Railroads in the late 1800s

These train prints from the latter 1800s show a lot about the values of the time. In order I feel that these pictures show the peoples leaving of the city in search of new opportunities out west. There is clearly little value placed on the environment and no concern for air pollution, America wanted what was best no matter who or what it affected. Life centered around railroads but it wasn't the most glamorous life.

Slave House

Assessing the Sweet Briar Slave Cabin

Assessing the Sweet Briar Slave Cabin

Prior to our class discussion about the slave cabin on Sweet Briar’s campus, I honestly didn’t know much about the structure.  In fact all I really knew was that we had one.  I was unaware of its location, what it looked like, or what it even was.  Now that I have a broader knowledge of the cabin, I think it is a fascinating relic for the history of this school and our country.

            Sweet Briar College prides itself in its rich history of once being a large working plantation; a bucolic scene of rich history nestled in the state of Virginia. The college has made several attempts to preserve many of the plantations original structures including the Plantation House and the cemeteries. It doesn’t look like much from the outside, just a small square house made of wood with a few windows and a door, but the cabin contains immense amounts of history dating back to its construction in the early 1800s. The structure once served as the shelter and home for Sterling Jones and his children as well as many other slaves throughout the college’s prior plantation life. Home is one generally of the many places in the world that a person feels truly relaxed and safe, so this little building was once a sacred place for many people, people who lived during one of the most pivot time period in terms of our country’s future.

I do think it is important that we preserve the cabins original structure, however its purpose then is no longer relevant to todays society.  I think it is important that we embrace our history of slavery and “peculiar institution”.  This is not because we should be proud of our past, but instead that we are proud of how we have progressed from that point.  It serves as a reminder of our growth as a country and as human beings.  As stated by George Santayana, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”  We must understand our wrongdoings, but learn from them and use them as guides for our future.  Although I do not think the cabin’s original function should be forgotten, I do think we should progress forward.  While preserving the structure true to its time, I think it would be an excellent place to have an office for a history or anthropology professor.  Who better to occupy the space than someone who truly understands and loves what it is. It could follow with the theme of the old train station and the old water purification building, in recycling what was already here and appreciating it by giving it new life. A museum would preserve the cabin, but a person is never as interested or as fascinated the second time they go to a museum. An exhibit is stiff and meticulous, I would much rather create an environment that encourages and welcomes people to come live and work amongst the history instead of just looking at it.

            I think its prior of being a slave cabin scares off many students and makes them feel uncomfortable.  By creating a space for professors where its value in terms of learning is the focus and not its grim past, students would feel more comfortable in the space.  When discussing the cabin I think it would be beneficial to exhibit it as a base for the growth of civil rights in America.  Tying in the cabin to Sweet Briar’s history with civil rights and including when Sweet Briar opened its doors to African Americans would put a more positive emphasis on the cabin. In addition it would be rather intriguing to have an exhibit that focuses on slave cabins in general and compares the one we have here with those around the south. Knowing how slaves here lived versus slaves in other areas could invoke several realizations.  There could be regional differences in slave cabins across the south or differences from time periods.  This is an opportunity to expand and learn more, not limit ourselves to what we already know.  Sweet Briar may be the only college in the world to own a slave cabin and I think that that should be embraced.

            I can’t say I knew much about slave cabins before I came here. However, this cabin has sparked an interest in me learn more about the plantations history and the history of slave dwellings. This is the kind of thing that sets Sweet Briar apart from other colleges; we are able to walk through the history and not just read about it. The slave cabin is the perfect opportunity to combine the old with new. This cabin has a rich history but why does it have to stop; I think we should keep the building alive and continue to build its history instead of simply freezing it in time. 

Assignment 4: Claude Levi-Strauss

Claude Levi-Strauss was a French anthropologist who was born on November 28, 1908 in Brussels, Belgium. He died in 2009 one month before his 101^st birthday, he lived for almost the entire 20^th century and has therefore seen numerous changes in the world and how people live. Shortly after high school Levi-Strauss became active in the socialist party and an avid fan of Marxist thought. He went on to study philosophy and law at the University of Paris and is know as the father of structural anthropology.  

Structural anthropology is defined as the theory that there are unobservable social structures that generate observable social phenomena. Levi-Strauss focused mythology and the idea that a myth is made up of all of its different versions, which have a common pattern. He claimed that myth was a language and developed a system to analyze myths. The principle of opposition, his most known principle, states “ mythical thought always progresses from the awareness of oppositions toward their resolution.”  Graber speaks of how Levi-Strauss’ theories analyze value but not his actual position on the idea of value. His works discussed the problem that arose when two different people or cultures tried to understand the value the other placed on certain ideas or items. Other areas he studied included the differences of “Hot and Cold Societies”. His interest in this subject could be a result of his socialist ideas and life during the two world wars. 

Sweet Briar Currency

Kristen Frey

Sweet Briar Currency

When you look around the Sweet Briar Campus the concept of “girls in pearls” is everywhere.  Almost every girl at Sweet Briar owns a set of pearls, whether it is earrings, a bracelet, or a necklace.  Therefore, when I found out I had to create a currency specific for Sweet Briar I just knew it had to involve pearls.  The currency would consist of five different pearls each of different value.  The pearls could then be strung together to create a greater value. Girls could string and wear the pearls as well as investment; similar to buying gold money as an investment.  The currency would have a unique design that relates to Sweet Briar College.  For the medium I have chosen pearl.  This decision was not only because Sweet Briar Girls love to wear pearls, but because of what the pearl represents.  In history pearls have represented perfection.  They symbolize honesty, integrity, wisdom, and femininity; Sweet Briar is a college that focuses on the success and empowerment of women.  The school emblem would be portrayed on the backside of the pearl.  A band of text around the circumference of the pearl would separate the back and front sides.  This text would be Sweet Briar’s Motto, “Rosam Quae Meruit Ferat.”  The motto, which translates to, “She who earns the rose may bare it,” serves as a reminder that we all must be honest and earn our pearls for exchange.

Value can be given or created for many different reasons.  Time and costs of goods and services correlate to the value of an object.  I have chosen to assign the pearls value based on their time value and their purchase value.  It is simple to assign a desired value to an item, but it’s true worth is determined by supply and demand. “What must a person do to acquire the wealth?” and “What can they do with their wealth once they have it?” are two questions that give value. Therefore I would pose that Sweet Briar would start paying its employees in pearls, and accepting payments, including meals and laundry, in pearls. Once the pearls are given a use, such as being used for meals, students and teachers will find value in them.

There are several different types of pearls in the world and each has a different level of value. There are fake pearls, imperfect pearls, freshwater pearls, saltwater pearls, and black pearls. The smallest form in this currency would be a fake pearl; this pearl would be represents by a letter “S” on the front side. The “S” pearl would be worth one dining hall swipe or twenty minutes of work. There is little value to a synthetic pearl as is, except for use as costume jewelry. It is the kind of pearl you would wear on a daily basis, similar to carrying around a one-dollar bill instead of a five-dollar bill. Next would be an imperfect pearl. This pearl is noted with an “I” on the obverse side. This pearl would be worth one hour of work at an on campus job or six washes in the laundry room.  An imperfect pearl has a unique look, but it is a real pearl so it has a better realistic finish. These pearls are also more commonly worn on a more casual basis, but they have more value because they are real.  A freshwater pearl, noted by an “F”, would be worth four hours of studying and a shirt from the bookstore. This pearl is real and has a more uniform look however it doesn’t have the rarity that comes with a saltwater pearl. The difference between the two is less noticeable; instead it has to do with the actual value. The letters “SW” denotes the saltwater pearl. This pearl would be worth a used textbook or a new pair of shoes. When a person talks about a “real” pearl necklace, this is what they talk about. These pearls are far more rare than any of the previous pearls and have a high value in the real world market. The last pearl in the currency would be a black pearl, noted with the letters “sBc”. This pearl would be worth a new textbook or a pair of new paddock boots.  Black pearls are the most rare of all the pearls especially when they are truly black.  The pearls of lesser value have value at Sweet Briar because of there fashion statement and functionality, the pearls of greater value have value in the real world as well. This would help provide a stronger and safer economy for the currency to function in.  

Every currency produces its own form of elites. What you buy with your money is one determinant of wealth. Using the pearl currency at Sweet Briar would make way for some elites, however not as many as most. Within this currency, a person with more wealth would possibly wear a more expensive type of pearl, but that would be the only difference. Unfortunately, in today’s global economy, it would be very difficult for these pearls to become a dominant form of exchange. Many girls see little purpose in even using “Sweet Cash” simply because it is easier for them to use debit or credit cards. With the “shrinking” of the world and the lack of previous barriers, creating a currency limited to a specific group or area is near impossible. Everyday we make purchases and interactions with people who may be half way across the world, so a common form of exchange is crucial to today’s society. 

Artwork

This is a painting by Lois Wilcox called Sweet Briar Cornfields. It is hanging in the gallery in Benedict. I like this painting because of all the color and because it flows well for an onlookers eye.

History post

I think this is the bell tower for Benedict Hall