Farmer's Market

I will be selling copies of my books at the Ypsilanti Farmer's Market this Saturday, Jly 30, 2005, from 8:00 A.M. until 2:00 P.M. I would like to invite everyone to stop by, and say hello. I think it would be nice to met everyone, so please stop by to talk. I amlooking forward to meeting you.

The School Administrator's Dilemma

I found this in the Eastern Michigan University Archives, and am now sharing it with you know.

If he's freindly with the clerical staff, he's a politician.
If he keeps to himself, he's a snob.

If he makes decisions quickly, he's arbitrry.
If he doesn't have an immediate answer, he can't make up his mind.

If he works on a day-to-day basis, he lacks foresight.
If he haslong-range plans, he's a daydreamer.

If his name appears in the newspapers, he's a publicity hound.
If no one has ever heard of him, he's a nonentity.

If he requests a large budget, he is against economy.
If he doesn't ask for more money, he's a timid soul (or stark mad).

If he tries to eliminate red tape, he has no regard for the system.
If he insists on going through channels, he's a bureaucrat.

If he speaks the language of education, he's a cliche expert.
If he doesn't use the jargon, he's illiterate.

If he's late for work in the morning, he's taking advantage of his position.
If he gets to the office on time, he's an eager beaver.

If the office is running smoothly, he is a dictator.
If the office is a mess, he's a poor administator.

If he holds weekly staff meetings, he's in desperate need of ideas.
if he doesn't hold staff meetings, he doesn't appreciate the vlue of teamwork.

If he spends a lot of time with the Board, he's a back-slapper.
If he's never wtih the board, he's on the way out.

If he goes to conventiions, he's on the grave train.
If he never makes a trip, he's not important.

If he tries to get additional personal, he's an empire builder.
If he doesn't want more assistants, he's a slave driver.

If he takes his briefcase home, he't trying to impress the Board.
If he leaves the office without any homework, he has a sinecure.

If he enjoys reading this description, he's facetious.
If he doesn't think it's clever, well, fe's entitled to his own opinion.

River Victim

This story was published by the Ypsilanti Daily Press on Friday, July 21, 1905.

Vernon Brott, the young son of Mrs. Carrie Brott, of Ellis street, (now Washtenaw Ave.) was drowned yesterday afternoon in the Huron River just beyond the Forest avenue bridge.

The boy in company with his younger brother and a number of other lads had gone bathing at the "cool spring," just above the railroad bridge. While Fred, the younger brother, was still on the bank the older boy entered the water, gooing to the center of the stream. A few minutes later the younger boy turned to look for his brother, but failed to find him. Thinking, however, that he was hiding from his companions the boys were not at once frightened. Later, on his continued disappearance, the older boys reported the matter to the Michigan Ladder Company, and as soon as possible the police officers went to the scene of the tragedy, where divers quickly volunteeed for the search and several boats each manned by tow men equipped with grappling hooks and pikes searched the river in the vicinity, while a large crowd gathered on the bank to watch the searchers.

In spite of the thoroughness of the search, however, it was not until 8:20 that the body was found in about ten feet of water, in the center of the river, probably about twenty feet from the point where he went down. The body was found by Edgar Paully, who once before found the body of a boy drowned in the Huron River.

The river bottem at this point is treacherous. For a short distance from the shore the land shelves out stright from the bank. At this point a child ca easily wade out on the river bottem. A little way from shor, however, the bank breaks down abruptly to a considerable depth, while a strong current flows through at this point.

The explanation of the accident is that Vernon suddenly stepped off this shelving potion and was caught by the swift running waters.

Vernon Brott was the eldest son of Mrs. Carrie Brott, of 811 Ellis street, and would have been 11 years old the 23d of next September. He was a general faorite with his playmates and a good student. In addition he had a very sweet voice frequently took part in the childern's exercises in the Methodist church and school.

The boy had been living with his father, but came to Ypsilanti to make his home with his mother last October. He has one brother, Fred, younger, and two sisters, Alberta and Eugenia, both older.

Walking Tour

There has been a change in plans for the Heritage Festival Walking Tour, as I am no longer to give the tour of North Huron Street. I will now be giving a tour of Michigan Ave. This is part of the effort to bring more foot traffic to Michigan Ave. The tours will begin in front of Bombadill's at 1:00, 3:00 and 5:00 in the afternoon of Saturday, August 21, 2005.

Now all I have to do is fgure out what I am going to talk about on the tour. Well, I can talk about the tornado of April 12, 1893, which ran down Michigan Ave., the Battle of the Cow sheds, these were wooden awnings that hung over the front of the stories on one side of the street, and the Kresge Building.

I guess I can think of something to talk aobut on the tour.

Ghost in Hover

The Hover building on the campus of Eastern Michigan University is said to be hunted by the ghost of the gardener who killed himself in the greenhouse. The story is, late one night a grad student was working alone in the building. She heard a noise and went to take a look. She knew she was the only one in the building. Then she heard a door close. Time to leave, she decided.

St. Swithun Day

It is said that if it rains on St. Swithun Day, it will rain for 40 days there after; but if it dose not rain on St. Swithun Day, if will not rain for 40 days there after.

Friday, July 15 is St. Swithun Day, and I think it is a good reason to do something special. Well, as good a reason as any. Now, how should one go about celebrating St. Swithun Day?

Grant Cracker Got in its Work

The following story was published by The Washtenaw Times on Friday, July 6, 1900.

Night Watchman Andres Gibson met with a most distressing accident Wednesday morning, July 4, about 1 o'clock. He came up in front of the Bycraft restaurant where weveral persons were sitting on a pile of lumber. As related by one of those who witnessed the accident, he had a giant fie-cracker in his hand. He took a match and tried to light the fuse while standing near the end of the lumber pile. The wind blew the match out, however, whereupon he turned and stepping up to the corner of the restaurant building and with his back to the wind, he again lighted a match and touched it to the fuse and threw the cracker down by the north wall of the building, right under the building. Some one remarked that it woud shatter the window when it went off. Gilbson then leaned over the box at the corner and taking the cracker in his hand, just as he raised it up not far from his face it exploded, terribly lacerating the inside of the left hand and cutting a hole in his forehead just over the right eye. He staggered backward and declared that his eye was gone. Those sitting by thought he was joking until he turned round and they saw the blood streaming down his face. They then took him inside the restaurand and called Dr. Cornue, who found the man badly wounded. Later Dr. Copeland of Ann Arbor was called in consultation. It is the opinion of the physicians that the sight of the eye is gon, but they hope the eyeball may be saved. The wound in the hand is not such as to endanger the hand at all.

Mr. Gibson has made an efficient and capable night watchman and many regrets are expressed over the terrible accident which has befallen him.