ARTICLES ON THIS PAGE:
(Today through February 21st)
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1. NEW article: Spacious Veranda Added to Alumni House.
2. NEW article: Roomba: My iRobot Adventures with New Technology by Ron Lowder, webmaster.
3. Our Latin Calendar: February.
4. Remembering Georgia Hunter, CNC's First Biology Instructor.
5. Shocking Vintage Drug Medications for Children.
6. NEW Cartoons: Valentine's Day Variations.
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If you make a life that gives you joy, you have no time to get old.
Henry Winkler (the Fonz)
American actor, comedian, director, producer, and author
Born October, 1945
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Why was the belt arrested?
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Answer shown at the bottom of this page
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Spacious Veranda Added to Alumni House
by A. Jane Chambers
with photos and information
from CNU's Office of Alumni Relations
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The above photo was taken from the McKnight Conservatory, the largely glassed-in room on the north end of Christopher Newport's Gregory P. Klich Alumni House. The room was named in honor of Matt and Terri McKnight, who were Alumni House Leadership Donors in 2014, having contributed $25,000 or more to the alumni house building fund. The view through the open door is that of a new addition to the Alumni House, a spacious veranda named the Terri M. McKnight ('86) Veranda.
In 2018, Matt McKnight decided to surprise his wife with this veranda in her name--a second major contribution to her alma mater and that of three of their children. Construction began in October and was completed in early December. A private dedication ceremony to honor Terri was held on December 8, attended by CNU President Paul Trible and wife, Rosemary, Alumni Relations officers, and close friends and family of the McKnights.
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The dedication ceremony included remarks by President Trible and Matt McKnight, champagne, and many photographs. Above left are Terri and Matt McKnight at the fountain. Above right are the couple at the outside entrance to the veranda, marked by a plaque bearing its name.
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The photo above was taken looking west, toward Moore's Lane. The one below was taken looking east, toward parking lot M. The veranda's paving is uniform, but the sun makes it look as if some of it is just cement.
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Below is a close-up view of the propane gas operated fire pit and the fountain, neither of which were turned on for these pictures. During events held here, cushions will be provided for more comfortable seating in the wrought-iron chairs.
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This spacious new area will be used for many purposes, both university-related events and private events. It will be an ideal location for sit-down luncheons in pleasant weather. It was designed also to be tented for private events or events occurring when weather outlooks are uncertain.
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This closing photo shows Baxter Vendrick, our Director of the Office of Alumni Relations (center) with the McKnights (left) and some of their close friends who joined them on December 8, 2018, to surprise and honor Terri McKnight and to celebrate yet another gift to CNU. All of us in the Christopher Newport family are fortunate to have such loyal supporters as the McKnights.
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Published February 8, 2019
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Roomba: My iRobot Adventures with New Technology
by
Ron Lowder, Webmaster
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Like most couples, my wife and I each have chores related to keeping our lives organized and our home clean and safe. One of my chores happens to be vacuuming the house on a regular basis. So, like most men with a regular chore that consumes valuable time (at least an hour every two days or so in my case), I have always been on the lookout for ways to accomplish a thankless task without spending the time normally required.
One day I was at Lowes and happened upon the aisle where the robot vacuum cleaners are displayed. My mind immediately went crazy with the possibilities of such amazing technology available to relieve me of my laborious task of vacuuming. And low and behold, the robot vacuums were on sale! After careful consideration of the various models on display, I purchased the iRobot 890 model.
When I came home with the iRobot (Roomba), my wife was skeptical. "How well does that thing clean?" she asked. I had to demonstrate its talents. She was (at first) reluctant to accept the robot into our family but soon came to accept “him” (as we have tagged a male gender to the device even though “he” has a female voice when “he” gets stuck.) His home within our home became our foyer, a central location for him since it provides equal access to all parts of our first floor.
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We have four animals: two dogs and two cats. While Roomba is cleaning the house, the two dogs tend to ignore him (unless he bumps into them, which is gentle) but the cats are both afraid of the creature and stay on a elevated surface the entire time he is running. Likewise, our three-year- old granddaughter is careful to be on a staircase step or sitting on a chair when Roomba is vacuuming...but is entertained by watching him work.
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Roomba is loaded with sensors that help him navigate during cleaning. But he does get into trouble occasionally, which requires human intervention. We have a fireplace in our living room with a recliner chair beside the hearth. He often gets stuck between the chair and the hearth and screams out (in his female voice) for help, with all four of his indicator lights flashing frantically.
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All in all, Roomba is truly amazing from a technological standpoint. It does a very good job cleaning our floors and carpets. And there is even a model available that empties the dust bin when the cleaning job is completed. Remembering back to my childhood, it was a big day when my dad brought home our first Electrolux vacuum, which was built like a tank and lasted my entire youth. So where do we go from here technologically? Who knows! Perhaps I'll ask my Echo Dot (Alexa, who can communicate with Roomba)...she seems to know everything!
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cncmemories61_71@yahoo.com
or cnc6171@cox.net.
Published February 8, 2019
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Our Latin Calendar: February
by A. Jane Chambers
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| February (Latin Februarius: "of" or "pertaining to" Februa) was the month sacred to the ancient god Februus , whose name means "purifier." He was also associated with Dis Pater, a Roman god of the Underworld. To the ancient Romans, March was the beginning of the year, and February was the end of the year--thus the logical time to be rid of the old before welcoming the new. Romans purified themselves and their city and appeased the dead with sacrifices and offerings during yearly festivals called Februalia (plural of Februa), cleansing rituals which took place in mid-February. Such rituals were thought to drive out evil spirits and purify the city, thus bringing about renewed health and fertility.
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The month of February is probably named more for the festival than for the god. Our traditions of Spring Cleaning and New Year's Resolutions possibly grew out of ancient rituals like these.
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from
Deities, Rulers, and Wrong Numbers: Our Latin Calendar, Part 1 of 4
by A. Jane Chambers
First published January 3, 2018
Republished February 8, 2019
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Remembering Georgia Morris Hunter,
CNC'S First Biology Instructor
1932 - 2019
by A. Jane Chambers
with CNC students' memories
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Georgia Hunter and I both taught at Christopher Newport College in its first decade, earned graduate degrees at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and were born and bred in North Carolina. We met in the fall of 1963, when I joined the English Department at CNC and she was in her third year as biology instructor. She left CNC in 1968 to teach at Hampton's first racially integrated high school, Bethel; I stayed to watch CNC grow into CNU. We reconnected by phone and email in the early 2000s, and I was pleased that in May of 2013 she and her husband, Bob, attended the two-day 50th Reunion of CNC's Class of 1963 at CNU.
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| Photo from CNC's 1966 Trident, p. 23. |
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CNC opened September 18, 1961, with a faculty of nine men and one woman--Georgia Hunter. A group portrait was made of that first faculty, but unfortunately, Georgia was not present for the event. When the Daily Press learned about her, they sent a reporter to CNC. Below is the interesting article that appeared in that publisher's afternoon paper, The Times-Herald.
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I emailed Georgia's obituary to the CNC alumni and faculty who possibly knew Georgia, told them I would write this article, and invited them to send any memories of her they might want to share. Below are six responses I received in time for this publication--edited for space and titled by me.
Georgia Hunter and Her Unruly Student by Dalton K. Blankenship
What a legacy Georgia Hunter has left! Though I did not have her as a professor at CNC, my younger brother had her when he was a student at Bethel High School. Having "turned off" to education fairly early in his school career, he wasn't really interested in performing well, but enjoyed "participating" in class. Halfway through the semester, she had had enough of his shenanigans. She said he could spend her class time in the library (his happy place) for the rest of the year and she'd give him a passing grade—if he brought her a box of chocolates. He did, he went, and she did! That was his junior year. He never returned to school.
The good news is that my brother got his GED later in life, earned a BA in English with honors (including winning "English Student of the Year" as a freshman—normally only given to a senior), and completed 18 months of graduate school in Library Science. That time in the Bethel library was truly beneficial! Thank you Georgia Hunter. You will be missed.
Georgia's Kindness and Friendship by Ted McFalls
I met Georgia Hunter in 1961 while in the Air Force and taking classes at CNC. Mrs. Hunter was my instructor in biology. Her tough love approach to teaching aided me in learning biology, but on the personal side Georgia was a wonderful person. I was a serviceman away from home during the holidays. Georgia and Bob invited me to their home for dinner and treated me just like one of their family, sharing love and good times. This encounter developed into a life long friendship with Georgia and Bob which I cherish to this day. Georgia's passing will affect many people. My prayers go out to the entire Hunter family. God will take care of the rest .
Georgia's Traffic Ticket by Patrick H. Garrow
Georgia Hunter was my biology teacher at CNC. She had a fairly thick southern accent and was very excitable. She was given a ticket for running a stop sign one morning on the way to class and came into class in a state of rage. She railed about the officer who gave her the ticket for a good bit of the class--after admitting she had rolled right through the stop sign. I thought she was a good teacher despite her drama.
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The 1961 photo above, by Lt. C. L. Tench, is from page 18 of Sean M. Heuvel's Christopher Newport University. It shows Georgia lecturing to a class in the old Daniel school building, CNC's first home, located in downtown Newport News. Georgia taught there for four years, then taught at the college's new campus, on Shoe Lane, for three years.
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Georgia's Southern Accent by Dave Ahearn
I remember well my first experience with Mrs. Hunter at CNC in 1964. I was in her biology class when she started talking about “sails.” I could not figure out what that had to do with biology; "sails" didn’t fit the context of the sentences she was speaking. After class was over, and in a thoroughly confused state, I asked one of my classmates what she had been talking about. As it turned out, the word was “cells.” Although I was born and raised in the south, her southern accent was much more southern than mine.
Georgia as Teacher and Person by Kathy Mooney Abrams
Mrs. Hunter taught me biology and botany and new words like "tangential," which I never forgot. I loved her. I remember her lab practicals in CNC's old building downtown. I knew she loved teaching by how she engaged the classroom. It was an experience in the large lecture hall when she taught, and I loved learning from her. She challenged our minds, which helped us grow, and I still love science. I was not familiar with her southern speech, however, like pronouncing "cell" like "sale."
I also remember her husband, Bobby. He was younger than she (and why not !!) and she was crazy about him. Georgia Hunter was definitely memorable. May she rest in peace and condolences to her family.
Georgia as Match Maker and Person by Dianne Boudreau Loftus
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I enjoyed knowing Mrs. Hunter so much, even though I was not fortunate enough to have her as a professor at CNC. I loved her enthusiasm for everything and her wonderful sense of humor! My late husband, Michael, and my sister, Marie Boudreau (now Smith), were student lab assistants for CNC's biology department, and since I hung out with them during some of that time, it was then that I got to know Mrs. Hunter. She encouraged Michael to make me his steady girlfriend. He did, and later she came to our wedding.
I can still hear her southern laughter right now, in my mind. I'll say some extra Hail Marys for her family.
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| Hunter family photo of Georgia and Bob in 2011. |
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Any additional memories of Georgia Hunter sent by CNC students and faculty who knew her at CNC in the 1960s will be published on this website on February 8th--either as an Addendum to this article or as Feedback-- depending on the number of responses received.
All readers are of course welcome to send Feedback at any time. Below are our email addresses.
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We welcome your FEEDBACK. Send to
cncmemories61_71@yahoo.com
or cnc6171@cox.net.
Published January 25, 2019
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Shocking Vintage Drug Medications
for Children
by A. Jane Chambers
Did your mom ever give you cough medicine containing alcohol, or paregoric to put you to sleep? How about a beer before your bedtime? Soda pop in your sippy cup? The following ads show some bad drug medications given to children not always in the "dark ages" of the 18th and 19th centuries, but often in the early 20th century--and in some cases, even today.
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Cocaine comes from COCA leaves in South America. When first introduced in North America (late 1800s) cocaine was used in many medications. It was often used to numb pain--hence the cocaine toothache drops for children.
Coca-Cola, invented in 1886, was originally a patent medicine. It was named for its two major ingredients: cocaine (from coca leaves) and caffeine (from kola nuts). In 1904 the cocaine was removed and replaced by a cocaine-free extract from coca leaves (Wikipedia information).
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Diacetylmorphine (commonly called heroin) is derived from the morphine alkaloid found in opium. In 1895, the German drug company Bayer marketed diacetylmorphine as an over-the-counter drug under the trademark name Heroin. Beyer developed it as a cough suppressant that would not have the addictive side effects that had been found in morphine. Ironically, heroin ultimately had a higher rate of addiction than morphine (Wikipedia).
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Paregoric was a popular medicine for controlling diarrhea, curbing coughs, and calming children for several centuries, including the early 20th century. It was especially used to numb pain when babies were teething. The major ingredient was opium, or morphine, which is derived from opium. Not until 1970 was paregoric regulated (Wikipedia).
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In many cultures, alcoholic beverages--especially beer and wine-- have been given to children for centuries, usually with meals. Alcohol has also been considered worldwide to be good for the health of both the very young and the very old, as reflected in the ad above. If "an apple a day kept the doctor away," parents believed also that "a beer at bedtime" would make their children and grandparents sleep well.
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The address on this soda pop ad has no ZIP Code, which means the ad's date is sometime before 1963. Many parents are still giving soda pop to their children at early ages today. Tooth decay begins very early in such children. Sugar and caffeine also turn them into wild people. And diet sodas usually have artificial sweeteners such as aspartame that weaken their bones.
__________________________________________________________
We welcome your FEEDBACK. Send to
cncmemories61_71@yahoo.com
or cnc6171@cox.net.
Published January 25, 2018
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Valentine's Day Variations
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Published February 8, 2019
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ANSWER: Because it held up some pants!
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Dr. Jane Chambers, Editor and Head Writer
Ron Lowder Sr., Webmaster
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