Photo Hunters: My Choice!

May 10, 2008 by Mrs. Mecomber
Filed under Photo Hunters, history

Today’s Photo Hunters is a photo of our own choice. I have about 1,500 photos of all our travels online, so the choice was difficult to make! But I chose to post a photo of one of our most-beloved Founding Fathers and New Yorkers, Alexander Hamilton. Upstate New York is a mighty historical place. This statute stands watch over the chapel at Hamilton College in Clinton, NY. The college was founded by Reverend Samuel Kirkland, and Alexander Hamilton was appointed as a trustee. Due to its history and strong Christian missionary ties to the region, this college is near and dear to our hearts. Kirkland is buried here, as is his very close friend Skenandoah and numerous other heroes from America’s founding days.

I blogged about a wonderful new development going on with some history professors at the college; the organization is called The Alexander Hamilton Institute for the Study of Western Culture. It is an earth-shaking development and their mission has repercussions for Ivy League universities and all of academia! I suppose this is why the opposition has been so fierce. You can read all about the mission here. My daughter The Historian and I attended the first annual colloquium dinner of the AHI, thanks to the very gracious Bob Pacquette (!), and heard a terrific presentation by Harvard professor John Stauffer, “Liberty and Slavery: The Civil War between Gerrit Smith and George Fitzhugh.” The video of Mr. Stauffer’s presentation and those of others is online for the public to view! The speeches are outstanding, and I recommend you watch them.

The forming of the AHI constitutes a global shift in academe. This is a group to watch, and support, if you can. If you’d like to read a little more about the history of the AHI and the massive resistance against it, read Professor Robert Pacquette’s excellent essay, “The World We Have Lost: A Parable on the Academy.”

Tags: Alexander Hamilton Institute, Hamilton College, John Stauffer, Samuel Kirkland

Comments

14 Comments on "Photo Hunters: My Choice!"

Jan on Sat, 10th May 2008 11:28 am

Love the photo. This is a very interesting post. I’ll have to check out the links. I love that part of NY state.

Teena in Toronto on Sat, 10th May 2008 12:09 pm

Very cool statue!

Mine’s up too

Daisy on Sat, 10th May 2008 1:55 pm

You know so much about history! Alexander Hamilton looks very proud and strong.

Jenny A. on Sat, 10th May 2008 3:09 pm

I took some pictures this spring of a statue on the campus near here (Texas A&M). I love that stuff.

Have a good weekend!

Natalie on Sat, 10th May 2008 3:16 pm

I just love history! And I drove through upstate NY just last Sunday.

A. on Sat, 10th May 2008 3:25 pm

Very, very interesting post! I’ve bookmarked the link to the new Criterion article, and will visit it later.

Thanks for visiting mine earlier

Alison on Sat, 10th May 2008 4:46 pm

That’s a gorgeous statue, he looks very dashing indeed!

jesie on Sat, 10th May 2008 10:44 pm

I like the historical background and introduction. I am glad that the Alexander Hamilton Institute was established. And AH’s statue still stands today. It’s sad that AH lost his life to Aaron Burr in the duel. I am glad that today politicians hold debates and no more duels.

tnchick- on Sat, 10th May 2008 10:58 pm

I think History can be interesting and only wish I knew much more…

SnoopyTheGoon on Sun, 11th May 2008 4:38 am

This is a excellent post in general, picture included. Thanks for sharing.

Have a great weekend.

John on Sun, 11th May 2008 6:43 am

Very interesting post!

eastcoastlife on Sun, 11th May 2008 1:35 pm

It’s the first time I heard of Alexander Hamilton.
Happy Mother’s Day!

Flo on Sun, 11th May 2008 1:58 pm

What a great post!! I’m from New Jersey and have always been fascinated with history. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that statue but I may have as a kid.

graham on Mon, 12th May 2008 2:23 am