A familiar face returns home to Dayton's Bluff

Photo by Karin DuPaul Now do you recognize the mystery object being carved in a tree stump that we showed you last month?  See below for the details.

Farewell from our president

By Wally Waranka
   For the past two years I have been honored to serve this community as your President of the Dayton’s Bluff council.  I have enjoyed my time and hope I have represented you all well.
   I hope that I have been able to help keep the neighborhood moving forward and help start a few new things for the future.  Although I won’t be President, I still plan to be a part of building a business association, as well as looking at new ways to keep promoting our neighborhood as being a great place to live and work.
   In addition, I am looking forward to the beginning of the annual celebration for Dayton’s Bluff where we can showcase all of the great things we have and recognize the great things that have been accomplished.
   This last year I tried via my articles in the Forum to see if I could get some feedback from other neighbors.  I did get some responses.  Some may have been negative at times, but they represent a part of who we are in Dayton’s Bluff.
   I would like to let you all know that we have some fantastic people giving their time by serving on the council and trying to do the right things for our neighborhood.  Yes, there is always the bad we can focus on and there will be always things to work on, but the more we do attack these issues the more they will get smaller and eventually go away.  Believe me we are trying to attack them.
   I would like to personally challenge each and every one of you who are reading this to look around and see how you can offer help to keep our neighborhood moving forward.
   It does not have to be a big dramatic effort.  On the contrary, every action helps no matter how small.  One way to be a part and an informed neighbor is to read your Forum, and if you see anything in the paper that interests you come out and be a part of it, please.  As my last two years have shown me, we, the council, are only as effective as the feedback we get from you.
   Don’t hesitate to let us know what we can do to help keep Dayton’s Bluff a great place to live.  And don’t hesitate to help us remain that way.
   I won’t be going away and I will always be a proud Dayton’s Bluff resident in this great area of Saint Paul..
 
Looking for Neighborhood Honor Roll Candidates
 
   The Dayton’s Bluff District 4 Community Council is looking for three people in Dayton’s Bluff to add to the honor roll this year. If you know of someone who has done an outstanding job of volunteer work in Dayton’s Bluff, call Karin at 772-2075 or email Karin@DaytonsBluff.org for more information.
   The Saint Paul Neighborhood Honor Roll started in the 1980s and is a listing of Saint Paul citizens who have done outstanding service in their neighborhoods over a long period of time. Each year all 17 District Councils can add three names to the honor roll. Past honor roll inductees volunteered for years at a church or a school, served on their community council board of directors, block club leaders, led projects like buckthorn removal or spearheaded a community event.
   Last year the Dayton’s Bluff District 4 Community Council added Jacob Dorer, Jean Comstock, and Juanita Westman, for their years of service in the Dayton’s Bluff neighborhood.
   The Saint Paul Neighborhood Honor Roll is located in the hallway on the third floor of Saint Paul City Hall. The quality and amount of volunteer time that make our communities better is amazing in Saint Paul.

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.
   *Beech/Margaret Block Club meets on the last Tuesday of each month at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, at Margaret and Forest, at 7:00 p.m.
  *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.
  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.

The came to "Watch the Glow"

Photos by Karin DuPaul

Dayton’s Bluff Community Meeting

Meet the police

    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 November the meetings are on the 19th and 21st.
  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 Saturday, November 1st.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, or you may hike back.
    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.

Rental Housing problems? HALO has help

Adrian Odya-Weis

Neighborhood Clean Up is over for another year

Photo by Karin Dupaul Chelsea Starr resting on a chair in the Free Reuse Center at this year’s Clean Up.

     The Dayton’s Bluff Neighborhood Clean Up was held on September 13th. Dayton’s Bluff Community Council Board members, residents, friends, and Reentry Services Sentence to Service did an excellent job of making the clean up flow smoothly.  Thanks to everyone who helped with the Clean Up.  We appreciate you all.
    Neighborhood participation was much higher this year in part because of the free disposal of electronics.  Many people found treasures in the Free Stuff reuse area. We appreciate everyone that helped.
   A number of local businesses supported our efforts by supplying food, beverages and services. We would like to express our appreciation to Rainbow on Arcade, Cub in Sun Ray Shopping Center, M and H Convenience Store, Culver’s at 2065 Old Hudson Road, and Holiday Gas Station at 1477 East Minnehaha.
   We are looking for ways to make the Clean Up even more successful in the future. Let us know if you have any ideas. Call Karin at 651-772-2075 or email Karin@daytonsbluff.org.

Mounds Theatre Happenings

"Rocky Horror Picture Show"
   “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” completes its run at the Mounds Theatre on November 1.
   The movie, accompanied by live performances and audience participation, will be shown on October 31 and November 1 at 11:00 p.m.  Ticket  price is $7.00. These are special Halloween events.

Craft and bake sales

Photo Courtesy Minnesota Historical Society The Schornstein Building at 707 Wilson was  built in 1885 and originally housed a saloon, grocery store, meeting rooms and residential space.

Photo Courtesy Minnesota Historical Society The original Margaret Recreation Center was behind the old Sibley School.

Overindulgence not good for children

  By Mary Ann Cogelow
   In this month when we are reminded to be “thankful,” and when the day after Thanksgiving has for many years been the biggest shopping day of the year in the United States, it seems appropriate to think a little about overindulgence, why we overindulge children, and what effect overindulgence has on them.  This is a very old concern.  I remember from my own very early childhood the “tut-tuting” tone of conversations among my mother, grandmother, and aunts when they discussed someone who was “spoiling” her child. I’m sure that this concern was present through all of the twentieth century, and I would bet people have had this notion far longer than that though they may have used different language to describe it.
   When I checked through my file on this topic, I found a long list of books about overindulgence and I have read many articles in the popular press talking about the issue in the past several years, but I’m going to describe some of the ideas in books and other materials written by authors with a Minnesota connection.  In 2003 Jean Illsley Clarke, Connie Dawson, and David Bredehoft published How Much Is Enough?  Everything You Need to Know to Steer Clear of Overindulgence and Raise Likeable, Responsible and Respectful Children from Toddlers to Teens.  In 2007 David Walsh published No, Why Kids - of All Ages - Need to Hear It - and Ways Parents Can Say It.
   What is overindulgence?  Jean Clarke says it is giving children too much, too soon and for too long in terms of stuff and also of entertainment.  She would also say that it involves soft structure and over-nurture.  Both of these would probably have been described in my grandmother’s kitchen as “coddling” or “babying,” of “expecting too little of.”  Clarke believes that over- nurture includes hovering, intruding, or depriving a child of the opportunity to reach out, to learn new skills, to feel the thrill of achievement, or to experience consequences.  She thinks that soft structure gives children too much freedom; doesn’t teach skills for living, rules, or boundaries; fails to insist that children contribute to the family by performing age appropriate chores; and doesn’t pay enough attention to children’s safety. And, by the way, while overindulgence in material and entertainment experiences may be easier to identify, research says the most serious damage is done to children by over-nurture and soft structure. 
   What does overindulgence do to kids?  Why does the judgmental tone of conversations I heard more than sixty years ago come so freshly to my mind when I think about this topic?  Because overindulgence truly damages children and my mom and her family knew it.  Jean Clark describes it as a form of child neglect.  David Walsh says that overindulgence inhibits the child’s ability to develop the areas of the brain (prefrontal cortex) that are necessary for establishing balance between self-indulgence and responsible behavior, and he would argue that how the brain is built has enormous, life-long importance.  Overindulgence gets in the way of the children’s mastery of developmental tasks.  It prevents them from learning boundaries, skills, responsibilities, and self-control.  It lessens their resilience and self-motivation.  It reduces their ability to make and keep friends.  They may feel, and grow up continuing to feel, insecure, anxious, worthless, incompetent, self-centered and depressed.  They may find it difficult to function in an adult world.  The choices they make as adults may be dangerous and self-damaging.  They may never achieve their full potential.
   If overindulgence so clearly threatens the healthiest possible development of children, why do we do it?  Clarke insists that the root cause is a “good heart,” we love our kids and want them to be happy. Some of us also overindulge because we remember clearly the pain of poverty or of some other serious deprivation – a chemically dependent, disabled, or workaholic parent, and want to spare our children pain.  And we sometimes do it for self-gratification to give ourselves the reward of our child’s pleasure or to “get the kid off my back.”  However, we need to balance our own desire for self-indulgence with the responsibilities inherent in parenting and make choices which truly enhance our children’s growth.
   What to do?  Some of what to do is implied in the descriptions of what not to do.  Ron L. Pitzer, another Minnesota voice who for decades has contributed wisdom about the role of parenting with his articles in Young Families, the newsletter from the Extension Division at the University of Minnesota, suggests the following:  Be a role model and practice what you preach.  Restrict television viewing so children are less bombarded with messages about things they think they have to have to be popular, successful, entertained.  Teach children about money, wise consumer behavior, and let them know about family finances in ways that are appropriate for their ages.  Help them save, spend, and give wisely.  Be consistent in the rules you have for children and be sure both parents apply them.  Clarke and Walsh both insist that you must be the parent in your family.  And Walsh insists that you must continue to hear your children even when you decide to say “no” to their wishes and wants.  
   There is much more to be said and reflected upon about avoiding the temptation to overindulge. I would recommend reading either of the books I named in this article or finding others.  But this brings me back to my mother and a different reading suggestion. For four days in mid-August my adult daughter Maren and I made a pilgrimage to Southwestern Minnesota.  Our primary goal was to see the farmstead in the farthest southwestern corner of the state where my mother was born and raised.  We knew we also wanted to visit some other sites on our journey – the Jeffers Petroglyphs, Blue Mounds State Park, Pipestone National Monument, and Walnut Grove and Plum Creek, locations of some of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s “Little House” books.  Because we planned to go to the Plum Creek site, we listened to the recorded version of On the Banks of Plum Creek as we drove.
   To the best of my knowledge, I last read the Wilder books when I was in elementary school. As a child, my concerns were pretty unsophisticated – I just wanted an interesting read.   What a revelation to listen to one of those books many, many years later.  Evaluating it as an adult, I was struck by the clarity with which Laura’s perspective as a young child is shared, the richness of characterization, the wealth of detail evoking frontier life, the parenting styles of Ma and Pa – in some ways very old fashioned and in others surprisingly as fresh as anything I would suggest in Early Childhood Family Education classes now.  But as much as anything as I listened to this book I reflected on how severely Spartan and simultaneously rich life is for Laura and her family in these mid-nineteenth century years and how much the family life described in these pages accomplishes what overindulgence threatens.  It is clear the Wilder family is poor in economic terms.  But Ma and Pa might have taken their family structure from Clarke and Walsh.  The parents are clearly parental.  The children are dearly loved and well known by their parents.  Mary and Laura have clear responsibilities - “Pa often said he did not know how he could manage without Laura” as a helper.  There are real and significant riches: all the nature of the prairie, Pa’s fiddle playing and singing, Jack, the dog, to name but a few. 
   Reading the “Little House” books again turned out for me to be a useful additional way to think about the issues of overindulgence and healthy child development.  If your children are old enough, reading these books together and taking about them would accomplish many good parenting goals.  I don’t want to go back to a carbon copy of the world of Laura Ingalls or to the styles of my parents or grandparents either.  Neither was perfect and some aspects of both are deeply troubling to me.  But there is much to be gained from reflection on these worlds which can help us evaluate how we want to parent and to guess what the outcomes of our choices might be.  And besides, reading Laura Ingalls Wilder is rich and not overindulgent.

Youth Sign/Clean-Up Project is recognized as a success

Photo by erin sobaski

By erin sobaski
   The signs are gone, but the pride remains. Youth from the Dayton’s Bluff and Margaret Recreation Centers wrapped up their summer program in late September, and then celebrated with a recognition party in early October.
   After distributing flyers to notify residents of the project, and placing colorful motivational signs in select yards, the clean-up began. In the end, more than 120 city blocks were cleared of litter—many blocks more than once. But more important than the cleaning, was the sense of pride and achievement felt by both youth and residents.
   “I think it was great because we were helping the community,” said Kellen Sobaski, one of the youngest participating youth at age 9. “I hope it means people won’t do it [litter] again.” Seventeen-year-old Rasheed Johnson concurred, saying the group hopes the effects of the project will last.
   Resident Jennifer Marcus Newton had a set of signs (Be Productive/Be Polite/Be Peaceful) placed in her yard. “Beatrice [a youth worker] and the kids came by to install my block’s signs and do some cleaning. What a wonderful group of people they are,” said Newton. “The whole block’s mood was elevated as a result.”
   Stories like these were aplenty. Many residents came out to shake the kids’ hands, offer help or bring them cookies and lemonade. These moments were not lost on the kids.
   “They were thrilled to be given a sense of responsibility for their own neighborhood,” said Colin Moore, one of two youth workers, along with Beatrice Collins. Moore and Collins were instrumental in keeping the program going. As any parent of a teen or tween will attest, it’s not easy to get them to clean up after themselves, let alone neighborhood trash. Said Collins, “It did take a push—but not a lot.”
   The youth were recognized for their accomplishments with a party on Oct. 10. The kids talked about their views of the project while enjoying pizza, breadsticks and soda. Afterward, they played Wii™ games and basketball on the court, and had make-your-own ice cream sundaes.
   On that same day, a story appeared in the St. Paul Pioneer Press about the anti-litter project. “When you look at the neighborhood in a different lens,” said Johnson in the article, “you realize you can do something to contribute and help things go on a different route.”
   Getting recognition from the Dayton’s Bluff community and the City of St. Paul for the positive work the youth did was a great way to wrap things up. The goal of this project was to bolster community engagement and reduce litter. Goal scored.

Photo by: Greg Cosimini Residents of Dayton’s Bluff are used to finding a variety of flotsam and jetsam in their alleys, usually consisting of old furniture, appliances and general refuse.  But our neighbors on Euclid found something a bit larger on the morning of October 3rd when this boat appeared in their alley.  Less than a week later a pickup truck camper was found in the same area.  Was someone cleaning out his garage or did a flying saucer have to jettison some weight before returning to its home star system?  You decide.

Notice of brownfields cleanup grant application

Photo by Greg Cosimini This house at 1097 Hudson Road was destroyed by fire in the early hours of October 8th.  The Fire Marshall has ruled it arson.  The fire reignited around 10 a.m.  The house was torn down the next day.

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 (top), Margaret Recreation Center (above) and ten 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  
840 E. 6th St.  
651-776-2741
Sat 4:00 pm – Mass
Sun 9:00 am – Mass
Mon, Wed, Fri 8:00 am – Weekday Service

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