Spring Week 2010

Saturday wrapped up an important week in spring for the greek community. I have the privilage of being in a greek chapter here at ISU and I'm very proud of it. The picture I have at the top of this post is of tandem. This is the event that wraps up the whole week and it the biggest event of the week. Teams train for almost a month and a half before the actual race. This has been a tradition at ISU since way before I was born. The now 94 year old man that just retired this year has been flagging the tandem race since it started. Tradition is one thing that will always stay true in the greek community. If nothing else holds true at ISU what the greeks do will.

Temple Isreal

Jewish history in Terre Haute started in 1827 with the first land purchase by one Mr. Samuel Judah. This man later became one of Indiana's legislators. He rose to become the 25th General Assembly of the state of Indiana. This is just the great start of the Jewish history in Terre Haute.

The next big event that took place for Jewish history was the purchase of land for burial at 1st and 8th ave. Quickly followed by the formation of a burial society. This burial society formed the first Jewish congregation in Terre Haute.

The picture I have above is where the Jews now have Temple. The neo-classical structure dates back to the 1900's. It was designed and built by Simeon Eisendrath. At this period in time there were two Jewish congregations. The reformed congreagtion for whom the temple was built and the orthodox congregation who was in a synagogue in Farrington's Grove. That synagogue would later be the senior center that now stands today. The two congregations merged in 1936 with what is to be the first record of orthodox and reformed Jews merging together in the United States.

I was unable to venture inside this beautiful building, but from the reading I have done on it I found out that it has a half-dome skylight. I would love to get in and see the beauty this building has to hold. But for now I'm just left with what my imagination has to hold.

Paul Dresser

This is Paul Dressers' home located on the banks of the wabash in Fairbanks park. You would think will this house still standing that we would turn it into a memorial of the man who wrote our state song. There is only a sign out in front of the house telling you about the man who lived there. I'm not sure if you can take a tour into the house and look out the windows to see the view that inspired Paul or not, but from peaking into the windows it doesn't look like you can go in.

The is the sign that is in front of Pauls' house. As you can see it doesn't do the man any justice. It pretty much just tells you that he wrote a song and a book. It doesn't mention anything about what inspired him to write those things or that the house behind the sign was his child hood home. I believe it is important to give him credit, but there is so much more we could do with these things to help make Terre Haute shine.
If I could go back and redue this for the city of Terre Haute I would. Speaking out and giving ideas is how you go about keeping a city alive and thriving. When we all stay quiet nothing good can come of it. I would say that we could turn the Dresser home into a museum and make it the end part of a walking tour. You would start the tour along the banks of the wabash and talk about how this view inspired Paul to write the famous Indiana song "On the Banks of the Wabash". Then you would stroll through the park and up to the house. Entering the house you would see furniture from that time period and your guide would tell you the history of the family and of the house. When you left your tour you would be more education on Paul Dresser and how Terre Haute use to be.

Max Carey

Maximillian George Carnarius got his start playing baseball in Terre Haute, Indiana. This plack is up in front of the football field for Indiana State University. What is now the football field use to be the old baseball stadium. The old gates are still used to enter the football field. Max Carey adopted his name when he played his first professional game to maitain ameture status for Concordia College. The name stuck and he went on the play for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He holds many records that are still good today. In most of the categories he is still ranked 9th. After playing for the pirates he went on the play for the Brooklyn Robins for three years before he retired. After he retired he was the manager for the Dogers. During World War 2 he went on to manage the Milwaukee Chicks and the Fort Wayne Daisys two women's teams that played in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Of all these accomplishments everyone will always remember that little Max Carey got his big start playing ball in Terre Haute, Indiana.

Greenwood Elementary School

I was driving around Terre Haute the other day and I have seen this building many times and have always wondered what it is. Well it use to be Greenwood Elementary School. I have tried to find it in the data base for schools, but am unable to find why it closed. It is pretty amazing that this building is standing since it was built in 1908. I would have figured with the history Terre Haute has of tearing buildings down that this one would have followed suit after they no longer needed it for an elementary school.
I have been unable to figure out why they no longer use it as an elementary school or why they stopped using it in the first place. I don't know if this was a segregated school or if the attendance just became so low that they had to close it. I would love to get into this school and have a look around. Not only because I'm and education major and it fasinates me, but because I love going in old buildings and exploring to see what I will find.
This building now houses Freebirds Solution Center. It is a drug rehab facility. They offer a twelve step Christian based program to help people to over come their addictions. I think this is a very fitting thing to put in a elementary school. People are still helping eachother out and I think that is one of the most important things that could happen in a community.
Someday I may figure out what happened to the school that use to be housed in this building, but for now it will be a mystery. The building is still around so this mystery may be solved very soon. If I could somehow manange to get a transcript of who went to the school I may be able to figure out what happened to it, but until then we just have the picture I took to fill in the blanks.

On the Banks of the Wabash

'Round my Indiana homestead wave the cornfields,In the distance loom the woodlands clear and cool,Oftentimes my tho'ts revert to scenes of childhood,Where I first received my lessons - nature's school.But one thing there is missing in the picture,Without her face it seems so incomplete,I long to see my mother in the doorway,As she stood there years ago, her boy to greet.
CHORUS
Oh, the moonlight's fair tonight along the Wabash,From the fields there comes the breath of new-mown hay,Through the sycamores the candle lights are gleaming,On the banks of the Wabash, far away.Many years have passed since I strolled by the river,Arm in arm, with sweetheart Mary by my side,It was there I tried to tell her that I loved her,It was there I begged of her to be my bride.Long years have passed since I strolled thro' the churchyard.She's sleeping there, my angel, Mary dear,I loved her, but she thought I didn't mean it,Still I'd give my future were she only here.

These are the words from the famous song "On the Bank of the Wabash" by Paul Dresser. I took a field trip the other day over to fairbanks park. I walked past Paul Dressers house and down the road to gaze at the river that so inspired him to write this song. It is such a lovely site as you can see by the picture I took. Unfortunatly the river was very high and had flooded the docks that the city has built so you can feed the ducks or I would have had more picture from further down.

I really enjoyed looking at the river and how romantic it could be. As a city we need to make the decision to utilize our river. Put paths along it, so people can enjoy it's natural beauty. Someday maybe some will come along that people will listen to and say hey I think we should really use this river and make it the center of our town. Peole are really going to want to come here and see what we have to offer with this river we care so dearly about. It's just a thought I had while I was gazing upon the scene in the picture.