Local – Page 24 – Random Connections

A Quick Trip to Arden

October 23, 2009 Tom No Comments

I was really craving German food. Since the closing of Haus Edleweiss in Greenville there has been no way to satisfy that craving locally. My sister, Glynda, and I decided to make a quick trip up to Arden, NC, to the Black Forest Cafe to celebrate Octoberfest in style. We also found a potential shopping … Read More “A Quick Trip to Arden” »

Hope School Dedication

August 23, 2009 Tom 1 Comment

History and Genealogy, Local

Saturday I attended the dedication of the Hope School Community Center located on Hope Station Road near Prosperity, SC. This historic school is one of the few survivors of nearly 500 Rosenwald schools constructed in South Carolina between 1917 and 1932. Hope School served grades 1-8 in the African-American community for 28 years, from 1926 – 1954.

In the early 1900’s Junius Rosenwald was president of Sears Roebuck, and was instrumental in the development of their famous catalog. Rosenwald became interested in the state of education in the rural south, and developed a set of plans for schools that could be ordered and build easily, similar to the house plans that had been available through the Sears catalog. Rosenwald also provided funding for for many of the schools, targeting his efforts toward African-American communities in the south.

The Hope School was a two-room school built in 1925 on land donated by the Hope family. James H. Hope was state superintendent of schools from 1922-1946, and spearheaded many projects to reduce school funding disparities between wealthy and poor counties.

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2009 Scottish Games at Furman

June 7, 2009January 28, 2024 Tom 2 Comments

Entertainment, History and Genealogy, Local

This morning I loaded up the photo and recording gear and headed up to Furman for the 2009 Greenville Scottish Games. It was a great day to be outside – finally no rain, and not too terribly hot. I decided to check out the games, and see if I could get a bit more information on family history.

The crowds were gathering, but not too back. Shuttle buses were running from the parking areas, so I boarded one. I should have walked. The bus I was on circled the same route twice until it had enough people to head on up to the games proper. I was beginning to wonder if we were on some perverse infinite loop.

I made it to the games and shelled out the rather pricey $15 for admission. This gained me entrance to a wonderland of Gaelic activity. In one field were the athletic competitions – caber toss, sheaf toss, and hammer throw. In another were the sheep dog trials. A tent was set up for dancing competitions, and pipers were competing on a hill near Cherrydale. There were vendors for food and Gailic stuff set up near the stadium, along with a large tent with a stage for bands. The main field was ringed with the clan tents, and each of the aforementioned competitions were featured on the main field at one point or another. Quite a lot to see.

Unrest in the Neighborhood

June 4, 2009 Tom 2 Comments

Local, Rants

The other day as I was heading out of our street I spotted a small yellow sign advertising a community “meet and greet” at our local swimming pool. I decided that it would be a good opportunity to see some of our neighbors, so I made plans to attend. Unfortunately, it turned out to be more of a “meet and beat” with complaints overriding any socializing.

The meeting included residents from our greater neighborhood, bounded by the four major streets. There was one neighbor from our street, and a good friend from several blocks away. In all, about 25 people gathered.

Oconee Photo Safari

May 31, 2009 Tom 1 Comment

History and Genealogy, Local, Photography, Travel

When I knew that Laura was going to be out of town this weekend, I contacted a couple of my Chorale/Furman friends to see if they would be interested in a photo safari. Ken Cothran took me up on the challenge, so early Saturday morning I picked him up at his place in Clemson and we headed out.

Our first stop was the town of Pendleton. Once the major city in the Upstate, the whole area is now on the Register of Historic Places. We walked around the little town square and took a few shots.

Peak Experience

May 30, 2009 Tom 1 Comment

Geocaching and Maps, History and Genealogy, Local, Photography, Travel

Conditions were ideal for a photo trek. I had a day of vacation I needed to use before the madness of summer system installations started up. Laura had left town for a conference, so I was on my own. And I had gotten new information about an interesting place to visit. My main target for the day would be the old railroad trestle that crosses the Broad River near Peak, SC.

Jay Hope had e-mailed me earlier in the week with a link to a story in The State newspaper about completion of the aforementioned bridge and opening of a new section of the Palmetto Trail. Jay’s family has been working to restore the nearby Hope School, which is one of the historic Rosenwald schools. The trail passes through Jay’s family land and close to the school, and he knew that I had an in the area, so he tries to keep me informed. I followed up on his suggestion, and after getting Laura off to the airport, headed south.

Photo Walk with Karen B

May 24, 2009 Tom 1 Comment

Local, Photography

Been a busy week, so this is the first of three quick posts… Wednesday night Karen Buchmueller’s husband, Herman, and Laura had a meeting with the American Chemical Society, so the two of us decide to do a photo walk downtown, starting at Falls Park. We spent some time right at the entrance to the … Read More “Photo Walk with Karen B” »

Sound Off South

May 17, 2009 Tom 6 Comments

Internet, Local, Miscellaneous

This week RandomConnections.com was the spotlight blog for Sound Off South, a website from WYFF-TV that showcases blogs from Upstate South Carolina. Early this morning I headed down to the WYFF studios for a live interview with Kelly Coakley for the 7:00 am Sunday morning newscast. I would be doing two short segments, one during … Read More “Sound Off South” »

Boulevard of (Broken) Dreams

May 13, 2009 Tom 2 Comments

Geocaching and Maps, History and Genealogy, Local

Evening view of downtown Greenville from Wade Hampton Boulevard

I walk this empty street
On the Boulevard of broken dreams
When the city sleeps
And I’m the only one and I walk alone

Green Day – “Boulevard of Broken Dreams”

The joy you find here, you borrow,
You cannot keep it long, it seems.
But gigolo and gigolette
Still sing a song and dance along
The boulevard of broken dreams.

Nat King Cole – “Boulevard of Broken Dreams”

Two shadows in the moonlight
Dance silently along the boulevard
Of dreams
Tonight

Dada – “Boulevard of Dreams”

A boulevard isn’t just any old street. According to Wikipedia, it is a “wide, multi-lane arterial thoroughfare…often with an above-average quality of landscaping and scenery.” Naming a road a “boulevard” means that it should be something special, something to evoke poetry and song as noted above. Some cities are known by their more famous boulevards – the Champs-Ã‰lysÃ©es in Paris, the Sunset Boulevard, Santa Monica Boulevard, Wilshire Boulevard, and Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles, for example. Greenville has Wade Hampton Boulevard.

The Scenic Route from Columbia

May 5, 2009 Tom No Comments

Local, Photography

Monday was my last SCASA Tech Leader’s Roundtable for the year. I had attended the last one via teleconference, and it didn’t go so well. So this time I decided to make the trip down to Columbia. Like most of the educational meetings I attend, the opportunity to interact with my peers is often more … Read More “The Scenic Route from Columbia” »