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WKBW-TV's Meteorologist Mike Randall performs 'A Christmas Carol' at GCC

By Billie Owens

Submitted photo and press release:

The Genesee Community College History Club is excited to kick off the holiday season as Charles Dickens, played by WKBW-TV's Meteorologist Mike Randall, presents "A Christmas Carol." All are invited to the College's Batavia Campus on Dec. 18 at 7 p.m. to enjoy this festive and heart-warming storytelling experience.

A multifaceted actor, Randall studied both theater and meteorology in school and since 1983, Randall has reported the weather on WKBW-TV in Buffalo. An award-winning reporter, his interview repertoire includes such talents as Willie Nelson, Jerry Lewis, John Candy, Steve Allen, Gregory Peck and Robert Goulet. This September, Randall was inducted into the Buffalo Broadcasters Hall of Fame.

Back in 1868, Charles Dickens toured the country bringing his classic novel, "A Christmas Carol" to audiences everywhere. Nearly century and a half ago, Dickens' performances were completely sold out in Buffalo.

For the last decade, with only a replica of Dickens' famous velvet, fringed reading lectern and a copy of "A Christmas Carol," Randall has been transforming himself into Dickens, recreating the original tour atmosphere in stages, halls, classrooms and many other venues.

Randall performs in a period costume with a beard and wavy hair, and through his expert theatrics he brings Charles Dickens to life. He plays each of the novel's characters with distinguishing voices and mannerisms capturing all of the subtle comedic timing of Dickens' original work.

The performance will take place at GCC's Batavia Campus in room T102 of the Conable Technology Building. Tickets for the performances are $15 in advance or $20 at the door. Advanced ticket purchases are strongly recommended as seating is limited! 

Proceeds from the performance will go to the Genesee Community College History Club.

"Coordinating the event is part of the service learning experiences for GCC students and members of the College's History Club," sais Derek D. Maxfield, GCC's associate history professor.

"This event is great opportunity for students to learn about the value of community engagement as well as history, and it is a terrific opportunity for local families and friends to enjoy a festive holiday event that is fun for all ages." 

For advanced tickets or more information, contact Associate Professor of History Derek D. Maxfield at (585) 343-0055 ext. 6288, or via email: ddmaxfield@genesee.edu.

Free lecture at GCC Dec. 6 on creating 'illegal immigrants' in 19th century America

By Billie Owens

Press release:

Genesee Community College's History Club proudly welcomes the public to the Batavian Campus to hear Orleans County Historian Matt Ballard present, "Fear of the Unknown: Creating the Illegal Immigrant in 19th Century America." 

The theme of immigration to the United States is a relative topic in current events, but the establishment of the "illegal immigrant" only dates back to the turn of the 20th century.

In the earliest years of immigration, Europeans were accepted without restriction, but an influx of new immigrants during the latter half of the 19th century raised concerns about potential impacts on American society. Uncertainty and unfounded fears created excessive restrictions focused on limiting access to specific ethnic/racial groups, religious groups, the disabled, the infirmed, and those likely to become a "public charge." 

This lecture, the fourth one in the fall Historical Horizons Lecture Series, will take place at 7 p.m. on Dec. 6 in room T102 of the Conable Technology Building at GCC's Batavia Campus.

The lecture is FREE, open to the public and an RSVP is NOT necessary. The lecture series is sponsored by the GCC History Club and the Barnes & Noble College Bookstore.

GCC student named a 2017 Coca-Cola Leader of Promise, gets $1,000 scholarship

By Billie Owens

Press release:

Kimberly Curry, an accounting student at Genesee Community College, has been named a 2017 Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholar and will receive a $1,000 scholarship.

Curry is one of only 207 nationwide Phi Theta Kappa members who will receive this scholarship. Nearly 1,000 applications were received this year. Recipients are selected based on their academic achievement and demonstrated leadership potential.

The Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholarship Program helps new Phi Theta Kappa members defray educational expenses while enrolled in associate degree programs. The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation provides $200,000 in funding for these scholarships with $25,000 set aside for members who are veterans or active members of the U.S. military. The remaining amount is supported by donations to Phi Theta Kappa Foundation and provides Leaders of Promise Global Scholarships, earmarked for international students.

Curry proudly served in the Army from 1987-1991 and then was called back up again during Operation Desert Storm.

"This scholarship really means a lot to me, especially considering my time in the armed forces. It is one way to ensure that veterans like me can obtain the college credentials we need to succeed and give back to our communities," Curry said.

This scholarship foundation also encourages recipients to participate in Society programs to develop leadership skills and position themselves to become future leaders in their communities. The scholarship funds help to provide these opportunities as well. Curry certainly took advantage of this chance and joined a new organization in Rochester called the Southside Junior Sting, part of the local Pop Warner organization.

The Southside Junior Sting had one primary responsibility; to ensure that every child or young adult who wanted to participate in organized football had the financial means to do so. The group organized fundraiser events throughout the community to make sure that every person could play. During her time with this group, Curry met some amazing and dedicated leaders and connected to her community and the kids they were helping.

With more than three million members in nearly 1,300 chapters across nine nations, Phi Theta Kappa is the premier honor society recognizing academic achievement of community college students, helping them to grow as scholars and leaders. Visit www.ptka.org to learn more about Phi Theta Kappa.

GCC will hold its annual Discover the Stars Scholarship Reception tomorrow afternoon

By Billie Owens

Press release:

On Tuesday, Nov. 14, the annual Discover the Stars Scholarship Reception will take place in the Conable Technology Building's south lobby and in room T102 on GCC's Batavia Campus at One College Road in Batavia.

This reception brings together GCC's scholarship recipients, members of the College Board of Trustees and Foundation Board of Directors, College administrators and the many donors who made the recipients' academic dreams a reality. The reception will begin at 4 p.m., followed by a special presentation at 4:30 p.m.

Genesee Community College Foundation scholarships recognize academic excellence, make higher education accessible to all students, and promote economic vitality in the GLOW region. There are nearly 200 scholarships available at GCC and applications, which can be completed online, are accepted throughout each year.

For nearly 20 years, the Discover the Stars event has been a special occasion that grants scholarship recipients and their families, Foundation and Board of Trustee members and community leaders the opportunity to meet, chat and celebrate stories of success and career achievement, while inspiring the next generation of students.

The 2017 celebration will feature guest speaker, Kathleen "Kitty" E. Maerten, who graduated from GCC in 1975. She earned a bachelor's degree from The College at Brockport (SUNY), her Master of Social Work degree from Florida State University and a Certificate of Advanced Study in Educational Administration also from SUNY Brockport.

Maerten spent her long career working with children and their families in a variety of settings including as a marriage and family counselor and a school social worker. She served as the chairperson on the Special Education Committee and as site administrator for the Alternative High School in the Lockport City School District. In 2000, Maerten became the school principal at Alexander Central School District, and from 2008 - 2017 she served as the superintendent.

A 2003 graduate of Leadership Genesee, she also served on the Board of Directors at GCASA and the Board of Directors of the Genesee County Business Education. Currently, Maerten is working with a steering committee to begin a Leadership program in Orleans County. She and her husband, Max, are enjoying retirement and when they aren't out exploring the beautiful countryside, they spend time with their two sons and four grandchildren. 

In addition, the family of the late, Ann Reid will share a special presentation honoring her life, musical legacy, and her philanthropic contributions to GCC's Scholarship Program. Reid, born in Buffalo, graduated from Immaculata Academy in Hamburg and earned her Bachelor of Music from Boston University. Reid appeared in "Funny Girl," starring Carol Lawrence, and played "Sheila" in the Italian production of "HAIR" in Rome, Italy. Reid traveled the world developing her singing and composing career with jobs in Saudi Arabia and Communist Poland.

In the late 1970s, Reid found herself in Los Angeles and earned her Master of Arts in Music with a minor in Conducting from California State University Los Angeles. Reid's love for teaching and her students brought her to GCC in 1996. She received the Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activity in 2004 and retired in 2013.

Composer, musician, and former GCC professor of Music, Reid's contributions to the performing arts and music programs at GCC impacted the entire community. Her original production, "AElinor," premiered in 2011, marking the first time in 62 seasons the Genesee Symphony Orchestra premiered the work of a local composer. In her honor, the Richard and Maribell Scholl Reid Musical Theatre Scholarship, named after Reid's parents, was established and continues to provide financial assistance and encourage Fine and Performing Arts students to pursue their dreams and passions, as Ann Reid did. 

For more information about Discover the Stars Scholarship Reception, or to RSVP, call (585) 345-6809, or email: discoverthestars@genesee.edu.

GCC's men's soccer team wins national championship

By Howard B. Owens

Press release:

The Genesee Community College men's soccer team came from behind to win its first-ever National Junior Collegiate Athletic Association D-III men's soccer national title by beating the reigning champion and top-seed Richland College (Tx.) 2-1 at Herkimer County Community College, Sunday.

It was Genesee's third-overall national title and GCC President James M. Sunser made the sojourn to Herkimer and was on hand when GCC Athletic Director Kristen Schuth was presented the championship plaque.

Iyad Lablack scored the game-winner six minutes into the second half off a Joseph Calvert pass and then the team relied on its defense and tournament most valuable player David Ormiston to do the rest, as the Cougar keeper recorded four saves in the win.

"Dave (Ormiston) had a really great game and the defense stuck to their job," Cougars Head Coach Ken Gavin said immediately after the game.

After James Sasay gave the Thunderducks a 1-0 lead about 10 minutes into the game, Genesee's Charlie Livesey responded 14 minutes later to tie the game at 1-1 after Billy Murphy sent Livesey in alone on goal from the left side.

After Lablack gave the Cougars the second-half lead, the strong defensive team sat back and only allowed one shot the rest of the way, and Genesee successfully defended 16 corner kicks during the contest.

Joining Ormiston with national tournament accolades was Glenn Holmes and Philip Melo -- who were both named to the all-tournament team.

After the Cougars started the season with a 1-2 record, Coach Gavin wondered if his team was as good as he originally thought. The team answered that question by going unbeaten the rest of the campaign that culminated with the national championship win. Genesee ended its season unbeaten in its last 20 games with the last 11 being wins.

"When we were 1-2 we lost to a very good Camden team that we beat in this tournament. I think I was proven right that we weren't as good as we could be. But they started playing the system and buying into it. I think that we've scored 380 goals in three years and there's a reason we scored them. The system works if you buy into it; you can get where you need to be."

The team opened national tournament play with a 3-1 win over the Howard Community College Dragons, Nov. 9. Then followed that win with another 3-1 victory over the Camden Community College  Cougars Nov. 10, before besting Richland's Thunderducks, 2-1 this afternoon. All told, Genesee slew the Dragons, caged the Cougars and stole the thunder from the Ducks, respectively.

Asked to pick an unsung hero or two, Gavin responded, "Everybody on the bench is the unsung heroes. They pushed everybody in practice; others didn't see that. They (bench players) pushed the first-string players where they needed to be."

Photos: Mark Jagord/GCC Athletics 

GCC's Global Education Committee presents: Read and Discuss -- 'Enrique's Journey'

By Billie Owens

Press release:

As part of this year's Global Migration theme, which explores human migrations from a macro and micro perspective, Genesee Community College's Global Education Committee and the Student Government Association invite the community to participate in a book discussion featuring Sonia Nazario's novel, "Enrique's Journey."

Start reading now and join us for an enlightening review and discussion on Nov. 30.

Following previous lectures by GCC faculty on "Global Migration -- Terms, Trends and Tensions" and "Ancestry Revealed in our DNA", the review of "Enrique's Journey" is directly aligned with this year's Global Migration theme.

"Enrique's Journey" is the nonfictional account of one boy's terrifying and treacherous journey from Honduras to the United States in an attempt to be reunited with his mother. The book includes details and images of migration journeys and documents Enrique's success and setbacks, including being detained in prison during one attempt.

The journey from Central America, like Enrique's, is among the most difficult journeys in contemporary times.

Here's an excerpt from page 5 of "Enrique's Journey":

"They must make an illegal and dangerous trek up the length of Mexico. Counselors and immigration lawyers say only half of them get help from smugglers. The rest travel alone. They are cold, hungry and helpless. They are hunted like animals by corrupt police, bandits, and gang members deported from the United States. A University of Houston study found that most are robbed, beaten or raped, usually several times. Some are killed."

The discussion, led by Associate Professor of Reading, Julie Jackson-Coe, will take place at 12:30 p.m. on Nov. 30 in room T119 of the Conable Technology Building at GCC's Batavia Campus.The discussion session is free and open to the public. Seating is first come-first served.

The novel is available for purchase at the GCC Campus Bookstore at One College Road in Batavia. The bookstore is open to the public: Mondays and Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

A limited number of copies of the novel will also be available for purchase at the event. A portion of all bookstores sales is donated to the college.

To reach GCC's Campus bookstore, please call 585-345-6878 or email at sm768@bncollege.com.

For more information, contact Academic Support Assistant in Human Communications and Behavior's Academic Support Assistant, Nina Mortellaro at (585) 343-0055, ext. 6228, or via email: nimortellaro@genesee.edu.

GCC's new 'Adopt-A-Business' program chooses first 'adoptee' -- One World Projects

By Billie Owens

Inside of One World Projects Inc., a unique boutique in Batavia's Harvester Center.

Submitted photo and press release:

The Genesee Community College Business Department and Collegiate Entrepreneur Organization (CEO) Club are excited to announce a new initiative taking the student hands-on learning experience to the next level with the introduction of the "Adopt-A-Business" program.

The first business to be adopted by the college has been selected -- congratulations, One World Projects Inc.!

Founded by computer programmer turned environmental activist, Phil Smith, in 1992, the originating purpose of One World Projects (OWP) was to conserve paper use and preserve rainforests. However, as he worked to preserve the rainforests, Smith realized the most significant impact his project was having on the lives of the artisans he was working with.

Thus, OWP began initiating income-generating projects to benefit the artisans and their communities. Inspired to contribute to the peace-building efforts in the aftermath of September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Smith began to seek out income-generating projects focused in areas of conflict.

As a result, OWP now works with artists in Afghanistan, Colombia, Ayacucho, Peru and Burmese refugee camps and other war-torn areas. It is Smith's belief that new economic opportunities and chances for personal development and growth will foster an environment of hope and peace.

Today, OWP is a unique boutique, located at 56 Harvester Ave. in Batavia, carrying an array of goods from apparel to crafting supplies, from garden and home décor to gifts for pets and more. Their focus continues to be establishing and maintaining viable economic support for artisans who create these goods with fair wages and the chance to improve their lives and in turn, their communities.

For GCC's business students and CEO club members, the adoption of OWP means an opportunity to take an inside look at a real, operating business and working with the owners and management to tackle challenges facing businesses today. Students are examining OWP's store and helping to design window displays to promote holiday shopping, as well as evaluating and recommending updates to exterior signage, and helping boost OWP's social media presence.

OWP's importation of goods frequently involves some assembly and packaging work. In an effort to expose business students to the tasks often associated with running one's own business, students will take part in the assembly of 9,500 necklaces imported from Latin America during a workshop in December. 

"The Adopt-A-Business program is a very real way for our students to draw from concepts introduced in the classroom to solve real business challenges," said Lina LaMattina, Ph.D., director of GCC's Business Programs.

"The program grants students a unique opportunity to see what it is like to own and operate a business. They will be expected to evaluate multiple aspects of operations and to develop recommendations for solutions and examine and project the impact of those recommendations."

OWP is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and also open by special appointment by calling (585) 343-4490 or emailing sales@oneworldprojects.com. They will also be visiting the GCC Batavia Campus for holiday shopping opportunities.

Photos: Veterans honored at GCC

By Howard B. Owens

Genesee Community College honored veterans today with a ceremony in the forum.

Batavia High School Band playing the National Anthem.

Taps.

Assemblyman Steve Hawley speaking. Before and during the ceremony a slideshow displayed photos of veterans associated with GCC.

Jessica Caryl, an aviation mechanist, represented student veterans and read a poem about the flag.

Photos: Open house at GCC

By Howard B. Owens

Genesee Community College held an open house for prospective students today. It's the first one since the Student Success Center and Richard C. Call Arena opened and some 200 potential students, often with their parents, attended the event.

The next one is from 9 a.m. to noon, Saturday, Nov. 18, to coincide with SUNY Financial Aid Day.

Top photo: Navaily Petrona, Susan Ryan, and Stephany Mercilia. Ryan is assistant director for admissions and Petrona and Mercilia, both from Curacao, were student guides for tours. 

Below, Zoe Skarzenski, along with her mother, Susan, and father, Terry, from Findley Lake, stopped by the student bookstore to check out some GCC-branded apparel.

A tour through GCC's TV studio.

Training grants available for eligible unemployed adults

By Billie Owens

Press release:

Genesee Community College is accepting applications for Finger Lakes Hired Employment Program. This initiative includes career guidance and job search support, as well as potential funding for tuition and more for eligible applicants.

Applications for this program are due by Nov. 21.

The Finger Lakes Hired Employment Program (FLH), which established the grant, is part of a four-year, federally funded initiative operated in partnership with RochesterWorks! to place long-term unemployed individuals into local high-demand jobs. The FLH program stipulates that applicants must:

  • Have been out of work for six months (27 weeks) or more, or must be currently under-employed;
  • Be pursuing an academic program in Advanced Manufacturing, Health Care, or Information Technology;
  • Be on track to graduate the program by May 2018.

There are strict deadlines for training grant applicants. Individuals seeking assistance with non-credit courses must submit application and necessary documentation between now and Jan. 5.

Through The BEST Center, GCC currently offers several certificate programs in the industries the FLH grant targets. In the healthcare arena, the Clinical Medical Assistant Certificate Program, Patient Access & Registration Professional Certificate Program and the Phlebotomy Certificate Program are currently available. In addition, on the job training opportunities are also available for newly hired employees in the areas of IT and Advanced Manufacturing.

There are also training grants opportunities for college credit-bearing courses for returning GCC students to complete their degree by May of 2018. There are more than 15 potentially eligible academic degree programs available through GCC.

For assistance with the training grant application process contact: Andrew Gerber, liaison and case manager at (585) 343-0055, ext. 6002, or by email: algerber@genesee.edu(link sends e-mail), or Emily Cooper, education and employment specialist at 585-397-5807, or by email: ecooper@rochesterworks.org(link sends e-mail).

For online details go The Finger Lakes Hired website: http://www.fingerlakeshired.com/(link is external)

Historians gather at GCC to debate controversy around Confederate monuments

By Billie Owens

Turns out history is not what you learned about from your fifth-grade textbook.

Like human beings, it’s complicated, multifaceted and a work in progress.

Historians who gathered at Genesee Community College on Saturday to discuss monuments and statues of the Confederacy made that point clear.

Other issues emanating from that controversial topic were more opaque.

Should Confederate monuments be disassembled and put into a museum? Or stand as they are and “contextualized” by the addition of explanatory signage or a juxtaposing anti-memorial?

By what criteria do we evaluate the people honored? Are they more than their worst traits? Do they contribute to the public discussion beyond their role in the Confederacy?

While more and more Americans wrestle with those kinds of questions, by all accounts, the current debate is fraught with emotion. There’s a quick-tempered divisiveness that too often rapidly devolves into shouting matches or worse, culminating in the nadir at Charlottesville.

Derek Maxfield, Ph.D., GCC associate professor of History, brought together a three-man panel to weigh in on Confederate monuments. It was the last session in a day spent talking about the short shrift that history, especially local history, is getting in New York classrooms, the stifling trend of "teaching to the test," and disaster preparedness as it relates to safeguarding historical artifacts.

Speaking were:

  • (Via Skype) Chris Mackowski, Ph.D., who lives just outside Frederickburg, Va., but teaches online as professor of Journalism and Mass Communications at St. Bonaventure University in Cattaraugus County.
  • Michael Eula, Ph.D., Genesee County historian, who is a retired academic who spent 30 years in the California Community College system.
  • Danny Hamner, GCC adjunct professor of History for the past 15 years in Batavia.

They cited a series of articles which have been published online at a site called "The Emerging Civil War,” which offers fresh and evolving perspectives on America’s deadliest conflict. (To visit, click here.​)

Mackowski provided a launching point for the sake of the discussion at GCC. He penned an article from a free speech perspective for the Emerging Civil War series because it interested him as a journalism professor, and other authors had dibs on other aspects of the controversy.

“As soon as you start saying, ‘Take down that statue because it’s offensive to me,’ to me, that’s a First Amendment issue,“ Mackowski said. "Here you have artistic expression and people saying ‘That art is offensive.’ It’s always been my understanding that one of the purposes of art is to provoke. So, of course, in some ways it’s going to be offensive to some people.”

Eula said “I couldn’t agree more that art as embodied in these statues is by definition provocative. In fact, it should be provocative. First and foremost, we need to remember that when we look at these monuments, and the discussion surrounding them, we are talking about more than monuments.

“We’re talking about how we conceive of American history…of our civil society. I think each side engaging in the conversation needs to take a moment to try and understand the other perspective, the other side."

Hamner said that although he’s disturbed by the emotional response against Confederate artwork, he diverged with Mackowski on two points.

Firstly, the question of public art versus private expression.

He said he associates the First Amendment with personal displays of art: putting a Confederate flag on your porch.

“But when it comes to public art, to me it’s not a question of free speech, it’s a question of pure politics,” Hamner said.

Therefore, Hamner advocates having a true political process to work through so that opinions are heard and a “rationale discourse” can take place regarding each monument or statue on a case by case basis.

Secondly, whether there is “instrinsic value” in a work of art strikes him as “moving the goalpost a little bit.”

Hamner said the tougher question that does need addressing is: “Do these people have intrinsic values that we need to respect – outside of their association with the Confederacy?”

Mackowski, acknowledging he purposely wrote from the viewpoint he did because it was not covered by others in the online series, agreed with his colleagues.

As we wrestle with the notion of what makes somebody worth honoring, a fear – particularly in pro-Confederate quarters – is “Who’s next?” Mackowski said, and while some argue this is a slippery slope, he allowed that “we probably need to evaluate some of these other folks.”

What do these guys represent?

It was at this point that host Maxfield brought up the stark argument, in The Emerging Civil War series, proferred by Julie Mujic (pronounced “MEW-hick”), Ph.D., adjunct professor of History at Capital University in Bexley, Ohio.

She argues that Confederate statues commemorate treason and ought to be removed.

“To sustain Confederate monuments sends the message that it’s necessary to celebrate the effort, even when that effort was malicious. The monuments must come down. They represent inequality, oppression…”

Mackowski said Mujic’s stance strikes at the heart of the whole argument: "What do these guys represent?”

“As you know, the history of the war was rewritten as soon as the war was over. And instead of it being about slavery, it starts to be about ‘noble sacrifice’, ‘doing your duty’, and ‘honor’ and ‘states’ rights’.

“So today, a lot of people refuse to look at people who served with the Confederacy as being traitors, but in fact, that’s what they were. … So do you honor that or not? That’s a very important question that we don’t have a common context for.”

Hamner has a problem with both Mujic’s argument AND the defenders of the monuments for essentially the same reason.

He cites a catch phrase, even used by President Trump in a tweet, that “You can’t change history.”

He said people tend to think of the past as objective, factual and unchanging; our historical interpretation of that past as either right or wrong.

The problem is, that “implies that the process was somehow supposed to end.”

The deal is, reinterpretation of the objective truth is going to happen with every generation, as knowledge evolves, more facts come to light, consensus migrates.

As they all conceded, historians and the citizenry can’t change the past, but the interpretations of the past must be constantly requestioned.

"I’m always struck by the curious statement that ‘We’re revising history'," Eula said. "My reaction is that ‘History is always being revised.’ "

Having said that, Eula noted that at the time most, if not all, of the statues and monuments were erected, there was no national debate about it, no consensus.

“We need to keep in mind the question: Is the removal of a monument erasing history or merely calling our attention to what is now a different interpretation of that moment in time?”

Forgotten nearly always in these discussions, Eula pointed out, are the poor whites who had not been supportive of the Confederacy from the get-go.

A whole year before the North passed a draft law forcing mandatory armed service, the Confederacy did so, which tells historians the South was not getting the numbers of volunteers for The Lost Cause that many today would like to imagine.

And the slave-holding elite, later the pardoned ex-slave-holding elite, still got the run of the place after the war.

That meant former slave owners got to become the local bankers, and pass vagrancy laws, which continued the bondage of freed men, Eula explained.

This informs today’s understanding of the time in which the statues came to be.

“My point is that it isn’t simply a straightforward proposition as to whether these statues are works of art protected by the First Amendment; whether or not there are contemporary implications for race relations in our own day.

“These are products of a specific historical moment in a specific part of the country.”

Impact Beyond the Confederacy

Eula also said many of the Confederate generals had no significance beyond their military career. That raises the question, for example, does this form a slippery-slope logic for the removal, say of the Washington Monument? No, Eula argues, because although Washington owned slaves, “his significance lies in his contribution to the construction of a new nation.”

“These (Confederate) monuments are dedicated to the memory of an elite South…seeking to destroy the United States in the name of slavery…that was as busy trampling on the rights of poor whites as it was on the slaves."

And, if the decision is made to get rid of a monument, which whether you like it or not is a “historical document,” then the process to do so must abide by some local, identifiable political construct.

To just tear down a monument, Eula said, is akin to someone walking into the Genesee County archives and saying “Well, I don’t like what’s said on this particular piece of paper, therefore, I’m going the shred it.”

“Just like for any other historical document, we have to find a way to preserve these. Whether or not they should be preserved in a public space, that’s another issue...

“These are the kinds of issues that need to be sorted out before we can make any final decision on whether or not any particular Confederate memorial stays or is replaced,” Eula said.

The operative phrase is “particular piece,” says Mackowski.

“To look at Confederate monuments as a big, monolithic one-size-fits-all sort of issue is absolutely the wrong way to go about it,” Mackowski said. "But because tempers are flaring and emotions are high, that’s sort of how people are approaching it.”

Instead, a lot of questions should be asked to inform a reasoned debate, say historians.

Who was the monument put up to honor? Why was it put up? Who put it up? When? What was the intent?

Moreover, a statue of Stonewall Jackson is a very different thing than a statue in the courthouse square that honors the local county boys who got drafted into a regiment and sent off to war.

Plus, consider that community values change, and over 150 years, they change a lot.

A book by David Lowenthal called “The Past is a Foreign Country – Revisited” describes, the panelist said, how today’s values differ vastly from those of yesteryear.

So, it behooves people today not to try and look at history through the lens of “presentism.”

“I think we’re not really talking about history at all when we talk about these monuments, we’re talking about memory,” Mackowski said.

The Sorry State of Historical Literacy

This observation prompted Maxfield to mention a problem he calls “historical literacy,” or more precisely, the lack thereof.

“I don’t want to come off as elitist about this, but the fact of the matter is we are spending less and less time in the public schools teaching history,” Maxfield said.

“We’re shoving it out of the curriculum and, in fact, Confederate history in particular, CANNOT be discussed in some Northern states.”

And vice versa; Texas comes to mind.

“That’s an unhealthy phenomenon, when you can’t look at the other side of an argument,” Maxfield said.

Meanwhile, Hamner is concerned that while people scurry to make sure history’s getting correctly written and that context is being correctly construed, there’s a gaping window open for some people to ram their political agendas through.

“One only has to look at the way Donald Trump defended the artistic value of these monuments, when he has a l-o-n-g history of development in New York City of tearing down artwork after artwork to make room for his projects.”

To wit, the construction of Trump Plaza is said to have resulted in the destruction of an Art Deco-style store that featured windows created by Spanish surrealist Salvador Dali.

None other than the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City waited in eager anticipation of what was supposed to be the fantabulous donation of massive Art Deco bas-relief murals from that store, only to find they had been knocked down and destroyed by Trump’s crew so as not to prolong the project by a week and a half.

The point?

“We have to be very careful that we are separating people who are using some very valid argument to shield ulterior political agendas,” Hamner said, adding “…I would hate to see a very important, intelligent conversation like this being used in a way as a shield for what I consider very, very base intentions.”

It also is not helpful that the general public does not seem to understand what the discipline of history is all about.

“A lot of what historians do is really philosophy,” Maxfield said. “Until we have the opportunity to teach more critical thinking and encourage more exploration, I’m afraid what we‘re doing, especially in the public schools, is narrow and narrow and narrow.”

Facts and Sensibilities

It’s important to remember, too, Mackowski offered, that in history, a set of facts does not equal a set of facts. Two plus two does not equal four when you are dealing with facts in history, he said.

Fact: The Union Army moved in to occupy Fredericksburg in the spring of 1862.

But that fact is viewed vastly differently by two diarists who wrote about it. One was a member of the social elite who wrote about it being this great calamity; “The Yankee invaders are here; this is awful.”

An emancipated slave saw it differently. He wrote “This is the greatest day of my life. This is the greatest thing to ever happen.”

Thus, adding together different historical perspectives over the span of a century and a half is something that can’t be “summed up” tidily.

“Before this degenerates into mindless philosophy,” Maxfield told Saturday’s attendees, garnering some comic relief, how about considering one solution offered by a historian: Leave all the monuments as they are, but just improve the interpretive signage.

How other nations have addressed the issue of historical monuments was something that Eula explored when asked to participate in the GCC panel.

“The whole issue of holocaust memorials was an obvious one” to look into, he said.

One approach he found was memorials constructed next to other memorials with different interpretations attached to them.

In the United States, for example, you could put up: a monument next to the existing one that denotes the number of slaves murdered during their enslavement; or the number of soldiers who were murdered at the Confederate prison of war camp at Andersonville, Ga.; or “the number of poor whites who couldn’t buy their way out of the draft, who didn’t support the planters’ war, and who paid for that with prison sentences,” Eula said.

Coming up with a county-by-county count of the dead, might be a way of “softening the effects of the monuments with regard to those who find them objectionable,” the official county historian said.

At this juncture, Hamner said he sees agreement about the panel’s strategies and tactics; but it comes down to his original point: the need to separate the historical element from the political one.

“I would hate to take The Lost Cause interpretation monument and then simply encase it in a new interpretation and say ‘That’s the official interpretation. Now it’s done.’ "

There is no "One Conclusive Truth"

Hamner's desire is to protect the PROCESS of public history, not the monuments themselves.

“If the political process in that community says ‘We’re putting it in a museum.’ Ultimately, I’m for that," Hamner said. "What I’m really worried about is understanding the particularities of each monument, maintaining the process of investigation, and the willingness to revise our thinking – every generation, every person.”

Which begs the question, in Eula’s mind, as to WHY we necessarily have to have ‘ONE CONCLUSIVE TRUTH’?, he asked, slapping his hand on the table as he spoke each word.

“The minute you do that it leads you down, historically, a path of dogmatism that tends to shut down democracy, that tends to shut down the expression of free ideas.”

What if we as a society never have agreement?

“So what! … Why can’t we agree to disagree and have a civil discourse?” Eula asked.

The absolute declaration of what the correct interpretation is, was called totalitarianism in the 20th century, Eula reminded the audience.

Remember, there was a time when you were either for or against McCarthyism. You were either for or against the United States entering the purported "war to end all wars,” “The Great War” -- World War I.

“That’s when a lot of innocent people get hurt and killed, for reasons to me that are absolutely senseless,” Eula said.

Mackowski countered with a “get real” argument.

Philosophizing aside, and since the notion of “contextualization” of Confederate monuments is so kosher among historians, Mackowski wanted to play devil’s advocate.

“If you’re driving down Monument Avenue in Richmond (Va.), it’s basically an auto park,” Mackowski said. “Who’s able to stop at one of those traffic islands in the middle of traffic and read context about Stonewall Jackson or Jeb Stewart or Jefferson Davis?”

Context is actually difficult to pull off in some places, he noted, and maybe even if you could pull it off, does it really match up to these giant men on giant pedestals?, he asked.

And let’s say you decide to leave it in place, what about vandalization?

To that, Maxfield chimed in with something that a historian from Texas A&M University had to offer, and that is that location does matter.

Andersonville, for example, is cited as the South’s version of a 19th century concentration camp; a place where 11,000 to 13,000 federal troops meet a grisly end under brutal conditions.

If a monument stands in a place such as this, it should be kept there, the scholar argued, even if publicly funded, because going TO that site or a battlefield is voluntary. The same cannot be said for someone who must drive past a statue that offends you every day to get to work and there’s no other route to go; that’s involuntary.

Plus, on a battlefield, historians and/or Park Service employees are there to help with knotty questions and interpretations, right?

Wrong, says Mackowski, in fact Park Service employees have largely been silent on the issue. Because taxpayers pay their salaries, they can’t really delve into it.

Some of the people best equipped to comment on this discussion have their hands tied because of politics, Mackowski said.

Nor has academia been free from constraints, Maxfield noted.

Removing monuments on a battlefield, which is essentially a giant cemetery, raises “other complexities,” according to Eula, who stressed the need for balance.

“Because we have people there, regardless of our own idealogical beliefs, who ended their life there, most likely involuntarily.”

He went on to recall how memorials to Stalin and Lenin came down in Eastern Europe in the middle of the last century.

Growing Dissent

“My point here is that, as much as it pains me to say this, there could be enough popular dissent out there regarding all these statues that no amount of discussion or legislation could change.

“It could be that our own society has so changed in the span of the last two generations in particular, that there is this huge upsurge demanding a removal of some of these monuments in the way that we saw in the Soviet Union with regard to Stalin.

“And I’m not convinced historians, even the most well intentioned, are really going to have a whole lot to say about this.”

This perspective prompted Mackowski to ask why this moment, why now?

Eula maintains that some of this popular dissent has been growing for a long time, back to the 1960s and the feelings spurred by the morass of the Vietnam War.

“It’s what I started off by saying – this is not simply about Confederate monuments,” Eula responded. “There are deeper currents here at work, and these didn’t begin recently.”

The groundswell of attention paid to the subject these days could, in part, stem from harsh “economic realities” many people face, which historians have largely been insulated from.

This means that “some of our discussions are frankly going to prove irrelevant” because they are not, rightly or wrongly, in alignment with what the populace is feeling, thinking or demanding, Eula said flatly.

Hamner said, on one hand, there’s this sort of academic/historical question of how best to contextualize Confederate artwork. Then on the other hand, there’s a deeper human question of WHY historians do what they do.

The thing that matters most of all, he said, is that – regardless of whether a decision is made to keep or do away with a monument – that a process is followed to get to the decision.

Hamner contends that the camp that says "Leave it alone. Don’t touch them" is made up of people who want to freeze time and not confront the complexity of heritage.

They are reducing human beings to their best qualities – like bravery – “a disembodied sort of character trait.”

But the opposite camp is also reductionist – making complex humans villains and the epitome of their worst characteristics.

For an example of the former, Mackowski showed a picture of the statue of Stonewall Jackson at Manassas National Battlefield Park in Prince William County, Va. (See inset photo above.)

He said Jackson is made to look like “Arnold Schwarzenegger on a Budweiser Clydesdale" … like this God of War – a horseman of the Apocalypse. In reality, Jackson was slight, modest and “would have been appalled to be portrayed this way.”

In other words, monuments are less about facts and more about “how people want to remember the Stonewalls.”

What About Bias?

A student asked the panel, “So if interpretation is the key solution, how do we select the accurate interpretation for each monument without being biased?”

The panel's collective wisdom: Finding “the objective truth” and “the right interpretation” is doomed.

Rather it is consensus itself, by interpreting and reinterpreting, that will painstakingly get you “closer and closer” to what the pluralistic outcome ought to be.

Yet Maxfield said even that is elusive because “there are progressive historians that believe progress in humankind is possible – you get closer and improve – but other historians disagree with that." That dichotomy also shapes interpretation.

Eula said he thinks it’s not possible for a historian not to be biased. So you be as objective as you can be by acknowledging your bias, “your theory.”

Since “just the facts” are not the whole story, “you look at evidence based upon your starting point. But the responsibility of the scholar is to let the audience know: This is my starting point.”

Before you can get to an interpretation of a monument, for example, you have to get people to “understand that history is relevant,” Mackowski replied.

“Unless you can get people to understand that history is not what happened in the past, but rather why the past is influencing what is going on RIGHT NOW, people aren’t going to get to that (new and improved) interpretation.”

It’s that whole issue of general historical illiteracy that Maxfield had lamented earlier.

To make meaningful headway, people have to have discussions, the historians said, not ongoing yelling matches.

“Or 140 characters of saying ‘You’re wrong!’ " Mackowski concluded.

Local conference to discuss practice of history in the classroom

By Maria Pericozzi

Those who authored common core requirements for schools, de-emphasizing local history, stressing standardized tests and rote memorization, serve to preclude the joy of discovery and independent thinking, said Genesee County Historian Michael Eula, Ph.D.

Visiting museums or archives nurtures the joy of discovering and independent thinking, Eula said.

A local history conference at Genesee Community College on Saturday in Batavia, will explore disaster planning, the state of history in Genesee County, teaching history in classrooms, and Confederate monuments.

Eula will be doing a presentation at 9:15 a.m. on the state of history in Genesee County. Presentations run throughout the day until 2:30 p.m. in room T102 of the Conable Technology Building, at GCC’s Batavia Campus.

Eula said after three decades of historical practice, he has been continuously awestruck by the levels of commitment, talent and devotion that those in the county display in their quest to discover the history of Genesee County.

A topic in Eula’s presentation is about the practice of history in the classroom.

“[It] is not always connected to the purity of purpose and the energy articulated by our County’s public historians,” Eula said.

History teachers have the task of synthesizing the local history of the county, Eula said.

“Young people – our future – need to be brought more fully into our historical conversations,” Eula said.

Eula said he believes local schools are under pressure from state and federal officials to teach materials that are consistently national and international.

“The tone that is set is that somehow local history has a small part to play in an understanding of how contemporary society came into being,” Eula said.

One consequence of the common core is an erosion of a history, tending to build pride in one’s past, Eula said.

“[It’s] the kind of self-esteem that makes one proud of their community,” Eula said. “This consequence may in fact tell us much about the ideological motivation of those on the state and federal level who seem to view local history with suspicion,” Eula said.

Public and private historians are welcome to attend the conference, as well as history buffs of all ages. The conference is being sponsored by the Genesee Community College History Club and the Genesee County Federation of Historical Agencies.

A presentation called “Tracing Lineal Heritage/Daughters of the Revolution,” will be at 10:15 a.m., a panel discussion for disaster planning for historical organizations and museums will be at 11 a.m., and a discussion considering Confederate statues, memorials and symbols will be at 1:15 p.m.

Derek Maxfield, GCC associate professor of history, History Club advisor and president of the Genesee County Federation of Historical Agencies, said in a press release, that they put together a day of interesting programs that should appeal to a wide variety of history-minded folk.

“I am especially interested in the session on disaster planning and the panel discussion about the Confederate monument controversy,” Maxfield said.

Historical agencies and museums are invited to set up displays for visitors to browse.

Registration for the event is $25 and includes a boxed lunch. If you wish to attend sessions without lunch, registration is $12. Those wishing not to have lunch may register the day of the event and pay at the door.

GCCs men's soccer team wins regional title

By Howard B. Owens

Press release:

The No. 3 Genesee Community College men's soccer team is heading back again to the National Junior Athletic Association D-III National Tournament after blanking Cayuga Community College 3-0 Oct. 29 in the Region III District A Championship game.

The region's top-seeded Cougars have now outscored their opponents 53-1 during their current eight-game winning streak. The win also extended the team's unbeaten streak to 17 games.

Current NJCAA D-III Goalie of the Week David Ormiston recorded five saves in the win and was named the tournament's most valuable player in leading the team to its seventh-consecutive shutout and 12th of the season.

Ross White got the game winner almost 30 minutes into the contest and Ben Wattis extended the Cougars' lead to 2-0 about 10 minutes later to round out the first-half scoring.

Charlie Livesey had the lone goal of the second half about 25 minutes into the session to add some insurance to the Cougars' lead.

Cayuga outshot Genesee 11-8 in total shots and shots on net 5-3. Each team had a half dozen corner kicks and the physical game produced eight yellow cards collectively.

Also selected to the all-tournament team from Genesee were Livesey, Wattis, and Glenn Holmes, with the latter assisting on Wattis' goal. Cayuga's Mikel Abando and Santiago Ortega were also selected.

Genesee heads to the NJCAA National Tournament as one of eight teams Nov. 9-12 at Wehrum Stadium. The men's soccer D-III nationals are hosted by Herkimer College, who will join the Cougars from Region III after defeating Onondaga Community College 4-0 in the last regional title game of the night that followed the Cougars' win.

Photo: Curtis Kreutter / GCC Athletics

GCC hosts first agritourism symposium

By Howard B. Owens

Agritourism is itself a growing industry in New York and with Genesee County being a major contributor to the state's agriculture industry, Genesee Community College hosted a free agritourism symposium yesterday.

The event was organized by Amy Slusser, professor of GCC’s Tourism and Hospitality Management Program.

“Our region of New York State offers some of the best agritourism opportunities in the nation,” Slusser said. “From our dairies for cheese and yogurt, while not forgetting milk, butter and of course, ice cream, to the many acres of fruits and vegetables. And, New York wineries are now competing with great success against both European and Californian varietals. Now is the time for agritourism in the Upstate New York.”

Sophie Winter, Ph.D., was the keynote speaker with a theme of “Evolution, Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Agritourism.” A native of Southern France, Winter earned her master’s degree in Agricultural Business from Illinois State University and her Ph.D. in Business Administration from Arizona State University. Currently, she teaches agricultural marketing, sales, retail management and entrepreneurship at SUNY Cobleskill.

There was also a panel discussion with:

  • Barbara Dominesey, general manager of Hidden Valley Animal Adventures in Varysburg;
  • Chad Heeb, director of marketing of New York Chips and Marquart Farms in Gainesville; and
  • Betty Burley, owner of East Hill Creamery in Perry.

Photos courtesy GCC.

GCC swim teams open season

By Howard B. Owens

Press release:

NJCAA Swimming & Diving Results
Men's Score: Genesee CC 118 Erie CC 72
Women's Score: Genesee CC 77 Erie CC 66

The Genesee Community College men's and women's swimming and diving teams hosted their first event this season Oct. 25 with impressive results. Despite the loss of points with no divers entered in the competition for either the men's or women's teams, the Cougar men won 118-72, while the Cougar women won 77-66.

Of the 11 events the Cougar men competed in, they took first place in nine of 11 events, while the Cougar women took first in seven of 10 events they competed in.

The men won four freestyle races, two relays, one breaststroke, one backstroke and one IM.

The women won three freestyle races, one relay, one backstroke, one butterfly and one IM.

For the men in individual events, two Cougars took a pair of events each to lead GCC. Matthew Langerman won two freestyles (500 and 200 yards), while Ferran Martinez won the 200-yard IM and the 100-yard breaststroke.

Men's team members that won just one event included: Alex Bookmiller (1000-yard freestyle), Joan Ferrer (100-yard freestyle), and Nathan Richardson (100-yard backstroke).

For the women in individual events, three Cougars won two events each to lead GCC. Natalie Amico won the 100-yard butterfly and the 500-yard freestyle. Angel Priest took the 200 IM and the 100-yard backstroke, while Nanako Shiozawa won two freestyle races at 100- and 200-yards.

The two relay events the men's team won were at 400-yards in freestyle and medley, while the women's team took the 400-yard medley.

TV host, fashion show producer speaks to fashion students at GCC

By Howard B. Owens

Hélène Biandudi Hofer, journalist, documentary filmmaker and the host and producer of WXXI-TV’s newsmagazine show "Need to Know," spoke at Genesee Community College on Wednesday spoke to fashion students about her new project "The Empty Hanger." 

Hofer kick-started her own career at just 8 years old using a makeshift production studio in her childhood home to produce news stories and fashion shows. From there, Hofer grew her passion into an award-winning career.

"The Empty Hanger" is an original human-interest series revealing the untold and often overlooked stories of the people who design, manufacture, tailor, study, wear, talk about and claim to be forever changed by clothing.

Photos courtesy GCC.

No. 7 Women’s Soccer Team Bows in Regional Semifinal

By Howard B. Owens

Press release:

The No. 7 Genesee Community College women's soccer team ran into a hot goaltender in losing their semifinal regional matchup against Jamestown Community College 4-2, Oct. 25.

Genesee out-shot the Jayhawks by a 2-1 margin and despite some golden opportunities couldn't find a way to beat the opposition's keeper.

Miko Yamashita staked the Cougars to a 1-0 lead, but the Jayhawks responded with the next three goals.

Julie Kommer cut the deficit to a single goal at 3-2 with about a dozen minutes to go, but Jamestown sealed the game with a breakaway goal late to restore the Jayhawks' two-goal lead.

Katline Cartwright and Leah Czechowski also picked up assists, but it was Kommer who really put most of the pressure on Jamestown with a team-high five shots as the Cougars went much of the second-half without Yamashita due to injury.

The Cougars out-shot the Jayhawks 16-8 with 15 finding their way to the net. Genesee keeper Jaclyn Guzdek registered four saves on the night with almost all of them being outstanding including one just five minutes into the second half.

The loss dropped the Cougars' season record to 13-4-1.

Livesey Sets Cougar Record as Genesee Men's Soccer Team Advances to Region Title Match

By Howard B. Owens

Press release:

The No. 3 Genesee Community College men's soccer team shutout Tompkins-Cortland Community College 7-0, Oct. 26 and advanced to the District A Region III Championship to be played Oct. 29 against Cayuga Community College.

The region's top-seeded Cougars improved their current win streak to seven games, where they have outscored their opponents 50-1 during that streak with the last six wins via shutout.

Genesee nearly doubled its offensive output since the teams last met Sept. 9 with a 4-0 Cougars win, that also improved their unbeaten streak to 16 games.

Charlie Livesey set a new single-season assist record with a pair against the Pantherss to bring his nation-leading total to 25 and surpassing the old record by Rafael Godoi. Livesey also had a pair of goals for a team-high six-point night.

Sam Hall also scored a pair of goals with single tallies coming from Glenn Holmes, Iyad Lablack and Tate Dean, with the latter also adding an assist. Ross White and Hijiri Sano also added assists to round out the Cougars scoring.

Current and three-time 2017 National Junior Collegiate Athletic Association D-III Goalie of the Week David Ormiston played the opening 73:16 of the contest and split the shutout with Gaurav Cheema.

Genesee out-shot the Panthers 35-6, with 15 shots finding the net. The Cougars also held the edge in corner kicks, 7-2.

Photo: Curtis Kreutter/GCC Athletics

GCC to host monthlong baseball camp for grades 1-12 starting Jan. 21, registration underway

By Billie Owens

Press release:

Genesee Community College is hosting a four-week baseball camp starting Jan. 21. Classes are available for players in grades 1-12 and are limited to seven players per coach.

Genesee Community College Head Coach Skip Sherman will direct the program in conjunction with U.S. Baseball Academy.

Sessions are offered in advanced hitting, pitching, catching, fielding and baserunning. Space is limited. Registration is now underway and will continue until all spots are filled.

For more information, visit www.USBaseballAcademy.com, or call toll-free 866-622-4487.

U.S. Baseball Academy

GCC announces athletes of the week

By Howard B. Owens

Press release:

The Genesee Community College's athletes of the week for the period ending Oct. 8 are Nao Maeda (Yokahoma, Japan) from the women's volleyball team and Charlie Livesey (Sandbach, United Kingdom) from the men's soccer team.

Nao was the lone Cougar named to be named to the all-tournament team of the Cara Bryant Tournament this past weekend that was hosted by Onondaga Community College, Oct. 6-7. She averaged nearly 18 assists per match with 89 over 11 sets that included 23 and 22 in the final two matches against Broome and Jefferson, respectively. She also added 29 digs, 14 points, four kills, two block assists and one block during the tournament and had a pair of aces in four of the five matches for a total of eight.

Charlie was the lone Cougar to record points in all three Genesee contests last week that improved the team's unbeaten streak to 10 games by netting three goals and four assists for the No. 3 Cougars. His 10-point week started with a pair of goals and a pair of assists against Jamestown Community College Oct.4. Then the sophomore forward sent a corner kick toward the net against No. 4 Herkimer with just 20 seconds left in regulation that resulted in a game-tying score and a big assist to keep the Cougars' unbeaten streak intact with the road tie Oct. 7. Charlie completed the week with a goal and an assist against Fulton-Montgomery Oct. 8 to move No. 3 Genesee to 10-2-1 on the year.

Curtis Kreutter / GCC

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