Return to the "POINTER VIEW"January 12, 2001
Return to the "POINTER VIEW"
January 12, 2001
CORNWALL-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. -- The Museum of the Hudson Highlands will sponsor an evening speaker series that will be held on Wednesday evenings at 7:30 p.m. and will meet at Painter’s Tavern, 266 Hudson Street. The speaker series is free to all and pre-registration is not necessary.
A description of the six sessions follows:
r Jan. 24: Historic House Types of the Hudson Valley, presented by Jon Malinowski, a geographer at USMA.This talk will include information about styles of houses and clues about when the houses were built. Using maps and other visuals, Malinowski will answer questions. The goal is to help local residents see their towns and region in a new light. The emphasis will be on dating settlements based on architectural styles as a way of recreating past landscapes.
r Jan. 31: New York State -- The Key to Victory in the American Revolution, presented by Kenneth Hamburger, historian and professor at American Military University.The War for Independence was a struggle that often teetered in favor of one combatant or the other. From the strategic perspective, New York was pivotal for American victory. Geographically, the colony of New York provided the greatest opportunity for the British military -- especially the Navy -- to split the middle and southern colonies from New England along the Hudson. Hamburger describes New York’s strategic importance, from the early clashes near New York City to Britain’s failed Saratoga Campaign to the fortification of West Point.
r Feb. 7: The Order Amish -- An American Folk Culture, presented by Col. Eugene H. Palka, associate professor, department of geography and environmental engineering at USMA.Palka provides an inside look at one of America’s most interesting folk cultures. His lecture stems from fieldwork that he previously conducted to examine the unique cultural landscapes created by America’s largest concentrations of Amish. His presentation includes slides of Amish communities in Pennsylvania and Ohio.
r Feb. 21: Hudson Highlands Ecosystems -- The Battlefields of Nature, presented by Lt. Col. Francis Al Galgano, Jr., course director of physical geography at USMA.Starting at the level of the river and working up to the peaks, examine the different environments of the Highlands. Galgano will illustrate the effects of development on these environments and heighten awareness of the area’s unique nature.
r Feb. 28: Genetically Engineered Foods -- What Does This Mean? presented by Toby G. Rossman, Ph. D., New York University School of Medicine.Areas of discussion will include some examples of genetically modified foods now on the market, foods planned for the future and information about the possibility of risks to our health from genetically modified foods. Rossman will discuss the topic and answer questions during this talk.
r March 7: The Art of Dowsing, presented by Elaine Ralston, member of the American Society of Dowsers and owner of Dowsing Unlimited, Kingston, N.Y.Throughout the ages men and women have used the art of dowsing in their daily life. Dowsing has a definite place in our modern, technical and sophisticated age. You can have a part in rediscovering this new/old practice and study how it is applied to find solutions to problems of many kinds. Join Elaine to experience the thrill of unlocking nature’s mysteries and understanding the powers that you are endowed with.