Quick Update

Hello, All. I am back in Memphis and back to work after a long trip to Knoxville. It was freezing cold, but we had an enjoyable time nonetheless. I hope this message finds you all warm and well.

A few reminders that the African American Read In is tomorrow at noon, all campuses, so if you are at Macon or any of the satellite campuses, you may need to contact Dr. Wade to find out precisely where the event is held. If you are at Union campus, the Read In will be held in Parrish 101.

I have completed grading your "Reading Memphis" essays and uploaded my comments back to you on PAWS, so when you have a moment be sure to look those over. I enjoyed reading them immensely, and I am very happy that many of you found sites of interest to you. As with many college classes, you will encounter challenges that demand you to hone specific skills, and one of those skills is writing. As I am a writing teacher, some of you may see a bit more "red ink" on your essays. I want to remind you that this is intended to help you perfect your already advanced skills. I notice that there are still some areas of grammar, word choice, tone, and punctuation that need improvement, so I encourage you to work on these things as you go. Always be open to critique, willing to proofread, and edit where necessary.

I want all of you to keep in mind that I am your principle supporter and cheerleader through all of your endeavors in this course, and I am willing to do whatever I can to ensure your success. If you are having difficulty in any areas, please do not hesitate to come to me.

Remember that we are meeting at the Starbuck's on Sycamore View Tuesday evening at six p.m. in lieu of the Honors Suite. I admit I do grow weary of waiting for someone to come unlock my classroom when I'm ready to sit down and begin. If Starbuck's works as a makeshift venue this time, we might try it again later on.

Thanks to all of you for being patient with me these last two weeks as I planned and attended the TYCA-SE conference in Knoxville. My hope is that this week I will be able to catch up on a lot of things I have let slip past.

Also, if you would kindly do me the favor of texting me your telephone numbers with some indicator of who you are, I would so appreciate it! I thought I had your contact information, but I doubt that it is current--or easily accessed--at this point. I thank you!

Trek Two: The Pink Palace Museum

Hello, all. I hope that you are enjoying the remainder of a rather dismal, overcast weekend. I know I enjoyed being with all of you--and meeting some of your family--this Saturday! I'm sorry we got separated: I had gone to look for everyone by three and I assume you had gone into the theater or planetarium. I only regret that I had to leave early without telling everyone good bye.

The Pink Palace is, of course, a wonderful place to start if you are doing any sort of research about the city of Memphis and its environs--from early dinosaur bones uncovered at the site of the former Mall of Memphis, to stories of flappers, the Beale Street business district, or how life was lived in the 19th century. I know I enjoyed reading about the household ephemera--bottles and medicines, chatelains and sewing kits. Such things fascinate me.

Our next trek will of course be Elmwood! I am very excited about this tour, as you know it is a place near and dear to my heart. I was asked to be Elmwood's photographer-in-residence for the year 2013, and during that time, I was welcome to tour the grounds on my own, visit during off-hours, and invited to some of the wonderful parties they have during the month of October, such as the Twilight Costume Tour. It is truly a beautiful place to visit, meditate, commune with the spirits, and learn volumes about Memphis history. Below are some of the photos I took during my time as Elmwood's photographer, and a link to Elmwood's site if you would like to read a bit more. I also have a book to share with you before our visit--the only book published about Elmwood, its history, and its inhabitants--Elmwood: In the Shadows of the Elms by Perre Magness, which is a wonderful, comprehensive guide to this beautiful, historic cemetery. And finally, you can read about Elmwood and explore some of the upcoming events on their schedule here.

 

As a reminder, I will be out of town this week, beginning Wednesday, February 24th. In light of the conference I am attending and the workload I have to face before I leave, we will not meet Tuesday night as scheduled. Instead, we can substitute an asynchronous panel here on our blog, to talk about the progress of each of your projects. In a paragraph or so, describe where you are in the process. Have you had successes you'd like to share? Any difficulties? What have you learned so far? Do you find your enthusiasm growing for this project, or is it beginning to drag a little? It's fine to be honest: not everything goes perfectly all the time! So, if you are hitting a snag, perhaps we can help one another over the rough spots. 

So, why don't we do this: since we would not see each other again until our Elmwood tour, let's plan to meet briefly on March 1st at six pm.--except I'm putting a twist on our meeting: let's meet at the Starbuck's on Sycamore View--just down the street from Macon Campus. No one has to unlock the door and we can get a shot of caffeine while we talk. Not a coffee drinker? Tea or juice is offered as well. Then if Saturdays work better for all, we can plan to make our Elmwood tour March 5th at two p.m. If you like, we can grab a bite somewhere nearby afterward. 

I won't have a computer while I'm away, but I have my cell if you need to reach me. 

PLEASE DON'T FORGET THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN READ IN, FEBRUARY 29th!! Noon, all campuses!

So, to recap: 

African American Read-In, February 29th

"In class" meeting at Starbuck's on Sycamore View, 6:00 March 1

Tour of Elmwood Cemetery the following Saturday, March 5

Give a summary of your progress on your semester-long projects below

Have a lovely week, and I will look forward to seeing you soon!

Trekking Memphis: The Mallory-Neely House

Placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972, The Mallory Neely House was built ca. 1852 in the Italianate Style. The villa-style home was built by Isaac Kirtland, and later became the residence of Memphians, Benjamin Babb, James C. Neely, Daniel Grant, and Barton Lee Mallory. The home was renovated in the last decades of the 19th century: James C. Neely and his wife, Frances added the tower room and the third floor was expanded to extend the space to 15, 903 square feet (1). Unlike most museum homes of its kind, the Mallory-Neely House retains most of its original furnishings. The Neely family contributed the parquet flooring, hand-painted ceilings, and stenciling. Upon entering the home, one observes the massive and beautiful stained-glass window at the first-floor landing, which was purchased at the Chicago World's Fair in 1893 (1). The house was given to the Daughters of the American Revolution by the Mallory family, but became property of the city of Memphis in 1987 and is now run by the Pink Palace family of museums (2)

The Victorian era (roughly 1836-1901) was very much a stratified society. Women and men occupied their own respective social "spheres" in which men were relegated to the world of industry, politics, business, economics, law, and medicine; women were relegated to the world of the home and the hearth. A Victorian adage explains that "man was the head of the household; women were the heart."

In keeping with this stratification, the architecture and furnishings of the Victorian home reflected the social mores of the time. Social spaces were segregated: the ladies of the house held their sewing circles and watched over the children in their own parlor, while men smoked cigars, discussed the business of the day, and talked politics in the men's parlor.

Manners were held in high regard, and rigid social codes were held in place and reinforced by middle- and upper-middle class families. When a visitor came to call, he would be greeted by the butler of the house, who of course was well-informed of the family's inner circle. The visitor would place his calling card in a dish for the butler to take it to the lady of the house--but not before seating the visitor in either a rigid, stiff-backed chair (if he was disliked) or a soft, comfortable one on the opposite wall (if he was well-liked).

Social events were particularly important to the wealthy middle class families of the period. The Mallory-Neely home, like many others, featured a large ballroom where parties were held. However, not all in attendance were held in equal esteem: musicians, considered members of the lower class, where hidden behind a curtain, so that their music could be heard, but they would remain unseen.

    Photo: memphismagazine.com

As the Mallory-Neely House sits amid other homes owned by wealthy cotton merchants of the day, this gallery of Victorian-era homes became known as "Millionaire's Row." The interiors reflect the conspicuous wealth of the family, boasting imported carpets and furniture, and decor that borders on the eclectic: it was a frequent pastime of wealthy families to visit the Chicago World's Fair, and to collect items from far-flung parts of the world. A single room may boast a chest with oriental inlay from China, an end table from France, art pieces from Spain, and so on--such was the taste of the Victorian merchant class.

As we tour the mansion, think about the ways in which its interiors reflect the social codes of the day. What features stand out to you? Can you imagine life as it might have been inside such a home? In your posts (app. 300 words), recall some aspect of the tour that affected you the most. What did you learn about the people who lived there--the families, their structure, their social lives?

Read more about the Mallory-Neely House, the Fontaine House, and the James Lee House:

Here and here.