20 UNDER 4O

Edward Clapp is the editor of 20UNDER40, an anthology of 20 essays by "emerging leaders" in the field of arts education. In connection with the project, Americans for the Arts hosted a marathon blog conversation around the theme of "emerging leadership" earlier this fall.
Listen to a podcast interview with Mr. Clapp, here.

Also: William Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet 3.2

Juliet
Gallop apace, you fiery-footed steeds,
Towards Phoebus' lodging: such a wagoner 1720
As Phaethon would whip you to the west,
And bring in cloudy night immediately.
Spread thy close curtain, love-performing night,
That runaway's eyes may wink and Romeo
Leap to these arms, untalk'd of and unseen. 1725
Lovers can see to do their amorous rites
By their own beauties; or, if love be blind,
It best agrees with night. Come, civil night,
Thou sober-suited matron, all in black,
And learn me how to lose a winning match, 1730
Play'd for a pair of stainless maidenhoods:
Hood my unmann'd blood, bating in my cheeks,
With thy black mantle; till strange love, grown bold,
Think true love acted simple modesty.
Come, night; come, Romeo; come, thou day in night; 1735
For thou wilt lie upon the wings of night
Whiter than new snow on a raven's back.
Come, gentle night, come, loving, black-brow'd night,
Give me my Romeo; and, when he shall die,
Take him and cut him out in little stars, 1740
And he will make the face of heaven so fine
That all the world will be in love with night
And pay no worship to the garish sun.
O, I have bought the mansion of a love,
But not possess'd it, and, though I am sold, 1745
Not yet enjoy'd: so tedious is this day
As is the night before some festival
To an impatient child that hath new robes
And may not wear them.

The Rescuers

Sometimes, you need help figuring it all out.

Also: Laura Nyro w/ Labelle - It's Gonna Take A Miracle

Lead the Way

Over at ArtsBlog, John Abodeely of Americans for the Arts writes about the importance of systemic change if we are going to effectively provide arts education in our schools. This, among other things, is the topic of the upcoming 2009 Convention.

Systemic efforts to sustain arts education provision include a sense of ownership by civic and education leaders; a single strategy to leverage otherwise disparate funding streams for arts education; and support for school districts to choose arts partners and teaching artist programs with discretion and purpose. In essence, these efforts organize the arts education community in order to help the education community to provide arts education.

Also: James Baldwin, 1963

The purpose of education, finally, is to create in a person the ability to look at the world for himself, to make his own decisions, to say to himself this is black or this is white, to decide for himself whether there is a God in heaven or not. To ask questions of the universe, and then to learn to live with those questions, is the way he achieves his own identity. But no society is really anxious to have that kind of person around. What societies really, ideally, want is a citizenry which will simply obey the rules of society. If a society succeeds in this, that society is about to perish.

Plus: Dionne Warwick - Alfie

Look Back and Wonder

Do you have to work today?

I do, so I am hoping the classroom teacher will have the good sense to turn on the TV at 11:30 am.

From the New York Times here is Kennedy giving his inaugural address in 1961.

When he says for us to "convert our good words into good deeds" I go all goose pimples.

Also: Mahalia singing "How I Got Over", which she also sang at the March in 1963.

What A Difference A Day Makes

C-SPAN's inauguration hub has live video feeds of an event I never imagined would happen in my lifetime.

History is here.

Hold tight.

Reflection

This early film was shot in 1896:






This film was shot in 1963:

Renewal

Find a Volunteer Opportunity

The Corporation for National and Community Service has collaborated with the Presidential Inaugural Committee to create a national registry of Volunteer Projects.

You can access this information at USAService.org.