Feb. 18, 2008

The DigestWhat’s Happening at KVCC

What’s below in this edition Job expo (Pages 1/2) ‘Raise the Roof’ (Pages 11/12)

Peace talks (Pages 2-4) Getting a job (Pages 12/13) Nellie McKay (Page 4) Homebuilder Hays (P 13-15) ‘Black Indians’ (Pages 4/5) ‘Animal Dreams’ (Pages 15-16) Volunteer Fair (Pages 5/6) The Beatles (Pages 16-18) Our candidates (Page 6) WMU here (Page 18) Healthy hearts (Pages 6/7) Student workshops (P 18/19) Black History films (Pages 7/8) Oakland next stop (Pages 19/20)

Boyd White III (Page 8) Autism film (Pages 20/21) Intern$hip$ (Pages 8/9) Fun for kids (Pages 21/22) Hot interest in welding (Pages 9-11) The asylum (Pages 22/23)

And Finally (Pages 23/24)

☻☻☻☻☻☻Employment Expo booked for March 26

The 2008 KVCC Employment Expo on the Texas Township Campus is scheduled for Wednesday, March 26 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

It is a no-cost opportunity for students, KVCC alumni and residents of Southwest Michigan to visit with representatives from area businesses and industries, from health-care organizations, human-service agencies, from manufacturers, the military services and the trades to discuss current and future employment opportunities.

Machining, retail merchandising, sales, law enforcement, manufacturing, welding, engineering, health care, inventory control, recreation and summer camps, delivery services, the construction trades, the military, marketing, finances and banking, computer technology, public safety, hotel management and hospitality, electrical technology, human services, broadcasting, communications, and hospital work will be among the career opportunities in the spotlight.

The representatives will gather in the Student Commons to talk to participants about their organizations, the employment prospects, career opportunities, and the chances for internships and volunteer service, both of which look good on a resume. Past

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expos have attracted more than 1,000 job seekers. Participants are urged to bring along resumes, a preparedness to be interviewed, and be appropriately attired.

Among the prospective employers who have indicated they will be available in the Commons during the four-hour event are:

Stryker Instruments, Sears Roebuck and Co., Kalamazoo Township Police Department, K & M Machine Fabricating Inc., Wil-Care Nursing Referral Agency Inc, Kazoo Inc., Dana Corp.;

YMCA Sherman Lake Outdoor Center, FedEx Ground, Kalamazoo Electrical Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee, AFLAC, Borgess Health Alliance, Modern Woodmen Fraternal Financial Services, Camp Tall Turf, WSI;

Michigan Air National Guard, Advance Employment Service, Educational Community Credit Union, Greenleaf Hospitality Group and Radisson Plaza Hotel & Suites, Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ Law Enforcement Division;

Apprenticeships in plumbing, pipe fitting, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning, Trillium Staffing Solutions, Kadant Johnson Inc., the U. S. Air Force, the U. S. Army, Western Michigan University Center for Disability Services, WQXC and WZUU, the Allegan Department of Human Resources;

WWMT Channel 3, T-Mobile, the Marine Corps, Cumulus Media, Consumers Credit Union, Elite Marketing Solutions, EmploymentGroup, Friendship Village, Helping Hands Across America, the J. O. Galloup Co., The Kellogg Co., Manpower Professional;

Medical Resource Management, Morton Buildings Inc., New York Life Insurance, Reliv International, Right At Home, State Farm Insurance, Stay Home Companions, The Fountains at Bronson Place, and Yerasoft.

They will be talking about jobs as machinists, nurses, computer technicians, financial advisers, quality engineers, design engineers, medical assistants, software technicians, journalists, production supervisors, HVAC technicians, project managers, welders, maintenance technicians, camp counselors, lifeguards, health officers, electronic technicians, police and conservation officers, home health aides, dental assistants and hygienists, nutritionists, dietitians, sales representatives, marketing representatives, accountants, product engineers, and the variety of jobs that can be spun off after careers in the military.

Regarding the value of a well-done resume, an editorial in a recent edition of The Western Herald about an upcoming career fair stated:

“Resumes are likely to be the most essential key to success. Employers can tell when a resume is a straight MicroSoft template, and God help you if they find a grammar or spelling error. If the resume looks like trash, employers are going to treat it as such.”

More information is available by calling (269) 488-4272 or going to the college’s web page and clicking on “Employment Expo” at the bottom of the screen.

Peacemaking is topic Feb. 18, Feb. 25All they are saying is “Give peace a chance.”Delivering the message of harmony and amity from John Lennon’s lyrics will be

Olga Bonfiglio, who will speak on behalf of the Peace Alliance at KVCC on Monday (Feb. 18).

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Free and open to the public, her commentary will begin at 4 p.m. in the Student Commons Forum.

Bonfiglio, who teaches a class in “Introduction to Peacemaking” at Kalamazoo College, is the author of “Heroes of a Different Stripe: How One Town Responded to the War in Iraq.”

The former Sister of St. Joseph and correspondent for The Kalamazoo Gazette will speak about and reflect on peacemaking activities.

She will be followed on Monday, Feb. 25, by a presentation organized by the KVCC Student Peace Alliance at 2 p.m. in the Student Commons Forum as well. It, too, will be free and open to the public.

The speakers will be Raed Jarrar and Patricia McCann, affiliated with the “Speakers for Peace Tour: U.S. Veterans and Iraqis Creating the Way Forward” initiative that is being sponsored by the American Friends Service Committee.

Jarrar is an Iraqi political analyst currently based in Washington where he works as an architect. He is a 2000 graduate of the University of Baghdad and continued his studies at the University of Jordan in Amman where he researched community-based, post-war reconstruction in Iraq.

A few days after the fall of Baghdad in April 2003, he became the director for the only door-to-door, casualty-survey group in post-war Iraq. He established a grassroots organization seeking to work with political leadership to rebuild Iraqi civil society and physical infrastructure, implementing hundreds of community-based projects with minimal funding.

Moving to California in 2005, Jarrar has continued to take part in a series of Iraq-related projects, including an environmental effort to preserve Iraqi marshlands. In early 2007, Jarrar became the Iraq consultant for the American Friends Service Committee in Washington and endeavors to advance discourse between Iraqi leaders and members of Congress.

McCann, 25, served in the 133rd Signal Battalion of the Illinois National Guard from 2000 to 2006. In March of 2003, her unit was deployed to Iraq for one 15-month tour of duty where she was stationed at Log Base Seitz in west Baghdad near the town of Abu Ghraib.

During that tour of duty, McCann said she witnessed injustices perpetuated and enforced by the U.S. military on both Iraqi civilians and lower-enlisted U.S. military personnel. She has cited the illegal use of force, sexual harassment, inadequate medical treatment, and the abuse of rank by commissioned and non-commissioned officers. After completing her tour, McCann said she and other members of her unit were denied education and medical benefits they had been promised.

Since returning from Iraq, McCann has become an activist for G.I. rights, the de-militarization of schools, and anti-war movements. She is an active member of the Iraq Veterans Against the War, serving as the treasurer of the Chicago chapter, and is an associate of the American Friends Service Committee's Truth and Recruitment program.

McCann is pursuing a degree in English education at the University of Illinois at Chicago and plans to teach in Chicago public high schools.

The twosome will also be speaking about “the human side of war” at 7 that evening in the First United Methodist Church of Kalamazoo, 212 S. Park St. That program is also free and open to the public.

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Nellie McKay here for Artists ForumSongstress Nellie McKay, whose performances are spiced with a wit that

permeates her activism as a citizen, will perform before a Kalamazoo-area audience on Saturday (Feb. 16) at 7:30 p.m. in the Dale Lake Auditorium.

General-admission tickets are $10 for the McKay concert, which is part of the college’s Artists Forum series co-sponsored by the Irving S. Gilmore Foundation. They are available at the KVCC bookstore, the Kalamazoo Valley Museum, and the Lake box office.

McKay amply seasons her performances with “hilarity” and “buckets of comedic moments.” She relishes being a songwriter/activist as much as she does her time in front of an audience as “an era-defying songstress.” More times than not, her albums will feature a preponderance of her own compositions.

One of the latest productions attracted a trio of jazz luminaries who did their thing “McKay style” in a studio up in the Pocono Mountains. Reviewers used the words “cheeky,” “lively” and “rambunctious” to describe the results. She’s also collaborated with the sound engineer who produced many of The Beatles’ cuts.

McKay herself refers to what happens musically as “schizophrenic voodoo.” Schizophrenic because she “jumps genres, from Tin Pay Alley pop and cabaret to reggae, rap and jazz.” Voodoo “because these elements mysteriously gel with her evocative, playful and bold lyrics.” Her voice has been described as “supple” and “shape-shifting.”

In addition to scoring the music in the film, “The Amazing Story of a Teenage Single Mom,” the politically minded McKay has lent her support to get-out-the-vote initiatives, a campaign to close the primate laboratories at Columbia University in New York City, and an effort to ban the use of horses to pull carriages in American cities.

Her literary talents have been displayed via essays in The Onion and The New York Times Book Review. Showing versatility in another creative medium, McKay won a Theater World Award for her portrayal of Polly Peachum in a Broadway production of “The Threepenny Opera.”

Prior to a New Year’s Eve gig in New York City, McKay’s performance itinerary has taken her to Philadelphia, Boston, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, San Diego, Los Angeles, Boulder, and Austin. Now, Kalamazoo will be on her list.

‘Black Indians’ is ACC topic The blending of Native Americans and blacks in the nation’s history is the theme

of a film and discussion set for Wednesday (Feb. 20) as part of the Arcadia Commons Cultural Understanding (ACCU) series of events.

The brown-bag luncheon at 11:30 a.m. in Room 128 of Anna Whitten Hall will focus on the film “Black Indians: An American Story” that follows the cultural and racial infusion of these two populations.

Narrated by actor James Earl Jones, it explores what brought the two groups together, what drove them apart, and the challenges that they face today.

From the Atlantic Seaboard to the Western Plains, family memories and historical highlights reveal the indelible mark of this ancestry and its continuing influence throughout generations.

All ACCU events are free and open to all KVCC faculty, staff and students.

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37 agencies on board for Volunteer FairThe “Volunteer and Community Services Fair” at Kalamazoo Valley Community

College on Wednesday, Feb. 27, shapes up as a win-win experience for nearly 40 human-service agencies and for students.

The agencies, some of them affiliated with the Greater Kalamazoo United Way, will be in the market for a cadre of new volunteers to help them achieve their missions, while students will able to expand their networking among professionals in their career fields as they give something back to the community.

The agencies and organizations will be sending representatives to the Student Commons to meet with students on an individual basis from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The 2008 fair is being hosted by the KVCC Student Success Center, but it is also open to the public.

Among the agencies committed to taking part so far are:● Alzheimer’s Association● Kalamazoo Valley Museum● Kalamazoo Regional Educational Service Agency’s Croyden Avenue School ● Goodwill Industries of Southwestern Michigan● Fair Housing Center of Southwest Michigan● Kalamazoo Communities in Schools● Kalamazoo County Poverty Reduction Initiative● Kalamazoo Gospel Mission● Kalamazoo Valley Habitat for Humanity● Greater Kalamazoo Area Chapter of the American Red Cross● American Cancer Society● Summit Pointe in Battle Creek● Housing Resources Inc.● Volunteer Center of Greater Kalamazoo● Ministry with Community● Boys and Girls Club of Greater Kalamazoo● Kalamazoo County Department of Health and Community Services● Southern Care Inc.● Youth Opportunities Unlimited● Sindecuse Health Center at Western Michigan University● Borgess Medical Center Volunteer Services● Girl Scouts of the Glowing Embers Council● In-House Hospice Solutions● Kalamazoo County Child Abuse and Neglect Council● Kalamazoo County Department of Health and Community Services● Kalamazoo Nature Center● Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery and Visitor Center● Professional Development and Training Center of Southwest Michigan● Van Buren County Cooperative Extension Service● Hospice Care of Southwest Michigan● Kalamazoo Gay and Lesbian Resource Center● Kalamazoo Department of Parks and Recreation

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● New Latino Visions● The First Day Shoe Fund● Colleagues International● Lending Hands of Michigan● Arthritis Foundation, Michigan Chapter● PeaceJam“These community organizations will invite students and visitors to explore

volunteering as a method to increase their career opportunities while benefiting the community,” said Karen Phelps, a work-experience coordinator in the Student Success Center.

“Part of the college's mission,” she said, “to produce well-rounded students and future members of the workforce who are more than willing to give back to their community and to invest in the human-service agencies that all serve us well. This is also a really good opportunity for students to network with people who are involved in the career fields they are pursuing.”

The “Volunteer and Community Services Fair” is free and participants can drop in at any time during the three-hour period.

For more information, contact Phelps at extension 4795 or kphelps6184@kvcc.edu or Pamela Siegfried at extension 4825 or psiegfried@kvcc.edu.

Gant, Bryant are school-board candidatesTwo KVCC’ers have stepped forward to file nominating petitions as candidates

for their respective boards of education in the May 6 school election.Grace Gant, KVCC’s coordinator for continuing education and the Center for

Health Careers in Allegan, is one of a quartet of candidates seeking a pair of four-year terms on the Allegan Board of Education. She is a former past president of the Allegan Area Chamber of Commerce.

Geology instructor Deb Bryant is among the trio of hopefuls running for two-four year stints on the Parchment Board of Education. She is a board incumbent.

The filing deadline for board candidates was Feb.13. The filing deadline for tax proposals to appear on the May 6 ballot is Feb. 26.

Is your heart into walking?The American Heart Association will stage its annual “Heart Walk” fund-raiser

and awareness-building event on Saturday (Feb. 16) at Wings Stadium. Students, faculty and staff who would like to be part in the national association’s

newly refocused “Start! Heart Walk” can contact Sheila Rupert, the personal trainer in the college’s employee wellness program, at extension 4538 or srupert@kvcc.edu.

Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. for those who have not done so previously online. The opening festivities are slated for 9:30, following by the community walk by all participants. The event will be over by noon.

“You may pick up an informational-donation record from the staff in the KVCC Wellness and Fitness Center,” Rupert said. She is also the contact person for those would like to work as a volunteer for the event. The names of volunteers will be passed on to “Start! Heart Walk” organizers who will assign them to various tasks.

Among the local co-sponsors are the Borgess Health Alliance and Subway.

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“Start! Heart Walk” is the association’s new campaign to catch the attention of Americans and their employers, creating a culture of health and physical activity that can reduce the numbers of people who die from heart disease and stroke. The concept is to forge a mentality for year-round walking.

While this is already in place at KVCC with its wellness program, the association wants companies to establish “walking routes” in the workplace, encourage employees to use them, and reward those who change a sedentary lifestyle into an active one.

According to the association, cardio-vascular diseases still rate as the nation’s No. 1 killer and a leading cause of disability. People of all ages and races have risk factors for suffering a heart attack, stroke or developing a similar life-threatening condition.

Some 65 million Americans have high blood pressure, nearly 100 million have borderline or worse “bad” cholesterol levels, and more than 136 million rate as overweight. Another 44 million Americans smoke and 24 million are officially “couch potatoes.” About 20 million have diagnosed or undiagnosed diabetes.

The good news is that there are responses to all of these risk factors, which is one of the prime missions of the American Heart Association.

The online registration site is: http://heartwalk.kintera.org/southwestmi. Another contact is Sandra O’Doherty at (269) 329-3038 or sandra.doherty@heart.org.

Paul Robeson’s mission for social justice The Kalamazoo Valley Museum’s observance of Black History Month includes a

free film series that recognizes and celebrates the achievements of 20th century African-American and other artists who changed the United States as a nation and as a culture.

Each Sunday in February, segments of the PBS series, “I’ll Make Me a World,” will be shown in the Mary Jane Stryker Theater at 3 p.m.

Each film will be introduced by a guest host from the arts and academic communities. They will lead a short discussion following each film.

“Bright Like the Sun” is the offering for Sunday (Feb. 17) and covers the years from 1935 to 1954. This segment depicts how Paul Robeson, the legendary singer and star of stage and screen, used his artistry and fame to fight for social justice in the United States and abroad.

A Harlem art school and the birth of bebop and “cool” jazz are also covered. Dr. Romeo Philips, retired professor emeritus of music and education at Kalamazoo College and a former member of the Portage City Council, will host this segment.

The final showing on Sunday, Feb. 24, will be “The Freedom You Will Take,” covering the years 1985 to the present. In this episode, transformation of the contemporary cultural landscape by the power of African-American film, performance, rap music, and spoken word is explored. Denise Miller, poet and KVCC instructor of English and African-American literature, will host.

Dr. Carter G. Woodson, son of former slaves, is credited with today’s celebration of Black History Month. The observance evolved from “Negro History Week,” established in 1926 by Woodson, who had risen from his humble beginnings to earn a Ph. D from Harvard University.

He also founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, which is dedicated to encouraging scholars to engage in the study of African-American history.

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February was selected as the time for the celebration because it was the birth month of both Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. Negro History Week became Black History Month in 1976, the year of the American Bicentennial.Black History Month speaker stresses motivation

Black History Month events on the Texas Township Campus will continue with Boyd White III, a 2002 graduate of the University of Michigan and now enrolled in the University of Toledo College of Law, speaking on Tuesday (Feb. 19).

His remarks, designed to stimulate people to grab for the ring and realize their potential, are set for 12:30 p.m. in the Student Commons Theater. As they work to be all they can be, not only do they benefit, but so does their community.

One of the capstone events of KVCC’s observance will be an “explosion” of gospel music on Friday, Feb. 22, in the Dale Lake Auditorium. The curtain goes up at 7 p.m.

All of these events are free and open to the public.

Monday last day to seize internship chanceThe high-tech internship program that attracted two KVCC students last summer -

resulting in major scholarship dollars and priceless job experience -- has set a Monday (Feb. 18) deadline for those interested in being involved in 2008. The joint venture between Southwest Michigan First and the Kalamazoo-based Monroe-Brown Foundation is a train-your-own workforce-development program that awards each student as much as $8,800 in revenue to apply to their college educations. It is open to eligible KVCC, Western Michigan University and Kalamazoo College students. In KVCC’s case, students must be entering their second year of studies. They will be exposed to valuable networking opportunities and valuable on-the-job training in their chosen fields. Interested students must apply for the internships directly through the participating 18 companies - some offering more than one slot -- that include: ● ADMETRx ● MPI Research ● ProNAi ● CSM Group ● Landscape Forms ● Proteos ● A. M. Todd Co. ● Tekna ● Stryker Instruments ● Riley Aviation ● Workforce Strategies Inc. ● NanoVir LLC ● Jasper Clinic ● Treystar Holdings Inc. ● W. Soule & Co. ● AVB Construction ● Wolverine Pipe Line Co. ● Parker Hannifin Corp. Brass Division

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Once the intern is hired, he/she will work for the employer for a minimum of 400 hires from May through September. The interns are paid at least minimum wage. The 10-week post is regarded as full time, but it can be customized to fit the needs of each company and intern. Upon successful completion of the internship - as decided by the company and the foundation - each of those parties will pay the intern a $500 bonus - a total of $1,000. On top of that, the foundation will award a pair of additional payments of $2,500 at the beginning of each of the two semesters following the internship. Details of the 2008 edition of the program and the participating companies are posted on the Southwest Michigan First website. An interested person can either “google” Southwest Michigan First or go directly to www.swmtalentnetwork.com "The program worked very, very well in the summer of 200y,” said Ron Kitchens, president and chief executive officer of Southwest Michigan First. “It is designed to keep the talent that we train here in our part of the state. Companies learned whether they could be getting quality employees. I’m already hearing talk relating to long-term employment for these interns. That’s the whole idea. ”The reasoning for the initiative called the Southwest Michigan First Talent Network is simple -- one of the key components to sustained economic development in high-tech fields including manufacturing is “lots of smart people.” For many enterprises - and not just those in emerging businesses - the No. 1 factor for achieving success is finding the right people to fit the right jobs. Internships are tried-and-true ways to “grow your own” and identify prospects with high potential. It’s the classic win-win equation: great experience for those who are selected as interns and a no-strings-attached arrangement on the part of the employer because internships are basically akin to temporary jobs. The employer gets essentially a low-cost look at a potential permanent employee who could either be somebody who would not be a good fit or somebody who has “the right stuff” to be a future leader. In order to find that out, interns - while supervised and operating within a structured work environment - should be given enough autonomy and enough leeway to determine their own direction. That allows the employer to evaluate the person’s judgment, how he or she works with other people, and work habits. Few one-on-one interviews provide those types of measurements.

Welding academy attracts 130 inquiriesWith a focus on the welding skills that regional manufacturers are calling a

critical need, Kalamazoo Valley Community College is launching its third fast-track, workforce-development academy.

Slated to begin March 31, the KVCC Welding Academy will be joining ongoing counterparts designed to quickly produce quality automotive technicians, and provide professional development and career launchings for those in the corrections field.

Some 130 had inquired about application procedures and forms with the arrival of the Feb. 15 deadline. Acceptance into the inaugural welding academy will be based on the written application, feedback from candidate-supplied references, an interview, and ACT Work Key scores.

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After an initial winnowing of the applications, those who make the first cut will advance to the assessment tests.

References will be tapped to provide commentary on the applicants’ job-readiness skills, suitability for a career as a welder, work ethic, dependability, communication skills in solving problems and resolving conflicts, ability to follow directions, and an attitude about job performance and productivity.

Each finalist will be interviewed by KVCC's director of advanced technologies academies, welding faculty, and two professionals knowledgeable about welding and its role in manufacturing.

This process is scheduled to be completed by the end of February. Applicants will receive written notification about the outcome.

Those accepted into the academy must pay a non-refundable registration fee by 5 p.m. on March 18.

By May 9 and after exposure to theory, demonstrations and hands-on practice, the 15 participants can expect to gain the skills necessary for entry-level employment as a welder and position themselves to gain national certification in several skills through the American Welding Society.

The cost for the six-week, intensive training initiative, which complements the college’s degree-granting program in welding technology that opens up other career paths, is $1,700.

This fee pays for instructions, materials, supplies, books and equipment. In addition to a completion certificate, each student will leave with a complete tool set used in this occupational trade. The training will be based in labs and classrooms on the Texas Township Campus.

“This skilled trade is in high demand among Southwest Michigan manufacturers,” said Cindy Buckley, director of training and development at KVCC’s M-TEC. “Employers have indicated that finding quality welders is becoming a more difficult challenge.”

She added that participants, upon notice of acceptance, are encouraged to contact the KVCC Office of Financial Aid to explore the possibility of assistance. Funds from the No Worker Left Behind initiative might be applicable.

The curriculum has been forged by a task force consisting of representatives of Southwest Michigan industries that employ welders, by subject-matter consultants, and by KVCC faculty.

Its components include orientation, shop safety, introduction to manufacturing, technical math, industrial blueprint reading, basic properties of metals, the fundamentals of measurement, safety training, workplace readiness, job-search skills, a variety of welding and cutting techniques, and other essentials needed to be known by an entry-level welder.

‘Raise the Roof’ explores principles of building With people spending about 90 percent of their lives inside buildings, what sorts

of secrets, surprises or extraordinary engineering feats would be revealed if the walls could talk.

The stories behind structures are the focus of the Kalamazoo Valley Museum's next nationally traveling exhibition, “Raise The Roof.” The free exhibit from the Science

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Museum of Minnesota opens Saturday (Feb. 16) in the Havirmill Special Exhibition Gallery on the third floor and continues through June 1.

Interspersed throughout its stay in Kalamazoo will be the showing of a series of documentaries that explore the evolution of architecture through the ages, famous architects, and buildings of note. These will be featured on Sundays at 1:30 p.m. in the Mary Jane Stryker Theater. Each is free.

The exhibit features buildings and building science from around the world. Visitors can travel to great heights and distant ages to investigate the foundations of architecture and engineering.

They can step over the threshold of an authentic Mongolian house,  climb to the top of a skyscraper under construction, learn building secrets from a 9,000-year-old city, watch mighty buildings crumble, and raise the roof of a dome.            They can enter a full-scale “ger” (pronounced “care”), a circular tent of lattice, poles, fabric and rawhide invented by nomadic Mongolians. The ger is known in this country by the name of its Turkish relative, the yurt. 

Elegant and energy-efficient, one can be erected in one day, but cooperation is needed. These days, the ancient structures are gaining popularity as homes, cabins, and offices.

Near the ger in the exhibition, visitors can explore the secrets of the mud-brick ruins of Çatalhöyük (pronounced Chat-tahl-hu-yook), believed to be the world's oldest city.

Excavations at the 9,000-year-old site located near Ankara, Turkey, began in the 1960s but were stopped because of the technical inability at that time to adequately preserve the findings. The dig was restarted in 1993 with a plan to continue for 25 years.

Archaeologists believe the ancient city covered an area the size of 50 soccer fields.  They are studying the site to learn more about the Neolithic Period, or new Stone Age, when people began abandoning hunter-gatherer lifestyles to settle in communities, grow crops, and raise animals.

For thousands of years, people have pretty much agreed that a building with a dome, such as the Basilica of St. Peter in Rome or the U. S. Capitol, marks an important structure. A dome creates a soaring space on the inside, and an impressive sight on the outside.

In the “Collapsible Dome” section of “Raise the Roof,” visitors can turn a flat roof into a dome right over their heads, and find out how domes have been engineered through time.

Lots of engineering know-how goes into making a building reach for the sky.  The 3-D "View From the Top” lets people look down the side of a skyscraper from 40 stories up.

In the skyscraper section of the exhibition, visitors can build block towers, make trusses to withstand the forces of tension and compression, and test the response of different buildings to various earthquake frequencies.  Another demonstration shows how tall buildings are kept from swaying too much in strong winds.

“Raise the Roof’s” Demolition Theater showcases the explosive work of the famous Loizeaux family that own and operate Controlled Demolition Inc., the world's largest organization of demolition experts.

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Dangerous conditions that can lead to carbon-monoxide poisoning in homes are explored in the "Downdraft House," a doll-house-sized model outfitted with airflow indicators, a working furnace, and operating doors and vents.

"Meet the Mites" shows how infinitesimal numbers of creatures live in all homes and buildings all of the time.

Several “story corners” tell the tales of some very unusual buildings. One is the Winchester House in San Jose, Calif., that was built by the heiress to the Winchester rifle fortune. In response to a psychic’s warning that the ghosts of those killed by the famous rifles would haunt her unless she built day and night, Sarah Winchester constructed a six-acre house filled with twisting stairways and blocked passages to confuse angry spirits.

The coolest hotel in the world is the Ice Hotel built every year in Jukkasjarvi, Sweden. Rooms, chandeliers, and even glasses in the bar are made entirely of ice. The building’s temperature is a chilly 35 degrees from November until April, when the whole thing melts.

Other highlights include "Timber!" where visitors can  assemble ingenious wooden joints held together without nails, and "Listening to the Walls," an activity drawn from interviews with blind and visually impaired people who navigate through buildings using their sense of sound.            Because dogs need homes, too, an interactive computer game, "Dogtastrophe," allows visitors to design canine castles that can survive snow-blower blizzards or lawn-sprinkler floods.            “Raise the Roof” is a look at structures humanity depends upon but rarely thinks much about.  Hands-on activities, vivid images and strange-but-true tales brings these scientific wonders into the world of relevancy.

Here is the schedule of documentaries:● March 2 – “Secrets of Lost Empires: The Roman Baths”● March 16 – “Secrets of Lost Empires: The Roman Coliseum”● April 13 – “Frank Lloyd Wright,” part one of the film produced by Ken Burns

and Lynn Novick● April 27 – “Frank Lloyd Wright (part two)● May 11 – “Echoes from the White House: Celebrating the Bicentennial of

America’s Mansion.”Getting a job – a how-to session

There is more to success at the college level than what happens in the classroom and how well a student does.

Other factors can play a role in whether college ends up as a satisfactory experience.

With that in mind, the Student Success Center is presenting a series of workshops during the winter semester to focus on the barriers to success and what resources are available to help students make their way.

The free sessions are being held in the Student Commons. All students are welcome

Refreshments are part of the attraction to learn about life resources and how to avoid the every-day barriers that can negatively impact on academic success.

Here’s the schedule:

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“How to Get a Job in a Tough Market” on Wednesday (Feb. 20) at 12:30 p.m. – Lois Brinson and Karen Phelps” of the employment services section of the KVCC Student Success Center.

Instead of a workshop, all students will be invited to take part in the Volunteer and Community Service Fair that the college will be hosting from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 27. Representatives from scores of human-service and community organizations will be on campus to talk to students about volunteering their time.

“Resumes and Cover Letters That Get Attention” on Tuesday, March 11, at 11:30 a.m. and again on Monday, March 19, at 4 p.m. Representatives of the employment services section of the KVCC Student Success Center will make the presentations.

“Create a Vision for the Future” on Thursday, March 13, at 1 p.m. with Western Michigan University’s Sean Pepin.

“Job Fair 911” on Tuesday, March 25, at 10 a.m. This session is designed to prepare students in how to make solid first impressions when they take part in the 2008 Employment Expo on March 26, set for the Student Commons from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The workshops will continue through the latter part of April.For more information, call Pamela Siegfried at extension 4825 or Diane

Vandenberg at extension 4755.

Charles Hays shaped Kalamazoo’s dimensionsThe story of one of Kalamazoo’s most prolific builders and developers in the

early 20th century is next installment in the Kalamazoo Valley Museum’s “Sunday Series” presentations about the history of Southwest Michigan.

“Charles B. Hays – Home Builder” is the Feb. 17 topic in the Mary Jane Stryker Theater.

Free and open to the public, the 1:30 p.m. presentation by Tom Dietz, the museum’s curator, will trace the life and times of Hays, a prominent developer of commercial, industrial and residential properties.

Sharing podium duty will be Sharon Ferraro, the city of Kalamazoo's coordinator of historic preservation, who talk about the architectural importance of the various Hays' additions.

Hays was born on Nov. 15, 1862, and was graduated from Kalamazoo High School in 1881. He attended both Kalamazoo College and the Michigan Agricultural College (now Michigan State University) for two years.

Hays came from a family with long ties to Kalamazoo. His grandfather, John Hays, was a mason who came to Southwest Michigan in 1832. His father, Algernon, followed in that trade and, although he died at the age of 47, is credited with “erecting nearly all of the large buildings in Kalamazoo.”

Charles returned to Kalamazoo from college and took a job as a postal clerk. By 1885, he was a bookkeeper for a roofing firm.

Charles first began flexing his entrepreneurial muscles when he bought a half interest in an insurance and real-estate business from his brother in 1887. It was the start of what would become a veritable real-estate empire.

Hays married Luella Phillips, daughter of organ manufacturer Delos Phillips in October 1889.

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At some point in the late 1880s, he formed a partnership with August B. Scheid, a grocer who provided much of the investment capital for Hays’ early real-estate ventures.

Over the next 50 years, the two men are estimated to have built nearly one-sixth of Kalamazoo’s streets, built more than 1,500 homes, and sold in excess of 3,000 lots for homes. Hays organized several development companies to promote these ventures.

Although Hays would develop additions throughout the city, the focus of his energies was on the “south side” as the Edison Neighborhood was then known. A partial list of Hays’ developments in that neighborhood includes the South Side Improvement Co. plat, South Park, Hays Park, Linden Park, and Elmwood Plat.

Hays was a savvy promoter as well. In addition to the usual advertising in newspapers, he published “Hays’ Home Builder and Investor,” an illustrated journal in which he touted the advantages of “living in your own home versus existing in a rented house.”

During the post-World War I “Red Scare,” Hays advertised that his moderately priced homes for workers would help fight Bolshevism. In his opinion, no homeowner would promote a radical political ideology that advocated the abolition of private property.

The Hays empire, however, extended beyond insurance and real estate. By the turn of the century, he was selling stocks and bonds, offering loans, and organizing the initial finances for what would become some of Kalamazoo’s largest employers.

A partial list includes the Bryant, King, Superior, and Watervliet Paper companies. He also helped organize the financing for the Michigan Buggy Co. and the Kalamazoo Railway Supply Co., among others.

While this might have seemed sufficient for many men, Hays was not content with business. He served as mayor and at one time owned the Park-American Hotel. He was an avid golfer and horseman. In 1927, he built the Arcadia Brook Golf Course and the Peter the Great Riding Stables near the Oaklands on what is now the west campus of Western Michigan University.

Luella Hays shared her husband’s passion for golf and his energy. In her early 70s, she drove alone to Montana to visit her daughter – an impressive feat given the condition of American roads in the late 1930s. She died in 1943 but Charles remained active for many more years.

Hays died on May 31, 1958, at the age of 95. The man whose grandfather had built one of the first homes in Kalamazoo 125 years earlier had earned the right to inscribe the words “Home Builder” on his final resting place in Mountain Home Cemetery.

Dietz’s “Sunday Series” will continue with these presentations:● “The Michigan Asylum for the Insane” – Feb. 24.● “Builders of Kalamazoo: Frederick Bush, Thomas Patterson and Henry Vander

Horst” -- March 9.● “The Sins of Kalamazoo” – April 6: Poet Carl Sandburg wrote metaphorically

about “The Sins of Kalamazoo,” but this program examines the reality, the community’s pool halls, bars, gambling houses, and other entertainment outlets in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and what local “reformers” did to clean up these “sinful haunts.”

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● “The Academy of Music” – April 20: The community’s first “grand” performing-arts center was dedicated on May 6, 1882, and was eventually destroyed in a fire.

For more information about the presentations, contact Dietz at 373-7984.

‘Animal Dreams’ discussion session here FridayAs part of the communitywide “Reading Together” initiative surrounding the

book “Animal Dreams,” there will be a discussion of the novel’s main themes on Friday (Feb. 22) at noon in the dining room of the Technology Applications Center.

Guiding the dialogue will be instructors Sara Rivara and Natalie Patchell. The first four students who arrive for the discussion will each receive a copy of

“Animal Dreams,” which is described as a fictional love story and a moving exploration of life’s largest commitments as told through flashbacks, dreams and Native-American legends. Its author is Barbara Kingsolver.

As with all “Reading Together” events around the community, these programs are free and open to the public. Patchell says it is not necessary to have read the book to take part in the Feb. 22 session.

On the heels of the National Endowment for the Arts’ recent study that reported Americans are alarmingly reading less and less, KVCC is again taking part in the Reading Together project. It was chosen by a 24-member selection committee from 84 books that had been nominated.

“Reading Together” invites people of all ages from all walks of life to read the book and then engage in discussions about the issues that are addressed, including the Hispanic and Native-American cultures of the American Southwest, environmental degradation, eldercare, and the individual’s responsibility for the public good.

An increasing number of adult Americans are not reading even one book a year, according to the NEA study. Students in high school and college are more than likely forced to read a book or two as part of their classes, as opposed to engaging in the activity for pleasure, enlightenment, and horizon-expanding.

The age-old correlation has not changed – those who read a lot have equally adept writing skills; those who write well do more than their share of reading.

The discussions and special programs will be held into early March at a variety of sites in Kalamazoo County, and here’s the upcoming lineup:

“Going South: Service and Learning in Central America” – Tuesday (Feb. 19) at 7 p.m. in the Kalamazoo Public Library. Recently returned from a service trip to Nicaragua, youth from the First Baptist Church share reflections on their experience.

“Animal Dreams World Café: Conversations That Matter” – Wednesday (Feb. 20) at 7 p.m. in the Park Club, 219 South St. The topic will be the “World Café,” which is described as a flexible, easy to use process for fostering collaborative dialogue, sharing mutual knowledge, and discovering new opportunities for action.

“Tell Me Where It Hurts” – Thursday (Feb. 21) at 7 p.m. in the Kalamazoo Public Library. Dr. Gottfried Oosterwal will describe what it like for a Western-educated physician to practice medicine among other cultures. His adventures took him to the jungles of New Guinea and remote African villages.

“Heart Dead Set on a New World” – Friday (Feb. 22) at noon in the Kalamazoo Public Library. The Rev. Kathleen Robertson King of the United Campus

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Ministry at Western Michigan University will lead a brown-bag lunch chat about activism and community building.

“Animal Dreams” Book Discussion – Friday (Feb. 22) at 7 p.m. in the People’s Church, 1758 N. 10th St.

“Critical Issues: Alternative Views” – Thursday, Feb. 28, at 8 p.m. Recently returned from a service trip to Nicaragua, youth from First Baptist Church share their reflections on their experience. Produced by Lynwood Bartley, Don Cooney, Leigh Ford, Ron Kramer, and Elke Schoffers through the facilities of the Kalamazoo Community Access Center, the program will be telecast on one of the five Community Access Center channels. It will be rebroadcast on Friday, Feb. 29, at 9 p.m.

“Change-makers Workshop” – Friday, Feb. 29, from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Borgess Navigation Center, 1521 Gull Road. A daylong event on how to make the community a better place to live.

Capping off the 2008 program as part of the ArtHop on Friday, March 7, will be a concert at the First Baptist Church, 315 W. Michigan Ave., from 5 to 8 p.m. Pacific Northwest singer-songwriter Roy Douglas will perform original works about human relationships, social justice, and searching for meaning in life, and vintage Bruce Cockburn selections relating to timely issues of “Animal Dreams.”

Arcadia Commons Campus librarian Jim Ratliff is on the program’s steering committee.

Joining the Kalamazoo Public Library in the “Reading Together” partnership are other community libraries, colleges and universities, health and social-service agencies, cultural, civic and religious organizations, local government, and the news media.

The selection committee draws its members from high schools and colleges, libraries, bookstores, book clubs, civic and social-service organizations, the news media, and various religious denominations.

More information is available at the Kalamazoo Public Library’s web site or at

www.readingtogether.us . Thursday will be ‘A Hard Day’s Night’

The madcap moptops at their best both musically and comically comes across in “A Hard Day’s Night” that will be shown on Thursday (Feb. 21) as part of the Kalamazoo Valley Museum’s film series in conjunction with a new exhibit about rock ‘n’ roll legends.

The Beatles’ 1964 quasi-documentary will be shown at 7:30 p.m. in the Mary Jane Stryker Theater. There is no admission charge.

The same is true for the exhibition, “Artist to Icon: Early Photographs of Elvis, Dylan, and The Beatles.” It provides a glimpse into the lives of these aspiring artists before they became rock ‘n’ roll superstars – before Presley’s recording of “Hound Dog” in the 1950s, the British Invasion and the rise of Beatlemania in the 1960s, and before Dylan went electric.

On display in the museum’s first-floor gallery through May 26 are 48 rarely seen black-and-white photographs by five photographers, capturing some of the innocence, ambition and unbounded adventure of the early days of rock ‘n’ roll.

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Complementing its stay in Kalamazoo is a film series about these performers and the showing of documentary episodes about “The History of Rock ‘n’ Roll.” All of these (details below) will be free events in the Mary Jane Stryker Theater.

Critics raved over the hijinx of John, Paul, George and Ringo as film crews recorded their hectic schedule during a trip back to London following their first American tour.

The quartet demonstrated an excellence at clowning to match the foursome’s musical talents. Good fun and plenty of humor comes across, along with many of the group’s classic hits.

“A Hard Day’s Night” was nominated for an Academy Award for best musical score and for best story and screenplay written directly for the screen.

“It is remarkable to be able to assemble early images of such significant figures in rock history,” said Chris Bruce, director of curatorial services for Experience Music Project in Seattle that organized “Artist to Icon.” “It is extremely rare to have a photographer granted regular access to an artist’s life over an extended period of time.”

In March 1956, RCA Victor hired Alfred Wertheimer to take publicity shots of the then 21-year-old Presley, a newly signed artist from Memphis, Tenn.

The record company suggested he use black-and-white film because it was cheaper than color – most RCA executives didn’t think Elvis would last longer than six months.

Following the shoot, Wertheimer spent four months with Presley -- at home in Memphis, performing on the road and preparing for his inaugural television appearances -- first on a Saturday-night summer fill-in variety show hosted by Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey, and then on The Ed Sullivan Show.

Not only did Elvis endure, he was so successful that he became shrouded by his celebrity and personal access to him was thereafter denied. Wertheimer’s photographs are the first and last look at the day-to-day life of the rocker who became known as “The King.”

In August of 1960, a band based in Liverpool, England, called The Beatles landed a series of gigs in the rowdy clubs of Hamburg, Germany.

Inspired by American rock ‘n’ roll bands in their look and sound, The Beatles played seven to eight hours a night, covering such favorites as Presley, Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry and Little Richard.

They were befriended by a group of young German artists that included Astrid Kirchherr, Jürgen Vollmer, and Max Scheler. They persuaded the group to pose for them on and off the stage before The Beatles hit the big time back home and launched the British Invasion with the group’s own appearance on Sullivan’s Sunday-night show in 1963.

Influenced by the style of their artistic German friends, The Beatles adopted their trendy haircuts and fashionable clothing, and the rest is hirsute history.

In the summer of 1963, photographer Daniel Kramer watched Dylan perform on television. He was taken with the enormous presence of the 22-year-old folksinger.

A year later, Dylan invited Kramer to accompany him between the summers of 1964 and 1965. Dylan was about to do the unimaginable – abandon folk music for rock.

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Kramer’s camera followed Dylan from the height of his folk acclaim, through his initial ventures into electrified music. Kramer not only captured an epic transformation in the musician’s career, but also documented a revolutionary change in rock ‘n’ roll.

These photographers were clearly in the right places at the right times. Through their images, viewers can gain a sense of milling through backrooms and small clubs in the moments before the artists became rock icons, and the world of music changed forever. Accompanying the photographs are audio kiosks featuring oral histories with each photographer giving visitors colorful stories behind the images on display.

Here is the remaining schedule for the “Artist to Icon” film series on Thursdays, with each to be shown at 7:30 p.m.:

♦ March 6 -- “The U. S. vs. John Lennon” ♦ March 20 and March 27 -- “No Direction Home: Bob Dylan” (parts one and

two)Beginning in early March and running through mid-May will be episodes of “The

History of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” with the doubleheader showings beginning at 3 p.m. on the designated Sunday:

● March 2 – “Rock ‘n’ Roll Explodes” and “Good Rockin’ Tonight”● March 16 – “Britain Invades, America Fights Back” and “The Sounds of Soul”● April 13 – “My Generation” and “Plugging In”● April 27 – “Guitar Heroes” and “The ‘70s: Have a Nice Decade”● May 11 – “Punk” and “Up From the Underground.”

WMU here Feb. 28 to admit studentsFor students who decide to transfer to WMU, on-site admission will be available

at KVCC on Thursday, Feb. 28, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the Student Commons Forum.WMU staff will be at KVCC to review applications, report admissions status

instantly, and talk about the prospects for financial aid. It is preferred that students schedule appointments to talk with the WMU

representatives. Students can make appointments by visiting the Transfer Resource Center office

in Room 1364 on the Texas Township Campus or by contacting Robyn Robinson at 488-

4779 or rrobinson@kvcc.edu. College-application, financial-aid workshops

A college-application workshop is scheduled for Tuesday (Feb. 19) from 12:30 to 2 p.m. in Room 4380 located off of the cafeteria on the Texas Township Campus.

Presented under the auspices of the Transfer Resource Center, it is designed to help “demystify” the application process needed to be followed in transferring to a four-year university.

The workshop will be repeated on Tuesday, March 18, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. in the same location.

Faculty members are asked to recommend these sessions to their students, as well as one on how to apply for financial aid and scholarships.

That one is set for Thursday (Feb. 21) at 2 p.m. in Room 4240 on the Texas Township Campus. Instructors Nicole Bauman and Natalie Patchell will be joined by

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Sue Newington, assistant director of financial aid, in taking students through the step-by-step process.

All KVCC students are also invited to take part in a series of winter-semester workshops geared to topics that can help assure them of success in their studies.

“What It Takes to Be Successful” sessions will be held in the Student Commons Theater with the next one set for Tuesday, March 11, from 1 to 2:30 p.m.

Among the topics to be covered are the dates and deadlines that are important to students in their pursuit of academic success.

Also covered will be a review of “best practices” involved with transferring to a four-year school, completing a program of study, and preparing for graduation.

One session will be devoted to employment opportunities and job skills.With all sessions slated for 1 to 2:30 p.m., here are the remaining dates:♦ Wednesday, March 12 ♦ Tuesday, April 8 For more information about this series, contact the Transfer Resource Center in

Room 1364 at extension 4779.The center is bringing Kristi Zimmerman of Davenport University to meet with

students about possible transfer on Tuesday (Feb. 19) from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the cafeteria. She will be back on campus on Tuesday, March 11, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the same location, and again on Tuesday, April 8, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Cary Vajda of Northern Michigan University will visit on Wednesday, Feb. 27, from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the cafeteria.Oakland University next on transfer tour

Faculty are asked to advise their students about the opportunity to visit the campuses for four-year universities around Michigan to gauge whether they intend to continue their students there.

Those interested in transferring should contact KVCC’s Transfer Resource Center in Room 1364 on the Texas Township Campus and register to take part in any of the tours.

Prospective tourists can also call the center at extension 4779 to determine whether they can meet the criteria to participate, to meet admissions representatives, visit dorms and other campus facilities, and to learn about financial-aid opportunities.

Here is the itinerary:● Oakland University – Friday (Feb. 22)● Kendall School of Design in Grand Rapids -- Friday, Feb. 29● Grand Valley State University – Thursday, March 20● Ferris State University – Friday, March 21● Michigan State University – Wednesday, March 26● Central Michigan University – Friday, April 4● Columbia College in Chicago – Wednesday, April 9● Eastern Michigan University – Friday, April 11 Students must register for the trips because certain criteria must be met.

French film about autism booked at museum“Her Name Is Sabine” is the next attraction in the series of foreign films

scheduled to be showed at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum into spring.

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The French film will be the feature on Thursday, Feb. 28, in the Mary Jane Stryker Theater. The curtain goes up at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $3.

“Her Name Is Sabine” is producer Sandrine Bonnaire’s cinematic record of her 38-year-old younger sister, whose autism-related behavioral difficulties went undiagnosed for the better part of three decades.

It consists of snippets from Sandrine's 20 years worth of home movies, augmented by footage taken at the special residence where Sabine now lives after a disastrous five-year detour to a mental institution. It is frequently used as a learning resource for discussing the toll on loving families when a proper diagnosis and appropriate treatment are withheld or unavailable.

Bonnaire highlights the needless ravages brought on by a shortage of appropriate treatment centers for citizens with autism and other independence-thwarting conditions. In Sabine's case, her previously vivacious personality was almost completely crushed.

Commented one reviewer: “The contrast between slightly ‘different’ Sabine as an adolescent and young woman when she was trim, attractive and functional enough to take a trip to New York with her big sister or play spirited classical tunes on the piano, and her demeanor after being confined to a series of mental wards couldn't be more eloquent. The once-lively Sabine is 70 pounds heavier, needs constant help and reassurance, and has lost most of the verve she exuded when her siblings were able to give her regular attention.”

“Bonnaire has made a powerful statement about the limits of love in the face of chronic debilitating illness,” said another reviewer, “and the crucial need for more centers where the patient, supportive staff can give developmentally hampered residents the care they require.”

The multi-years of filming also records Sabine as a child who, because she spoke differently and was clumsy, faced ridicule from classmates. She was nicknamed “Crazy Sabine.” After a short stint in a school for “abnormal” children, she stayed at home until the age of 27 where family love and care provided the affection needed for “normality.”

In 1996, after her elder brother dies, she moves to a different town with her mother, and she goes through an emotional crisis. She starts to spit, becomes nasty, tears up photos of her relatives, and spends time in a psychiatric hospital, but no diagnosis is made.

Eventually incarcerated into a psychiatric hospital for five years, Sabine bangs her head against the walls; foams at the mouth, loses her memory, can't wash herself anymore and puts on weight. . In 2001, she is finally diagnosed as a psycho infantile with autistic behavior. Since then, she has found a new lease of life in a special center where she has to relearn what she once knew.

Here are the rest of the award-winning, Thursday-evening billings into June:♦ “Mother of Mine” (Scandinavian) – April 3♦ “Dreams of Dust” (African nation of Burkina-Faso) – April 24♦ “The Way I Spent the End of the World” (Romania) – May 22♦ “Fraulein” (Switzerland) – June 19More information about events and attractions is available by checking the

museum’s web site at www.kalamazoomuseum.org or by calling 373-7990 or (800) 772-

3370.

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California yarn-spinner booked for museumStoryteller Adam Mellema produces television shows on the West Coast for

children, but he can craft tales that are fetching, enduring and appealing to audiences of both adults and youngsters.

Mellema, who splits his residency between the Grand Rapids area and Burbank, Calif., will perform for families and pre-schoolers on March 1 as the Kalamazoo Valley Museum continues its series of Saturday special musical events for these targeted audiences in the Mary Jane Stryker Theater on the museum’s first floor.

The 10 a.m. attraction is designed for pre-schoolers while the for-family show begins at 1 p.m. Both have $3 admission fees.

Mellema, 28, combines choreography, song, humor and drama to bring to life ethnic folktales, familiar children’s stories, and “off-the-wall” original yarns.

Trained in the tradition of the Michigan Interscholastic Forensic Association, he has ranked among the state’s top three storytellers, a reputation that has led to performances aired on CNN, at the Detroit Institute of Arts, The Perkins School for the Deaf and Blind, and the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

After two years of study at the Goodman Theatre School in Chicago, he earned a bachelor’s in theater at Calvin College.

As an apprentice at the Round House Theater in Washington, Mellema became fascinated with people – both noteworthy and “average” – who had interesting backgrounds and stories to tell about the nation’s capital. Demonstrating the breadth of his repertoire, he began to collect these true tales and adapt them for the stage.

His “Washington Talks” is a collection of scenarios about: ● an elderly man whose White House duties spanned the presidencies of Harry

Truman and Richard Nixon;● a resident who witnessed the riots of 1968 in Washington;● a woman who as a nutritionist became one of the Army’s first black female

colonels;● the daughter of a Secret Service agent who played with and grew up with the

children of presidents John Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson;● a high school teacher who went to the Soviet Embassy in Washington, picked

up a copy of the U.S.S.R.’s constitution in order to compare it to the U. S. Constitution in a classroom setting, and was visited by FBI agents;

● people who experienced what life was like when Washington was a segregated city;

● and scores of senior citizens who had recollections of the good, the bad and the ugly of the federal bureaucracy and whose lives somehow intersected with important incidents in 20th-century U. S. history.

Stemming from all of this is one of Mellema’s latest creations for adult audiences. His “Remembering World War II” shares the stories of those who experienced that global trauma in their own words.

The museum's programs of entertainment for pre-schoolers and families will end its winter-semester series on April 5 with percussionist Carolyn Koebel.

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“These performances are great events to bring a group,” said Annette Hoppenworth, the museum’s coordinator for these kinds of programs. “An unlimited number of tickets can be purchased in advance.”

More information about events, attractions and tickets is available by checking the museum’s web site at www.kalamazoomuseum.org or by calling 373-7990. Seating is limited in the Stryker theater.

Sunday Series looks at Kalamazoo’s ‘asylum’ “The Michigan Asylum for the Insane” is the Feb. 24 installment of the

Kalamazoo Valley Museum’s “Sunday Series” presentations about the history of Southwest Michigan.

Tom Dietz, the museum’s curator, will talk about the establishment of the state’s first asylum in Kalamazoo that promoted humane treatment of those with mental illnesses through it becoming a virtual “city within a city.”

The 1:30 p.m. program is free and begins at 1:30 p.m. in the museum’s Mary Jane Stryker Theater.

Dietz traces the community’s mental-health legacy to Aug. 29, 1859, when the Michigan Asylum for the Insane, as it was first known, opened in Kalamazoo.

The Michigan Legislature had authorized the facility a decade earlier but lawmakers failed to provide sufficient funds for its construction. The asylum was a response to efforts by reformers such as Dorothea Dix, who advocated more humane treatment of the mentally ill.

According to Dietz’s research, in 1848, Gov. Epaphroditus Ransom of Kalamazoo appointed a panel that proposed that Michigan establish an asylum. When local citizens donated $1,500 and 10 acres of land for the project, the committee, which included Ransom’s law partner, Charles E. Stuart, recommended the hospital be built in Kalamazoo.

The original site was on land north of Main Street between Elm Street and Stuart Avenue. Many felt this was too close to town so the decision was made to sell that property and buy land in what was then the country along Asylum Avenue, now Oakland Drive.

Dr. John Gray of New York was the first superintendent but he was unable to persuade the legislature to pay for the construction of the asylum. When he resigned in 1856, his assistant, Dr. Edwin H. Van Deusen, was appointed his replacement. Dr. Van Deusen oversaw the construction and the formal opening of the hospital.

The main building, designed for 300 patients, was not fully completed until 1869. That would later house female patients when a new facility for men was completed in 1874. Although the two buildings were designed to accommodate 550 patients, they housed more than 700 by 1880, Dietz learned.

Over its first century, the hospital continued to expand. By 1960, it was virtually a city within a city. There were more 40 buildings, including a chapel, power plant, water system, bakery, laundry, cannery, kitchen, garage, greenhouse, and various shops. At its peak in the early 1950s, there were more than 3,500 patient and nearly 900 employees. In 1969, the former state tuberculosis sanitarium on Blakeslee Street was acquired to care for elderly patients with dementia.

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The hospital featured two architectural jewels, both of which still stand. In 1880, a gatehouse for a resident gatekeeper was built at the north end of the campus.

Dietz reports there is no evidence it was ever used for that purpose and by 1885 the house, built in the “carpenter gothic” style, was used as a residence for a dozen female patients.

In 1895, noted architect B. F. Stratton designed a 175-foot, 15,000-gallon water tower to supply the hospital’s needs. The tower dominated the Kalamazoo skyline. As a local landmark, it was visible evidence of the asylum’s significance in the community.

In the 1970s, when the tower was threatened with demolition, local citizens raised preservation funds and it was subsequently listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

As new theories and treatment options developed in the latter half of the 20th century, the number of patients declined significantly. Many of the buildings were demolished and by 2000, most of the hospital property had been turned over to WMU.

Today only a small number of patients remain at a facility that marked Michigan’s efforts to provide humane treatment for those suffering with mental illnesses.

Dietz’s “Sunday Series” continues into 2008 with these presentations: ● “Builders of Kalamazoo: Frederick Bush, Thomas Patterson and Henry Vander

Horst” -- March 9.● “The Sins of Kalamazoo” – April 6: Poet Carl Sandburg wrote metaphorically

about “The Sins of Kalamazoo,” but this program examines the reality, the community’s pool halls, bars, gambling houses, and other entertainment outlets in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and what local “reformers” did to clean up these “sinful haunts.”

● “The Academy of Music” – April 20: The community’s first “grand” performing-arts center was dedicated on May 6, 1882, and was eventually destroyed in a fire.

For more information about the presentations, contact Dietz at 373-7984.

And finally. . . What is the result of cross-breeding a parrot and a centipede? A walkie-

talkie.A minister truly wanted his son to follow in his footsteps and become a

member of the clergy. But the young fellow was very shy, and so introverted that he couldn’t even lead the family in silent prayer.

A “Texas Hold-‘em” poker table in Las Vegas was attracting quite a crowd of observers. And for good reason. Among the four players was a dog, and the canine was sporting more than a few winning hands. During a break in the action, a fellow commented to one of the players that the poker-playing pup seemed quite smart in the ways of the game.

“Not really,” came the response. “Every time he gets a good hand, he wags his tail.”

☻☻☻☻☻☻

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