News & Views of Phillips Since 1976
Friday December 19th 2025
December 2009: What”'s Up at the Franklin Library
By Erin Thomasson
Children”'s Programs
Sheeko Caruur Af-Soomaali ah/World Language Storytime: Somali
Tuesdays, Dec. 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29, 6:30”“7:30Â p.m. La wadaag bugagga, sheekoyinka, jaan-gooyada maansada iyo muusikada Soomaalida. Waxaa lagu maalgaliyey deeq ay Comcast Foundation siisay Library Foundation of Hennepin County.
For children ages 2 and up. Experience the world in other languages. Funding provided by a grant to the Library Foundation of Hennepin County from the Comcast Foundation.
Preschool Storytime
Wednesdays, Dec. 2, 9, 16 & 30, 10:30-11:00Â a.m.
For children ages 4 to 6. Help your preschooler get ready to read. Enjoy stories together and build language skills.
Waxbarasho iyo Ciyaar Caruureed Af-Soomaali ah/Somali Play and Learn
Friday, Dec. 4, 10:30 a.m.
For kids through preschool. Dhammaan caruurta ka yar da”' dugsi. Ka soo qaybgal sheekooyin caruur, heeso iyo hawlo waxbarasho. Join us for stories, songs and activities! Presented in collaboration with the Resources for Child Caring.
Sock Puppet Workshop
Friday, Dec. 11, 3:30Â p.m.
For kids in grade 2 and up. Take an everyday sock and turn it into something creative! Join other kids in making fun sock creatures to take home. Supplies provided.
Swedish Stories
Wednesday, Dec. 16, 10:30Â a.m.
For kids in preschool.… Read the rest “December 2009: What”'s Up at the Franklin Library”
There are no ”˜Good Old Days”' Childhood Health Stories
The woman standing by the cross is the Grandmother Aubele of Annie and Adele Aubele, sisters who died from diphtheria within 24 hours of each other in early December 1915.
By Sue Hunter Weir
Two Year Old Frida Aubele died Dec. 2, 1915 from diphtheria. Six Year Old Annie Aubele died Dec. 3, 1915 from diphtheria. Graves were remarked and girls remembered and honored Oct. 16th 2009.
It pretty much goes without saying that kids hate to have shots. And, many parents are reluctant to have their children vaccinated because of possible unintended consequences. This year, because of all the media attention about the H1N1 virus, there are a lot of people weighing the potential benefits against the possibility of adverse side effects. Cemetery records paint a picture of what life was like for children and their families before vaccinations were a routine part of medical care.
Of the 21,000 burials in the cemetery over half are children under the age of ten. Many of those children died in infancy, the result of premature or stillbirths. Others died of bacterial infections related to contaminated drinking water. But others died of diseases, like measles, that are no longer considered an inevitable part of childhood.… Read the rest “There are no ”˜Good Old Days”' Childhood Health Stories”
SEARCHING ”“ a Serial Novelle Chapter 9: History, Part I
by Patrick Cabello Hansel
(Author”'s note: in the last chapter, Angel met up at Maria”'s Café with his high school history teacher, who began relating a neighborhood story from the mid-19th century that he has unearthed during his sabbatical.)
“Between August Ternstvedt”'s little house and what became the cemetery was a low piece of ground called the swale. The swale was a worthless piece for kitchen gardens or orchards, and because it was low-lying it wasn”'t the first choice upon which to build. But because no one particularly wanted the land, it was a good place to go when you were wanted. Runaway slaves passed through there. There is a legend that refugees from the killings in 1862 stopped one night. AWOL soldiers, people involved in illegal fur trade, women who were fleeing abusive husbands. They would come, they would go, but their spirits always seemed to haunt the place.”
“So where are you talking about””this swale or whatever you call it?” , Angel asked.
Mr. Bussey took a sip of his coffee.
“It”'s roughly the area between Bloomington and Cedar, and Franklin to about the railroad tracks””the Greenway today.”
“That”'s right where my folks live””on 18th Avenue!” Angel felt a longing, a regret inside him growing.… Read the rest “SEARCHING ”“ a Serial Novelle Chapter 9: History, Part I”
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