| The College Hill eNewsletter |
| Telling
the story of "A Diverse and Neighborly
Community." |
October 3,
2008
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Dear Reader,
Ken and I like to think we know what's going
on in College Hill, but the truth is we only know the tip of
the iceberg. So much great stuff is going on that we couldn't
print it all if we tried.
But we do try. Last week I
learned that weekly the prayer walks that started last year
are still going on. How did I miss that for so long? I hopped
on over Monday night and walked around one of our most
troubled blocks with a group of people who weren't intimidated
by anything or anyone.
We sang on the street corners,
we read psalms, we said hello to young guys hanging around
doorways and shook people's hands. We even picked up trash
while we were at it. Now, this isn't my usual style. But I was
happy and moved to be with people who made public their
prayers for the people and places we often think of as only
problems to be solved.
Of course, there are many
problems to be solved, and many people are working hard to
solve them. We all want "someone" to "do something."
But it's good to remember that prayer is also "doing
something," and anyone can do it any time. You don't even have
to go out your door to pray for your neighbors. But if you
want to, I know one place you can go every Monday
night!
Gail D. Finke, Co-Editor
We like to keep
our eNewsletter articles short & sweet, but sometimes
there are articles that at least one of your editors thinks
should be run uncut. Let us know what you think about
the articles in this week's issue.
Ken Lyon,
Co-Editor
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| Prayer Walks Continue
The walks began more than a year
ago, and have consistently drawn at least a half dozen
participants--sometimes many more. "It's one of the
longest-running prayer groups I've ever been involved with,"
says College Hill Presbyterian's Pastor Drew Smith. "Most of
them start out strong but peter out after a while. Not this
one."
Churches and pastors participating in the group
include CHPC, the House of Joy, the First United Church of
Christ, Hilltop United Methodist Church (Pastor Jeanette
Shegog is pictured with participants) and St.
Clare.
They're all for civic and police action, but the
participants remind you that prayer, too, is action. If you
would like to pray for our neighborhood, join the group
at about 5:45 any Monday night in front of the House of
Joy.
The walk begins at 6 pm and includes singing,
readings, and prayers. The pastors invite you to bring your
Bible and join in, but if you prefer to pray silently, come
too. All are welcome.
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Fire Follows Ike's Big Winds
Last week's once-in-a-century hurricane damage didn't
end with downed trees and power-less days. Firefighters
spent most of Saturday battling a blaze at McEvoy Park, where
the city had stored tons of wood and brush from the wind
storm.
Your co-editor snapped this
picture of workers dumping the wood in the parking lot Monday
after the storm went through.
By Friday, the mountain of dry
wood had reached epic proportions, and your co-editor made a
detour to snap this photo.
Finally, early Saturday morning, it
caught fire. The photo of the fire comes from Dwayne Slavey at
Channel 9 News. Read more about it and see video
here. Brush and debris photos by Gail D.
Finke. |
| Community and City leaders, District 5 Police, Shakers
Owners Meet
College Hill representatives, District 5
police, Councilman Cecil Thomas, the Human Relations
Commission, probation officers and the owners of Shakers Nite
Club met on September 25 to develop a crime control plan for
the business district. The College Hill Forum arranged the
meeting in response to a shooting in the parking lot behind
Shakers at Hamilton and Cedar Avenues on September 18, the
second homicide there in four months.
Representatives
from the Forum, the Business Association, Citizens on Patrol
and Court Watch discussed the community's frustration and
concern at recent increases in crime and disruptive behavior.
Shakers owners stressed their long operation, support of the
community and successful efforts in keeping troublemakers out
of the club, but an inability to control activity in the
parking lot. District 5 explained the police response and
suggested additional tactics. House of Joy members discussed
experiences with youth on the Avenue. Cecil Thomas made
suggestions that have worked elsewhere.
All agreed on
a multi-faceted plan of action. The plan includes the
following: College Hill will be designated a "zero tolerance"
area for even small infractions. District 5 police will
increase its presence in response. Councilman Thomas will
report back on specific assistance the City can offer. The
Human Relations Commission is meeting with neighborhood
leaders to establish Community Relations Monitoring here.
Shakers owners will install security surveillance and
additional cameras will be installed throughout the business
district in early 2009. Other possible steps include closing
"escape" routes from the parking lot.
Although the
community faces serious issues, College Hill organizations and
stakeholders worked with our City partners to develop a
responsive plan.
You can help by calling in
instances of crime, suspicious behavior, disorderly conduct,
loitering and litter. For emergencies such as criminal
activity and fights, call 911. For loitering, disruptive
crowds, suspicious activity, call the police at
513-765-1212. For litter, weeds or graffiti, call the
City at 513-591-6000.
Phyllis Slusher contributed this
article.
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A Bit of College Hill History:
Phillips
Academy, Andover and College Hill
 What connects Phillips Academy
and College Hill, in addition to a number of students who have
set out from College Hill to study at that Andover,
Massachusetts, institution through the generations? The answer
was found recently in the records of the Ohio Female
College ("OFC") and the career of a trailblazing educator
of women: Philena McKeen. During the 1850s, McKeen was
as professor of music at OFC, in charge of instruction of the
piano and melodeon. A relative of Joseph McKeen, first
president of Bowdoin College, she was born in Vermont in 1822
and taught first in Maine before coming to College Hill in the
early 1850s to take a position at the recently established
OFC. Incorporated in 1848, and located on what is now the
grounds of Children's Hospital's College Hill campus, OFC was
"devoted to the liberal education of women, intellectually,
physically, morally; professing to afford to her, in addition
to the polite accomplishments of art, all those advantages for
thorough discipline of mind which other colleges have long
afforded exclusively to men." According to the 1856
Catalogue and Prospectus of OFC in the College Hill Historical
Society Archives, there were 97 pupils in the music department
that year, with 80 studying piano, 13 guitar, two the melodeon
and 54 in the choir. The total college enrollment was 172,
with six students only attending the music or art department,
including College Hill's Ellen Cist, a daughter of Cincinnati
chronicler and historian Charles Cist. While tuition at OFC
was then $200 per year, extra fees were charged for the study
of languages, music, drawing, painting or needle-work. For
example, music was an extra $15 per term, while French, German
or Greek were each $6, with Latin available for only $4 per
term! In 1856 McKeen left OFC to teach at the Western
Female Seminary at Oxford, Ohio (which later merged with Miami
University after the presidency of College Hill's Mary Moore
Dabney Thomson).  Then, in 1859, McKeen became the eleventh
principal of Abbot Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, which
was commonly known as the "Fem Sem." She reigned there
for the next 33 years. Pictured are n, who was also a teacher
at the Western Seminary for Women at Oxford, Ohio and the
first assistant teacher at Abbot Academy. Abbot had
been founded in 1829 as one of the first educational
institutions in New England devoted to the education of women.
In 1878 the United States Commissioner of Education rated an
Abbott education equal to that of Vassar or Mt. Holyoke
College. When McKeen began as principal the campus was
contained on one acre; by the time she retired in 1892, it
spanned twenty-three. McKeen, who was a friend of Harriet
Beecher Stowe, one of the benefactors of Abbott, was admired
by each succeeding class of graduates for her tenacity in
securing a first class education for "her girls." At a
tribute in 1892 a former student stated that,
In characterizing Miss McKeen
as a teacher, what one of her girls could restrain a warm
enthusiasm and gratitude? In many respects her classroom was
unique; its atmosphere was stimulated by the influence of a
vigorous mind which sought not merely facts and dates but
required opinions, directed new combinations of ideas, and
aroused that living interest which has led so many of the
alumnae to labor patiently and successfully in the paths of
her suggestion. Like the great teachers of all times, every
gift was fortified by a rare patience, ennobled by a supreme
unselfishness which made the interest of the pupil the center
of all hopes, the height of every ambition. Above all, her
love of truth, led her girls to value truth in every
form.
Abbott Seminary later merged with Phillips
Academy in 1973. The legacy of Philena McKeen is still
recognized each year by the distinguished McKeen Award, which
is given to a member of the Phillips Academy community who
exemplifies "inspired and dedicated leadership in
education." Thanks to
Ed Loyd for this article. |
Lord's Bounty Scholarship Applications Available
 Applications for college scholarships are
available now from The Lord's Bounty resale shop. For
25 years, sales of used items at the Hamilton Ave. store have
gone to providing $1,000 academic scholarships to area
students--more than $200,000 so far. Students must live
in College Hill or attend a College Hill church. The
scholarships and organizational grants can be used for
undergraduate or technical school tuition. Current recipients
may apply for next year. Interested? Send a
Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope to The Lord's Bounty, 5852
Hamilton Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45224. Thanks to Mary Bodmer and the
Lord's Bounty for this
article. |
| First UCC Seminar on Care for Aging a Success
A mini-seminar at the First United First of
Christ last weekend gave nineteen participants an in-depth
look at the problems and spiritual richness of elderly parents
and their adult children.
Kathy Ison, Vice-President of
Senior Living Solutions of the Episcopal Retirement Homes,
spoke about aging and family dynamics. Jan Ledford, Chaplain
at Llanfair, spoke and led a small group discussion about
spirituality and aging.
According to Cindy Beckman,
Parish Nurse at the church, "All attended gained some useful
and realistic expectations about hte challenges of aging and
caring for aging parents or other relatives."
For
information about the First United Church of Christ and its
programs, call 513-541-7302. |
Form-Based Smart Codes--A New Opportunity for College
Hille
Phyllis Slusher tells us of a new way of thinking
about zoning and building codes that could hasten the
revitalization of College Hill. The Cincy Character
website provides more information about this potentially
revolutionary way to facilitate rebuilding our
community. Phyllis writes:
Do your eyes glaze over when
you hear the words "zoning" or " building codes" with all the
different designations and technical jargon? Well, there's a
new kind of building code called Form-Based or Smart Codes,
and it's an exciting development.
Lookin' good.
The new
Form-Based/Smart Codes concept is based on the
look/design/visual interest of a community. It's being
implemented selectively by the City of Cincinnati. Council
member Roxanne Qualls; Charles Graves, head of City Planning;
and Scott Stiles, Assistant City Manager, are leading the
effort.
Other cities have used Form-Based/Smart Codes
to great success, including Nashville, Ft. Worth and
Arlington, Virginia.
Delegations from College Hill
joined a fact-finding trip to Nashville, which has used
Form-Based Codes for eight years. The Nashville Planning
Department said their tremendous development boom began when
Form-Based Codes took effect. This system works on one corner
or one building or a huge development.
Get smart.
Form-Based/Smart Codes are just that--smart and
form-based.
It's smart for the community because the
Code itself is based largely on design, form and looks so no
monstrosity surprises the community--no great hulking cement
block boxes arising on major corners, for instance. And smart
because the underlying principal is to make a space people
friendly, diverse and active. Each community decides how it
wants to use its space and how it will look.
And the
Codes are smart for builders and developers because it becomes
easier, faster and less expensive to get projects approved by
the City. No surprises, no variances. Neighborhoods using
Form-Based/Smart Codes find themselves at a considerable
advantage in attracting builders and developers and are
happier with the final results.
These Codes are NOT
retroactive--business owners will not be forced to tear down
or remodel existing buildings. Only NEW buildings or
developments planned under Form-Based/Smart Codes will adopt
the desired look and the feel of the space. Sidewalk depth,
parking, traffic flow, green space, building height, gathering
places, signage and other visual elements can make a place
beautiful--or hideous. The Code uses these elements to make a
place livelier and more utilized than standard zoning (which
primarily directs land usage, not the look or design of the
space).
College Hill
wants in.
The College Hill Forum and College
Hill Business Association see only an upside to adopting this
concept. The City will select several neighborhoods as beta
sites to test From-Based/Smart Codes. (We don't want other
neighborhoods to get all the goodies.) Madisonville, Westwood,
Mt. Adams, Kennedy Heights and Pleasant Ridge are also vying
to adopt these new Codes.
We need you.
Form-Based/Smart Codes succeed in large part
because the community is involved in the planning from Day
One. You'll be hearing more about this and you'll be invited
to participate in the planning process. This process gives
everyone a voice in designing the kind of business district we
want. The College Hill community will be kept informed through
the eNewsletter, the
Currents, fliers on
the Avenue and emails. Watch for more news soon.
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McAuley Sings on the Square
McAuley musicians
and singers performed at Fountain Square last month in
celebration of a centennial--and a big grant.
The
Charlotte R. Schmidlapp Fund turned 100 years old, and McAuley
was one of three beneficiaries awarded a $100,000 grant for
the centennial. It will benefit the school's Women in Medicine
program.
The McAuley Vocal Ensemble (pictured) and
Orchestra performed for a downtown lunch crowd on a beautiful
fall day.
Thanks to
McAuley High School for this story and photo.
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| Volunteer for Hometown Huddle
This year's Marvin Lewis Community Fund/United
Way "Hometown Huddle" project will take place here in College
Hill next Tuesday, Oct. 7, and you can help.
About 400
volunteers are expected for the one-day blitz, part of a
nationwide day of service sponsored in party by the NFL.
Cincinnati Bengals will be part of the crowd building play
equipment at Town Hall Park.
Sponsors include Home
Depot, Baker Concrete, the Cincinnati Recreation Commission,
United Way of Greater Cincinnati, Vonderhaar's Catering,
Prestige Audio Visual and Panera Bread.
To volunteer,
you must call Natalie Anderson at (513) 381-5437, or email her
here. She can fill you in on
when to arrive and where to report.
Check back next
week for photos of the work and the finished
results! |
Pleasant Hill Yard Sale Saturday
 Pleasant Hill Academy invites the
community to a fundraising yard sale from 9:30 am to noon
Saturday. Paula Sherman, Pleasant Hill's Site
Coordinator, says the sale is a first for the school. All
proceeds will go to school programs. The staff will be
on hand for the sale, so it's a great opportunity to meet or
reacquaint yourself with Pleasant Hill.
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Make a Difference in College Hill
 The College Hill Forum is again
sponsoring Make A Difference
Day for our annual fall beautification of "The Hill" and .
. . we need your help!!! Join your
neighbors on Saturday, October 25th from 9 am to Noon for a
great day of volunteering. We will be cleaning
up the streets of our business district, planting bulbs for
spring and preparing gardens/planters for the winter.
Prizes, supplies, food & drinks will be
provided. All you need to do is mark your calendar
and then show up to be part of the fun and MAKE A DIFFERENCE
in our community.
For more information about
volunteering please contact Sue Roth at roths@nku.edu. |
| Host a Hawkins House Concert for ARCH
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| Adopt a Class at Pleasant Hill
Cincinnati Public Schools will be focusing a
lot of time and attention on Pleasant Hill Academy in the next
year, and you can too.
Adopt A Class
Foundation (AAC) is a non-profit mentoring program
designed to connect the business community with the children
(pre-K through 8th grade) at College Hill's neighborhood
elementary school.
Each business or group agrees to
7-10 hours of volunteering per participant throughout the
year. For more information click here or contact
Bill Burwinkle (513-244-8075, bill.b@aacfoundation.com).
Mercy
Hospital Mt. Airy has adopted three classes, and the College
Hill Coffee Co., the College Hill LaRosa's and PNC Bank have
each adopted one. More than 20 classes remain--it's a great
way to help local kids succeed. |
| Llanfair Volunteer Meeting Sunday
Llanfair Retirement Community is looking for
volunteers age 14 and up to assist in various
programs--everything from making friendly visits to taking
residents on outings.
Interested? A mandatory
orientation is scheduled for Sunday, October 5th from 3:30 to
7:30.
Please RSVP to Nancy Thomas at
513-491-4501.
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Coming Events
Here are a few of the coming events in College Hill
from the College Hill
Calendar. To see all listings, go to the
calendar. To get an event you know about listed, click
on the Submit an Event link below or in the
calendar.
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2008
Community
Calendar |
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Submit an Event |
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| October |
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Every
Friday in October: The Rock Cafe Game Night. Bid
whist, spades, and tonk players -- gather at The Rock
for fellowship, food, and fun. Cards arent' your thing?
Bring your own game! $5 donation suggested; begins at 7
pm every Friday except Oct. 10 (9 pm). For information
call P. Ann Everson_rice at (513)
236-9589.
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DOUBLE-HEADER!
LIVE MUSIC WITH NYEEMAH AND SPECTACULAR ART
EXHIBIT
Nyeemah MacDonald
- Every first Friday of the month! 20/20 Cincinnati Arts
Festival event!7:30 - 9:30
p.m. Nyeemah's music is an
amalgamation of lyrics, tones, and energies, a blend of
elements that touch on a universal language from spoken
word to driving Afro-Cuban percussion, Tibetan chants,
jazz, blues, hip hop.
Leslie
Alexandria - Stunning silk art bowls exhibit and sale!
20/20 Arts Festival event! 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. Leslie Alexandria is
an art quilter and College Hill resident. She has
exhibited her art quilts in numerous local shows and
recently was invited to show her work at the Cincinnati
Art Museum gift shop in association with a national
quilt exhibit. Leslie's imaginative sense of design has
led her to create FiberWare©, bowls made of silk,
hand-dyed fabrics and African brocades. These bowls are
unique, vibrantly colored and come in many shapes and
sizes. Besides being lovely art objects on their own,
they can be used to attractively hold jewelry,
keys or even to serve rolls at your next dinner party.
You will be amazed at their versatility. Remember, it is
never too soon to shop for wonderful gifts for others,
or for yourself! So please join us to see and perhaps
take home a unique FiberWare silk bowl or two to start
your collection or your gift
list!
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Erin McCamley - new at
College Hill Coffee Co.! New, young,
talented! Showcasing her first CD! Just 19, Erin
grew up in Cincinnati, although she was born outside of
San Francisco.She's been creating music since she
learned to talk, started writing music with piano and
lyrics when she was in 3rd grade, and wrote her first
official complete song ("that I actually liked") when
she was 13. Erin has also acted, but considers herself
foremost a singer-songwriter. She'll be singing
primarily her own original songs, (she's written
approximately 65 in the past three years!) and
accompanying herself on our antique piano.. Her
music style would be best described as "Coffeehouse
Rock"-perfect for CHCC! -- more upbeat than Sarah
McLachlan, less rock-esque than Ben Folds. Her music has
a lot of folk, Indie, and contemporary musical theater
influence.
College Hill
Presbyterian Church: Listening for Heaven's Sake.
This one-day Christian seminar provides practical
hands-on skill for improving your career, your
relationships and your ministry by becoming a better
listener. Led by Anne Clippard. $20 (includes materials
and lunch); 9 am - 5 pm. Call call 541-5676, ext. 163
for reservations or
information.
Pleasant Hill
Academy Yard Sale. Meet the staff of Pleasant Hill
and shop for bargains at this first of what will be an
annual event. All proceeds benefit Pleasant Hill Academy
(1350 North Bend). No fee; 9:30 am -
noon.
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| 5 |
 McAuley High
School Open House. McAuley invites all girls
in grades 6-8 to bring their families and see what
McAuley has to offer. Student ambassadors will give
tours, young alumnae will share their success stories,
all administrators and teachers will be on hand to
answer questions, financial aid applications will be
available, and entrance test and shadowing registration
will be offered. For more information contact Kathy
Dietrich at 681-1800 x 2272.
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Town Hall Park: Marvin Lewis Community
Fund Hometown Huddle. Hundreds of volunteers and dozens
of Bengals players will build a youth basketball court
and a new exercise/play equipment area in one day. This
event is part of a one-day, nationwide program sponsored
by the NFL and the United Way.
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| 8 |
College Hill Branch Library: Hispanic
Heritage Month Celebration. Join Herman Recalde of Salsa
Underground for this fun celebration. No charge; 2:30
pm.
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| 10 |
Gabe
Wright Gabe's music is part electric, part acoustic.
This young singer/songwriter, pop-rock talent bring lots
of vocal harmonies and a disregard for stylistic
boundaries. Gabe grew up in Lima, Ohio where he played
in bands and with friends and recorded a few CD's that
are no longer available. Gabe graduated from Berklee
College of Music in Boston and was the frontman for a
rock band and a metal band there, which played across
New England and New York City. Gabe spent several years
songwriting in Nashville and teaching at the National
Guitar Summer Workshop. We're just glad he's relocated
to Cincinnati and we get to bring him to you!
Gabe's most recent CDs are "If No One Knows My Name,"
"I'm Not Who I Am" and "This is Life"
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| 11 |
The
Clazels The Clazels have
been entertaining folks in the tri-state area for the
last decade. Joanie Whittaker and Jason Erickson
are at home in just about any musical setting from
acoustic shows to raucous full band electric sets,
delivering classic covers ranging from Frank Sinatra to
Johnny Cash to Neko Case. But it's The Clazel's
original music that sets them apart. Their unique
blend of dueling guitars and soaring harmonies will get
you higher than an Eagles/Beatles/Simon and Garfunkel
cocktail. Mike Breen of CityBeat said of the pair
"The songwriting and production
is top notch. The music is amazingly
performed."
Engine 51,
College Hill: City of Cincinnati Fire House Day. All
city firehouses will be open for this special day. Visit
as many as you like, but be sure to stop by 1654 Marlowe
to meet the officers of Engine 51, see the firetrucks,
tour the firehouse, ask questions -- and thank the
firefighters who keep us all safe! Refreshments will be
served. No fee; 1-5 pm.
College Hill Town
Hall Park: Pumpkin Patch Festival. Enjoy a full day
of entertainment, art and craft sales, children's
activities, a petting zoo, and the famous Scarecrow
Competition. The College Hill Farmers Market will hold
its last sale of the year -- get your vegetables,
plants, gourds, and baked goods! Free parking at Aiken
High School. No fee for general admission; $4 per child
for activities and games, pony ride and petting zoo,
treat bag, prizes, and mini-pumpkin; $2 per child for
pony ride only; 10 am - 4
pm.
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The eNewsletter is published every week or two by
the volunteers listed below. Our purpose is to help make
College Hill an even better place to live, play and do
business by publishing a broad spectrum of news for and about
College Hill, with an emphasis on stories of College Hill
people working together to improve our community.
The eNewsletter is
independently prepared and published by neighborhood
volunteers. It is not affiliated with the College Hill
Forum Community Council.
Opinions expressed here are not necessarily those of any
College Hill or other organization--or even of the editor. The
inclusion of an article is not necessarily an endorsement. The
fact that something isn't in the eNewsletter is not
necessarily a lack of endorsement--it's most likely because no
one told us about it.
eNewsletter photos are often edited to remove
extraneous material.
Send us news that you think would be interesting to your
College Hill neighbors--and we'll very likely publish it.
Email to eNewsletter@CollegeHillOH.net.
- Co-editors: Ken Lyon and Gail Finke
- Contributing Editor: Sarah Mann Wolf
- Backup Editor: Tom
Strothers
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