Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Parental Involvement in Education


This article is from the "James County Times" dated Wednesday, December 2, 1914.


Mothers Meeting
The mothers of James county are urgently requested to attend the James County Mothers Club which meets every Wednesday at 3 o'clock P.M. at the High School building. The purpose of these meetings is to improve the schools throughout the county.



What role should families play in raising the educational  levels of their children and in the efforts to reform the local schools? This obviously has been an age-old question. It appears that mothers have always felt a need to be involved in their children's education. The above article shows us that they were coming together once a week to support this process.  That is unheard of in today's educational system.

Research indicates that the most accurate predictor of a student's achievement in school is not income or social status, but the extent the student's family is able to:
1. create a home environment that encourages learning,
2. express high and realistic expectations from their children.
3. and become involved in their children's education at school and in the community.1

Our ancestors obviously believed these claims. These appear to be the same basic premises in the past, as well as, the present, and will continue to be, well into the future. How involved were your ancestors in their children's education?  Maybe, more than you think.




1. source:  www.cde.state.co.us  Strengthening Parent Involvement Toolkit and the Parent Institute




Sunday, May 13, 2012

The Meaning of Ooltewah?

There are many versions of how the word Ooltewah came into being. Everyone seems to have their own idea and everyone believes that their version is the gospel. Why would someone name a town, Ooltewah?
 Who can even pronounce it properly? (hear it here)
Who can spell it?    O-O-L-T-E-W-A-H

I will continue to bring you examples of some of these theories. Here is one from an unknown newspaper. I do not know where or exactly when it was published, except the date of 1890, that is recorded on the copy itself. This theory is that the name came from the Creek Indians. This area was populated with many Creek and Cherokee Indians before the Americans began to infiltrate this beautiful land.


Ooltewah is frequently the subject of question and its meaning and derivation are interesting. It comes, not doubt, from the Creek "Ui," pronounced Ooee, meaning water, and Tewah, or resting place. Literally, the liquid syllables mean "resting place by the water." Wah was the last syllable of the Indian name for Great Spirit and was used to denote great in other senses as well. When the Indians meant very great they said wah wah. It can be believed that the beautiful site of Ooltewah was mentioned by the Indians in what would be a long sentence in English: "The Great Spirit has given us a resting place by the river."



Thursday, May 3, 2012

Spring Meeting 2012

Come Join Us

Society meetings are held quarterly. The next meeting is this Sunday, May 6th at 2:30 pm.  It will be held at Ooltewah United Methodist Church, in Ooltewah, Tennessee.  Below is a map for your convenience. The program will be about Indian Sites in our immediate area and will be presented by Randy Sticher. 

Everyone is invited!



Directions:
Take exit 11 off of I-75 in Tennessee. Go east on Lee Hwy (off the exit). Turn left after less than 1/2 a mile onto Relocation Way. The church sits behind a Bi-Lo Grocery Store.