A sneak peek at technology in the classroom
About 25 years ago now, I participated in a student ambassador event in which members of the media and other community representatives spent a day at St. Charles East High School with an assigned student host. I also attended a similar type of day at Haines Middle School.
A day in high school or middle school at that time was dramatically different from when I was thrashing around the halls of my high school in the late 1960s and early '70s.
So what would it possibly seem like now for those in middle school and preparing for high school? I am guessing maybe a technology wonderland with an emphasis on gaining knowledge?
Geneva Middle School South is preparing to answer that question with a Technology Open House from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27, offering a public forum to anyone in the community interested in seeing how teachers and students are using technology in the classroom.
The noise meter
Someone would probably have to use one of those hand-held decibel meters to prove me right or wrong on this statement - downtown St. Charles is by far the noisiest in the Tri-Cities.
Why? Because the traffic going through St. Charles does so quite close to the downtown sidewalks. When that traffic includes a large truck or a loud motorcycle, you definitely hear it.
Geneva has the diagonal parking to serve as a buffer, though many would argue diagonal parking is a system from yesteryear when streets weren't so crowded.
Batavia tends to be quieter because traffic simply can't steam through the two-lane setup along Wilson Street. It's usually backed up to a certain level and crawling through town.
But in St. Charles, drivers heading east pick up steam down the hill from about Seventh Street on, and the city has always had synchronized stoplights. So a driver can see a lot of green at certain times and keep moving - and making a little more noise in the process.
A church visit
When attending a recent wedding at Baker Memorial United Methodist Church in St. Charles, I was trying to remember if I had ever been in this downtown house of worship before.
It's not my church, so naturally I'm not going to have many reasons to "just stop in" at this interesting structure.
I may have attended a funeral there in the past, but for the number of years I have been in this area, and the numerous times I have written about the church or its activities, you'd think I'd have had quite a few visits.
It is especially pleasing for a visitor if going to Baker Memorial for its most prolific attention grabber: It operates as home base for the talented St. Charles Singers and founder/director Jeff Hunt.
Early holiday mention
Think it is too early to mention a holiday season event?
If so, then we'll make sure it is a good one.
The third annual Cottages in the Woods Swedish Holiday Sale takes place Nov. 14 and 15 at Good Templar Park.
This Scandinavian Christmas event takes place at the cottages dotting the park's grounds. These structures served as summer cottages for many folks in Chicago who looked at the Fox River region as a nice getaway spot from the hustle and bustle of the city.
It's an interesting setting at 628 Eastside Drive in Geneva. For $5, attendees can take part in all sorts of crafts and bakery goods. Children younger than 12 are admitted free. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 14 and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 15.
Just combine them
It's fairly common to complain about retail stores rushing to get holiday goods in front of consumers.
So a clever Facebook user started spreading this idea around. Let's go with a holiday that combines them all and just call it "Hallowthankmas."
And here I thought that the "Festivus for the rest of us" idea in the Seinfeld episode years ago was the best holiday idea out there.
dheun@sbcglobal.net