The view from Dayton's Bluff is timeless

Photo by Steve Trimble These art students are taking a landscape painting class from Lowertown artist Joseph Paquet.  He often brings them to Indian Mounds Park.  This particular view of the river has been featured in paintings,  photographs and postcards for over a century.

Bethlehem Lutheran Church takes a "Leap of Faith"

   The doors of East St. Paul Lutheran School closed on Friday, June 5th, but Lutheran education on the East Side has an exciting new and unique opportunity.  One of the three current association churches, Bethlehem Lutheran Church voted on Sunday, May 17th to expand JOY Preschool & Child Care to JOY Academy.  One church member termed the voters’ decision, “a leap of faith.”  Over the last fifty years, Bethlehem has invested millions of dollars in private education.         
   Pastor Raddatz, pastor at Bethlehem, explained, “We are not here to start something new, but to expand JOY Preschool & Child Care, which rightfully has earned a reputation on the East Side as a place for parents and children to excel and reach new heights. 
   We are proud to build upon the fine work of Carol Fink, the director and a teacher of the preschool, and bring this tradition and excellence to children in grades, K-3.”
   JOY Preschool & Child Care started in 1971 to provide Christian education to Bethlehem children as well as to children in Dayton’s Bluff and the entire East Side.  Over the last four months, the preschool has increased its numbers dramatically. 
   JOY Academy will encompass Preschool to 3rd grade the first year and look to expand by at least one grade each year thereafter.  Pastor Raddatz hopes that parents of East St. Paul Lutheran School see JOY Academy as an option to continue their children’s Christian education in a loving and safe environment that includes an intense curriculum and innovative technology.  Further, members of Bethlehem want the entire community to see JOY Academy as a place where the education level is second to none and children of all backgrounds will be transformed into leaders for the next generation!
   One may ask, “What will JOY Academy offer for my child?” 
   1) Small class sizes!  JOY Academy is admitting only 28 students from K-3rd grade.
   2) Staff second to none.  Each teacher must be able to work with a classical curriculum, motivate students at an individual pace, be proficient in a testing system that is administered to students periodically, have the ability to integrate the most recent technology into the curriculum, be proficient in music (both directing and teaching), and love children as if they were their own. 
   3) Intense curriculum.  The curriculum will assist in moving children along individually and children will be evaluated approximately every 6 weeks through major testing. 
   4) Innovative technology.  JOY Academy will be installing Smart Boards, computers that make use of touch screens and flat screen televisions for learning activities in each classroom. 
   5) Loving and nurturing Christian environment.  Teacher to student ratio will be small.  The classrooms will be close to one another in proximity.  Teachers and aides will provide valuable one-on-one help, as well as expertise in the area of art. 
   6) Strong partnership between students, teachers, parents, and school board.  The parent group will be strong, organized, and active in relationships with the board and teaching staff.  Parents will be asked to do little fundraising.  The teachers will provide activities to bring parents together throughout the year for fellowship and listening sessions.  Fun activities will be offered for the parents and children.
   JOY Academy began enrollment as of May 31st.  The staff will be put in place after an intensive screening and interview process.  The facility will be transformed soon into classrooms including the installation of all the technology. 
   Many people cannot believe that an expanding school with a limited number of openings can charge so little.   The tuition for a kindergartener is $2000.00, while for a child in 1st – 3rd grade it is $2,250.00.  The registration fee per student is $150.00.  The tuition for a kindergartner is at least 75 percent less than an all day preschool. Further, if parents spread their payments out over 12 months, it is $39.00/week for a kindergarten student and $43.00/week for a student in grades 1-3.
   The organizers of JOY Academy are members of Bethlehem Lutheran Church who are business people as well as former and current teachers.  What a blessing it is for future students of JOY Academy and the community for Bethlehem to provide classrooms and $30,000.00 for support.  Generous individuals and businesses are planning on contributing support as well.  This looks to be at heart a community school on the East Side. 
   If you would like to know more, you may set up a visit by calling Pastor Raddatz at (651) 925-6125.  He is ready and willing to meet with parents and accept enrollment forms.

An evening in Swede Hollow Park

Photo by Karin DuPaul L to r: Andy Twedt, her dog Jack, Amy Middleton, Bette Johnson, Linda Arnesen, Mike Grealish, and Brett Evans standing by some of the bags of highly invasive Garlic Mustard they removed from Swede Hollow Park on June 3rd.

By Karin DuPaul
  The first Wednesday in June was a beautiful evening in Swede Hollow. Instead of themonthly Friends of Swede Hollow (FOSH) meeting members spent the evening removing Garlic Mustard plants from Swede Hollow Park. The Garlic Mustard is very invasive and has made its way into many parks like Swede Hollow. By the time the evening was over 10 large trash bags were full of Garlic Mustard.
   The evening featured people walking and bicycling and the sounds of birds singing their evening songs throughout the Hollow. At the same time of the Garlic Mustard removal the sound of hundreds of motorcycles whose riders were attending the monthly 1st Wednesday Bike Night at Yarusso Brothers Restaurant could be heard in the Hollow. It was good to hear that some things are back to normal, because in February the restaurant was damaged by fire. But when the repairs are completed in a few months they plan to reopen their business.  The Yarusso family is part of Swede Hollow history.  Years ago the Yarusso family was one of the families living in the Hollow. In the 1930’s the Yarusso Italian Restaurant opened on Payne Avenue and it remains a rich part of local history.
   FOSH members and others in the community continue to help improve Swede Hollow by removing invasive plants, planting native plants, and share its history, to name a few things. For more information about FOSH email SwedeHollow@gmail.com or call 651-776-0550. Check out our new web site at www.SwedeHollow.org.

Swede Hollow history book underway

   Local historians Karin and Angela DuPaul are currently working on a book that tells the story of Swede Hollow.  The book is to be part of Arcadia Publishing’s Images of America series.  The series presents the history of a neighborhood, town or institution through a collection of captioned photographs. 
   Karin has been immersed in Swede Hollow history for the past few decades, starting with the effort to have the neglected ravine (and adjacent site formerly occupied by the Theodore Hamm mansion) designated as a city park.  Karin’s impetus was her move to a home across the street from the future park.  Karin and Angela (mother and daughter) have literally watched the park grow and develop out their front window.  Along the way they have collected bits and pieces of Swede Hollow’s long and colorful history.  One thing they noticed is that this history is scattered around various memories and archives.  They were happy to be given the opportunity to bring it all together in one place.  To be thorough in this effort, they need those with stories and artifacts of Swede Hollow to come forward and share the knowledge. 
   One of the great things about Swede Hollow is its long-standing role as a cultural crossroads.  The large cave that once opened near the creek illustrates this.  It was used for aging beer, a largely German enterprise.  Then it was used to pioneer new techniques in mushroom cultivation, an endeavor that came to us from France.  Each group of people came to Swede Hollow with the same basic needs: shelter, food, and community.  But each immigrant culture, born far away, also made the place uniquely their own.  Can you help us tell the story of this wonderful place and its people?  Email SwedeHollow@gmail.com or call 651-776-0550.

Community Meeting

    The Eastern District Police host their monthly meetings for community members at 722 Payne on the corner of Payne and Minnehaha Avenues. One is on the third Wednesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. and the other on the third Friday of each month at 9:30 a.m. In July the meetings are on the 15th and 17th.
  The meeting is intended as a time to listen to and address people’s concerns about crime and other issues on the East Side.

     Dayton’s Bluff Take a Hike occurs on the first Saturday of most months. The next hike is on Saturday, July 4. We meet at 10:30 a.m. in Indian Mounds Park at Earl St. and Mounds Blvd.
   We’ll hike from Mounds Park to the Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary and then walk along the Bruce Vento Recreational Trail through Swede Hollow Park to the new East Side Heritage Park. Along the way we will share stories and learn some local history of the area. The hike is about four miles long with some moderately rough terrain. Transportation will be available to return to Mounds Park, if needed.
   Join us and explore some of our parks and the regional trail. For more information contact Karin at 651-772-2075 or Karin@DaytonsBluff.org.

Block club meetings

  * Wilson Avenue Block Club meets on the second Wednesday of each month at Mounds Park United Methodist Church, at Earl and Euclid, at 6:30 p.m.
  * Lower Dayton’s Bluff Block Club Kickball meets on the second to the last Tuesday of each month at Dayton’s Bluff Rec Center at 800 Conway at 6:30 p.m. Kids and parents are welcome. Kids play, parents talk.
  * Margaret Rec Center Block Club meets on the second Thursday of each month at the Margaret Rec Center, at Margaret and Frank, at 6:30 p.m.
  * Beech/Margaret 654 Block Club meets on the last Thursday of each month at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church at Margaret and Forest at 6:30 pm. This block club covers the area Minnehaha, Beech Margaret, 6th, 5th, and 4th between Cypress and Arcade.
  * Frank Street Block Club meets on the third Wednesday of each month at Immanuel City of Refuge Healing Temple at 815 Frank Street at 6 p.m. This block club encompasses 7th, Ross, Bush. Reaney, and Minnehaha between Earl and Johnson Parkway.
  If you wish to have your block club listed, or need information about starting you own block club, please contact Karin at 651-772-2075 or Karin@DaytonsBluff.org.

YAI presents Murder at the Prom

Caveman Greg Brick surfaces at Arts and Culture Committee event
  

Photo by Greg Cosimini Caveman and author Greg Brick (left) consults with historian Steve Trimble after Brick’s talk about his new book, Subterranean Twin Cities.

Dari-ette Drive-In celebrates 58th anniversary

Photo by Angela DuPaul

By Angela DuPaul
   On Friday June 5, a 58th anniversary celebration was held at a unique East Side institution.  People have been enjoying the Dari-ette Drive-In restaurant on East Minnehaha Avenue since 1951.  Carhops bringing food and drinks to your car was once a common American phenomenon.  Though drive-ins remains a fixture of our collective history and imagination, most are now gone.  The Dari-Ette is a survivor. 
   The Dari-ette offers an assortment of diary treats: flurries, cones, malts, floats, slush, and several ice cream novelties.   Also available are a variety of food items including pasta, burgers, salads, appetizers, and chicken.  The Dari-ette is nationally famous after being featured on the Food Network.  We are fortunate to have this living example of American history on the East Side.  In contrast to the new drive-ins popping up trying to copy 1950s style, the Dari-ette is the real thing.

Photo by Angela DuPaul A carhop in a 1950's style poodle skirt was part of the 58th anniversary celebration.

Photo by Angela DuPaul Celebrating Lily’s graduation from Kindergarten are Lily Glime, Laura DeVries, Daniel Glime, and Michael Glime at the Dari-ette’s 58 years in business party

   The Dari-ette was also featured on  the front page of the June 9th St. Paul Pioneer Press in a story about summer employment. 
   My buddy Tina says the Dari-ette has the best cherry Cokes in the Twin Cities.  She’s something of a cherry Coke connoisseur.   I have to agree with her assessment.  We often have the rigatoni, which is very good and comes with buttered Italian bread.  I was also pleased with the pizza burger.
   You can find the Dari-ette Drive-In at 1440 East Minnehaha in St. Paul.  They are open daily April through October from 11:00 a.m. to 10 p.m. (they close at 9:30 on school nights).  If you’d rather not eat in your car, there are booths inside and tables out front.  Their number is (651) 776-3470.

Obb’s Sports Bar & Grill To Hold Big Anniversary Celebration in July

Albert “Obb” Johnsen, the founder of Obb's

Rosie and Bob Johnsen.  Rosie still works at Obb's today.

Photo by Karin DuPaul Left to right: Joyce Danner, Matt Mazanec, Chelsea Starr and Jacob Dorer (all members of the Dayton’s Bluff Vacant Homes Committee), Patrick Ruble from the Saint Paul Area Association of Realtors, and City Council President Kathy Lantry.

Dayton's Bluff youth attends Language Village

A 21st Century Education - Part 1

By Mary Ann Cogelow
   The great Irish poet William Butler Yeats once said, ”Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.”  
   In May and June, Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar has been soliciting input regarding the “No Child Left Behind (NCLB)” legislation enacted under President George W. Bush.  Hopefully, she has heard from many, many citizens – students, parents, teachers, administrators, researchers and other “experts.”  The problems with NCLB are legion.  I haven’t done a literature search on this topic, but reading a Twin Cities newspaper most days, listening sporadically to Minnesota Public Radio, looking through publications from the National and Minnesota Educational Associations, and reading other books and magazines have flooded me with information about the shortcomings of relying on standardized testing, the differences among states requirements, etc., etc.  I hope Senator Klobuchar is aware of critical feedback regarding NCLB from people like Alfie Kohn and Jonathan Kozel who address many of the concerns which arise from treating education as if it is the “filling of a pail.”  
   I previously sent Senator Klobuchar a letter expressing some of my concerns about NCLB. In this article, which I intend to send to her as a follow up, I want to take a different approach than that of most of the critics I have heard or read.  My comments are based on more than forty years of learning about child and adult development, parenting, and education.  NCLB is a simple- minded solution to a hugely complex problem.  It devalues children, parents, and teachers.  It focuses attention too narrowly on reading, writing, and math and ignores much of what it truly means to educate children.  It leaves all of us behind.
   The fundamental charge of schools in a democracy has been and is to prepare children for citizenship.  In the past we thought of this as U.S. citizenship, but I am quite sure that in July 2009 it also means world citizenship.  We ignore the complex issues of citizenship at our peril.  If we are to raise children to be citizens of the state, the nation and the world, we have to understand what children are like, what they learn first and indelibly in their earliest years in their families, and what truly educating them means.
   Perhaps the first idea to entertain is that, if children are to become all they can be, we have to value them, not just for what they may produce in the future, but as they are now.  To me that implies that their lives at every age are a combination of play and work, silliness and seriousness – whole lives.  We have to value them because they are, not only because of what they can do.
   In an article written in 1973, counselor and educator Eda LeShan said the most important school readiness quality parents can develop in a child is profound self love.  Self-love in children arises from being unconditionally loved by one’s parents and others significant in one’s life and unconditionally valued by teachers.  This doesn’t mean that we don’t celebrate children’s accomplishments or help them work to acquire skills and knowledge which they have not yet mastered.  We do celebrate, we do teach and support.  But we must do our best (not always an easy job given human nature) never to forget the inherent, inestimable value of each child.
   NCLB seriously undermines unconditional acceptance of children as they are.  It overemphasizes how well they do on standardized tests.  It’s difficult to feel your absolute human value as a student, teacher or parent if your school in not making “adequate yearly progress.”  On June 9, Charlie Kyte, Executive Director of the MN Association of School Administrators, described NCLB as “punitive.” Punishment (different from discipline) hardly ever sends a message of unconditional value.  It doesn’t support children in becoming their best.  It similarly fails to support teachers.  This fact alone calls the value of NCLB into serous doubt.
   Secondly, the effect of NCLB has been to disempower parents and has probably been most harmful to parents who most need to be empowered.  1975 is the year I began as a parent educator at Dayton’s Bluff ECFE.  It is, coincidentally, the year when Burton L. White who asserted that he could reliably predict a child’s school success in elementary school from the quality of the interaction between mother and child up to age three, published The First Three Years of Life.  1975 is also the year that Alan Sroufe and Byron Egeland of the University of Minnesota began their monumental Mother-Child (now Parent-Child) study documenting that the quality of a child’s attachment to a parent was predictive of many later outcomes.  Marti Erickson described some of these outcomes for 10-11 year olds: children who were securely attached at 12 – 18 months “are more socially competent, higher achievers, better workers, more self-confident, and have a high sense of purpose and goals.”
   It is in these important first years of life that much of the stubborn achievement gap demonstrated by students in the elementary and high school years has its roots.  Programs which purport to address the gap by having universal kindergarten for four or even three year olds cannot compensate for lasting effects of inadequate parenting in the first years of life.  Unless we propose to start taking children away from their parents at birth, we, as a society, have to figure out how to support all parents in parenting more skillfully.
   The fact is that schools cannot help children achieve their fullest potential without the participation of their parents.  I know that all parents can be supported in parenting well and that every parent can become more skilled.  In more than 40 years of working with parents as a high school teacher, nursery school teacher, daycare provider, and parent educator, I have seen many different degrees of skill in parenting.  I have never met one parent who didn’t want to help his or her child be successful in school and in life.  
   But when, in an attempt to raise test scores, we try to “fix” what we think parents have failed to do, we too often send an implied message that says to them, “You can’t do this job.  You have failed already.  We’ll do it for you.”  Parents who are empowered probably don’t hear this message.  They see a four or three year old kindergarten as an additional opportunity for their children which can enhance what they, the parents, are already providing for their kids.  But parents who have not been very school successful themselves, who do not know that they have an essential role in helping their children develop in every way including being ready for school,  “hear” the message loud and clear.  And they believe it.
   In addition to undervaluing parents, NCLB is based more on what some of us wish children were like than on reality.  Young children are egocentric, magical, literal, concrete and animistic thinkers.   They need to be physically active.  They have comparatively short attention spans. No matter how much we wish we could simply pour information in (the right kinds in the right amounts) and produce little (or big) test takers who would always have the right answers, human development doesn’t work that way. 

Part 2 of this article will appear in the August Dayton’s Bluff District Forum.

Set of 12 Dayton's Bluff postcards available

The Dayton’s Bluff area has always been picturesque.  It has so many scenic views—and now they are available in postcards! There are 12 different scenes, including  the Seventh Street Improvement Arches, the Mounds Park Pavilion, the Scenic Overlock at Mounds Park, the Margaret Recreation Center, the Stutzman Block, the 3M water tower and six others.    A set of 12 is $10—only $5 for Dayton’s Bluff residents. Buy one to keep and one to send. Photography and printing of the postcards was donated by Dayton’s Bluff resident Steve Trimble. All proceeds support our local paper, the Dayton’s Bluff District Forum. Call 651-772-2075 for more information

Amazing Grace Assembly of God
1237 Earl St.
651-778-1768    
Sun 9:30 am - Sunday school all ages
Sun 10:30 am - morning Worship
Sun 6:00 pm - evening Worship

Hmong Asbury United Methodist  
815 Frank St.  
651-771-0077

Bethlehem Lutheran Church  
655 Forest St.  
651-776-4737
Sun 9:00 am - Morning Service
Sun 10:15-11:15 am - Sunday School & Bible Hour
Sun 11:15 - Hmong Service

Faith Temple - Templo De Fe
1510 Payne Ave
651-778-0096
Sun 10:30 am - Spanish Bilingual Service
Sun 6:00 pm – Spanish Bilingual Service
Wednesday family night

Mounds Park United Methodist 
1049 Euclid St. 
651-774-8736
9:15 am -  Sunday School, 4-year-old through Adult
10:30 am - Worship

Our Savior’s Lutheran  ‘LCMS’
674 Johnson Pkwy 
651-774-2396
Sun only - 8am Worship, 9:20 education hour
Sun 10:45am - Worship

Sacred Heart Catholic Church  
Iglesia Sagrado Corazón
840 E. 6th St.
651-776-2741
Sat 4:00 pm English Mass &
   5:30 pm Spanish Missa
Sun 9:00 am English Mass &
   11:00 am Spanish Missa
Mon, Wed, Fri 8:00 am Mass

St. John of Saint Paul Catholic Church
977 E. 5th St.  
651-771-3690  
Mon-Sat. 8:00 am – Mass
Sat 4:15 pm - Mass
Sun 9:00 am, 11:00 am - Mass

St. John’s Outreach Ministry
1154 E. 7th St.  
651-771-7639
Sun 9:30 am - Sunday School
Sun 10:45 am - Worship
Wed 7:00 pm - Bible Study

St. John Ev. Lutheran  
765 Margaret St.
651-771-6406
Sun 9:30 am - Worship
Thurs 6:30 pm - Worship