Services:8 a.m. and 10:15 a.m.9:00 a.m. Christian Educationfor children and adults9:45 a.m. FellowshipSupervised Nursery9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.All are welcome!

To place your church inthe Forum directory,call 651 772-2253

Junk cars?Free towing!

If you have a junk car that you’d like toget rid of, we’ll pick it up for free! A tax-deductible donation is a good wayto be rid of that junk car. Your donationbenefits the community as a whole.Please call the Dayton’s Bluff District 4Community Council at 651-772-2075 toget more information and to scheduletowing. Towing provided by Budget Tireand Towing, 846 Earl Street.

In honor of Day of the Dead, theThird Floor Gallery, MetropolitanState University, is pleased to presenta new exhibition entitled El Día de losMuertos: Amor Eterno. The exhibit opens Monday, Nov. 1with a reception from 5-8 p.m. Livemusic will be provided by MariachiEstrella from 5 to 6 p.m. The exhibitcontinues Tuesday, Nov. 2 throughSunday, Nov. 7. Gallery hours areTuesday - Thursday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.;Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m.- 5 p.m.;and Sunday, 1-5 p.m. The gallery islocated in the Library and LearningCenter, 645 East Seventh Street, SaintPaul. A screening of “The Frescoes ofDiego Rivera” will be from noon to 1p.m. on Nov. 2 in the EcolabCommunity Room (adjacent to thegallery). The video features the lifeand work of the celebrated 20th-century Mexican muralist. El Día de los Muertos, the Day ofthe Dead, is an annual Mexicancelebration for which families createofrendas or altars in dedication to thespirits of their deceased loved ones. Nov. 1 is designated for theremembrance of small childrenreferred to as “angelitos” (littleangels). Nov. 2 is set aside for adults. The altars vary from simple tointricately artistic creations. It isbelieved the souls of the departedreturn on these special days and arereunited with their families. Familymembers welcome them by includingtheir favorite food, drink and otherobjects as part of the ofrenda,according to Rosa Rodriguez, interimassociate vice president for studentaffairs, and Santos Martinez, Chicano-Latino student services director. In addition to the contributions ofRodriguez and Martinez, othercontributing Metropolitan State staffmembers to the exhibition includeLupe Sanchez, equal opportunity anddiversity office staff, and EduardoGutierrez, admissions counselor. For more information, contact EricaRasmussen, gallery director, at 651-999-5942 or via e-mail at:erica.rasmussen@metrostate.edu.

MetropolitanState University

announces anew exhibition

The play that was too hot for Hopkins. The play that was banned in the‘burbs last year. The play that was discussed on local talk radio. Come to theMounds Theatre and decide for yourself if this holiday play is suitable for youand your family. What is this terrible show, you ask? It is the play based on that scandalousmovie, “A Christmas Story.” Yes, Jean Shepherd’s tale of little Ralphie and hisquest for a Red Ryder BB gun was too much for the politically correct people ofthe suburbs. However, the Mounds Theatre is betting that the citizens of Dayton’s Bluffand the rest of the East Metro area can somehow overlook the violence (BB gunsand bullies) and sex (remember the Leg Lamp?) of this cherished Yuletide classicand once again experience the joys and fears of a young boy at Christmas. Watch for “A Christmas Story” coming to the Mounds Theatre this December.For more information, call 651-772-2253 or visit our website at: www.moundstheatre.org.

Banned play coming to the Mounds Theatre

Photo by Karin DuPaulAt the Old Hamm’s Brewery, the Rathskeller in the Sky building is coming downbecause the tanks inside were sold. The building, Stock House #4, was built in1948 around the storage tanks inside. The Rathskeller was built on the top ofStock House #4 in 1965 with a lobby/gift shop on the first floor and a glass elevatorthat took visitors to the Rathskeller. Many community meetings and other eventswere held in the Rathskeller and, of course, the brewery tours ended in theRathskeller.

Another landmark disappears

Drive for Kids at Mounds Park

Photo by Greg CosiminiOver 100 classic and modern autos like this red Chevy gathered at Mounds Parkon Oct. 10 to begin the second annual Drive for Kids. More car photos on page 7.

The Saint Paul Parks and RecreationDepartment wants to hear from YOU.Please join us at one of the threecommunity meetings in your area todiscuss recreation programs, services,and facilities. We value input fromthe community and look forward toyour participation. Three meetingshave been scheduled in the Dayton’sBluff/Payne Neighborhoods. You mayattend one or all three. Tuesday, November 9 at MargaretRecreation Center, 1109 Margaret St.,298-5719 Tuesday, November 16 at WilderRecreation Center, 958 Jesse St, 298-5727 Thursday November 18 at PhalenRecreation Center, 1000 E. WheelockParkway, 793-6600 All meetings are scheduled to beginat 7:00 p.m. and end at 8:30 p.m. Yourcomments and suggestions are impor-tant. We are counting on you to helpus improve. For more information,please contact any of the recreationcenters listed above, call 651-266-6400, or visit our website at http://spnet.ci.stpaul.mn.us/depts/parks.

Recreation Centerscommunity meetings

Dayton’s BluffTake a Hike

A Grocery Give-Away will takeplace on Saturday, November 20from 10:30 to noon at Mounds ParkUnited Methodist Church, Euclidand Earl.

Dayton’s Bluff Take a Hike meets onthe first Saturday of every month at 10:30a.m. in Indian Mounds Park at Earl Streetand Mounds Blvd. Join us on November6 for the next hike. We hike from Mounds Park throughSwede Hollow Park and then walk thelength of the Bruce Vento RecreationalTrail to its end, near Phalen Park.

November 2004 Dayton’s Bluff District Forum Page 3

By Mary Petrie People who know me well will rolltheir eyes and toss this paper afterreading the following statement: I canbe the tiniest bit compulsive in habit,goal and tone. This is old news to mynext-door neighbors, family andfriends who bear witness to thewhirlwind of activities such Type Atendencies set off: school andneighborhood committees; endlesshouse projects; writing endeavors; andthe occasional ambitious social justicecause. Indeed, I recall standing up at a WestSide District Council meeting andproclaiming that we, our little band,would convince Xcel Energy to convertfrom coal to natural gas. In the thick ofmy impromptu speech, nobody was amore fervent believer in this particularcause than I. A corporate giant withzillions of dollars to toss at a handful ofactivists? David should have had it soeasy. Give me a long weekend and atelephone. As usual, reality and myvision bore no resemblance: we (a groupcalled Clean Energy Now) spent nearlya year of hard, unpaid labor that built onthe twenty years of activism that othershad done before. But this article isn’t about Xcel oractivism or the Met Council and airportnoise or anything else so lofty. Thismonth, my Type A physiology is woundup tight over something more mundane:the work that the change of seasonrequires. Do I hear a collective sigh, oh readers?Can we dish? In our household, some variation of thefollowing ensues each spring and fall. Imake long lists of chores, thoughtfullydividing them into ‘high priority’, ‘on-going’ or ‘wishful thinking’ categories.I revise this list every couple of days,because nothing has been accomplishedand I am now more anxious about findingthe mittens than I am about dividing andreplanting the coneflowers, or visa versa.I despair over the endless nature of TheList: repot indoor plants; trim and moveperennials (this alone is a massive taskand list item that includes sub-divisionsand recommended readings in order toeven distinguish perennials from weeds);seed new grass; trim trees; fix brokenwindow in shed; find shovels; get rid ofladders in backyard before snow falls;pull and compost weeds by alley; repairpillars on front porch (this item getsmoved List to List every season); preparevan for winter; sort children’s summerclothes into various give-away piles andput rest in basement; sort children’swinter clothes into what fits and what

doesn’t and put rest in basement; cleanup clothing mess in basement; find myown winter clothes; figure out how tomost cheaply squeeze children’s bodiesinto close-to-correct size boots, mittens,hats, and coats. This is the ‘high priority’ portion ofthe list. The rest is all daydream, I nowrealize. Yes, it would be nice to look outof freshly washed windows all winter, butour vista will have an overlay of graysummer dirt, I’m afraid. On my worst days, I envision settingout that last wool sweater with a smallsigh of competency (mission completed!We’re winterized, we’re ready!), only torealize that people are already countingthe days till Christmas. Thanksgiving?That’s tomorrow, folks. So I got thosemums moved from back garden to frontjust in time to start the List of holidaytoil? Bring back the days of CleanEnergy Now! I’d rather put up yard signsand smile at lobbyists than spend onemore moment at Target trying toremember which child needed longunderwear and which child requiredboots while clerks assemble their displaysof holiday cheer. We Type A’s simplycan’t handle such multi-seasonalpressure. Let me finish my fall cleaning! Thank goodness I don’t battle thesedemons alone. I’m in the game with awise partner, an able player who has seenthis drama play out each October, everyMarch. When I panic, John shoves asidethe piles of unmatched socks on the couchso we can have the following semi-annualexchange. I fret: I have so much to do! The dogstrack in so much spring/fall mud! Thechildren have spring/fall colds! Nobodyhas adequate outerwear! Where will Ifind the time to attend to the garden? Doyou mind eating one minute, microwavemacaroni and cheese for a month? John soothes: Every child in Minnesotahas a spring/fall cold this week. It’simpossible to have adequate outerwearin this state. The garden grows withoutyour immediate supervision. Dogs arealways dirty; you just notice it now. Iput the pizza place on the speed dial andcan pledge to good Thai take-out once aweek. Forget the cardboard macaroni.We’ll be fine. Just what every Type A Sagittariusneeds: a good, solid Taurus forgrounding. But that sort of astrologicalmatchmaking must be saved for anotherday. I have to get my tulip bulbs in,pronto.Mary Petrie is a Mounds Parkneighborhood resident who will bewriting about life in the neighborhoodand ways to improve the quality offamily life.

Autumn - A busy season, again

November 8 - 19, 2004Dayton’s Bluff Community Center800 Conway Street651-793-3885• CHILDREN’S CREATIVEDANCE INTENSIVE• STORM DANCE FOR TEENS• PARENT / CHILD DANCE• DANCE CONCERT Hauser Dance is excited to beoffering scholarships to children andteens for community workshops taughtby Heidi Jasmin and Jane Kahan.Those students will also perform ashort piece in the company concerts. For registration information callJodi Griffin: 651-793-3885.

Where: Dayton’s Bluff CommunityCenter Theater; 800 Conway St.651-793-3385When: Thursday Nov. 18; 3:30 pmmatinee (ASL interpreter will beavailable); Friday Nov. 19; 7:00 pmTickets: General admission: $5.00;Children and seniors: freeReservations:Phone: (612) 871-9077E-mail: nhdc@tcinternet.net Hauser Dance in Concert willinclude artistic director Heidi Jasmin’shumorous work Tongues, a wild trioto the raw and gutsy sounds ofScreamin’ Jay Hawkins and an eerieand dramatic solo created for dancerJohn Agurkis, titled Framed. Ms.Jasmin has also choreographed SuiteByrd, as a tribute to her friend CharlieByrd, performed to his jazzy andlyrical guitar music. Children and adults from theDayton’s Bluff and East Sidecommunity will perform a structuredimprovisation titled Storm Dance withHauser Dance Company members.Diversity and imagination areemphasized in the Hauser aestheticbringing contrast and variety to theirprograms. Ms. Jasmin will offer alively pre-show talk about viewingmodern dance, and there will be anafter-show opportunity to meet withthe dancers.

Hauser Dance Company coming to Dayton’sBluff Community Recreation Center

Hauser Dance in Concert

Hauser Dance Residency

CHAT is proud to announce the upcoming stage production of the original full-length play “Hmong Tapestry: Voices from the Cloth” – a collage of Hmong history,fanciful folk tales and real life stories detailing the refugee experience and historicalfacts about the war in Indochina. It will be playing at the Mounds Theatre, 1029Hudson Rd, from October 30 – November 27. Ten years ago, Hmong Tapestry touched the hearts and souls of audience membersacross Minnesota and Wisconsin. To commemorate CHAT’s 10th anniversary and itsachievements, CHAT is bringing back the original 2-hour full version of the play.The timing could not be better! Hmong Tapestry is the perfect opportunity for bothHmong and non-Hmong communities to come together. This engaging play narratesthe odyssey and assimilation of the Hmong from Laos to America using traditionalHmong music and native costumes. Utilizing a combination of myths, songs andpersonal accounts, Hmong Tapestry teaches audiences about Hmong identity andheritage. Each show ends with a 15-minute talk back.Schedule:Monday-Friday: 9 am; Monday-Wednesday: 12 pm (or 1pm, depending on stu-dents’ lunch schedule) - Must call and reserve seats! Call Kang Vang at 651-644-6969 or email kang@aboutchat.org. Thursday-Saturday: 7 pm; Sunday: 2:00 pm.Cost:$5/student for K-12 Students (groups of 30+) and children under 12$10/student for K-12 Students (Groups less than 30)$12/Adult (Regular Admission)$10 (Discount Admission for 10+ groups of College Students, seniors)

“Hmong Tapestry” at the Mounds Theatre

Page 4 Dayton’s Bluff District Forum November 2004

A Short History of Dayton’s Bluff By Steve Trimble

“Dayton’s Bluff. This is a high andcommanding situation below St. Paul,overlooking it and the surroundingcountry for upwards of thirty miles,and is one of the pleasantest situationsfor private residences within the citylimits. The celebrated Carver’s Caveis at the foot of this bluff.... Visitorsto the Territory should not fail to paya visit to these mounds and the cave.” A.D. Munson, The MinnesotaMessenger 1855

When Minnesota became a Territoryin 1849, there was a population boomand Dayton’s Bluff entered anotherstage of development. Even though itwas quite a way from downtown, thewestern part of today’s neighborhoodwas within walking distance and wasofficially included in St. Paul. By theend of the 1850s, the city limits hadbeen expanded and enveloped nearlyall of today’s neighborhood. Early farms were being sold off todevelopers. Even though most of thearea was very sparsely settled, by thelate 1850s Dayton’s Bluff was beingmentioned as a residential community.In September of 1857, the DailyMinnesotian suggested that peopletake a stroll at daybreak and view theriver from above. The paper said thearea had “probably the most beautifulview near the city” and it will wellreward the stranger or even the residentto take a morning stroll to this well-known locality.... One can obtain thus,a better idea of the extent of the citythan from any other point.” It is interesting that even at that time,when the city was in its early stage,people were using the term suburb.The article continued, saying thatDayton’s Bluff was the site of “manyfine suburban residences,” includingthose of Dr. Borup, Captain Davidson,B.F. Hoyt, and Major McLean. “Allhave elegant mansions [on] this hill,”the article continued, “besides manyneat and tasteful cottages, that seemthe centre of comfort and happiness.The occupants all do business in thecity. There seems to be a growing ragefor country residences among ourcitizens. Whichever way one drivesfrom the city, he notices them.” So who were these earlyneighborhood residents and why hadthey come to St. Paul? In most casesthey had lived in urban areas in otherstates and came to help build what theyfelt would become a major city on theupper Mississippi. The story of theirinvolvements also tells the story of ourearly community settlement or whaturban studies scholars call “initialdevelopment” in what they havedubbed “the stage theory ofneighborhoods.”

Truman Smith One of the earliest to settle in thisarea was Truman Smith. He began hiscareer as a banker and was onceamong the richer men in the city. In1850 Smith built a house high on ahill—today’s Mounds Park Rest

Home—with a commanding view ofthe Mississippi River. He had a loveof gardening and his home site wasadorned with a variety of flowers. Along with many others, Smith waswiped out in the 1857 financial panic.His house went on the auction blockand his career as a banker was over.To survive, Smith turned his greenthumb into a livelihood and was soona major garden farmer. The 1860’spapers often included advertisementsfor Truman Smith’s “Fruit Garden” onDayton’s Bluff. He put out a catalogthat listed a wide selection of smallfruits and other plants for sale. In the late summer of 1870 a reporterfrom the St Paul Weekly Press made avisit to the Dayton’s Bluff landmark.“The great feature of Mr. Smith’splace is his vineyard that is comprisedof five thousand well trained vines,”the paper said. “He was one of the firstto ever grow raspberries for the St.Paul market.” The next year another paper told ofa “Fruit party” that was held atTruman Smith’s place. Twenty leadingSt. Paul citizens came in the largebandwagon of the Omnibus Company.Smith displayed ten varieties of pears,thirty different apples and nearly fortytypes of grapes. “After partakingfreely of the ripe luscious fruit in thevineyard, the party repaired byinvitation to Mr. Smith’s residence,where they were regaled with cake andnative wine.” The gathering ended witha toast from local poet Ossian EuclidDodge:

“For the fruit that is sparkling And free from all pith, Give us that from the garden Of Truman M. Smith.”

Euclid Street is named after themulti-talented Mr. Dodge.

Davidson, Hoyt and Borup William F. Davidson eventuallybought Truman Smith’s former home.He had come to Minnesota in 1855 andthe next year began a career of steamboating on the Mississippi. He endedup with quite a fleet and was from thattime on known as “Commodore”Davidson. One of the reasons hewanted the house on the crest of thehill was because it had a view of theRiver from a cupola that was built onthe roof. Benjamin F. Hoyt lived in severalstates before coming to St Paul in1848. From the start he was an activecitizen, a founding member of the St.Paul Sons of Temperance and on theboard of the Oakland CemeteryAssociation. He was also elected tovarious offices, including director ofone of the districts of the public schoolsystem, and one of five trustees in thefirst town election. He was a strong Methodist andthough not an ordained minister, heagreed to head up a local Methodistcongregation. Because of his deepreligious beliefs, he was often called“Father Hoyt.” He was a key playerin the founding of Hamline University.Hoyt made a living in real estate andconstructed several buildings indowntown and on Dayton’s Bluff. Charles W. Borup was a medicaldoctor, but did not practice while inMinnesota. He had earlier worked forthe American Fur Company in theLake Superior region, and lived inWisconsin before coming to Minnesotaaround 1848. Once in St. Paul he madehis living in banking, as a merchantand through numerous investments.

Chapter 4: The 1850s - TheBirth of a Neighborhood

“I even went so far... as to take Sunday drives with an affable andpersuasive real estate magnate, one Lyman Dayton by name-a man ofdistinguished presence and native vigor, who had with commendableforesight invested his capital in the sightly eminence since known asDayton’s Bluff. His impressive dignity was enhanced by a batteredsilk hat—an unusual evidence of gentility on the frontier-and theponderous fob chain with prodigious seals, which dangled at his thigh.... “He drove a good horse, attached to a rickety, non-descript vehicle,with rattling spokes and notwithstanding the seeming momentaryliability to accident, got me around through the burr oaks andunderbrush, and from knoll to knoll on the commanding bluff whichdominated the river below the town.... “When we had gained a favoring summit he pointed out to me thesite of avenues-to-be, and discoursed with prophetic fervor of the cominggreatness of St. Paul, and of the assured development, which wouldpresently transform the scrubby thickets through which we had forcedour way into tasteful lawns, adorned with the residences of culturedpeople, proud of the opulence of their favored city and of theincomparable site so wisely chosen for their homes.... “While he spoke the wild geese, feeding among the sedges at the baseof the bluff, screaming in seeming derision, and then rising by thethousands... darkened the sky overhead... and furtively returned to theiraccustomed haunt dropping down in silence on the surface of the river,or amid the wild rice which grew in shallow water along its shores. “My guide and counselor on this occasion offered me a tract offourteen acres on which I had somewhat set my heart for a price veryconsiderately adjusted to the meagerness of my resources.... He wantedme for a neighbor he said....” Albert Barnitz, a visitor to St. Paul, writing about a November1860 trip to Dayton’s Bluff in an issue of the Cleveland Leader.

Barnitz on the Bluff: An 1860 tripNathaniel McLean Nathaniel McLean was anotherearly pioneer in the Dayton’s Bluffarea and, as you probably guessed, thestreet is named after him. Where itcrosses Mound Street is very near thesite where his former home once stood.He was born in New Jersey where helearned journalism and the printingbusiness. McLean was a pioneer intwo different states. He left his homeas a young man to go to Ohio, wherehe was elected to the state legislaturein 1810. He became interested in going toMinnesota when he was sixty yearsold. In the spring of 1849 he met witha man who was planning to come toMinnesota territory to publish anewspaper. But when the man got“California fever,” McLean boughthim out and came to the state topublish the Chronicle and Register. According to one article, “on hisarrival at St. Paul he purchased severalacres of land on Dayton’s Bluff... justoutside the city limits and in what cameto be named McLean Township.” Itsvalue increased rapidly and providedhim a great deal of income. McLeanserved as county commissioner andwas later appointed Sioux agent at Ft.Snelling, a post he held for four years.

Transportation and EconomicDevelopment Like today, early neighborhoodresidents were concerned withtransportation and jobs. The first wasvery important, as Dayton’s Bluff wasisolated from the rest of the citybecause of its elevation, twosubstantial streams and the wetlandsthat accompanied them. In the late1850s, the local alderman submitted apetition to the Common Council askingthe city “to have Seventh Street gradedand bridged.” Property owners evenagreed to “enter into bonds to pay theirassessments... so as to relieve the citytreasury from any responsibility.” By the mid-1850s, a Territorial Roadlinked Dayton’s Bluff with points east.It was built to facilitate travel betweenthe junction of the St. Croix and theMississippi and Fort Ripley in thewestern part of the state. When itreached a spot near today’s Highway61 and Warner Road, it ran across thearea in a northwesterly direction todowntown. Head west from Obb’s Baron Point Douglas Road and you willbe on one of the remnants of the oldTerritorial Road. While the creeks were animpediment to easy travel, they werealso a valuable source of waterpowerin frontier Minnesota. An 1855 publication mentioned thefact that William Ames and BenjaminHoyt had a sawmill along PhalenCreek. This “most importantinstitution,” the writer said, “issituated upon Lyman Dayton’saddition at the foot of the bluff whichbears his name.” It had only recentlyopened, but was already producingbetween seventy five and a hundredthousand dollars worth of lumber

BLUFF HISTORY, page 5

November 2004 Dayton’s Bluff District Forum Page 5

“A woman’s hat is close to her heart,though she wears it on her head. It isher way of saying to the world: Seethis is what I am like—or this is whatI would like to be.” Lilly Dache

Bernie Lester, 91-years young andone of the fashion setters of theHealthEast - Marian of Saint PaulIndependent Living Apartments, wearsher hats with the confidence andpanache of this Lilly Dache quote.Bernie has hats to match her wardrobefor Mass and outings; hats for herdaily walks on the Mounds Parkwaypaths along the Mississippi; hats forthe lake, including one worn on a July,‘04 jet ski ride on Big Sandy Lake inMacGregor, MN. According to Bernie, her love of hatsgo back to Easter Sunday when shewas five years old and wore a blue hatwith flowers and ribbons, purchasedin Fargo, ND, to her hometown churchin Barnesville, MN. The song EasterParade was and is one of her favoritescelebrating as it does the “Easterbonnet with all the frills upon it.”Bernie’s love of hats seems to begenetic. Her mother nurtured andshared Bernie’s love of hats during herown life, buying her last two hats atDottie Dunn’s just two weeks beforeshe died. Bernie wore hats; mostlywhat she called “bonnets”, all throughher high school years at BarnesvilleHigh School. She continued to dressup her outfits with fine examples ofmillinery during her years at theCollege of St. Catherine where shemajored in history and physical

education and graduated in 1935. Formany years after Bernie has continuedto attend lectures and teas at St. Kate’swearing lovely outfits with matchinghats. At one of those lectures, she andthe famous hat-wearing Bella Abzugchatted about their mutual love of hats. Bernie’s husband, Earl, was fromEngland where hats are part of hautecouture. He encouraged Bernie to wearhats all during their life together untilhis death in 1981. After his death,Bernie became involved in volunteerwork in the Marian Park Area. In 1983she was elected President of theCouncil of Catholic Women. Bernietells the story of being so nervousgetting ready to chair her first meetingthat she forgot to wear her hat. Onlyto find on entering the room that everyone of the other women at the meetingwas wearing a hat! At one time, Bernie was the proudowner of 89 hats, but when she had tomove and sell her home, she gave threehats to each of her friends. Still, Berniehas a wide variety of hats. And thereare rules for which hat to wear when:the felt hats are worn from Labor Dayto Memorial Day after which onechanges to straw hats. And, of course,the collection of fishing hats is for thelake. Bernie Lester’s claim that hats giveher confidence has obviously beenproven true in her life. She is a womanof class, spirit, conviction andgoodness to all around. May shecontinue to be the charming, best-dressed hat woman of Marian, USA!

Photo by Robert JohnstoneThere is a reason Bernie Lester is called the Hat Lady. Can you guess why fromthis photograph? Her collection of hats once numbered 89.

The Hat Lady at Marian of Saint Paul

annually, “as well as lath, pickets andother wood products. The mill,” thearticle concluded, “ should help theshortage of lumber that has held upconstruction a bit lately.” Other businesses developed along ornear the waterway. One of the earliestbreweries in St. Paul was locatedunder the bluff along what is nowCommercial Street. Owned by localresidents Drewery and Scotten, theventure was launched in 1855. Thefoundations of the two 50 by 75 feetbuildings have recently beenuncovered by an archaeological dig.

BLUFF HISTORY (continued from page 4)

The kiln for drying grain held 120bushels and there was a small malthouse and cellars that had beenconstructed at a cost of manythousands of dollars. According to anewspaper, the ale cellars were “cutinto the sand rock from a series ofgallerys connecting the basements ofthe several buildings and give a largestorage room, with an equitabletemperature the year round.” Theowners were said to be selling theirproduct as far away as Chicago andMilwaukee

By J. Wittenberg “Does your paper ever write aboutdomestic abuse?” was the firstquestion fired at me by Victoria Vang,a hardworking poet, activist, and fairlyrecent transplant to Dayton’s Bluff byway of Milwaukee and Minneapolis. I could not recollect when if ever ourfine paper had expounded on any suchtopic, whereby I reminded her that Iam but a humble writer, featuringcreative stars of our burgeoningcommunity. “Any paper worth reading ought tobe an advocate for women in one wayor another,” Ms. Vang said with asmile, which seemed to me a sound andreasonable philosophy. This was my second attempt atmeeting this 27-year-old writer. Thefirst time it seems I got lost in her date-book. Happily found, I walked withher down the new skyway connectingour own library and dear MetropolitanState University. Ms. Vang spoke ofthe former as a glowing resource inwhich we may all be proud. “I hope it will be a place where poetsand writers of all kinds can come andread,” Ms. Vang declared. This former teen beauty pageantwinner and student of the martial artsis very thoughtful about the state ofthe arts, and with the exception ofMetropolitan State, she believes theamount of literary events in Dayton’sBluff is more than wanting. For herpart, Ms. Vang has published achapbook of her poetry, and has beenincluded in anthologies as far west asthe Golden Bear State. Victoria planson getting her most recent poemspublished, and perhaps she will bereading from her work at our ownlibrary in the future near. In the past,she has read at the old Coffeehouse inMinneapolis, where she told me copiesof her chapbook sold briskly. “Writing poetry is a solitary venture,and one I feel, which needs steadyexperimentation. We all get stuck inour ruts and blocks, and must push ourwork where it hasn’t been before,” Ms.Vang said, before doing me the honorof reading me a dozen or so of hershorter poems; all of which I foundvery accomplished. Ms. Vang has often felt far fromfamily, but says she is optimistic for ahappy life in Dayton’s Bluff. Shehopes more literary events are in theworks, not unlike those that I describedto her, which Metropolitan Stateoffered so generously this last spring,commemorating Women’s Historymonth. “As an Asian-American,” Ms. Vangdeclared, “I see a younger culture socaught up in materialism and violentmusic. I see a moving away fromspirituality, and a culture of husheddomestic abuse. Women aremarginalized. It’s wrong, and in thelong run it brings all of us down, anddarkens our future.” Much of Ms. Vang’s poetry concernsdomestic violence, whether implied orotherwise. A fragment of her poetry reads:

The threat came with a look A kind of daggered intent, I see venom in your eyes, Now our future is forfeit. “When it comes to men, I don’t takeany of their guff. Many men aretrained to be aggressive, and those whoare, need to be cured of that. Ifincurable, they should be removedfrom society,” Ms Vang said. “How about tarring and featheringthem?” I suggested, at which shelaughed heartily. Ms. Vang then spoke of men’s faces,and how she can often read them. Asif on cue, as we walked out of thelibrary below gray skies, we saw a manof average height, perhaps in hisforties, carrying two black boxes. Hescowled at another man and mumbledsomething audibly because the man inthe car made him wait one secondlonger to cross. “You see,” she said, “that man wasugly to me, because he has this certainfeeling inside of him, like the worldowes him, and he’s intolerant. Andeven if a man is outwardly handsome,which this man was not, he cannot helpbut be ugly.” I agreed that the man had noredeeming physical quality, but Iasked, what if he was having a badday, and did not act so petulantly allthe time. “If so,” she said, “then tomorrow wemay see something kind and good inthis man…but not today.” Besides expressing her views ofdomestic abuse in her poetry, Ms.Vang also has volunteered in women’sdomestic shelters, and it is plain thatthis is a passionate pursuit for thispoet. “Listen,” she said, “women arebeing abused at a terrible rate. Not justin the Asian-American community, buteverywhere. I just wish ourcongresswomen would make it agreater priority. For my part, I wantto make a difference in women’s lives,and by volunteering perhaps I can helpturn the tide. Women are beingattacked and brutalized in their ownhomes. No one wants to speak of this.I guess awareness is a first step. I wantwomen and girls to know they can callplaces like the Minnesota Coalition forBattered Women at 651- 646-0994, orWomen’s Advocates, Inc. at 227-8284,both of which are 24 hour crisis lines.Some can make this change on theirown, but others may need thisinvaluable support to get a violent manout of their lives.” When asked how the Dayton’s Bluffartistic community could be strength-ened, she said, “Vote this November.And vote for women, unless they’reRepublican. All they do is cut pro-grams for women, end of story.” Look for Ms. Vang to read atKieran’s Irish pub. May she continueto strengthen her cause of bringingmore awareness to domestic abuse. Ibelieve she will no doubt make a dif-ference. She is a warrior who I wouldwant on my side, and no doubt poetslike Ms. Vang make our community,and the world, a better place.

Victoria Vang - A poetagainst domestic abuse

Page 6 Dayton’s Bluff District Forum November 2004

By RAR In my first story concerning theghosts at the Mounds Theatre Iintroduced two of our three famousentities. The first one was the littlegirl who plays ball on the stage. Inthat particular story I also gave you aglimpse into the man who inhabits theprojection booth. He is the only onethat we feel could possibly harm us. He hasn’t as yet, but one never knows. On one chilly October day, four ofus decided to see for ourselves whothe “man in the projection booth” wasand why he always appeared to be insuch a “huff”. We entered the building just as thesun was going down. Again, the firstorder of business was to find the lightswitch in the ticket office and turn offthe silent alarm. After accomplishingthis, we stood in the lobby for a fewminutes gathering up our courage andthen silently made our way up the leftstairwell that led to the balcony. At the top of the stairs we eased ourway over to the existing railing thatoverlooked the main auditorium. Wepeered out into the darkness, listeningfor any sounds that might appear tobe out of the ordinary. Today therewere none, just the normal clankingof the pipes that we had learned toidentify in our numerous visits to theold theatre. After getting ourselves used to themusty smells and the eerie lighting inthe theatre, we made our way to theprojection booth. This was a placethat nobody usually entered unlessanother person accompanied them andsometimes even then nobody wantedto cross the threshold. I myself reached gingerly into theroom to turn on the lights. Afterflicking the switch, two or three timesI found that there was no lightingwhatsoever in the booth. The one lightbulb that usually illuminated the roomin a ghastly glow had burned out. Thequestion now was, should we turn backand mount our investigation anotherday? It was decided that we shouldpress on. My stomach was churning and mymind leaped back in time to recall myencounter with the little girl on stagethat I had been introduced to on aprevious visit to the theater. That daywas unsettling to me, but theapparition of the young women posedno real threat. She appeared happy butvery lonely. With this in mind Ipressed the button on my smallflashlight and crossed the thresholdbehind the other three. The heavymetal door to the projection boothslammed shut behind me, leaving ourgroup in total darkness. Once inside the room the flashlightscast an ominous glow on the old arcprojectors, which had stood guard overthe projection booth for over 70 years. They were large black machines thatappeared to gaze out over the mainauditorium through small glassportholes, remembering a previous erawhen the now tattered movie screenwas whole and the audience was madeup of the living.

Moving around the room weexamined the outdated remnants ofdays gone by. On one wall a largemetal case with small doors appearedto have held movie reels. We openedeach door in succession to see ifpossibly any films had been leftbehind...we found nothing. On yetanother wall, an old metal filmrewinder lay dormant, along withassorted movie handbills thatcontained the time and movie that wasplaying on a particular day. In a small room that held theelectrical boxes for the theater, wenoticed a small, flat object laying facedown on the floor. We knelt down tofurther examine it, wiping away thedust that had accumulated on itssurface over the past 30 or 40 years.In the first sweep of a hand we couldsee that what we were holding was aOuija board. This was not just anordinary Ouija board made by Mattelor Parker Brothers. Rather, the labelrevealed that it had been made inSalem, Massachusetts. In unison, ourminds traveled back to the SalemWitch Trials and we immediatelydropped the board, stepped back andclosed the door. It was then Iremembered researching Ouijaboards. It was said that they could beused to summon up the spirits of thedead so they might walk among usagain in the world of the living. I saida small prayer and rejoined my group. We then moved across the room tothe far west wall where a metalpartition had been placed. Expectingto find a dead body or two we peeredaround the corner only to be greetedby an ancient porcelain toilet that hadbeen overturned on the floor and anold sink, hanging loosely on the wall. At this point there appeared to benothing to worry about. So wegathered our chairs, settled in for thenight and extinguished our flashlights. Without the benefit of any light sourcethe room was extremely black. In theinky darkness the room slowly beganclosing in on me. My senses heightened, offsetting thefact that I could not see, not even theperson sitting next to me. The stale airfloated into my nostrils and thetemperature in the room seemed todrop 20 degrees. Even though theroom had taken on an icy chill, I wassweating profusely. My hair was nowdamp and I was wiping the sweat outof my eyes; my palms were clammy.For what seemed to be an eternity wesat there silently in the dark, ponderingwhat secrets this room had or still held. All at once the four of us heard anoise emanating from behind the metalpartition that we had previouslyexamined. The noise appeared to bea man crying. In between the sobbingwe could hear him cursing in a mostvile manner. I peered through thedarkness and in a swirling cloud ofmist my eyes fell on a man slumped inthe corner behind the partition. At thispoint his sobbing seemed to cease. Heslowly lifted his head from off hisknees that he had been tightly

A Mounds Theatre Ghost Story

The man in the projection booth

By Sarah Ryan The conventional wisdom amongschool uniform proponents says “start‘em young.” And there may be somethingto that. Although there is little conclusiveresearch to support the arguments ofthose who favor school uniforms or theobjections of those who oppose them,studies have consistently shown thatyounger students are the ones most likelyto comply with school uniform policies. According to Donald’s, the East Sideretail institution and “Official UniformStore since 1952,” school uniformprograms are best begun in the lowergrades “to let the policy grow with thestudents into the higher grades.” Mypersonal experience confirms theiradvice. I didn’t begin wearing a uniformuntil I was a freshman at a Catholic highschool. Before that, I had gone to publicschools that didn’t require uniforms.From day one at the Marian Academyfor Girls, I resented the very idea ofuniforms although most of myclassmates, who had been wearinguniforms since grade school, didn’t seemto mind them at all. Barb Williamson, an employee ofDonald’s Apparel and Uniform on PayneAvenue, told me that Mr. DonaldLaughlin started selling boys uniformpants and shirts 52 years ago to St.Francis School on West 7th. The storewas established to serve schools thathoped to create an atmosphere of“uniformity, pride, loyalty and equality”among their students. His customers alsowanted girls uniforms, so Donald’scontracted with the Solmes Company,also located on St. Paul’s East Side.Other East Side Catholic schoolsincluding St. John’s, formerly located onthe corner of 5th and Forest in Dayton’sBluff, were among Donald’s earlycustomers. Today, Donald’s suppliesuniforms for public, private, and charterschools throughout the upper Midwest. The school uniform industry has grownas religious schools have maintainedtraditional styles and public schoolslocally and nationwide have begun toadopt uniform and dress code policies.Between 1998 and 2000, sales ofuniforms by retail chains like Sears andK-Mart grew by 22 per cent and grossedover a billion dollars. Name brands likeDickies, Bugle Boy, and Levis are nowincorporated into some school uniformpolicies. Target stores offer a “Hilary Duffbackpack” as part of their school uniformline. The pink carry-all features a close-up black and white image of the popstar’s smiling face against a backgroundof what looks like hay. Since the late 1980s, a growing numberof public school boards across the countryand in the state have implemented school

The Clothes Line -- Be true to your school

uniform and dress code policies toaddress problems ranging from truancy,lack of school pride, and academicunderachievement to gang violence, theftof designer apparel, and clique-inducedlow self-esteem. Minnesota state law nowauthorizes local school boards to adoptuniform policies to supplement theminimum public school dress code:“Students have the right to choose theirmanner of dress and personal groomingunless it presents a clear danger to thestudents health and safety, causes aninterference with work, or createsclassroom or school disorder.” The juryis still out on whether school uniformpolicies make a difference, but Donald’sis right when they say that “as more andmore public school systems adopt theschool uniform process, the debate willincrease as to whether uniforms areproductive or passive” in terms of studentlearning capabilities. That debate came to dramatic lightagain this fall. As public school studentsin France got dressed for their first dayof class, they faced more than the usualpressures from family and friends to dressa certain way. In March, the Frenchparliament adopted a national policy thatforbids students from wearing overtlyreligious dress in public schools. The banincludes items such as headscarves wornby Muslim girls, skullcaps worn byJewish boys, and large Christian crosses.By the time classes resumed inSeptember, two French journalists hadbeen kidnapped in Iraq. Their ransom:repeal of the headscarf ban. Despite the divisiveness of the nationaldebate in France over the dress code,news of the kidnappings turned outwidespread support for the policy andagainst the bullying tactics of thekidnappers. Still, diplomatic effortslaunched by French Muslim groups andthe French government to secure thejournalists’ safe return have beenunsuccessful. Back at the Marian Academy, girlsused to wear their skirts pretty short.Bomb threats were a perennialaccompaniment to warm spring days. Aswe filed out onto Military Drive, carloadsof boys would drive by honking. I hatedthat. But the drills were a nice break, andeventually I learned to appreciate theadvantages of the perma-pressed skirtand blouse ensemble. To save timegetting ready for school in the morning,I occasionally slept in my uniform.

Sarah Ryan lives in Dayton’s Bluff.You can reach her by e-mail atsr@lakecast.com or send mail to theDayton’s Bluff District Forum office,798 E. 7th Street, 55106

Minnesota Historical Society PhotoThis first grade class at St. John's Catholic School, 945 East Fifth Street, circa1943, demonstrates that school uniforms are not a new idea.

GHOSTS, page 7

November 2004 Dayton’s Bluff District Forum Page 7

clutching, raised his head and stareddirectly into my eyes. A fear cameover me that shook the foundation ofmy soul. His eyes were black,glittering in their swollen sockets. Icould feel his anger welling up insideof him and I knew I was not welcomein the projection booth, nor were therest of the people sitting beside me. It was obvious now that others inthe room had also seen the sameapparition, as I was aware that peoplewere now shifting nervously in theirchairs. They too were experiencing thecoldness that had set into the room andwere aware of the ghostly presence thatnow was slowing moving towards us. We needed to end this session nowbefore it was too late. I grabbed formy flashlight only to have it fall frommy lap and roll across the floor awayfrom my grasp. Suddenly I heard theclick of a button and the room wasagain illuminated in a pale, yellowishlight. I now saw the people who hadbeen sitting inches away from me inthe dark. I looked into their eyes andimmediately knew that they had heardand felt something that was not of thisworld. We all silently arose from our chairsand moved towards the door, closingit behind us as we descended the stairsto the lower level. Without so muchas uttering a word we went directly tothe box office, flipped off the light, setthe alarm and rapidly exited thebuilding. Outside we all exhaled a sigh ofrelief and proceeded to share with oneanother the experiences of our time inthe projection booth. Oddly enough,we all had seen and felt the same thing,some to a greater degree than others. After this experience none of us everwandered into the projection boothalone, or at all for that matter. Sometimes I can stand in the mainauditorium facing the projection boothand still see the form of a slender manstaring down at me, his shouldersslumped to his sides. His eyes are stillswollen and glittering in the dark asthey were on my last visit. I can onlyimagine what events led up to his beinghere. Does he even know that he isdead, or has he committed suchheinous crimes that he has been forcedto walk in the shadows of the theatreforever to atone for his unthinkableacts? We will probably never knowthe truth.

GHOSTS(continued from page 6)

Every fall at Dayton’s Bluff EarlyChildhood Family Education (ECFE)Program, parents and children sing asong called “My Hand Says Hello”.The three greetings used mostfrequently are “hello”, “na xiong”(Hmong), and “hola” (Spanish),languages spoken by many St. Paulfamilies. This year, however, otherlanguages have entered the song tohonor the languages spoken inchildren’s homes. Parents in the ECFE Programparticipated in a map project to helpthem get to know each other and ourcommunity better. Each parent wasasked to put a map pin on a map toshow where she or he was from. Theywere also asked to place a red “heart”pin anywhere in the world thatrepresented a strong emotionalattachment for them. To facilitate thismapping there were maps of the TwinCities, Minnesota, Mexico, and theworld. As expected, most of the pinsdesignating people’s childhood homes

Women who care about young,single mothers are invited to be a partof Befrienders, a unique collaborativeprogram of Children’s Home Society& Family Services (CHSFS) andHealth Start. Through Befrienders,young mothers receive support fromand build a unique friendship witholder women who have committed toa yearlong relationship. On-going sup-port is provided through group andindividual consultation. A 17-hourtraining session for new Befriendersis scheduled for Friday, November 12,12:30 - 9 p.m., and Saturday, Novem-ber 13, 8:30 a.m.- 5 p.m., at Children’sHome Society and Family Services,2230 Como Avenue, St. Paul. Appli-cations to become a Befriender are nowbeing accepted by CHSFS VolunteerServices. Contact them at 651-255-2323 or befriender@chsm.com. The Befriender program was createdin 1989. Research shows the programhelps participants grow in self-confidence, become better parents, andtake greater control of their own lives.Young mothers feel hopeful andincrease their desire to plan for thefuture. The benefits to volunteersinclude training, reimbursement ofexpenses, and the satisfaction ofparticipating in a program that buildsstrong families. Children’s Home Society & FamilyServices is the result of mergingChildren’s Home Society of Minnesotaand Family Services, Inc., in 2003.The statewide, private, non-profitagency has a more than 100-yearhistory of providing social services tochildren and families, includingprograms in adoption, childdevelopment, employee assistance,crisis nurseries and family services.Health Start is a program of West SideCommunity Health Services, whichprovides extensive school-basedservices, prenatal care, communityhealth education and parenting supportprograms.

Our hands at ECFE say “hello” inmany languages

Women befriendsingle mothers – passalong wisdom,support and hope

Don’t you get fed up with the waysome of the people put up dozens ofsigns on telephone poles andstreetlights, or tape them up towhatever empty space they feel likeusing? I enjoy going to a good garagesale now and then, so I can live with alittle temporary visual pollution. Butwhat I really can’t stand is the fact thata few people leave them long after theevent is over. The worst is when the sign just sayssomething like “Big Sale Today!” Youshow up and they say, “Oh, that waslast week.” Maybe there could be a cityordinance requiring all signs to bedated and, at risk of a small fine, betaken down within a day or two afterthe sale. Try keeping a list of wherethey were put up for goodness sakes!G. B. LeRoy

Even though there was a smaller than hoped for turn-out, the second eventsponsored by the newly formed Dayton’s Bluff Heritage and HappinessCommittee went off as planned on October 12. While there is still restorationwork to be done, various people commented on how glad they were that thehistoric structure was not torn down, as had been suggested by some city staff. The pavilion, built just before the First World War, is an excellent example ofprairie style architecture and it would have been a shame to see it razed. That’swhat the party in the park was all about. You should have been there. Given the weather, this is the last Heritage and Happiness Committee outdoorevent until the spring. But there are many indoor sites that could serve as alocation for future get togethers. Do any of you readers have suggestions onplaces or events to be celebrated? If so, please call Karin at the Dayton’s BluffCouncil Office, 772-2075.

Pavilion in the park party

were in St. Paul with others located inother cities in Minnesota and the fivestate area. But parents in the programalso come from Chicago, Detroit, NewYork, Atlanta. They also come fromplaces as diverse as Bulgaria, China,Mexico, India, Brazil, Tanzania, SriLanka, Argentina, and Uganda. The “heart” connections aresimilarly wide spread. Theconnections represent many waysparticipants feel bound to a placewhere they did not originate. Theyhave adopted or been adopted fromanother country. They lived or wentto school there. They have closerelatives there. They have served orhad a relative serve in the military inother countries. Red “heart” pins dotthe maps in Haiti, Liberia, Vietnam,the Bahamas, Sweden, India, Egypt,Chile, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Israel,China, Ireland, and the United States. Preschoolers are curious about theirimmediate families and close relatives;“Where was Papa born?” “Wheredoes Aunt Sue live now?” The mapsare largely interesting to them in termsof these smaller families. But seeingthe connections adults at Dayton’sBluff have around the world and acrosscultures reminds us of a bigger familyon the “big blue marble.” This year “hello” might be “NihHao” (Mandarin Chinese), “Shalom”(Hebrew), “Namaste” (Hindi),“Kohomada” (Sinhala), “AnnyoungHasimnikka” (Korean), “Chao” (Viet-namese), “Habari” (Swahili), “Oliotya” (Lugandan), “Zdrasty” (Bul-garian) “Vanakkam” (Tamil), or “Oi”(Portuguese). Children’s faces lightup when they hear their native lan-guage in a song. The waving handsgreet friends in any language.

Letter to the EditorSigns that won’t go away

Photos by Greg Cosimini Seven more of the classicautomobiles that were on displayat Mounds Park before the Drivefor Kids road rally to Red Wing.

Page 8 Dayton’s Bluff District Forum November 2004

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Visiting or reading to our EldersBeauty Shop HelpersChapel Services HelpersMeal Time HelpersRecreation Programs Assistants for Arts and Crafts and/or Group ActivitiesMusical Entertainers (singers, play the piano or organ, or any musical instrument)Men’s Group Leader for activities and outingsGrocery Shopping Helpers… And much more!

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Volunteers needed at theMarian Center

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Friday November 19, 200410:00AM to 4:00PM atMarian of Saint Paul

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