Many of us remember the horror of September 11, 2001. We watched in disbelief as the news coverage of the deadliest terrorist attack in United States history that claimed the lives of 2,977 people unfolded.
All tagged mike parker
Mike Parker: D-Day Memorial – A Sobering Reminder
A couple of weeks ago, we had our bi-annual family reunion in Vinton, VA – my family’s old homeplace for more than 100 years. During our time together, Aunt Judy planned a trip to Bedford, a small Virginia town just over 25 miles away.
Mike Parker: Other signers who served after the Revolution
Last week, I focused on the contributions of Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson, two signers of the Declaration of Independence who served this fledgling nation with distinction after the American Revolution. Today, I would like to briefly focus on a few others whose work shaped the birth and growth of the institutions we so often take for granted.
Mike Parker: Declaration signers continued serving after Revolution
I recently wrote about some of the signers of the Declaration of Independence who suffered personal and professional losses during the American Revolution. Today, I want to highlight just a few of the signers who became significant figures in the newly formed American republic.
Mike Parker: Principles of the Declaration are as important today as ever
Too many people today think of the Declaration of Independence as some ancient document – something akin to the Dead Sea Scrolls or The Odyssey. A truth few stop to consider is that the principles expressed in the Preamble to the Declaration are just as important today as they were in 1776.
Mike Parker: Declaration signers placed themselves in jeopardy
As we approach the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, we are often so caught up in the document itself that we overlook the 56 people who signed it. While the Declaration itself is worthy of more consideration than we ever give it, we need to consider the men who placed themselves and their families at risk in signing the document.
Mike Parker: Declaration came in response to Lee Resolution
As we approach July 4th this year, we are especially drawn to remember the 250th anniversary of The Declaration of Independence. But we must never forget that no document exists in a vacuum. Jefferson and the committee that worked on the Declaration of Independence were carrying out a charge they received after the Second Continental Congress adopted the Lee Resolution on June 7, 1776.
Mike Parker: A significant anniversary took place on Sunday
While many of us have been focused on America’s 250th anniversary as we celebrate the Declaration of Independence and remember the war that followed, we would be remiss to forget that this year also marks the 251st anniversary of one of our most important institutions.
Mike Parker: Time to support ‘Wings Over the Neuse’ once again
I was not on the CSS Neuse Foundation Board when the first “Wings Over the Neuse” fundraiser took place. In 2009, board members decided to raise the funds needed to place a monument to Alton “Doc” Stapleford to recognize and honor all the work and supervision he provided during the construction of the CSS Neuse II.
Mike Parker: The most important stockpile lies between your ears
I was reading through some of my old columns when I came upon one I had written in January 2011 – my last semester of teaching at Farmville Central High School. I wrote:
Mike Parker: Has ‘Memorial Day’ become just another three-day weekend?
Believe it or not, today is not Memorial Day. May 30 is the real Memorial Day. On a good calendar, you will see a notation that says of today, May 25, “Memorial Day observed.” Sadly, despite the calendar’s notation, few will observe the spirit of Memorial Day today.
Mike Parker: Does faith-based training impact public school performance?
Bryant Jensen of Brigham Young University and Irvin L. Scott of Harvard’s Graduate School of Education collaborated on research that may seem strange. Both educators investigated the impact of students’, parents’, and teachers’ religious faith on students’ educational performance in public schools.
Mike Parker: Soil and Water Conservation Education winners
The Lenoir County Soil and Water Conservation District held its annual Education Celebration beginning at 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 6, in the King’s Restaurant Banquet Room. More than 30 students were honored in 13 separate categories for addressing the theme “We All Live in a Watershed.”
Mike Parker: “Oklahoma!” – North Lenoir style
On Thursday evening, April 23, Sandra and I spent a delightful three hours watching students and staff at North Lenoir High School bring “Oklahoma!” by Rogers and Hammerstein to life on stage.
Mike Parker: BBQ Festival on the Neuse: More than pulled pork and good times
This year marks the 45th anniversary of the start of the whole hog cook-off, which has become the largest single event in Kinston and Lenoir County each year. BBQ Fest brings tens of thousands of visitors to this area for food, fun, and music. Those who plan this event include a healthy dose of activities for children, as well.
Mike Parker: Halifax Resolves, the first call for independence
When residents of North Carolina purchase a new vehicle, they can choose among three standard license plates. The most common plate says: “First in Flight.” Two other choices are “In God We Trust” and “First in Freedom.”
Mike Parker: April 18 – A Busy Saturday
This Saturday, April 18, promises to be a busy day for those interested in food and music. The CSS Neuse Foundation is hosting this year’s first “Breakfast on the Boat” on April 18. The event will begin at 7:30 a.m. at the CSS Neuse II, the replica gunboat in dry dock at the corner of Herritage and Gordon streets.
Mike Parker: Historic church and local people appear in online video
If you type “Ed Terry The Circuit Riding Preacher” into a Google or YouTube search, you will arrive at a link to a video that features a historic church in Lenoir County: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGn0l7ovnnc
Mike Parker: ‘Life’s Little Instructions’ struck pedagogical pay dirt
Thinking back to the years I spent as a classroom teacher sometimes makes me proud. One of a teacher’s most gratifying experiences is giving students an assignment that seems to resonate with them – well, most of them.
Mike Parker: The quest for liberty for women began early in the US
Although women did not have the guarantee of general voting rights until the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution on August 18, 1920, women who owned property in New Jersey were allowed to vote from 1776 through 1807. Beginning in 1869, women in the Western territories won the right to vote.