Are you a Hokie?

Going to college in the 70's-80's was obviously different than going now.  However, having students make fun of other students never goes out of style.  

This was found in the school paper when we attended.  Wonder how much has changed since the "olden days". 

(Apologies for the size of the picture.  Either fit it on the page and not read it, or read it and really goof up the formatting.) 

50,000 Miles, No Gas

Took a little side trip on the way home last night to put a few extra miles on the car.  Stopped when it turned over 50,000 miles to snap a photo of the dashboard.

Normally, that's not a big deal, but in the 7+ years I have owned the Leaf, I haven't had to stop at the gas station once. 

Coming on the heels of the UN Climate Change Study, I am encouraged.  It is possible to travel without directly consuming fossil fuels.  

Vacations

As you can see, not everyone enjoyed vacations all the time. 

Or maybe Comfort Suites wasn't so comfortable. 

Lego

Got some at work too!
(with noticeable lens distortion)

One of my favorite toys growing up was Lego.  Back in the 60's and 70's, Lego was quite primitive based on what we have today.  It primarily consisted of red and white bricks, and if you were lucky, there were some thick plates and wheels.  I remember creating buildings, vehicles, cities, and all sorts of red and white striped structures. 

As with most toy companies, Lego has evolved to become much more sophisticated, so that some purists believe that it isn't the same type of toy that it used to be.  Now, you can get buckets of "regular" Lego, but much more is sold in various models and kits.  Castles, space craft, monsters, robots and cars are just some of the items that are available for purchase, all with their own assembly instructions for "proper" assembly. 

I, for one, have succumbed to the dark side of Lego assembly.  I have buckets of Lego, some dating from the 60's, that can be used to create my own creations, however, virtually all of my purchases lately have been of the model variety.  Star Wars specifically. 

I carefully unwrap them, get out the instruction books, and assemble them exactly as shown on the book.  Following assembly, I admire the craft it went in the design, put them on the shelf to collect dust, and go off and get another model.  

Have I lost my originality?  Have I succumbed to the Toy Story II syndrome?  Am I treating them as collectables (read investments), not toys?  Am I too old for playing? 

Some people may find this frightening, some people liberating.  As for me, I find it a relatively cheap mid-life crisis.  That, and I'm getting a head start on my grand kids.  They will think I'm the coolest grandpa on the planet. 

Sketches from the Young

When we went to visit my parents years ago, we did not have the luxury of taking devices with video games or other diversions.  The kids would have to pack some their own toys, or become creative.

We ran across this page in a notebook when we were visiting my parents recently, and it reminded me that one of the favorite activities of my daughters was making stories.  The stories had fanciful characters and far out plots. 

Apparently, this story was about dogs.  Valerie was always very good at creating fanciful worlds filled with furry friends.  Her attention to detail always included naming her pets as well. 

The story may be lost in time, but the images remain. 

From Mother to Daughter II

Maria's daughter just turned two years old today.  For her birthday, we passed down a memento from her Grandmother.

When Gail was little, her father made her a cradle for her doll.  As she grew, her parents stashed it away and when Maria was two years old, passed the doll cradle down to her.

Now, years later, Maria's daughter turned two, so we pulled out the cradle from storage, cleaned it up, gave it a new coat of varnish, and made her a quilt that matches a quilt Deanne gave her when she was born.  By that evening, it once again had a doll inhabiting the cradle and was being taken care of by her "Mommy". 

From Mother to Daughter

Long ago, when Gail was growing up, her parents gave her a small rocking chair.  As a young child, she played with the chair, first sitting in the chair then using it for her dolls and other stuffed animals.

When Maria was a year old, Gail's parents found the chair, cleaned it up, and presented it to Maria for a Christmas or Birthday gift.  She followed in her mother's footsteps, sitting in it and then using it for her dolls and other stuffed animals. 

A year ago, we took it down out of the attic, cleaned it up, and gave it to Maria's daughter.  It sits proudly in their living room, and is used daily for sitting and displaying dolls and stuffed animals. 

It's held up this long, so maybe in another thirty years or so, it will be used by another generation.  Only time will tell. 

Summer Vacation 2003 - Washington, Oregon, Northern California

As the kids were growing up, we made it a point to take summer vacations, and given the number of people, it was usually a road trip.  We frequently traveled long distances, so we had plenty of time in the car.  One popular activity was keeping a journal of our trips.  I found this while cleaning out some boxes late last year.  It contains our road trip to Oregon.

I apologize for the lack of resolution in some of the pictures, the scanner had difficulties with some colors.  And I made the images pretty big so that there's a chance you can read them. 

This was also the trip where one of my favorite pictures was taken. 

Winnebago County, Illinois Eighth Grade Examination

This was the 8th grade test that my grandmother took when she was young.  She was the top scorer in Winnebago County, Illinois and they granted her a scholarship to attend the Normal School (now Illinois State University) for training as a teacher.  She could not accept the scholarship because her help was needed on the family farm.

The exam was given in 10 parts over two days in May, 1916.  Each of the sections had between 5 and 10 questions.  Take a look at a few of the links and see if you can answer them? 

• Arithmetic - Afternoon, May 5th 
• Geography - Afternoon, May 5th
• Physiology - Afternoon, May 5th
• US History - Forenoon, May 6th
• Civics - Forenoon, May 6th
• Illinois History - Forenoon, May 6th
• Agriculture - Afternoon, May 6th
• Grammar - Afternoon, May 6th
• Reading - Afternoon, May 6th
• Orthography - Afternoon, May 6th

My grandmother was a pretty remarkable woman. 

Eighth Grade Examination - Arithmetic

ARITHMETIC

(Write on any five of the questions)

1. A field in the form of a square contains 30acres. It is to be inclosed by a fence costing 85c. per rod. Find the cost of the fence. 
2. Find the cost of plastering the walls and ceil¬ing of a school room 28 ft. wide, 36 ft. long, and 12 ft. high, at 30c, per square yard. 
3. Estimating the weight of a cubic foot of water at 62:1, pounds, what is the weight of water from an inch of rain fall upon an acre of level ground? 
4. Give dimensions of a cord of wood. Find the cost of a pile of wood 64 ft. long, 8 ft. wide and 4 ft. high, at $8.50 per cord. 
5. The assessed valuation of district 66 is $202,¬629. The law allows the directors to levy 14% for building purposes and 1.tfr% for educational purposes. How much money might raised in this district? 
6. Express as percent the following:
   
   ½            4/5            7/8             1/3                  1 2/5
7. What percent of a section of land is 100 acres? Find the number of which 12 is 20%; 13 is 33A%; 27 is 75%. 
8. To five units add five hundredths, and five thousandths. Multiply the sum by five hundredths, and divide the product by twenty-five hundredths. 
9. A farmer sold 141 cords of wood a $3.87 per cord; he bought 198 pounds of sugar at $6.50 per hundred and spent the remainder for flour at $4.30 per hundred. How much flour did he receive? 
10. The longitude of Boston is 71 degrees, 3 min¬utes, 50 seconds west, and of Berlin 13 degrees, 23 minutes, 44 seconds east. What is the difference in longitude? In time?
11. Draft in pounds required to draw one ton over level roads composed of different materials has been estimated as follows: 
• Loose sand roads 448 pounds 
• Ordinary dirt roads 224 pounds 
• Common macadam road 64 pounds 
• Hard and smooth macadam 46 pounds 

a. If a team of horses can draw one ton on a loose sand road, how much can the same team draw on a common macadam road?
b. A load of 35 bushels of wheat is hauled over an ordinary dirt road. How many bushels may be hauled over a hard macadam road, using the same force?
One of ten parts of the Winnebago County, Illinois Eighth Grade Examination given on May 5th and 6th, 1916.

Eighth Grade Examination - Illinois History

ILLINOIS HISTORY

(Write on any five of the questions)

1. Show the effect of the opening of the Erie Canal upon the early history of Illinois. 
2. Give an account of the Blackhawk War. Why is it of special interest to us? 
3. Explain how and by whom Illinois was wrested from the British. 
4. Draw a map of Illinois showing its boundaries. Put in the navigable rivers at at least three of its cities. 
5. What direct influence did the Ordinance of 1787 have upon the future of Illinois? 
6. Explain how the Underground Railroad was conducted? 
7. What president do you associate with the history of this state? Give incidents bearing out your statement. 
8. Mention two French explorers who visited Illinois. What part of the state did each explore?

One of ten parts of the Winnebago County, Illinois Eighth Grade Examination given on May 5th and 6th, 1916. 

Eighth Grade Examination - Orthography

ORTHOGRAPHY

 (Write on all of the questions) 

1. When is the final consonant doubled? Write five words to illustrate the rule. 
2. Define the following roots and give one word with each root: fin, scribe, phon, liber, tract. 
3. Write five words each containing a prefix. Underscore the prefixes.

One of ten parts of the Winnebago County, Illinois Eighth Grade Examination given on May 5th and 6th, 1916. 

Eighth Grade Examination - Reading

READING

(Write on any five of the questions)

1. Write the story of Portia as you have learned it in "The Merchant of Venice".
2. Write not less than ten lines from ''The Merchant of Venice." 
3. Give two good thoughts you have gained from your study of ''The Merchant of Venice." 
4. Who wrote "The Lady of the Lake"? What was his nationality? Name some of his other works. 
5. Who was "James Fitz James"? Why had Roderich Dim chosen to make his home in the 'noun-tai us? 
6. Describe the first meeting between James Fitz James and Ellen. 
7. Write at least ten lines of any poem you have learned this year.

One of ten parts of the Winnebago County, Illinois Eighth Grade Examination given on May 5th and 6th, 1916. 

Eighth Grade Examination - Civics

CIVICS

(Write on any five of the questions) 

1. What is the purpose of the President's cabinet? Name at least five departments of the cabinet. 
2. What is meant be the president's veto? 
3. What are the duties of the vice-president? 
4. How may a bill presented to Congress become  a law?
5. What is meant by "the polls"? Where are they in your township? When is the next presidential election?
6. How long is the term of a president? A senator? A representative?

One of ten parts of the Winnebago County, Illinois Eighth Grade Examination given on May 5th and 6th, 1916. 

Eighth Grade Examination - US History

U. S. HISTORY 

(Write on any of five questions)

1. What was the Louisiana purchase? The Monroe Doctrine? The Missouri Compromise? The Dred Scott Decision? 
2. Where is the Gettysburg battlefield? What occasion called forth Lincoln's Gettysburg speech? Give the substance of the speech in your own words. 
3. Name the two leading political parties of today? Which is the older party? Name three presidents from each party. 
4. What was accomplished by Sherman's march to the sea? 
5. Give the provisions of the Emancipation Proclamation. When was it issued? 
6. Give cause and results of the Spanish-American war. 
7. What causes led to the war of 1812? Who was president then? Give result of war. 
8. What is meant by Internal Improvements? Give an example of such an improvement by the national government?

One of ten parts of the Winnebago County, Illinois Eighth Grade Examination given on May 5th and 6th, 1916. 

Eighth Grade Examination - Grammar

 GRAMMAR

(Write on all of the questions)

1. Name the parts of speech and give a word to illustrate each. 
2. What is the difference between an adjective and an adverb. Illustrate with sentences. 
3. Give the principal parts of these verbs: come, sit, write, rise, lie, sing. 
4. Distinguish between a sentence and a clause. A clause and a phrase. Use a clause in a sentence. Underscore it. 
5. Parse the words in bold type: SEND forth a cheerful thought and wait; The world shall find it SOON or late. 
6. Analyze or diagram two of these sentences:
   1. "Wise sayings often fall on barren ground; but a kind word is never thrown away."
   2. A great writer has said that grace is beauty in action; I say that justice is truth in action.
   3. To dare is great, but to bear is greater. 
7. Make an outline from which to write an essay on good roads. 
8. Write an essay of not less than 200 words from the outline.

One of ten parts of the Winnebago County, Illinois Eighth Grade Examination given on May 5th and 6th, 1916. 

Eighth Grade Examination - Agriculture

AGRICULTURE

(Write on any five of the questions)

1. What four things must be observed when building- any kind of silo? 
2. Discuss onion raising: its advantages, soil needed, manner of planting, cultivating and harvesting. Name two standard varieties. 
3. (a) A cow requires about ,4 ft. by 9 ft. floor space for a stall, with 4 ft. by 3 ft. additional for a manger. How much floor space will be required for 20 cows?
   (b) Will it be better to stand the cattle in one long row, or in two rows of 10 each?
   (c) If in two rows, would you have them face each other with the manger between, or face the wall? Why?
   (d) Will "scrub" cattle require the same room? 
4. (a) A "scrub" cow will give 15 lbs. of milk, worth 80 cents per cwt., daily for 300 days in the year, and raise a calf worth $3. What is the farmer's profit on her?
   (b) A Durham cow will give 25 lbs. of milk daily for the same time and raise a calf worth $5. What is the farmer's profit on her?
   (c) flow much more does Ile make on the Durham than on the "scrub"? 
5. How may potato rot be prevented? 
6. Discuss the care and feeding of poultry. 
7. Suppose it takes two applications of two lbs. of paris green each, and two days' time at $1 per day to destroy the bugs on an acre of potatoes, how many bushels of potatoes at 30 cents will it take to pay for the treatment? Acid to it price of parts green at 30 cents per pound. 
8. How do animals show a lack of care?

One of ten parts of the Winnebago County, Illinois Eighth Grade Examination given on May 5th and 6th, 1916. 

Eighth Grade Examination - Physiology

 PHYSIOLOGY

(Write on any five of the questions) 

1. Describe the circuit of the blood from the veins back to the veins. 
2. Mention some tests which show that the size of the lungs can be increased, 
3. What is the normal temperature of a human being? Which animals are warm blooded? 
4. What is the difference between muscle and tendon? Describe three different kinds of joints. What is a ligament? 
5. Mention two things that food does for the body. Mention five food substances. 
6. What is meant by flat foot? How can this be avoided? In buying shoes what points should be kept in mind? 
7. Discuss the effect of alcohol upon the nervous system. Give one illustration of its effect. 
8. How should a sleeping room be ventilated? A school room lighted? 
9. Give three great laws of habit forming. In what two ways are they formed? 
10. Describe the alimentary canal. Name its different parts and tell what goes on in each part. 

One of ten parts of the Winnebago County, Illinois Eighth Grade Examination given on May 5th and 6th, 1916.   

Eighth Grade Examination - Geography

GEOGRAPHY

(Write on six of the questions)

1. Name the continents in order of their size. Which continents are crossed by the tropic of Capricorn? By the Arctic circle? 
2. Locate two great deserts and explain why they are deserts. 
3. Explain why the present European war has caused an advance in the price of wheat and a decline in the price of cotton. 
4. Make five lists of countries noted for the pro¬duction of the following: tea, coffee, cotton, wheat, wool. 
5. Cite at least three water routes that may be shortened by passing through the Panama Canal. 
6. Define latitude, longitude, meridian, rotation, trade winds, delta, water shed. 
7. Explain the change of seasons. 
8. Explain Standard Time in the United States. When it is eight o'clock here, what time is it in San Francisco? In New York? 
9. Tell what these are: Plata, Duluth, Manitoba, Rainier, Tibet, Puget, Bombay, Tokio, Volga, Titicaca, Vienna, Llanos. 

One of ten parts of the Winnebago County, Illinois Eighth Grade Examination given on May 5th and 6th, 1916.  

First Car

The first car that I owned that was not previously owned by a family member was a 1977 Orange Toyota Corolla hatchback.  I bought it when the 1975 Toyota Celica that I bought from my sister started developing engine trouble.

As you can see from the bill of sale, the regulations were a bit different back then.  No mileage requirements, no stated warranties, just a simple trade-in this car, drive away the next car.

I ended up driving this car until the mid 1980's.  I was driving from St. Louis to Wisconsin for a golfing weekend when it threw a rod about 50 miles out of town.  I got it towed back to St. Louis, dropped another engine in it, and then ended up trading it in for a Chevy Cavalier station wagon.