Pre-civil War History, Discovering Pulsars, Your Favorite Teacher, And More
How pre-Civil War Kentucky led the nation
Ag leader program enrolling nominees
Time Capsule: 50 years ago
Summer Civil War re-enactments
4-Hers reuniting
How pre-Civil War Kentucky led the nation
Father and daughter team James Ramage and Andrea Watkins, both Northern Kentucky University history professors, offer a new perspective on Kentucky’s pre-Civil War history. Kentucky Rising: Democracy, Slavery, and Culture from the Early Republic to the Civil War (University Press of Kentucky, $40, www.kentuckypress.com) focuses on Kentucky’s early image as a leader to the rest of the nation, its innovative residents, and its reputation of strength. Drawing on both primary and secondary sources, the authors explore the crucial period from 1800 to 1865, when Kentucky became a leader in politics, science, and education, while still grappling with the slavery issue.
From medicine to the arts, Ramage and Watkins examine the many developments in Kentucky that attracted national attention during the first half of the 19th century. Stories of famous figures such as Ephraim McDowell, known as the father of abdominal surgery, John James Audubon, known for his detailed bird illustrations, and Benjamin Henry Latrobe, designer of the U.S. Capitol building, are told in a manner friendly to the lay reader as well as to avid historians and scholars.
Readers will also discover the extent of the Commonwealth’s love for its own Henry Clay and uncover the myths behind his upbringing and seeming rags-to-riches story. Ramage and Watkins weave together how Clay’s popularity and influence greatly affected the culture of the day from government issues to art.
“We believe that considering the history of Kentucky by themes, with emphasis on people, has given us perspective and opened a window onto their lives,” say the authors.
State Historian of Kentucky James C. Klotter praises their work, saying, “The authors illuminate both the known and the lesser-known parts of the story. As a result, readers find in these pages new and interesting information about art and architecture, culture and cholera, social life and steamboats, politics and the press, slavery and antislavery, war and peace, the Union and the Confederacy, and so much more. This is a signal achievement.”
—Penny Woods
Quote: Steven Chu
It is only a matter of time before solar energy becomes equal in cost to many forms of fossil (fuels)…We need (an electric power transmission) grid that can accommodate these technology gains.
—U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu
Dads! Dinosaurs! Free!
Dinosaur World in Cave City invites children to bring Dad free on Father’s Day with a paid child admission. Pack a picnic lunch and spend the day with more than 150 life-size, extinct creatures.
More info: www.dinosaurworld.com or (270) 773-4345. Hours: 8:30 a.m.-8 p.m.
Energy efficiency tip
To beat the heat, run appliances like dishwashers and dryers late in the evening to keep the heat from affecting your comfort. Use cold water to wash clothes, and remember to unplug electric chargers, televisions, and any appliances when you are not using them.
Ag leader program enrolling nominees
Nominations are being accepted for a program to develop leaders in Kentucky agriculture, with a final deadline of July 15 for all applications.
The Kentucky Agricultural Leadership Program is a two-year series of seminars, tours, and programs aimed at improving communication, management, public policy, and other agriculture career-related skills and knowledge.
More info available at www.uky.edu/Ag/KALP.
They found pulsars
Students from Rowan County Senior High School, Jessica Pal and Hannah Mabry discovered two small but powerful astronomical objects known as pulsars. A pulsar is a neutron star that spins rapidly and emits radio waves along its magnetic axis. They are tools scientists use to detect gravitational waves predicted by Einstein’s theory of relativity. Mabry and Pal became interested while they were students in an astronomy class taught by Jennifer Carter. Both girls plan to study science after high school. Mabry, now an entering freshman at Morehead State University, received an unprecedented undergraduate research fellowship that began her senior year in high school.
Teachers for the Hall of Fame
Nominations are being accepted for the 2013 class of inductees into the Gov. Louie B. Nunn Kentucky Teacher Hall of Fame. The deadline is July 15. Get more info at www.wku.edu/kythf.
Recipients for 2012 are:
The late Helen P. Raby, who taught in Logan County for 31 years. She received awards for volunteer service in the county and was the author of Story of My Life. She died in 2010.
Sharon Graves, in her 23rd year of teaching American history to 8th-grade students at Clark-Moores Middle School in Richmond; and Estelle Park Bayer, who taught Latin at Madison Central High School from 1978 until retiring in 2011. She received numerous awards over the years from Kentucky educational organizations.
Time Capsule: 50 years ago
Headlines show need for honesty
Do you remember the chicken stealers of the Thirties? Why, there wasn’t anybody that a community hated more than a chicken stealer. And yet there’s no difference today. The “hen grabbers” are wearing better clothes and talk more fancy, but they’ve still got feathers sticking out of their pants cuffs…
We hate to see so many farm boys and girls leaving the environment where they learned how to live respectfully and honestly. But let’s hope they’ll make their way to the top in years to come. You can be sure that the principles you’ve taught them will last a lifetime.
—Avery Jenkins, editor
Summer Civil War re-enactments
Civil War buffs can enjoy re-enactments of battles as their 150th anniversary nears this year.
The Battle of Richmond in Madison County will be held August 25-26, 2 p.m., in Battlefield Park. An added 30-minute skirmish will take place August 26, 9:30 a.m., on the Army Depot property. More info at www.battleofrichmond.org.
The Battle of Perryville, known as “the bloodiest in Kentucky,” will be held October 5-7 in Boyle County. A “preservation march” has been added with cooperation from neighboring property owners, allowing military participants to retrace the armies’ original routes. More info at www.perryvillebattlefield.org.
John Hunt Morgan’s re-enactment raid on Shepherdsville to destroy the Salt River Bridge will be held July 27-29 at 9 a.m. in City Park on First St. The public is invited to an authentic 1800s meal Saturday at 5 p.m. Get more info on Facebook.com, search Shepherdsville Civil War Days, or e-mail tony82155@aol.com.
4-Hers reuniting
4-H friends and alumni are invited to the 2012 4-H Homecoming beginning at 6 p.m., June 9, at the Hilton Garden Inn in Georgetown. Last year’s event drew more than 100 attendees and raised more than $8,000 for Kentucky 4-H. Find more info, including registration form, at www.kentucky4h.org/foundation.
