Caprice

For those of us with e-readers, here’s a place to get some free e-books:

http://blog.booksontheknob.org/

Enjoy!

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A Constitution Project

This looks very interesting:

Rhode Island Hope will be sponsoring “A Constitution Project” in an effort to breathe life into what seems to have become a decoration on the wall. Come join us in a civics journey and help us plant fresh organic seeds of inspiration.  Our “Hope” is that this civics journey in the form of round table discussions will bring us to a greater understanding of the document which is the very foundation and physical representation of the ideals of our country.  We look forward to seeing you.

For more information, please contact us at RhodeIslandHope@gmail.com

or check it out at:

http://rihumanities.org/node/2059

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This was printed in the Valley Breeze!

12/8/2010

Friends take on task of Meeting House renovations

Stop by, take a look and swap a book

By ALYSSA SMITH, Valley Breeze Staff Writer

LINCOLN – Though the Saylesville Friends Meeting House shows signs of renovation with wooden boards covering the windows and unfinished siding on the exterior, the Friends continue to open their doors for worship and community events, including their monthly book swap.

Held the third Saturday of every month from 10 a.m. to noon, Quaker Rosanne Cedroni said the event is a way to get people into the historic 300-year-old meeting house without pushing any kind of religious agenda.

“We tried to think of an event that would bring people in without making them feel like we were trying to convert them,” Cedroni said. “We realize religion is a touchy subject, but the event is more about having fun and allowing people to appreciate the architecture because the building is so historic.”

Originally fearful the event wouldn’t generate a lot of attention, Cedroni was pleasantly surprised with the turnout of book-toting patrons and those curious to see the interior of the historic meeting house.

“We lined the pews with books and we ended up having an over-abundance of them,” Cedroni said. “We’ve also had a lot of people come in who have said, ‘I’ve driven by here a thousand times and always wanted to come in.’”

Constructed in 1704, the meeting house at 374 Great Road has been a staple place for Rhode Island settlers to practice their Quaker faith.

“It was the place where Stephen Hopkins, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, worshipped,” Cedroni said.

While the site has received more modernized updates suggestive of mid-1800s styling, Cedroni said the meeting house is trying to make up for the neglect it suffered over the years.

“It’s not like we can just go to Home Depot; it’s a 300-year-old building that needs certain expertise,” Cedroni said.

Sustained with funding from the larger Providence Friends Meeting House, the Saylesville Friends have worked with Heritage Restoration Inc. of Providence to keep their chapter alive despite the significant repairs needed throughout the years.

Joann Griffin, clerk of the Saylesville Friends, said the building is in its second phase of renovations. In the first phase, completed this past summer, the Friends worked with Heritage to gut the building and work with the salvageable pieces of the structure.

“It was like a doll house. You could see right into the building,” said Griffin. “We used the remaining beams as much as we could and fused it together with new wood. We discovered the old door and an original stairway that had been cemented off at the east wall of the building.”

The second phase, which started in September, has been constructed solely with volunteers.

“We’re covering the outside walls with clapboard, and milling the corner boards and mud boards,” Griffin said. “We still have to make the building weather-tight, remove the old glass from the windows, and re-glaze them so they can be installed.”

Griffin said she expects the second portion of the project to cost a little under $15,000, but said the project has proved to be a cost-effective and unifying experience for the Providence and Lincoln Friends.

“We came to a consensus that the building is a place of deep roots with valid importance,” Griffin said.

Cedroni also takes pride in the Saylesville Meeting House and believes the building has come a long way since its initial condition.

“The facing wall is well on its way to being completed, and though there was a lot of rot throughout the building, Heritage (Restoration Inc.) said it’s structurally sound and very strong,” Cedroni said. “We have a very good report as far as the worthiness of the building. It still has good bones.”

For more information about the book swap and the Saylesville friends, go to: http://bookswap.webatu.com

I just finished watching:

EXPO: Magic of the White City

This can be borrowed from the Providence Public Library. It’s a wonderful way to see many of the things that were discussed in the book. Naturally, it’s a lot of still photographs – no video cameras in those days, ha!ha!

AND as far as the book goes…

… I thought I had a good vocabulary BUT here are some words that I had to look up – I hope they are helpful!

1. Alienist - noun  1. (formerly) a doctor specializing in the treatment of mental illness. 2. an expert witness in a sanity trial.

2. Postprandial –  after a meal, esp. after dinner: postprandial oratory; a postprandial brandy. (It was used on page 83 of my book: “another Chauncey M. Depew in postprandial wit and humor”

3. Cortege – 1. a procession, esp. a ceremonial one: a funeral cortege. (pg 96: They drove… at the pace of a funeral cortege and with equal gloom.”)

4. Treacle - contrived or unrestrained sentimentality: a movie plot of the most shameless treacle. (the actual word in the book is “treacly” which I like infinitely better!  Page 101: … “with smiles and gifts and treacly praise”)

5. Janissary – 1. (often initial capital letter) a member of an elite military unit of the Turkish army organized in the 14th century and abolished in 1826 after it revolted against the Sultan. (often initial capital letter) 2. any soldier in the Turkish army. 3. a member of any group of loyal guards, soldiers, or supporters. (pg 105: To him, Hunt was the janissary of a dead vernacular.) Wow! what a sentence!!