Politics on the Pavement

Ron Paul, Calhoun St, Charleston, S.C.

Long Live The American Reivolution

I'm a little slow. I wasn't quite sure this was Ron Paul and couldn't quite make out the words until I googled for images and this popped up. I took it during the S.C. primary period so it makes sense. Still - Ron Paul has sidewalk artists working on his campaign? Cool!

In other news, holy traffic confusion kids! It is a mess West Ashley. I soon realized the crawling traffic jam I had entered and slipped into the mall to hang out for a while hoping things would clear up. Drive carefully out there.

Blue skies & palmetto trees

Calhoun St., Charleston, S.C.

I am just back from my late walk-about town and thinking of the 100 year old gentleman who ran the marathon in Toronto.

TORONTO, Oct. 16 (UPI) -- A 100-year-old man ran a marathon in Toronto Sunday, apparently becoming the oldest person to complete the long-distance running achievement.
CTV reported Indian-born Fauja Singh came close to quitting about 6 hours into the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon but persevered and finished the 26-mile race in about 8 hours, 25 minutes. Singh, who didn't take up running until he turned 80, will likely be named the Guinness World Record holder for the world's oldest marathoner, the TV network said.

That is quite amazing. He ran 26 miles during what would equal my work day. What a guy!  I know some feisty seniors but this takes the cake.

Reclaiming the Home for Nurses

Calhoun St., Charleston, S.C.

Recognize this? It is the building to the right of Roper Hospital facing Calhoun St. This sign has always interested me. A home for nurses! We need one. Quick. Let's reclaim it. Install a bar, masseuse, a spa and restaurant. It's our house and we want it back. I am always looking for a place for parties and fundraisers.

I found this snippet in an old journal and had to correct their typo of Charlton to Charleston:

The Trained Nurse & Hospital Review: The R. A. Kinloch Home for Nurses has been completed in connection with the Roper Hospital, Charleston, S.C. Before the earthquake funds had been collected and set aside for this purpose, but the earthquake wrought such damage to the hospital property that it was removed to another site. The matter of the home for nurses was dropped for years, though the little fund in the bank kept slowly adding to itself. The present building is complete and well equipped, and is an altogether happy ending to a long delayed project.

Who is our hero, Dr. Kinloch? Dr. Robert Alexander Kinloch was born in Charleston on February 20, 1826. He was graduated from the College of Charleston in 1845 with distinction. After one “course” at the Medical College of the State of South Carolina he took his Medical Degree from the University of Pennsylvania (1848), then spent two years in the hospitals of Paris, London and Edinburgh. Returning home, he began to practice in his native city, but when the War broke out, he entered the Confederate army as a surgeon (July, 1861). During his military career he served at various times upon the staffs of Generals Lee, Pemberton, and Beauregard and was also detailed as a member of the medical examining board at Norfolk, at Richmond, and at Charleston. Subsequently, he held the position of inspector of hospitals for South Carolina, Georgia and Florida.

Upon the close of the War he resumed practice in Charleston and in 1866 was elected to the chair of materia medica in the Medical College of the State of South Carolina. He was First Surgeon at Roper Hospital and also attended in City Hospital, and later in St. Francis Infirmary.

Very impressive, Dr. K. I hope he approves of my plan.

The kids are back in town

Calhoun St., Charleston, S.C.



What a difference a week makes. Everywhere you look there are students on bikes, skateboards and this evening trying to cover their heads and dashing to get out of the rain. The "towels over the banister" look is one of my favorites.



I've been doing a little kayaking lately and was amazed to come across this site: Richard Bernabe's South Carolina Riverventure. In 2007 the nature photographer chose a route that took him 270 miles through the state’s rivers, lakes, swamps and canals, as well as negotiating around eight dams in a canoe. He began on the Broad River at the foothills of the North Carolina Mountains and finished at Battery Park in the Charleston Harbor.



Holy cow! The story is in three parts but each page leads to the next. He is amazing but does not make it sounds like a tempting escapade. I think I will stick to my hiking holidays.

John C. walking in the garden

Marion Square, Charleston, S.C.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

John C. Calhoun walking in the garden that is Marion Square in the summer. Slightly more flattering that most pictures I take of him.

Ding Dong the School is Gone

Memminger Elementary, Charleston, S.C.

Going, going, almost gone. I heard that Memminger Elementary and Buist Academy were two of the schools on the peninsula that were being demolished after studies showed they wouldn't be safe in an earthquake. My kids went to both the schools so I thought I'd grab a few pictures before they were gone but I was almost too late.

We moved to Charleston when my children were ready for kindergarten and grade one and were immediately told there was no public school on the peninsula that they should go to. I'd lived where there were good and bad teachers but had never lived anywhere where I was told that a whole school was bad. There was only one other white family at Memminger at that time and to this day people call out recognizing me as the mother of the only white kid in their class.

Years later one after the other, they were each accepted at Buist Academy on Calhoun St. which was not only the closest neighborhood school but also an academic magnet school. How odd to see bulldozers tearing down the auditorium and cafeteria they went to every day. It looks like they might leave the main street front building in place. I remember trying to speak very clearly when I mentioned that my kid was "a Buist kid" because people tended to think I said they were "abused kids".



Buist Academy, Calhoun St., Charleston, S.C.

Rain Walking

Norms, Calhoun St., Charleston, S.C.

Uhoh. I nodded off during the President's speech again. Me and speeches. Zzzzzz.

I reported at Ye Olde Crack of Dawn for a long day of leadership training at Trident Technical College this morning and did stay awake. I came home with three pages of doodles and a decorated Styrofoam cup. I have been doodling the same designs since high school. As soon as someone starts speaking I start scribbling. A psychiatrist once saw a page of my chicken scratches and asked if he could have it. Do you think it is framed on his wall as an example of some freaky condition?

I run around during breaks at these sessions and get all kinds of business done. We are such a huge health system - over five thousand now, that most of us never see each other and everything is done by email. Some things are so much easier to quickly agree on face to face. A worthwhile day even if my butt did get numb from sitting all day.

These two pictures will be familiar to anyone who went to college in Charleston. One is the college laundromat and the other a popular pizza/sub stop called Norm's.

G'night kids! There is a lot more to get done this week and I need to get to bed. Y'all stay warm and dry!

Wooden park entrance at Marion Square

Marion Square, Charleston, S.C.

Cool wooden walk through entrance at the King and Calhoun side of Marion Square. I walked through the other night in the dark and they had screens inside the wood lit up naming organizations that support the arts. The fresh wood smells so good. I am sure it will turn out to be part of an upcoming arts festival of some kind.

Bookzilla!

Gaillard Auditorium, Calhoun St., Charleston, S.C.

Today is the last day of the giant Friends of the Library Book sale at Gaillard Auditorium. When I was at the symphony on Friday night I spotted the Bookzilla sculpture so directed my walk this morning in that direction so I could get a shot before it was dismantled.

Bookzilla is a fundraising project that gives volunteers, businesses and the general public an opportunity to support Charleston Volunteers for Literacy's tutoring program for students in high need, local elementary schools.

Our goal is to raise $50,000 by collecting 10,000 books each supported by $5 in donations. Local artist Karl Beckwith Smith, will lead an attempt to set a new sculpture record by collecting and stacking over 10,000 books into a towering art sculpture.

I have complete faith in the Friends of the Library. This book sale is an incredible event each year. Congratulations to them!

The symphony event on Friday was wonderful. Thanks to my readers who spotted me and said hello! You made my weekend :)))

Unusual Blossom

Calhoun Monument, Marion Square, Charleston, S.C.

His name is slapped on almost everything in South Carolina and every once and awhile he blossoms out of a palm tree to oversee the street named in his honor. John C. Calhoun was important politically - serving as Vice President and Secretary of War and Senator. The fact that he declared war on Canada in 1812 (hmmmmph) and believed that slavery was a positive good makes him the rare stink blossom in this scene.

Here are a few more views from my Calhoun Collection. He doesn't seem to mind posing:

Wash this Way

College Laundromat, Calhoun & Smith St., Charleston, S.C.

This may not be the historically significant building in Charleston but I bet it holds a place in the memories of many a College of Charleston student. It's name is simply "College Laundromat". I used to think I'd like to own it and be the grand matriarch of laundry.

I am home a bit early and walked back from a meeting at Roper Hospital after doing a telephone interview with a Nursing Magazine about my SCRUBS student mentoring program. Coolness. They plan to write a story on it which tickles me to no end.

Blue skies and sunshine!

Calhoun St., Charleston, S.C.

This sunshine is like magic after the cold dreary days we've been having. These grand old houses on Calhoun St. are usually divided into student apartments or condos these days.

I will miss the MLK parade this year but had so much fun taking pictures at it last year at inauguration time. The happy energy was flying that day.

Have a good day, kids. I am going climb up to my ancient attic in search of an old keyboard to pass on to a friend's daughter. It is old but only used when my daughter thought she wanted to learn to play the piano for exactly two months. If rats haven't chewed on it it should be just fine. Send a search party for me if I don't come back.

Before & After - Charleston

Calhoun St. & Ashley Ave., Charleston, S.C.

I just walked past this building and grabbed a shot knowing I had a "before" in my files. Wow. We went through an uglification period didn't we? Sad to think this beautiful building was covered up.

I have many happy memories of this building. It used to be the old St. Francis Xavier Hospital and that third floor was the labor & delivery unit. At one time there was a Nursing Home across the street and I was taking care of a gal in labor whose grandmother was a patient in it. They wheeled grandma to the front and parked her outside the door. I called them when the baby was born and held the slippery little one up at the window for her to see to the applause of all the staff. Fun stuff.

Later on, I was in that third floor window on the right, encouraging a lady to push as Hurricane Hugo hit. The ceiling tiles were lifting up in the air as the storm blew in and maintenance men were nailing plywood to the windows. Lordy. We moved all the patients to the inner halls and lost many of the windows.

When St. Francis hospital moved West of the Ashley the Medical University of SC bought the building. It's still ugly but I expect amazing things still happen every day.