Today is the 100th Anniversary of the Flight of the Silver Dart in Baddeck, Nova Scotia. I would have loved to have been there but maybe later in the summer I can arrange something. It was a fascinating story and one that I have only come lately to appreciate. It was the first airplane flight in Canada and it all came about because of a woman - Mabel Bell, wife of Alexander Graham Bell. When her husband became interested in flight, she had him bring in four more men who were more technically knowledgeable and put her own money into the project. They formed the AEA(the Aerial Experiment Association)
As anybody to this site would know - I have become absolutely fascinated with this woman's story and I keep wanting to find out more about her life.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Glorious Silence
"Her face was the last he saw,
her hand the last he touched,
her voice the last he heard."
-from Alexander Graham Bell
and the Conquest of Solitude
by Robert Bruce
In my zeal to track down historical Canadian women of note, I now find myself searching diligently on line, in used book stores and in libraries. I uncovered a biography of Mabel entitled "Mabel Bell-Alexander's Silent Partner" written by Lilias M. Toward during one of my forays which delighted me to no end. It is taken from family letters and papers and switches from information to straight letter quotes almost seamlessly. The information I obtained however, showed Mabel to be an amazing woman in her own right and just not a shadowy figure standing 'silently' beside her husband.
Mabel was born in 1857, and when she was just five, she lost her hearing to scarlet fever. Her father must have loved her dearly because he spared no expense educating her in both the States and in Europe which was quite amazing, given the time in which they lived. Most deaf children were taught sign language in that era but Mabel was taught to lipread and it was her father's efforts in that regard which was to bring her into contact with her father's business partner - Alexander Graham Bell. Not many people are aware that Aleck was a teacher to the deaf and that was to be what he considered his life profession. Although it is Alexander Graham Bell that is remembered in history, I firmly believe that it was only through the efforts of Mabel and her equally remarkable father that he was able to achieve the lofty heights he did.
Not only was Mabel the heart and soul of her family, but I find her accomplishments to border on the extraordinary. I loved that people could remember her on the porch reading to her children . . . and then you remember she was deaf. The love for her family was such a big part of who she was. It was she who managed the family finances and urged her husband to complete his work on the telephone. It was Mabel who insisted on her husband dropping the 'k' in Aleck and using his full name on signing all documents simply because she had an ear for oral rhythm, the flow of syllables(4-2-1).It is hard to imagine a hearing person able to tackle the projects that Mabel so flawlessly executed.
Alexander Graham Bell and his father in law were the co-founders of The National Geographic Magazine along with another partner in the venture. Mabel had a keen interest in geography and I am almost certain that the magazine was created with her in mind. When Alexander assumed control of the publication upon the death of his father in law, the magazine had lost almost 33% of their subscribers. It was Mabel who suggested that they put pictures in along with the articles . . . can you picture that venerable magazine without it's amazing photography? Me neither.
Although she was American by birth, the home of their heart was Beinn Bragh. Located in Baddeck, Nova Scotia, the translation is Gaelic for 'beautiful mountain'. They spent part of every year there for the last 35 years and Alexander Graham Bell worked on many inventions there, including his work on the hydrofoil and biplanes. The Wright Brothers may have won the race but not by much. The work that Alexander Graham Bell completed showed him to be a man ahead of his time. The death of a young son shortly after birth from respiratory complications spurred Alexander on to invent a machine that would help this problem - the forerunner of the iron lung. Many people had written Alexander off as being a one hit wonder but he proved them wrong. It is highly doubtful whether he would have accomplished these achievements though without the guidance of Mabel. It was she who persuaded him to answer his higher calling when he was so committed to teaching the deaf. A practical man he was not. It was she who believed that he could accomplish so much more and invested in his inventions with her own money so as to allow him the time to commit to his projects. Many of these inventions would be developed in Canada.
Mabel became interested in the suffragette movement and campaigned vigourously for women's rights to vote and work by attending meetings and marching in parades along with her daughters. She was also interested in a new kind of education and she became president of the Montessori Society. The first Canadian Montessori school opened it's doors in 1912 and later she opened up another in the States. The press was critical and the schools would close their doors in 1919 but the Montessori system came back with a vengeance later on in the century.
Scotland, Canada and the States all claim Alexander Graham Bell to be their 'native son' but I believe that it is Canada that held their hearts and is therefore the true holders of that title. The Bells loved their adopted land so much that they chose to be buried there. Mabel and her husband had become such a beloved part of this community. They employed a great many of the locals and their home became the local meeting place. It was Mabel that developed a thriving rug hooking industry for which Cheticamp is still well known for. When Alexander developed diabetes and died from complications, Mabel followed him a mere five months later. The tale of the Bells reads like this wonderful love story that just begs to be told. Full of tiumphs and heartbreak, the amazing journey this couple took together influenced an entire world. Not only was she an amazing woman in her own right, but she inspired a man to achieve the lofty heights of true genius with her love. That was her gift to the world. Mabel Bell should be remembered as the extraordinarily accomplished woman she was and not just as the woman who was married to Alexander Graham Bell.
her hand the last he touched,
her voice the last he heard."
-from Alexander Graham Bell
and the Conquest of Solitude
by Robert Bruce
In my zeal to track down historical Canadian women of note, I now find myself searching diligently on line, in used book stores and in libraries. I uncovered a biography of Mabel entitled "Mabel Bell-Alexander's Silent Partner" written by Lilias M. Toward during one of my forays which delighted me to no end. It is taken from family letters and papers and switches from information to straight letter quotes almost seamlessly. The information I obtained however, showed Mabel to be an amazing woman in her own right and just not a shadowy figure standing 'silently' beside her husband.
Mabel was born in 1857, and when she was just five, she lost her hearing to scarlet fever. Her father must have loved her dearly because he spared no expense educating her in both the States and in Europe which was quite amazing, given the time in which they lived. Most deaf children were taught sign language in that era but Mabel was taught to lipread and it was her father's efforts in that regard which was to bring her into contact with her father's business partner - Alexander Graham Bell. Not many people are aware that Aleck was a teacher to the deaf and that was to be what he considered his life profession. Although it is Alexander Graham Bell that is remembered in history, I firmly believe that it was only through the efforts of Mabel and her equally remarkable father that he was able to achieve the lofty heights he did.
Not only was Mabel the heart and soul of her family, but I find her accomplishments to border on the extraordinary. I loved that people could remember her on the porch reading to her children . . . and then you remember she was deaf. The love for her family was such a big part of who she was. It was she who managed the family finances and urged her husband to complete his work on the telephone. It was Mabel who insisted on her husband dropping the 'k' in Aleck and using his full name on signing all documents simply because she had an ear for oral rhythm, the flow of syllables(4-2-1).It is hard to imagine a hearing person able to tackle the projects that Mabel so flawlessly executed.
Alexander Graham Bell and his father in law were the co-founders of The National Geographic Magazine along with another partner in the venture. Mabel had a keen interest in geography and I am almost certain that the magazine was created with her in mind. When Alexander assumed control of the publication upon the death of his father in law, the magazine had lost almost 33% of their subscribers. It was Mabel who suggested that they put pictures in along with the articles . . . can you picture that venerable magazine without it's amazing photography? Me neither.
Although she was American by birth, the home of their heart was Beinn Bragh. Located in Baddeck, Nova Scotia, the translation is Gaelic for 'beautiful mountain'. They spent part of every year there for the last 35 years and Alexander Graham Bell worked on many inventions there, including his work on the hydrofoil and biplanes. The Wright Brothers may have won the race but not by much. The work that Alexander Graham Bell completed showed him to be a man ahead of his time. The death of a young son shortly after birth from respiratory complications spurred Alexander on to invent a machine that would help this problem - the forerunner of the iron lung. Many people had written Alexander off as being a one hit wonder but he proved them wrong. It is highly doubtful whether he would have accomplished these achievements though without the guidance of Mabel. It was she who persuaded him to answer his higher calling when he was so committed to teaching the deaf. A practical man he was not. It was she who believed that he could accomplish so much more and invested in his inventions with her own money so as to allow him the time to commit to his projects. Many of these inventions would be developed in Canada.
Mabel became interested in the suffragette movement and campaigned vigourously for women's rights to vote and work by attending meetings and marching in parades along with her daughters. She was also interested in a new kind of education and she became president of the Montessori Society. The first Canadian Montessori school opened it's doors in 1912 and later she opened up another in the States. The press was critical and the schools would close their doors in 1919 but the Montessori system came back with a vengeance later on in the century.
Scotland, Canada and the States all claim Alexander Graham Bell to be their 'native son' but I believe that it is Canada that held their hearts and is therefore the true holders of that title. The Bells loved their adopted land so much that they chose to be buried there. Mabel and her husband had become such a beloved part of this community. They employed a great many of the locals and their home became the local meeting place. It was Mabel that developed a thriving rug hooking industry for which Cheticamp is still well known for. When Alexander developed diabetes and died from complications, Mabel followed him a mere five months later. The tale of the Bells reads like this wonderful love story that just begs to be told. Full of tiumphs and heartbreak, the amazing journey this couple took together influenced an entire world. Not only was she an amazing woman in her own right, but she inspired a man to achieve the lofty heights of true genius with her love. That was her gift to the world. Mabel Bell should be remembered as the extraordinarily accomplished woman she was and not just as the woman who was married to Alexander Graham Bell.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Something to munch on . . .
The world is a comedy to those that think,
a tragedy to those who feel.
Horace Walpole
I love this quote but then I wonder . . . what about those of us who don't know whether to laugh or cry?
a tragedy to those who feel.
Horace Walpole
I love this quote but then I wonder . . . what about those of us who don't know whether to laugh or cry?
Living in the Shadows . . .
It has been almost 40 years since I discovered the magic that was Anne of Green Gables. There was such a sweetness to the tale and my imagination could take flight and take me to a time I never knew. It was as real to me as my own childhood was because I could take her place in the pages and become the person I wished I was. It was my escape from a childhood that was an unhappy one and for a few hours I could believe that life really WAS good and that my own story would unfold in layers of sweetness and love. To me, it was all about hope. It was a happy day for me when I discovered there were yet more books and I became obsessed with reading every word Lucy Maud Montgomery ever wrote.
I started waitressing in high school to make extra money and when our library was exhausted of it's limited collection of her works, I tracked down a drugstore in Red Deer, just an hour away. To my delight, they would order and send to me any of the books on my list. I DEVOURED her books and I remember being puzzled by the 'Emily of New Moon' series. They had a darker side to them which I could relate much better to but, it was 'The Blue Castle' that grabbed me in it's grip. The sheer unhappiness and pain squeezed my heart with every page turned. 'The Blue Castle" was her escape and it became mine as well. As I would stand at the kitchen window with soap suds up to my elbows washing the nightly dishes, I could see across the fields to a forest in the distance. Four trees raised themselves to tower above the rest and to me they were the castle towers of my own blue castle. It was there that I could dream and escape from the reality that was my life.
September 22, 2008- that was the date that Lucy's grandaughter revealed that Lucy Maud Montgomery had deliberately overdosed on drugs to escape the depression that had consumed her her whole life. It had been kept a family secret for so many years but they felt that the time had come to share that story with the world in an effort to combat the stigma that is depression. The timing has significant meaning to me.
Last year I was diagnosed as being hyperthyroid. I had become this person I did not recognize any longer as being 'me'. "I" was not a dripping puddle dissolved on the floor. "I" was not staring for hours at the wall in my room, too afraid to come out and take part in life. "I" was not this person who would change direction and start screaming in rage. The fear, the rage, the helplessness, and the willingness to lie down and die was strong inside of me and I was powerless to control it any longer. I was directed by a nurse friend of mine to take myself off to the doctor which I did with ill grace. "What can a doctor do?" I asked myself. Surely there was nothing they could do and I had scant faith in therapy which I convinced myself they were going to insist on. Imagine my surprise. My condition is controlled by replacement therapy which is NOT mood altering, instead, it allows the real me to shine through and I am happily becoming reaquainted with myself all over again. While I have to be monitored and take these pills for the rest of my life at least I HAVE a life to live. I realize now that I had been suffering needlessly for years but when you are in the grips of depression-you do not see it. The effects are so gradual that it is hard to believe there is a medical reason for it. You think it is simply a case of "snapping out of it" and your inability to do so means you are weak and worthless.
My heart goes out to Lucy Maud Montgomery and I wish that she had been able to get the help that I myself received. Her journal entries showed her to be living in the darkness and are tinged with the sadness that was her life. She cut the story short. . . . . . .
I started waitressing in high school to make extra money and when our library was exhausted of it's limited collection of her works, I tracked down a drugstore in Red Deer, just an hour away. To my delight, they would order and send to me any of the books on my list. I DEVOURED her books and I remember being puzzled by the 'Emily of New Moon' series. They had a darker side to them which I could relate much better to but, it was 'The Blue Castle' that grabbed me in it's grip. The sheer unhappiness and pain squeezed my heart with every page turned. 'The Blue Castle" was her escape and it became mine as well. As I would stand at the kitchen window with soap suds up to my elbows washing the nightly dishes, I could see across the fields to a forest in the distance. Four trees raised themselves to tower above the rest and to me they were the castle towers of my own blue castle. It was there that I could dream and escape from the reality that was my life.
September 22, 2008- that was the date that Lucy's grandaughter revealed that Lucy Maud Montgomery had deliberately overdosed on drugs to escape the depression that had consumed her her whole life. It had been kept a family secret for so many years but they felt that the time had come to share that story with the world in an effort to combat the stigma that is depression. The timing has significant meaning to me.
Last year I was diagnosed as being hyperthyroid. I had become this person I did not recognize any longer as being 'me'. "I" was not a dripping puddle dissolved on the floor. "I" was not staring for hours at the wall in my room, too afraid to come out and take part in life. "I" was not this person who would change direction and start screaming in rage. The fear, the rage, the helplessness, and the willingness to lie down and die was strong inside of me and I was powerless to control it any longer. I was directed by a nurse friend of mine to take myself off to the doctor which I did with ill grace. "What can a doctor do?" I asked myself. Surely there was nothing they could do and I had scant faith in therapy which I convinced myself they were going to insist on. Imagine my surprise. My condition is controlled by replacement therapy which is NOT mood altering, instead, it allows the real me to shine through and I am happily becoming reaquainted with myself all over again. While I have to be monitored and take these pills for the rest of my life at least I HAVE a life to live. I realize now that I had been suffering needlessly for years but when you are in the grips of depression-you do not see it. The effects are so gradual that it is hard to believe there is a medical reason for it. You think it is simply a case of "snapping out of it" and your inability to do so means you are weak and worthless.
My heart goes out to Lucy Maud Montgomery and I wish that she had been able to get the help that I myself received. Her journal entries showed her to be living in the darkness and are tinged with the sadness that was her life. She cut the story short. . . . . . .
Friday, February 6, 2009
Reaching Out
I love being able to navigate around the internet. Two months ago I didn't even know how to sign on to the net and now look at me ! ! ! I am so proud of what I have been able to figure out on my own. I have this lovely blog site and it feels just like home-sometimes I log on just to sit in front of the screen and give a sigh of delight. How crazy is that?
I wrote about reading Merna's book "100 Canadian Heroines" on my last post. Since then a lot has happened. I have been busy trying to reconnect with my own family history. There are not a lot of people left to give me their stories and it saddens me that I have left it so long. You always think that there is time to get to it later but that time has come and gone. I have tracked down my grandpa Rae's last remaining sibling and it seems incredible to think that, until last week, I had never even spoken to the gentleman. I have also reached out to my dad's cousin in Sudbury. She has been going through the same problem I have and has taken to scrapbooking her family history. She has promised to save any letters and pictures that relate to my family history for me.
Merna's book really pushed me to get started on all of this. I am impressed with her researching skills because at the end of her book is a 9 page list of all the books and articles she had to sift through. There was also an e-mail contact number as well as a web site. Click here to see the great job Merna did on it. I sent an e-mail to her contact number and I must admit to being suprised to get a personal response from her just an hour and a half later. I had just wanted to send a fan letter if you will, letting her know how much I enjoyed her book and to offer some suggestions as to what I would really love to see in a subsequent book. I was glad to hear she is working on a second book and can hardly wait for it to come out.
I wrote about reading Merna's book "100 Canadian Heroines" on my last post. Since then a lot has happened. I have been busy trying to reconnect with my own family history. There are not a lot of people left to give me their stories and it saddens me that I have left it so long. You always think that there is time to get to it later but that time has come and gone. I have tracked down my grandpa Rae's last remaining sibling and it seems incredible to think that, until last week, I had never even spoken to the gentleman. I have also reached out to my dad's cousin in Sudbury. She has been going through the same problem I have and has taken to scrapbooking her family history. She has promised to save any letters and pictures that relate to my family history for me.
Merna's book really pushed me to get started on all of this. I am impressed with her researching skills because at the end of her book is a 9 page list of all the books and articles she had to sift through. There was also an e-mail contact number as well as a web site. Click here to see the great job Merna did on it. I sent an e-mail to her contact number and I must admit to being suprised to get a personal response from her just an hour and a half later. I had just wanted to send a fan letter if you will, letting her know how much I enjoyed her book and to offer some suggestions as to what I would really love to see in a subsequent book. I was glad to hear she is working on a second book and can hardly wait for it to come out.
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