ARTICLES ON THIS PAGE:
(Today through April 25th)
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1. NEW Announcements.
2. NEW article: CNC's First Shoe Lane Building: Christopher Newport Hall (1964 - 2008)
3. From 2013: What's in a Name? Anglo-Saxon Place Names in Tidewater.
4. Deities, Rulers, and Wrong Numbers: Our Latin Calendar, Part 2 (April, May, & June).
5. Mid-Size Cruise Ship Benefits, by CNC First Decader Ron Lowder.
6. NEW Cartoons: For the Educated.
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If your actions create a legacy that inspires others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, then, you are an excellent leader.
Dolly Parton
Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer, actress, author, businesswoman, humanitarian
(Born 1946)
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What do you get if you cross a fridge and a stereo?
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Answer shown at the bottom of this page
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1. 50TH REUNION DEADLINE EXTENDED TO APRIL 27. As of April 12, the following are Planning to Attend: Former faculty Jane Chambers, Barry Wood, & Raoul Weinstein; 1968 alumni Jan Giguere Clarke, Kay Lass Carter, Linda McKenna Sivlich, & Wade Williams; & special guest Lois Wright (1st & only graduate of '62). An updated Planning to Attend list will be emailed to the Class of 1968 on April 20 & again on April 27. The April 27 update will also be posted on this website April 27.
2. TREASURY'S HEALTH IMPROVED BY DONATIONS: Emeritus professor Dr. Mario Mazzarella, Susan Yeatts ('65), and Tom Lockard (AA, '67) have increased the balance in our First Decaders Treasury to $648.51. Many thanks to these generous donors!
3. FIRST DECADE PROFESSORS MET SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS: Representing 3 different scholarships, Barry Wood, Rita Hubbard, and Jane Chambers lunched with their scholarship recipients at the Annual Donor and Recipient Scholarship Luncheon and Program on March 29. An article with photos will be published at our next website update.
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CNC's First Shoe Lane Building:
Christopher Newport Hall
(1964 - 2008)
by A. Jane Chambers
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Glued to page 5 of CNC'S second yearbook, the 1965 Trident, is the above photo of Newport Hall. Those who own copies of this yearbook--with this photo and also a color photo of professor Usry, to whom the yearbook was dedicated (p. 10)--possess a rare gem. Not only is there no other CNC yearbook with color photographs, but also, to my knowledge, there is no other professional color photograph of the first building on the Shoe Lane campus of Christopher Newport taken the year of its completion.
Ground was broken for Newport Hall in January of 1964. Local architect Forrest Coile, Jr. designed the brick building, for which he developed a distinct style he called "contemporary oriental," which he would use also for CNC's future buildings. Local builder J. M. Jordan & Co. completed construction in 9 months, so that it was ready for use when the fall semester opened in early September (Memories, p. 16). The 24,000 square-foot building cost $320,000 (Serving, p. 48).
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The above artistic rendering of Newport Hall is from the inside of the front cover of the college's first yearbook, the 1964 Trident, published while CNC was still in downtown Newport News, in the old Daniel building. Evident in this picture is the arrangement of the building into three parts--two one-story units in the front, and a much larger two-story unit behind them--the three connected by a covered breezeway with a slate floor.
The left front unit housed CNC's library from fall 1964 until fall 1967 and was staffed by library director Bette Mosteller, acquisitions assistant Jean Garner (later Barger), and cataloging assistant Lorena Elder (later Smith). Jean and Lorena were early CNC alumnae. Although small, this first Shoe Lane library was a popular place for students to study (photo left below, from Memories, p. 159). All of the bookcases and library shelves for it were built by CNC's first building and grounds superintendent, the multi-talented Mike Cazaras.
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When the Captain John Smith Library opened, this Newport Hall unit then became the home of the college bookstore from 1968 until completion of the original Campus Center building in 1973. The bookstore manager was Jackie Haskins, shown above right with CNC's first business manager, Tom Dunaway (photo from Memories, p. 158). Jackie inherited Mike's bookcases and shelves, of course.
The right front unit was a lecture hall with theater-like tiered seating for slightly over 200 people. It was used for everything from faculty meetings and biology lectures to dramatic productions and graduation ceremonies--and more. Many assemblies were held here, including several commencements. Frances Kitchen's Dramatic Workshop students staged plays here, including the first three-act drama at CNC: Archibald McLeish's JB, in 1966, with the lead role played by student Charles Milne, who decades later would become Dean of the Tisch School of Performing Arts at New York University. And I remember teaching freshman English to Riverside nursing students here when classroom space was scarce.
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The photo left above (from Memories, p. 37) shows then-Director H. Westcott (Scotty) Cunningham addressing incoming freshmen at their Orientation in the lecture hall. Notice the not-so-comfortable seats, which had pull-up desks hanging from their sides. The exit with steps and landing visible here had its twin, the room's entrance, on the opposite side. The other photo (from the 1965 Trident, p. 78) shows students performing in that some room at a musical event called a Hootenanny.
The photo below, from CNU's Archives, was taken in the lecture hall on June 4, 1965, during Spring Commencement. Facing the 27 A.A. degree recipients are (left) James C. (Jim) Windsor, then student personnel officer, and (back to viewers) Scotty Cunningham. The women degree recipients are wearing white dresses; the men, dark suits with white shirts and dark ties. Notice the closed drapes at the windows--used to block out sunlight. Why? Because there was no air conditioning in this room. Both of these one-story units had groups of tall narrow windows, with louvered crank-out window panes (see photo two above) that let in almost no air. All three units of Newport Hall were built to be air conditioned; however, no funding for that cooling would be available until 1968.
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To Be Continued
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We welcome your FEEDBACK. Send to
cncmemories61_71@yahoo.com
or cnc6171@cox.net.
Published April 13, 2018
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What’s in a Name?
Anglo-Saxon Place Names in Tidewater
by A. Jane Chambers
No doubt you know that virtually all of the place names in this area of Virginia are either British or Native American in their origins. My purpose here is to tell you a bit more about a few of these names than you might already know. I’ll limit this adventure into etymology to just a handful of our place names that are about a thousand years old, going back to the Anglo-Saxon era. This long period in English history (ca. 450—1066) was the time between when the Romans left the island and the Normans invaded it.
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During those centuries, three Germanic tribes (Scandinavian and German) from the northeast of Europe—the Angles, the Saxons, and the Jutes—over a long period invaded the island from the North Sea and settled it. They killed or drove out most of the natives, the Celts (except in upper Scotland, Wales and Cornwall), bred with many Celts, and created independent kingdoms. The three tribes shared a common history, culture, and language (with variations in dialects), which we call Old English, or Anglo-Saxon.
For over 300 years (757-1066), there was an informal confederation
of seven Anglo-Saxon kingdoms in the island that they came to call Engla land (land of the Angles), then England. These kingdoms were (see Map 1) Wessex, Sussex, Kent, Mercia, Essex, East Anglia, and Northumbria.
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| Map 1. From Portraits of British Monarchs 1, by Michael A. Stecker. |
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| Map 2: East Anglia (settled by Angles). From Wikipedia. |
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| East Anglia (earlier, East Angles) was settled by the Angles. By the early Middle Ages (see Map 2) this kingdom consisted of two parts: the North Folk (people of the north) and the South (or Suth) Folk (people of the south). In time, these became the names Norfolk and Suffolk—used here, in the New World, as they were in England, to indicate the location of each settlement.
The names Wessex, Sussex, and Essex have nothing to do with sex. The earlier forms of these names were Wesseaxen, Suthseaxen, and Eastseaxen—Seaxen meaning Saxon. These were three Saxon kingdoms located in the west, south, and east below Mercia and East Anglia (see Map 1). In the lowest point of Mercia (gray on Map 1), the area between Wessex and Essex was known around 700 as Middelseaxen (Middlesex). If you used to wonder about that name (I know I did), now that mystery is solved!
On Virginia’s Middle Peninsula, we have an Essex County and a Middlesex County, and on the Southside, south of Surry County, we have a Sussex County.
The tribe called Jutes settled essentially only the small area called Kent (See Map 1). No doubt New Kent County owes it name to this tiny kingdom from England's “Dark Ages”—the Anglo-Saxon period.
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If you are interested in etymology, particularly Tidewater area place names, let us know. There might be more This-N-That articles on this topic.
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Published November 8, 2013
Republished April 13, 2018
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Deities, Rulers, and Wrong Numbers:
Our Latin Calendar
Part 2 of 3
by A. Jane Chambers
Part 1 of this article discussed the histories of the names January, February, and March on the Gregorian calendar, which replaced the Julian calendar (established by Julius Caesar) that had been the western world's calendar for 15 centuries. In 1582 AD Pope Gregory XIII reformed that calendar mainly to change the date of Easter, which had been falling further away from the spring equinox. Pope Gregory kept the Latin names for the months that had been used for untold centuries before and after Christianity. Below are brief histories of the names April, May, and June--also derived from the names of ancient deities.
APRIL
The Romans named the fourth month Aprilis, derived from the Latin verb aperire, "to open," because this month is the budding or opening time for trees and some spring flowers. April was also the sacred month of the goddess of love, Venus, whose major festival, the Veneralia, was held on April 1. Her Greek equivalent was the goddess Aphrodite, whom the Roman poet Ovid associated with the month of April in his long poem Festi ("Festivals").
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Although Aphrodite was the goddess of love and beauty, she was, ironically, married to Hephaestus (or Vulcan), the lame god of fire and metals. She was frequently unfaithful to him. Her love affair with Ares (or Mars), the god of war, is well known (see Part 1 of this article). By him she had Eros, or Cupid, the god of erotic love, or desire. As in this 1555 painting by Titian (left), Cupid was most often depicted by artists as a winged boy with bow and arrows. This image is still very popular, particularly during Valentine's Day.
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By the messenger god Hermes (Roman equivalent, Mercury), Aphrodite had a son named Hermaphroditus. When he was a shy youth, the water nymph Salmacis fell in love with him. He rebuffed her advances but could not resist swimming in her beautiful lake. There she forcefully embraced him and begged the gods to keep their bodies together. Her prayer was granted. He was transformed into a two-sexed person, with her female body and male genitalia--hence the term hermaphrodite, now being replaced by the medical term intersex.
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| Marble sculpture at Lady Lever Art Gallery, in Wirral, England. |
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MAY
In Greek mythology Maia was the eldest of seven sisters called the Pleiades, who were the daughters of the Titan Atlas and the sea nymph Pleione. Wanting to avoid contact with the gods, Maia lived alone in a cave; however, the god Zeus secretly impregnated her and she gave birth to Hermes. Maia was revered as a nurturer; in Greek "maia" means "midwife." Maia and her sisters were ultimately transformed into a constellation. The Romans identified this Maia with their goddess Maia, to whom the month of May was dedicated.
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| Pleiades, an 1885 painting by American artist Elihu Vedder located in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. |
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| This 1585 painting of Vulcan and Maia is by Bartholomaus Spranger. |
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The Roman Maia was the mother of Mercury (Greek equivalent, Hermes)--the protector of merchants and travelers and the messenger of Jupiter, the Roman king of gods (Greek equivalent, Zeus). She was also closely associated with the god Vulcan (god of fire and heat) and thus represented the concept of growth, which occurs in later spring, as the earth becomes warmer (more heated). On the first day of May, the priests of Vulcan sacrificed a pregnant pig to Maia, honoring fertility (growth) in all beings.
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JUNE
The month of June is named after Juno, the Roman equivalent of the Greek goddess Hera. Juno was the sister of and wife of Jupiter, the Roman equivalent of the Greek god Zeus. In both mythologies, these were the chief gods and goddesses, superior to all others. Juno was often called Juno Regina (Juno the Queen). As protector of the Roman state, she was sometimes depicted as warlike, as in this second century AD statue in the Vatican Museums, showing her with a spear and shield. Juno, Jupiter, and Minerva, goddess of wisdom (equated with the Greeks' Athena) were the capitol city's triad of deities, most often worshipped and honored with temples.
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Juno's roles were many. A major one was as Juno Moneta, "goddess who alerts people." She saved Rome from a Gallic invasion in 390 BC when her sacred geese sounded the alarm, forcing the invaders to retreat. Her chief role, however, was as goddess of marriage and childbirth. Under the name of Juno Lucina, she watched over women during pregnancy and delivery. Expectant mothers and people who took offerings to Juno on behalf of them were required to untie all knots in their clothing and remove any belts, because the presence of a belt, knot or the like could hinder the delivery of the woman on whose behalf they were making their offering.
SOURCES for Part 2: Personal knowledge--plus the Dictionary of Classical Mythology, by Pierre Grimal, Wikipedia, and Internet photos.
We welcome your FEEDBACK. Send to
cncmemories61_71@yahoo.com
or cnc6171@cox.net
Published March 30, 2018
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Mid-Size Cruise Ship Benefits
by CNC First Decader Ron Lowder
My wife Maureen and I have been on quite a few cruise ships, large and small, and have enjoyed all. But the latest cruise we took, on Royal Caribbean's Navigator of the Seas, gave us a new respect for midsize cruise ships. We took a cruise on the Navigator January 5 - 14 with a group of six of our relatives. Our Southern Caribbean 9-day cruise left from Miami, visiting Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao-- collectively known to some experienced cruisers as the ABC cruise. This cruise had a side benefit of allowing us to escape the major snowstorm that occurred at home, but we had to depart for Miami a day early in order to miss the storm. Our cruise itinerary was also affected by the storm as rough seas prohibited our stop at Labadie, Haiti, Royal Caribbean's private island (disappointing, but a small price to pay for missing the local storm).
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| Royal Carribean's Navigator of the Seas. Photo by Royal Carribean. |
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The Navigator, with a capacity of 3,807 passengers, was launched in 2002 and had its latest renovation in 2014. Having been on a number of ships of various sizes, we prefer a mid-sized ship. The smaller ships seem to become boring after a while and the larger ships (with passenger capacities pushing 6,000), while providing a greater variety of on-board venues, seem to lack the charm of a “small town” ship like the Navigator. Additionally, it can take quite a journey if you are walking from one end of a large ship to the other for an activity.
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There is plenty to do on the Navigator. My favorite place was the Promenade, which is much like a downtown “main street” with shops, bars, restaurants, an ice cream stand and a stage which hosts frequent entertainment throughout the day and night. It was a great place to just sit, relax and engage in people watching.
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| Photo from Cruise Critic Website |
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My second favorite place was the Casino. Much like a casino in Vegas, this ship's casino has an exciting atmosphere with a variety of gaming tables and video machines.
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The Navigator has an ice skating rink, a rare venue on cruise ships. During our cruise, there were various ice shows scheduled. The show we saw was superbly done and very entertaining. The ice rink is also available to passengers occasionally for ice skating and other activities. The floor of the rink can be covered with a platform for non-ice events--truly an engineering marvel.
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| Another unique activity on this ship is the Flow Rider, a wave-generating ride that simulates the shallow water near an ocean beach to facilitate surfing. For safety, only one surfer at a time can use this ride, which is especially popular with younger guests.
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| Photo from Cruise Critic Website |
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My wife, who goes to the gym every day (both at home and on a cruise), tried out the rock climbing wall, which is quite large. The object of the climb is to ring the bell (circled in yellow). The wall is about 75% of the width of the ship and about 40 feet tall. She did well, getting maybe 20 feet high--20 more feet than I could have done. Not bad for someone scared of heights!
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Other interesting sites on the ship include a huge outdoor screen where movies and sporting events are shown, a multi-sport court (volleyball game pictured at left), a spa and fitness center, a solarium, a gigantic auditorium where several live shows a day are presented, and many specialty restaurants.
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Not all ships are created equal. Some, like the Navigator, were created with “creature pleasing” attributes that others do not possess, no doubt due to a gifted ship designer. An example of this fact is the furniture and layout of the Navigator's Viking Crown Lounge, which occupies the 14th level of the ship. Not only do passengers have a fabulous 180-degree view of the front of the ship and the waves as the ship gracefully parts them, but they can also enjoy beverages of their choice in the comfort of an exquisite living-room-like setting.
The Navigator is truly a ship with a personality and worth considering if you are planning a cruise. Further material about this ship (and many others) can be found at www.royalcaribbean.com, and www.cruisecritic.com. Another great resource for exploring cruise possibilities is Mr. Kent Fagala at www.vacationstogo.com. Kent is very easy to work with, has a wealth of knowledge regarding cruise options, and goes out of his way to ensure you have a great experience at the very best price. Happy cruising!
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We welcome your FEEDBACK. Send to
cncmemories61_71@yahoo.com
Published March 30, 2018
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Your DECADER committee ALWAYS enjoys feedback on items that appear on this website. The feedback can be positive or negative...doesn't matter. It is just super for us to know that you are actually visiting YOUR website and have something to share.
Please don't hesitate to send us an email with a comment...we LOVE to hear from you!
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Donations to our Treasury are gratefully accepted. Make out checks to CNC First Decaders. Mail them to Sonny Short, FD Treasurer, 12738 Daybreak Circle, Newport News, VA 23602.
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