Speakers: Bill Dick and Kendra Latta
Our Scientech historian, Bill Dick, will talk about the favorite Americans of one of our nations notable historians, David McCullough.
The Scientech Foundation will also present Kendra Latta from The Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. She will talk about the impact of the yearly program The Science of Light and Sound. This talk will give a concrete example of the impact that the grants from the Foundation are having on STEM education for thousands of young people in central Indiana.
Program: The American Spirit - David McCullough and the Science of Light and Sound
Speakers: Bill Dick, MD, Scientech Club Historian; Kendra Latta, CFRE, The Center for the Performing Arts, Carmel
Introduction By: Bob Yee, Bill Halsema
Attendance: NESC:101; Zoom:20
Guests: Mike Vadvey, Liz McDaniel, Jennifer Aldridge
Scribe: Terry Ihnat
Editor: Ed Nitka
Talk’s Zoom recording found at: https://www.scientechclubvideos.org/zoom/11022026.mp4
The first presentation was by Kendra Landa, vice president for development at the Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts. She described the “Science of Light and Sound” program, sponsored by the Scientech Foundation, which brings fourth-grade students to the Palladium for a firsthand introduction to science, technology, engineering, art, and math. Students explore the building’s architecture and take part in demonstrations about acoustics, sound waves, pitch, volume, lighting, reflection, and color mixing. The program aligns with Indiana’s fourth-grade science standards and is led by the venue’s audio and lighting engineers. Since the foundation began supporting the program, it has expanded from serving one school at a time to typically serving two or three schools per visit, seven or eight times each year. Landa reported that 4,367 students attended over the preceding three years. Transportation grants also help schools that might otherwise be unable to participate. She thanked the foundation for its support and invited club members to attend a presentation.
The second presentation was by Bill Dick on David McCullough – America’s historian.
Bill Dick presented vignettes on McCullough’s favorite Americans. He has written books on all of them: John Adams (Pulitzer), Truman (Pulitzer), Mornings on Horseback (TR), Path Between the Seas (Panama Canal), Johnstown Flood, Brave Companions, The Wright Brotheres, The Great Bridge (Brooklyn Bridge), The Greater Journey (Americans in Paris), and The Pioneers (Americans in NW Territory). Bill has read them all.
The book begins with heights and weights of Presidents. (Lincoln – tallest at 6’4”, and Madison – shortest – Madison at 5’4”). All early Presidents had slaves except the Adams.’ John Adams was a lawyer, served on the Committee to write the Declaration of Independence, and was minister to The Netherlands, France, and England. He was the second U.S. President and the first to occupy the White House. He and his wife wrote 1,000 letters to each other. The Adams’ son, John Quincy, was the sixth President and later an anti-slavery Congressman.
Thomas Jefferson was an expert in a host of fields. He wrote the Declaration of Independence, was in favor of freedom of religion, and founded the University of Virginia. He also built and lived in Monticello, his architectural masterpiece. Dr. Benjmain Rush was a physician who advocated vaccination for smallpox, served with Washington at Valley Forge, and signed the Declaration of Independence, and was Professor of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.
Charles Sumner was Senator from Boston. He was very educated and was anti-slavery. He was beaten in the Senate by Preston Brooks and was sidelined for two years. He helped found a Freedman’s Bureau.
The Marquis of Lafayette came to the U. S. at age 19 – on his own ship. He was wounded twice and did many things to help win the war. He was present at Valley Forge and Yorktown. He returned to the U.S. on the 50th anniversary of the Revolutionary War. He visited all the states and dined with Adams and Jefferson. The U.S. gave him $200,000 for his services.
Pierre L’Enfant designed Washington, D.C. Jefferson proposed a design and oversaw a commission. Jefferson also helped design the U.S. Capitol – a most impressive building.
Kendra Latta
Bill Dick
