‘Miscellany’ Archives
Tales, Traditions and Toast OSL English Second Language Gathering on World Refugee Day OSL English Second Language
Tales, Traditions, and Toast sums up English Learning Center event on World Refugee Day where highlights of the evening were tales told, traditions honored and the toast of fresh wood-fired oven baked bread and other good food was shared. BY KATHLEEN ROCHE June 18th, in commemoration of World Refugee Day, the English Learning Center hosted a community event: Tales, Traditions and Toast. Community members, volunteer teachers and students, family members and friends came together to build relationships and share with one another. The event began with outdoor games, interactive activities to learn about refugees, and opportunities to visually share attendees”' own immigrant journeys. The highlight of the evening was storytelling: students shared recently published stories about best friends, first winter experiences in Minnesota, the tragedy of war, and first flights to the United States. These stories were touching and educational, and they humanized the experience of coming to [...]
Avalon an oasis on Lake Street
The Avalon was built on the site of the 1909 Royal Theatre later named Seventh Ward Theatre, Rosebud Theatre and Reno Theatre. In 1924 was made over: Architect Ekman & Holm, renamed Avalon, and increased seating to 300. In 1937 it was enlarged again; Architect Perry E. Crosier to Streamline Moderne style using steel fabricated by Minneapolis Moline, 13 blocks away. It features a corner marquee tower with neon and incandescent colored lights restored twice since 1988. The change to “Fine Arts” in 1955, starting with Welles”' “Othello” and to an art/foreign policy which soon gave away to sex pictures and porn. Then it was called the “Avalon Fine Arts” until Avalon name fell off marquee. The theatre had an artesian well supplying a water fountain (on 2nd floor above the circular staircase and next to the “Crying Room”) and water sprayed into a metal chamber, stage right, to cool air blown through tunnels and ductwork as an [...]
