Saturday, June 15, 2013
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Unruly Dinners with the Colonists
By Harry M. Covert
A
The latest refers to Jamestown. That’s still in Virginia. Apparently some recent assessors have discovered that the colonists there did not exhibit any moral tendencies. They were heathens of the first chop.
When food ran short back in 1609, they apparently became cannibals -- Caucasian diners that is. To survive. No evidence abounds they partook of the Indians, whom they described as Indians, not in the modern words Native Americans. [The Bureau of Indian Affairs had not been created at that point.]
The Story of Virginia, to which I was taught in my grammar school, never mentioned such unruly conduct. Those settlers, as I learned in my classrooms just a few miles south, always showed us sweet boys and girls how kindly the mostly Christian intruders from England treated the Redmen and women.
Some of the names I recall these days are Captain John Smith, Pocahontas, Powhatan and John Rolfe.
These creative and godly forerunners, as many have been taught through their formative years and on to the hallowed halls of the College of William and Mary, led to the establishment of the USA.
It should be noted here that the esteemed college is the second oldest institution of higher learning in what is now the 50 states. Harvard ranks first and probably leads the way in some historical rewriting.
Starving time in Jamestown occurred during the winter of 1609 to1610, according to Colonial Williamsburg which is working on the project with the Smithsonian and Preservation Virginia.
A recent wag wondered if the Jamestown tourist center will have to update its cookbook. Now, that’s crass but it’s true.
My education must improve.
A review of Author Jon Meacham’s recent biography, Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power, attempted to tear down achievements of the William and Mary graduate and founder of the University of Virginia. The headline was “Monster of Monticello.”
Meacham’s fine work doesn’t judge Jefferson by the standards of the present age.
The third president may have been a slave owner but he was a grand president, an outstanding diplomat and a distinctive writer of his own Bible and other memorable documents.
It was great foresight that he introduced the tomato to the US. Imagine no catsup/ketchup, tomato sandwiches on homemade yeast rolls, tomato soup, Thomas Jefferson schools, high and low, and the two dollar bill.
Mr. Jefferson was considered a Deist but knew the Lord’s Prayer.
Some of his contemporaries were religious and believed in “fervent prayer”. Among them is Mount Vernon’s George Washington, known for his financial derring-do. He was a founder, vestryman and regular worshiper at Christ Church, Alexandria, Va.
It will be surprising to discover in these days of rewriting, that Jamestown’s church was really a garage built by the Indians, that Williamsburg is a myth, that basketball was invented by Mr. Naismith in Jamestown and not in Massachusetts, that documents have been found returning West Virginia to Virginia and that Marylander Francis Scott Key wrote his famous song in Indiana.
And that Thanksgiving never happened because the colonists, even those in Plymouth, weren’t thankful for anything and never learned to hunt or fish and were navel gazers.
The Business of Frederick is More Business
By Harry M. Covert
Few cities or towns remain quaint and cuddly. The 
As was coined some years ago, the business of Frederick is business. Oops. That’s a variation of what a fellow called Silent Cal said some years back. He wasn’t wrong then nor is the saying out of step today.
Driving up and down West Patrick Street is a pleasant experience even as roadway traffic picks up in both directions. How pleasant for residents to find nice buffets of numerous cuisine, shops for manicures and pedicures, automobile businesses and some excellent shopping areas for wants and needs.
Benefits of an active economy bolster everybody from customers to business. Unfortunately, there is a blight at the western end. The city has an energetic plan already under way to redevelop and renew Route 40 West. It should. This business corridor is vital to continued growth.
Already there is a successful department store adjacent to what was the Frederick Towne Mall, also adjacent to a home furnishings giant. The in-between though needs immediate help. Planners are on the job.
Interest from Walmart should have officials jumping up and down with joy. Some visionless citizens pooh-pooh the idea that the world’s largest business would not help. Think again. Bringing businesses and shoppers en masse could be nothing less than a major asset to the delightful downtown area and enhance the mall honoring Maryland’s composer extraordinaire.
If having one Walmart on the eastern end of the city/county where shoppers abound every day of the week, a second store would be exceptional too on the western end. There are lots of citizens in that section of the city. They won’t shop in high-end shops and would walk to their shopping haunts.
Revitalization obviously takes time. But a workforce is available. There’s no time like the present.
If steps aren’t under way, officials should be banging on doors of entrepreneurs, established commercial builders and public relations experts.
Never forget contributions to the city, and county, made by such entities as Fort Detrick, Hood College, Maryland School for the Deaf, Frederick Keys baseball at Harry Grove Stadium, the downtown Weinberg Center for the Arts and many others.
Days are gone when Frederick was a small town. It will never be that again. Besides, stop growing and demise is inevitable. Political change is coming. It never stops.
With proper planning the Golden Mile could become platinum for citizens, business and the city. There seem to be lots of tight-fisted opinions rampant to deny a resurrection of the Route 40 Corridor with help of a Walmart. Delays are dangerous.
Instead of increasing taxes (and threatening more levies) on homeowners, et al, more business brings more revenue for city coffers and more jobs.
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