Category: History

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Kristin in ‘A Major’

The history of military ranks is a well researched subject and I will not repeat what so many have written more eloquently in the past, except to add a few points of interest.

The term ‘Major’ appears in many armies around the world, sometimes referred to as ‘commandant.’ As in so many things, with the change in technology over time  armies have had to realign themselves for better command and control. The nature of the entire hierarchy changed somewhere in the 16th or 17th century. Certain European regiments found it useful to split into battalions with a Lieutenant Colonel as the commanding officer and the newly identified rank of ‘Major’ as the executive officer.

Historically, I think we can trace back the position of ‘Major’ much farther and at least to the time of ancient Sparta. In Sparta, a Major was called a “Tagmataches” which remains very close to the term for a Major in the modern Greek Army ( ‘Tagmatarchis’). In the army of SPQR, the Roman rank for the function of Major was called ‘Legatus.” Today, a Major remains more of a staff function than a line or operational position.

I am aware that my daughter Kristin has worked hard to be considered for this honor. So, I won’t go into all of the details of what I believe to be an exemplary career to date as it sounds too much like a father’s pride, and yet, I will say that her grandfathers would also have been very proud.  I still can hear my father state proudly that his alma mater ( the  Citadel) had more battle ribbons than Kristin’s  (West Point),  but he would add that ‘we are all on the same team, now.’ It is sad that they will not be here to see Kristin get ‘pinned’ this summer, but in spirit maybe, they will be smiling down on her.

On the practical side, although I have certainly seen enough Majors and Colonels make coffee runs for their commanding Generals, becoming a Major is certainly a significant achievement and a step in the learning process. As they say, one must learn to follow before one can lead.

Now, Kristin, work on your coffee skills! 😉

Dad

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is there hope for public education?

from a book of questions (1834)
the book of questions on a history text (1834)

Is public education better today?

I can’t think of hardly a subject more debated today by the general population that the current state of our public schools. There appears to be recognition from all political perspectives that our schools are a disaster, yet a profound hopelessness exists in how to treat the problem. More is known about the workings and ways of our world and yet, far less is taught or expected from our students in our schools than is possible. Unfortunately, what schools proclaim as ‘good enough’ really isn’t.

I think George Washington summarized the dream of public education best:

“Promote then as an object of primary importance, Institutions for the general diffusion of knowledge. In proportion as the structure of a government gives force to public opinion, it is essential that public opinion should be enlightened.”

–        George Washington in his farewell address

Clearly, we have failed in developing institutions that adequately disseminate what we know, with the minor exception of questionable political indoctrination. In any case, what was education like say in the early years of the young Republic?  Grabbing a book or two of ‘Goodrich’s School History’ gives some insight into what was expected from students in the early 1800’s.

Here are some thought provoking questions from the ancillary book of questions that would not likely be found in textbooks today:

1)      How does the study of history affect the imagination?

2)      What is the first reason why the history of the United States be studied?

3)      With what pictures does history present us?

The questions in the text are exacting and many require the student to exercise a deal of critical thinking ( as above) which is something lacking in today’s texts. Some of the questions will also bring a smile:

1)      How many brothers and sisters had he? (Christopher Columbus)

2)      What privileges did his mother-in-law allow him? (Christopher Columbus)

3)      Where is West Point? How far from N. York? Who obtained command of this fortress in 1780? With whom did Arnold enter into negotiations to deliver it up? Who was the British agent in this negotiation? What became of him? What became of Arnold? ( few today know the story of Benedict Arnold)

So, you are wondering if there is a moral to my story? Only that for a young person to be broadly educated today requires far more than is offered thinly by a public education.

There are answers in the past.  HINT: buy books

Roger Freberg

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how do you like your shark: dried, sour or putrefied?

the cuisine in Iceland is a bit more rugged than most... but looks tasty!

First, don’t think I am being critical of the cuisine of Iceland because it does speak to my more sturdy warlike roots. However, I do think the Viking celebration of Thor with ‘Thorramatur’ would rival the strongest cuisine of ancient Sparta. Thorramatur is a meal served during January and February in the ‘short’ months of light. This meal consists of various dried meats and Icelandic Vodka.  One interesting brand is Reyka and here’s a link . Lift your glass and say “Skål.” As you might have guessed, there are other vodkas, but I am told that the lowest priced version and the most well known outside of Iceland is enjoyed almost exclusively by ‘alcoholics and the homeless’ ( ‘homeless’ in Iceland does sounds formidable and puts a new spin on the term).

Here are a few of the traditional items served during Thorramatur : putrefied Greenland Shark, the testicles of rams cured with lactic acid, blood pudding, rye bread, seal flippers cured in lactic acid,  wind dried fish and the ever popular sheep’s head. Obviously, this is a meal not for the squeamish.  Tradition held that all of  this be served on wooden planks for four people each  in order to create a ‘country’ feel and friendliness to the meal. I also learned what will ‘sell’ Icelandic cuisine to my very Scandinavian wife Laura is ‘Skyr’ — which is a very soft cheese served cold ( are we surprised?) with a topping of sugar and cream and made in Iceland for hundreds of years.

Nowadays, Icelandic cuisine prides itself on the quality of it’s lamb and the innovation of an annual chef’s competition utilizing only the ingredients from Iceland. Of course, for me, they have it all : Icelandic blueberries, thyme, seaweed and mushrooms! For us, the process of ‘fermenting’ fish in its preservation may seem a bit unusual, but not if you recognize that they have been doing this since the 9th century. In addition, smoked meat is an honored tradition and this is where they sold me. They have a smattering of vegetables: potatoes, cabbage, turnips and rutabaga which are often boiled and served along with fish. Be advised, this isn’t a country where a vegan could survive easily.

All in all, Iceland has a very interesting diet, but not exactly for the faint hearted. I do hope to someday visit and become well acquainted. BTW, in my journey, I did find a couple of recipes that although simple in their constructions sound very delicious!


Icelandic Pancakes (or Crepes) with Whipped Cream.

Batter: 3 cups flour, 4 eggs, 3 tbs. butter (melted), 1/2 tsp. baking soda, 1/2 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. vanilla essence, 2 ½ -3 cups milk.

Directions: Separate egg whites and beat until stiff. Mix together all other ingredients and add the egg whites last. Bake paper-thin on a hot cast-iron griddle (about 9 inches in diameter). Spread with preserves, jam or jelly, one tablespoon whipped cream. Fold into triangles. Serve with afternoon coffee or as dessert. (Traditional)

Fried Crullers (Kleinur)

Batter: 4 cups flour, 3 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. hartshorn (ammonium carbonate), 2 tsp. cardamom, 1/2 cup margarine, 4 1/2 tbs. sugar, 7 tbs. milk, 1 egg.

Directions: Mix together the flour, baking powder, hartshorn and cardamom. Add the margarine, sugar, egg and the milk. Work into a dough. Roll out the dough to about 1/8 inch thick. Cut into strips about 3/4 inch wide and about 3 inches long in a slantwise direction, using a pastry wheel and ruler. Make a slit in the center of each cruller and pull one pointed end through. Lower the crullers, one at a time, into hot fat and fry them until golden brown (deep fat frying). Lift them out and let them drain on a paper towel. Serve hot or cold.

enjoy!

Here is the source of the recipes and a link to more on the wonders of Iceland!

Roger

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it is all about books

find fun books.... is just fun!
finding and searching for books.... is just fun!

Abebooks.com is one of my favorite on-line sites for… yes… books!  Recently I found two books that were amusing. The first book is a look into how and why alcoholic beverages developed around the world and the importance of various berries and grains as well as honey. The author, Patrick McGovern travels the world to see exactly how various civilizations produced beers and wines… “Uncorking the Past” is an excellent buy for those interested in how things all began.

My second book is a simple cookbook from 1908 the Rumford Complete Cookbook by Lily Maxworth Wallace who went on to write through the 1940’s on cookery and etiquette.  Rumford — as many know — makes baking powder including the ‘Clabber Girl” brand familiar to those here in California.  One can already see the trend towards recipe simplification, cost  reduction and minimization of preparation time. However, the book is fun in that it covers a wide variety of subjects not addressed in many cookbooks today… for example, how to properly bone a fowl.

see you on the internet!
see you on the internet!

Roger Freberg

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remembering is more than not forgetting

My daughter Karla also remembers .....
My daughter Karla also remembers .....

Karla wrote about what she remembers of the day:

I was at home, at our house. I just woke up from my sleep and I was walking in the hallway to get a snack from the kitchen. I remembered that Mom or Dad was talking to a friend on the phone, saying “Oh no! Look what happened to the World Trade Center!” and then they went to their bedroom to watch the news on TV to see what happened. Karen was at school at SMU that day. Kristin was in a Officer’s Basic Course in Missouri before being stationed in Seattle at Fort Lewis. That same day I was drawing in my room and listening to my radio walkman. I was only 17 years old that day. Even so, but still. I feel very sorry for the poor families who lost their loved ones on that day. I hope a day like this never happens again. Not only the day affected the United States, but also affected most other countries altogether. We shall never forget.

Thank you Karla,

Dad