048 Inspiring!

“Great Expectations” or How One of the Savvy Broads Was Inspired

Many of my memories come from the arts. As a little girl I took the requisite piano and ballet lessons. I have loved them both from the tender age of four. I still “noodle” around on the piano and throughout my adult years have used dance as part of my teaching career and in productions for civic activities. So many memories from childhood lessons live on!  I once danced at a party with a jazz musician. He gave me the ultimate compliment--“you’re really good and you’re a middle-aged white woman.”

I see every day how very fortunate we were in the Winchester area to have had excellent teachers who inspired us by being our role models and our mentors. Some of you readers will recognize immediately the two women who inspired me; for others, these women may read like “My Most Unforgettable Character” feature that used be in the Readers’ Digest. Be that as it may, these women had a major impact on me and on our town that is unforgettable.

Two of the most important non-family members in my life were pianist Eugenia Evans and dance teacher Dorothy Ewing. Brave and passionate both, they were well before their time by choosing their professional careers. Both overcame odds to pursue their dreams. 

Let’s begin with Dorothy Ewing and the Ewing Studio of Dance. For many little girls, a tutu and toe shoes are a rite of passage to becoming a beautiful, graceful person--a little princess. Miss Ewing made this dream come true for hundreds of us. My first costume was a green satin leotard with a yellow tutu attached--I was a flower. My last costume was a golden traditional short ballet tutu along with gold pointe shoes for my senior presentation solo. I wish I still had these!

Miss Ewing was born in October of 1896 (which many of us did not learn until her obituary was printed) in Washington, D.C.  She was the daughter of a Methodist minister. Ewing studied ballet in New York City and graduated from Peabody Conservatory. She danced professionally in NYC and the DC area. The story of her early years is that the family came to Winchester while her father was traveling as a district superintendent of the Methodist church. Her full name was Dorothy Ewing Jameson Locke, but because some church sanctions against daughters with careers and daughters who danced (“God forbid.”) and for peace in the family, it is said that she took her mother’s maiden name of Ewing for her professional name. 

In the early 1930’s (not a prime time for a woman starting a business enterprise), Miss Ewing opened her studio. Her first recital was in the George Washington Hotel ballroom with 34 students. One year later, even in a depressed economy, she had over 100 students enrolled. Yes, little girls (and a few boys) wanted to dance! 

I studied with Miss Ewing from 1950 to 1964 and then again when I returned to Winchester from college until she closed her studio and retired in 1971.

How did she inspire me? With the principle of great expectations. I loved her and I was in awe of her and maybe a little frightened of her. She expected good manners, good posture, a pleasant attitude and perfect behavior from all her students. One paid attention to her and her instructions every minute of each class. No chitchat and, for goodness sake, no gum. I once got sent out of class to sit on the “thinking stool” (a round wooden piano stool) outside the classroom because I had forgotten to throw away my gum before class. It was Double Bubble gum--bright pink-–with the cartoon inside the wrapper! This happened only once!

Everyone in each class curtsied (or bowed) and clapped as we were dismissed from each class. Protocol was and is important.

Miss Ewing’s extraordinarily high expectations made us rise to meet those expectations. This is a powerful message still. She believed in the ability of each of us. This stimulated us to be our very best selves. I think I can also say that she expected with confidence.  Her praise was not the “let’s make the child happy” praise, but rather realistic praise and only when it was deserved. I remember like it was yesterday when Miss Ewing told me that I had good leg muscles and was ready for pointe (toe) shoes. High expectations take us to higher levels. 

A number of Miss Ewing’s students went on to be professional dancers or to open their own studios. After her retirement, I tried to visit her at least once a month, sometimes taking my little daughter along to hear her ballet stories. Dorothy Ewing Jameson Locke lived until 1988, but her memory and her inspiration and her love of her profession live on the in memories of the hundreds of students who studied with her.

The Ewing Studio of Dance did not use records for music. Miss Ewing had two exceptional pianists, one of whom was Eugenia Weisman Evans. Thus, I met Mrs. Evans when I was four years old as well. It is truly a small world that this noted pianist ended up in Winchester and that the two ended up working together. Both have Shenandoah University connections as well. Miss Ewing’s legacy is the Ewing Studio of Dance at SU and Mrs. Evans was for many years a member of the SU piano faculty.

Eugenia Weisman was born in Odessa, Ukraine and, as a child prodigy at the piano, went, in her early teens, with her mother to the Prague Conservatory to study. She was the youngest ever to have been accepted at the time. Receiving both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees, young Weisman was playing concerts all over Europe and the Eastern Bloc countries. Because of family background, she and her mother fled in 1940 to America on a refugee ship. Oh, such stories she would tell: of a German boyfriend who joined the Hitler Youth, of hiding in a wardrobe when police came to her house, and of sitting under Vladimir Horowitz’s window listening to him practice. She entranced us all with her long life’s myriad stories. Genie Evans’ life story is history.

Born in 1909, Genie Evans lived until Christmas day, 2012 at 103 years of age. For all the years of her life, she was first a pianist. After arriving in America, she joined the faculty of the Chicago School of Music and resumed her concert tours. In 1942, Genie married Dr. Rudy Evans, a chemist, whose profession brought him to Winchester. Genie joined the music faculty of Shenandoah University. In 1987, Mrs. Evans retired from SU and moved to Gastonia, NC near her daughter and family but continued teaching piano until age 102. 

I think I have never seen a sight more beautiful than Eugenia Evans’ gnarled fingers on the piano keys when muscle memory took over. Her music made one weep with joy and appreciation for her passion. I remember her saying to our daughter Mary Willis that she was not yet ready for Chopin because she had not yet had her heart broken. “You must love and lose to play with passion.” 

Genie Evans’ love of life, her acceptance of everyone and their beliefs and idiosyncrasies as well as her talent made her a beloved person. As well as being on music faculty, she taught privately as well. A pair of noted local physicians studied with her to learn to play duets. Along with her gentle nature, though, was that same principle of “great expectations.” “Do not waste my time with your lesson if you did not prepare.” Oh, the shame. “I do not ask you did you practice, I can tell.” “Again! Again! Again!” with her left hand on your right shoulder. High expectations always.

I loved them both--these women who braved the “old world” style of life to the new. These two brilliant, passionate women worked together in our community, inspired us and left us a legacy. How could we ever forget them?

I hope in some way the great expectations of Dorothy Ewing and Eugenia Evans have made me a better, more inspired, and savvier broad.

Glenne       

047 Going Back

You can go back

A sentimental journey

The name, Snowbird Mountain Lodge, remained in my husband’s memory since he was about 6 or 7 years old. It was the destination of a family vacation he had never forgotten.

The family drove south from their home in Logan, W.Va. on the hunt for a great fishing location. With no reservations and a late start after Sunday church service, it was not easy finding a place to stay, and it was starting to get dark. A kind soul at a gas station said there no motels in the area but directed them to a “place on the mountain.”

The lodge high up on the mountain from the gas station just happened to have one room left. That first night turned into a weeklong vacation on the top of a Great Smokey Mountain in North Carolina.

My husband is not especially sentimental, but he never forgot one of the rare vacations his family of three (he was an only child) took. His father’s plumbing business did not lend itself to many days off so a vacation was a very special coveted time.

He had mentioned it over the years wondering if the lodge still existed and exactly where it was. His parents are deceased so there was no way to ask them any particulars. He made no attempt to try to find out about it until about 10 years ago. Access to the Internet made the search so much easier than it would have been decades ago.

With only a name to go on and a general location, there wasn’t much hope of finding it. After a few searches, the home page for the lodge popped up with a photo --- he remembered what it looked like so he was sure that was it. Evidently, it had stayed in business those 60 some years since their visit.

For years, it was on our list of places to visit, but it never quite fit into our plans. Even though we both grew up in the mountains, we head to the beach for many family outings. But it stayed in the back of his mind as something he wanted to do.

We head to our sons about once a month to babysit the grandkids or just to visit. The first of June was on the calendar to head to his home near Charlotte, N.C. Since we are both retired, we often take a short vacation after babysitting, usually to the beach, but this time, he suggested we head to Snowbird Mountain Lodge. Finally, we were headed on his sentimental journey.

After fulfilling our babysitting duties, we headed to the mountains, climbing more than 3,000 feet to our destination on a two-lane highway near Robbinsville, N.C.

The lodge, nestled high in the hills with amazing views of the Great Smokey Mountains, did not disappoint. All meals are included, the service is impressive, and the present owner makes sure everything stays ship shape. 

While many things had changed since the 1950s, some had remained the same --- rustic wood paneling in the rooms, walkways to view sunrises and sunsets, and no television.

The addition of Wi-Fi, an extensive wine list, and modern amenities, such as air conditioning, were very welcome. But a real room key, hanging from a wooden board, was charming and added to the back to the past feeling.


My husband was especially talkative to anyone who would listen about visiting the lodge 60-some years ago. He missed his parents on the return trip but knew they were smiling down as he made this journey of rediscovery.

In addition, the surrounding area provided great adventures. As hikers, we had many choices including an amazing walk in the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest – one of the few remaining tracts of virgin hardwood in the Appalachians. 


Kilmer is the author of the famous poem, “Trees,” which most of us remember memorizing many years ago for a school assignment,. The forest is a very fitting tribute to the poet and preserves the amazing natural environment for all of us to enjoy.

Also, a drive on the Cherohala Skyway took us on a great hike to view a “bald,” an area that crests a mountain. This hike had two balds that contained fields of yellow buttercups with the highest at 5,600 feet.

Hiking, great food, and gorgeous views made it all worthwhile, and my husband found out that you can go back and not be disappointed.

Frances

046 Navy Brat

Navy Brat

I am proud to call myself a Navy Brat!  I served for twenty years following my dad and family as we moved from place to place.  Fortunately, my dad was a civil engineer (Seabee) so he was not on ship while my sister and I were growing up.  

My sister Joanne once complained to me when we were kids that we would never be great geniuses because we were too normal.

Normal?!  This coming from a child who went to five different second grades . . . .  We usually only moved every two or three years.  I was the younger child so I wasn't in school for the second grade misadventures.  I don't remember every location but I know we lived in 

• Great Lakes, Illinois
• Guam
• Port Hueneme, California 
• San Diego, California
• Oakland, California
• Newport, Rhode Island
• Olathe, Kansas (formerly a naval air station)
• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• San Juan, Puerto Rico
• Little Creek, Virginia (near Norfolk & Virginia Beach)
• Charleston, South Carolina
• Washington, D.C. (U.S. Navy Yard)
• Cherry Point, North Carolina

As a family, we loved being overseas.  One of our deepest disappointments was going to Little Creek instead of Rota, Spain.  Little Creek was nice but it wasn't Spain!

While in Puerto Rico, we visited Panama and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, twice.  Back then, Gitmo was considered as a pretty good duty station although families and men could not leave the base.  For Christmas 1960, we saw the Bob Hope USA show at Gitmo.  

Notice the cost of a child fare from
Puerto Rico to St. Croix--$9

We also went to St. Thomas, Virgin Islands while in the Caribbean. The trip to St. Thomas was my first time flying on a plane.  

All the other overseas trips were on Navy transport ships.  Every time from 18 months of age on, I was deadly ill.  I was the only bad sailor--no one else in the family was afflicted.  I still feel queasy whenever I am in a confined space and smell diesel fuel.

Arriving in Guam.  You can't see my face but
I am thinking, "Thank God, solid ground!"

We had to be resilient since we moved so often.   When the military moves you, you have a weight limit of how much the government will pay--according to your rank!  So I have been a thrower-outer most of my life.  I can think of a lot of things I wish I had kept.  

My husband Harry was amazed the first few times we decided to move--I began packing boxes the next day.  We learned as kids to pack up everything that you would not need for a while and to put everything you wanted to take with you on the move in a locked room so the movers wouldn't pack that stuff too.

I have never been able to remember addresses and phone numbers and believe it is because we moved so frequently that I never tried.  (I had them written down somewhere!)  My sister, who is three years older, and I were best friends for a couple weeks--until we made our own friends. 

We were the best of friends--until we weren't!

Who ever hear of a traveling Girl Scout record?
By the way, in high school I decided my name was Trish, not Patty.

While my sister had the second grade fiasco, I had the opposite.  When I moved from Virginia to South Carolina, it was decided for a number of reasons that I should skip my sophomore year in high school and become a junior.  That meant I graduated high school and entered college at age 16!  We lived in the Washington Navy Yard when I was in college, which meant I was out of state everywhere except in the expensive D.C. schools. I went to Radford, which began my love affair with Virginia.

The research on children frequently moving shows mostly negative results, although it did state that children of military families have easier times fitting into new situations because moving is the norm among many of their peers.  I think fitting into new places helps children (who have strong family support) become more adaptable, more creative. Although my sister and I are not another Poe or Van Gogh--we are not that neurotic either--we are both somewhat creative.  I like to dabble in graphic arts, and Joanne paints and designs all kinds of interesting things as you can see below.

Well, Joanne, guess we weren't that normal!

                                      Trish

045 Grammar Police

The Grammar Police is in town!

Please don’t roll your eyes until you’ve read the blog! Yes, I am a bit of a nerd--four years of Latin, two of French and four of German can make a nerd of a person when it comes to subjects, objects and where to put the modifiers. Good grammar, though, IS important. Perhaps, even, more important than you might think.

Two clichés give us clues: You only have SEVEN (7) seconds to make a first impression (says Forbes magazine); your good elevator speech to introduce yourself (based on the non-stop time from first floor to top floor of a building) should be said in 30 SECONDS (yes, thirty seconds). Okay, so your chances are limited to make a great impression and good grammar helps!

Grammar rules facilitate clear communication whether written or oral. Errors that the GRAMMAR POLICE find particularly offensive detract from your message, could cost you a job interview, and can hinder your success. Good grammar shows respect to your audience whether that audience is only one friend on Facebook or an audience of hundreds at a business conference. Some errors are funny: the new secretary at the auto repair shop who sent out an email with new prices for “Toe Jobs.”

Others are just plain embarrassing! 





The GP (Grammar Police) asks you to be on the lookout for the following common mistakes:

1. YOUR = a possessive pronoun (e.g. that is YOUR car); YOU’RE = a contraction of the pronoun YOU and the verb ARE (e.g. you’re reading a blog). And using UR in texts does not count as grammar knowledge!




2. ITS = another possessive pronoun (e.g. its shell is broken); IT’S = a contraction of the pronoun IT and the verb IS (e.g. it’s an egg). Check yourself by inserting “it is” to see which you should use.

3. THERE = in a place; THEIR = belonging to them; THEY’RE = this is the pronoun/verb contraction. (e.g. They’re putting their stuff over there!)

4. ME and I! Many, many, many people confuse these two. They believe they are correct and sound intelligent. BUT choose between the two by removing the other person to figure which is correct. I = subject; ME = object. (e.g. The party is for Jane and I! NO! NO! NO! The party is not for “I.” The party is for “me.”)

5. WHO v. WHOM: This can get confusing. WHO is the subject; WHOM is an object. Often our sentences have clauses and word order that make the decision tricky. The easiest fix is to say to yourself the simplest statement. One headline in The New Republic got many letters to the editor: “Careful Whom You Call A Hypocrite.” The headline is correct, although the meaning is “Who is the hypocrite?”

6. FEWER and LESS: If the objects are countable – use fewer; if not, use less. AND, YES, most grocery stores have that limited number of items checkout sign WRONG. Properly, it should read “FEWER than 10 items.”

7. LIE and LAY. People LIE down; chickens LAY! The cartoon says it better than I.











8. Dangling participles and misplaced modifiers. Proof your work or read it aloud. These are easy mistakes to make but easily corrected. I always smile at this example from Grammar Diva’s blog:  "While reading the paper by the window, the cat jumped on my lap."  I don’t know many cats who can read.

Or from Brian Clark: “After rotting in the cellar for weeks, my brother brought up some oranges.” Nasty brother!

9. A LOT and ALOT: “alot” is not a word! Just forget about writing it – ever!









10. WHICH or THAT: This is advanced grammar. “That” is a restrictive pronoun and vital to the noun (e.g. I don’t eat fruits that are not organic). “Which” qualifies the subject and verb and begins a relative clause. Therefore, if you use “which,” you will need a comma. (e.g. I recommend organic fruits, which are now in most grocery stores.”

Enough for today? Oh, but there are so many more! The GP shall (or will) return!

Glenne