As a product of the public school systems of the Commonwealth, I am
continually amazed at the lack of innovativeness of the current members of
the Commonwealth. As to how to restart publication of Virginia Cavalcade, I
beseech you to do as the great educator who was educated at the normal
school for the Negro, Hampton Institute spoke at the Cotton States
Exposition of 1895. Mr. Booker T. Washington spoke of the parable to drop
your buckets where they are. Why not restart the Virginia Cavalcade at one
or more of the state supported private and/or public institutions of higher
education.

There is a wealth of historical information in the Commonwealth from 1604
until April of 1865 to make for an interesting interdisciplinary studies
program.
For example, from the colonial era, we find:
        Research into the development of the three-quarters attic to avoid taxation
by the British Crown of goods stored,
        Research on the development of the first broadly applicable laws - the
Articles of Quebec, (I may be mistaken on the exact name as it has been over
30 years since I graduated from high school),
        Development of a free style capitalist system based on the mercantile
exchange of sugar, slaves, and rum;
        Development of a quadrangle system of streets and roads and the application
of the 640 acres per square mile rule in the western states carved from the
original land grant from Elizabeth I Regent of England;
        Development of colonial style southern architecture as an outgrowth of the
study of classical Grecian and Latin architecture by Thomas Jefferson;
        Transformation of the Circle of Washington, District of Columbia into the
Ellipse by Benjamin Bannaker because an ellipse has two foci or centers of
power as opposed to only one for the circle while as with the circle every
point on the ellipse is equal distance from the foci;
        Transformation of the federal government from two centers of power,
Legislative and Executive, into three branches with the third being the
Judicial branch;
        and development of laws and practices concerning surveying, weights and
measures, manumission, inheritance of property, and redefinition of the
common weal as the largest of the of the American colonies began to grow.

As for the development of the Commonwealth from 1792 until 1865, studies can
include:
        States Rights to cede from the Union as a precursor to ratifying the
Constitution of the United States as opposed to continuation under the
Articles of Confederation;
        Did Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe commit treason and high crimes against
the Commonwealth of Virginia as Governor Patrick Henry stated and alleged;
        Development of townships, counties, and city governments and utilization of
one municipal government in a jurisdiction ~ a city government as opposed to
a county government;
        Development of new rules of interstate commerce and turnpikes and adoption
of one unifying form of currency for the exchange of value for goods sold or
services rendered;
        Development of separate but equal institutions of higher learning, "White"
and "Black" sister post secondary educational systems - i.e. Norfolk State
University and Old Dominion University (side note, one of my sisters and I
graduated from Old Dominion. My mother and younger brother graduated from
Norfolk State);
        Continuation of the Courts of Hastings and Chancellery as opposed to
Municipal and Superior court systems.

What I have aforementioned outlined are some topics that would include an
interdisciplinary studies program consisting of students from architecture,
history, mathematics, law, business, engineering, art, history, physics,
philosophy, and journalism. These students can broaden their knowledge of
the history of the Commonwealth while assisting in the rebirth of Virginia
Cavalcade and contributions by historians to the retelling of stories of the
families who came into existence and increased the bountiful richness of
that jewel we call the Old Dominion.

Glenn Gregory,
retired civil engineer
currently an amateur historian and computer systems networker and designer


-----Original Message-----
From: Discussion of research and writing about Virginia history
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Walter Waddell
Sent: Wednesday, May 11, 2005 3:03 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: The May Campaign of 1905 05111954Z05 05112106Z05
05112258Z05


Good idea. Let's start it. I have contacted my Delegate and Senator asking
that they be in tune to any corporate sponsorship that might come their way.
I stand ready to subscribe (not via the internet - I don't do credit card
transactions over the internet) to the magazine -- should it begin again as
an eMail edition, newspaper edition, or the soft copy edition that was
murdered, with cause or without, by our "leadership". I'm a nobody with no
influence other than to make others of influence "mad" enough at me to show
me up by getting something done. I loved the work that was done and
presented to me in such a wonderful form. I loved the lore that was unfolded
to me therein. I shall so state again: I'm disappointed in you Virginia
historians - so proud of birthright. If the Commonwealth of Virginia cannot
or wont sustain the program, are you so tied to government doing it for you,
that you are now incapable of doing it on your own? It's not always the
nice, saying the nice that serves you best!

Here's an observation: The Legislature makes me throw a lot of my money at
our higher institutions. No doubt my ramblings herein are being viewed by
recognized, gifted intellects closely associated with those institutions.
What do I get for my money other than "rooting" for a bunch of skilled and
graceful "jocks" from New Jersey, Newark, and New York with pituitary
conditions and little hope of ever winning a Nobel prize: performing in an
activity that has little or no relevance to higher education and a lot of
relevance to private ownership. How about something that interests me in
return.

Don't reply: My challenge is out there. Bring others to the field of battle
and call my bluff. Do something to restore a valuable Commonwealth of
Virginia program of honor and worth. Virginia doesn't need words -- it needs
action.


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