Lowell Textile Mills Blog

Aaron King

12/20/13

FYSH, Prof. Zabalbeascoa

Boott Cotton Mill Response

            In downtown Lowell lies a token of one of Lowell’s most prolific tokens of the city’s rich history: the Boott Cotton Mills. Established in the mid-1800s, it is symbolic of the industrial past of the city, and stands today as a symbol of the city’s attitude towards its past and history. The Boott Cotton Museum visit was a very enlightening experience. It taught not only about the history of Lowell but in essence the visit also taught a great deal about the present of Lowell. From the boom of the Industrial Revolution, to the decline and ultimate downfall of mills in general, the timeline of the mills residing on the banks of the Merrimack is truly one abounding with knowledge.

            The tour started with a video history of the mills. The history began in the early 1800s with the Industrial Revolution, when Francis Cabot Lowell memorized and brought back designs for the mill system to America. From there, it was all too successful for mill cities, until the decline of the cotton industry began during the early 1900s. This decline was brought about by factors such as World War I, the Great Depression, labor conditions, etc. The door then advanced into and through the mill, where we were able to see the machines, working conditions, and living conditions of the people who worked there. Finally, we were able to reenact a day in the life of a mill girl by working on an assembly line. The tour was very informative and is certainly worth the time, as you learn not just about the physical history of Lowell but also about the modern-day mindset towards its own history and its effect on the present.

            The organization of the mill is essentially a window to the past, as the setup is exactly the same as it was two hundred years ago. The location is the same, and it shows the ingenuity of the founders hundreds of years ago to use their resources to the best of their abilities and to receive the maximum output. The role of the mill was integral to the city in the past, putting it on the national stage of industry, and today the mill still serves an important role. It is a monument to the city’s history, primarily. Remembering the times when Lowell was a destination for thousands of workers flocking to earn a living wage is important; remembering success in the past can lead to success in the future. Next, the tour helped to teach the priorities of Lowell, and that is to preserve the past. Lowell is a very sentimental community, realizing that the past is an integral part to the future. They care about their past and use it to their advantage in the present. Finally, what this tour helped me learn about is simply about the Industrial Revolution, and in some ways (unfortunately), the mindset of not just Lowell, but about the country in general. During the revolution, it was all about the bottom line. In other words, factory owners wanted to produce as much as possible for as little as possible, resulting in subsequent wage cuts, poor working conditions, and marginalizing of workers’ rights. Unfortunately, this ideology is still true in the modern economy, and so the Boott Cotton Museum showed that although success can repeat itself, failure and fault may as well.

            Despite this, the tour did surprise me in that it demonstrated Lowell’s loyalty to its history. I was not expecting Lowell to remember it so much, despite the magnitude of it. I had already taken the tour, but I was too young to see the influence that it had over the whole city. It is for this reason that the tour surprised me, as it demonstrated the mindset of Lowell towards its history and what it means to them for the present and future. I think the tour was highly informative and enriching, and I am glad to have had the opportunity to take it again with more acknowledgement to what impact the history of the city had on its present.

Joe Manning's Child Labor Presentation

Aaron King

11/12/13

Joe Manning’s Presentation on Child Labor

            Today I went to the presentation by Joe Manning on his endeavor to learn more about child laborers and their lives. For 8 years now Manning has looked into child laborers photographed during the early 20^th century. In particular, he studies the work of Lewis Hine, a photographer of the time period. His photographs have become, as Manning puts it on his website, the “best record we have of what people looked like, living their lives in the first half of the 20^th century, and what the American vernacular landscape looked like as well.” Manning talked a great deal about Lewis Hine, his life, and what his work means to Manning himself. Following this, he talked about how he first got involved in his so-called “Lewis Hine Project.” After, he details the lives of other children he has profiled, and finished off the discussion with about how this endeavor has affected his life. The discussion was really very enlightening and I’m actually really glad I got to see it.

            Manning’s presentation started off with a discussion of Lewis Hine, the man who photographed the lives of these child laborers. Hine was always a writer, and eventually he got a job from the newspaper he was working at to photograph these child laborers and expose their hardships to the nation. However, because Hine had to photograph these children quickly (if the owners knew what he was doing they would send him out), not all of the children were fully profiled; some names are missing, and other than that their lives aren’t very well documented. Hine was a big inspiration for Joe Manning, as they both shared a curiosity they wanted to share with others. This is where Manning became involved with his Lewis Hine Project.

            At some time around 2005, Manning’s friend Elizabeth Winthrop finished a book she wrote on a fictional child laborer, but was based on a girl photographed by Hine. The girl’s name was listed as Addie Laird. Winthrop asked Manning if she could investigate more into the girl’s life now that the book was finished. What happened to her? Did she have a family? Does she have descendants? This is what Manning was asked to find out. However, it wasn’t easy, because so little was known about this girl. Yet Manning still tried, and he ultimately succeeded in finding out who this girl really was. Following lead after lead, he discovered the girl’s real name was Addie Card. She married once, and had a daughter, from whom she was separated due to a sickness. Then, Manning followed the trail to discover Addie’s second married name, Lavigne. During this marriage, Addie adopted a daughter and had several more descendants. It was through these descendants that Manning truly discovered who Addie Card was, what happened to her, etc. Manning truly enjoyed this experience; following the trail, exploring curiosities, and being determined to discover all culminated into his finding out who this girl was. And it left Manning excited. He wanted to continue this work, and it just so happened that there were a thousand unexamined pictures taken by Hine, and so this is what got Manning into the work of detailing the lives of these child laborers.

            Manning continued at this point to explain other stories he has discovered in his work. Currently he has completed over 350 children’s stories, mainly through the use of obituaries and newspaper articles. He talked about one boy who died at a very young age due to respiratory issues, but who was survived by his son and grandson. He talked about a girl who was survived by many descendants who knew little about their ancestor. This story in particular was incredible because it showed what effect Manning’s work can have on these descendants. The great-granddaughter of this child laborer learned that she had uncanny resemblances to her ancestor, and made a picture detailing the similarities. She then emailed Manning days later saying how amazing it was to have her eyes opened to how close she ultimately was to a relative she had never met. It was an amazing experience for her and it showed how Manning’s work crossed generations and connected individuals who normally wouldn’t have been.

            Manning’s presentation was pretty inspirational. It spoke a lot to his curiosity, first of all. The professor who introduced Manning explained that no one could find him because he was exploring the area. It showed how curious he is a person, who interested he is in gaining knowledge. This curiosity translated well into Manning’s work, as he was always striving to learn as much as possible about these children even from the beginning. It was inspiring because it showed just where being curious can get someone. Manning has brought together relatives, uncovered the lives of completely unidentified child laborers, and been able to travel the country learning more about some people than even their own relatives knew. I suppose this does translate well to Lowell’s cultural identity as well, in two ways: the first (and more obvious) being that child labor was a huge part of Lowell’s industrial success and was a big part of its history in general. However, the presentation also related to Lowell’s celebration of history. Both Manning and Lowell agree that the past is a huge part of any entity’s identity, and I think this presentation demonstrated this. 

Riverhawks Game Blog

Aaron King

UMass Lowell Riverhawks Game

            In between UMass Lowell’s East Campus and Lowell’s Downtown district lies Tsongas Arena. Host of many concerts and events, and located in the hub of Lowell, Tsongas Arena is certainly a social pinpoint to the city. However, one type of event central to integrating the citizens of the city and the students that go to the city’s university is a UMass Lowell Riverhawks hockey game. Fast paced, exciting, and certainly indicative of Lowell’s rich culture, these hockey games not only cater to the entertainment of students but the city as a whole. I saw this firsthand when I attended a hockey game with my friends last Friday night. These aspects of what a Riverhawks game offers was readily apparent.

            Purchased by the university in 2009, the arena is located just east of UMass’ Fox Hall. Upon purchasing of the venue the university made significant renovations to it, making it highly attractive to its guests. I saw this as descriptive of Lowell’s culture; they aim to gather people from all over, both in and out of the city, and to leave a good impression on them about the city of Lowell, and I think they succeed in this endeavor with the university’s renovation of the stadium. People who come to concerts, social events, and gatherings alike will be able to enjoy a pristine site for entertainment, and that reflects well on the city’s culture and values.

            The location of the arena is very efficient also to gather a wide variety of crowds, for Riverhawk games in particular. It is easily accessible to UMass students – perhaps a ten minute walk from East Campus. It is also close to downtown Lowell, where citizens of the city can easily access the games as well. This ease of accessibility to the arena only contributes to Riverhawk games’ influence on the city. The location of the arena assures that these hockey games aren’t meant to be just for students, they extend to all citizens of Lowell and even beyond. It is clear that UMass wants everyone to come to these games, and this is shown in the arena’s location.

            As for the game I attended, it was certainly an exciting experience. Although the team lost to Quinnipiac, the environment of the game was fervent. It was like any other sporting event – everyone feeling a sense of community in rooting for their home team. However, I think the environment of the Riverhawks game aimed to do more. With so many students gathering and socializing with people outside of the school, I think the Riverhawks game fostered a real sense of pride for not only the school but the city of Lowell itself. To come from a place where a sport can do so much to bring people together for a joint cause – supporting a great hockey team – I think that instills a significant sense of pride in the fans that only something like a Riverhawks game could do.

            I highly enjoyed my experience at the hockey game. Hockey has never been my favorite sport, but just from one game I can tell that I will be very enveloped in it during my time at UMass, because it is such an integral part of the school. And this is not without reason; the Riverhawks have done exceptionally well the past few seasons and it is exciting to witness the team do so well. Again, although the team lost, the fans were into the game which made for an exciting experience nonetheless. The atmosphere is one of excitement, anticipation, and pride of the Riverhawks. This made my time at Tsongas Arena a highly memorable experience.

            My experience at the Riverhawks game against Quinnipiac reflected well the culture of the city, having been so inclusive and entertaining. The condition of the newly refurbished arena shows that the city wants to be welcoming and inviting. The location of the arena shows that they also want to be inviting to a wide variety of people and make it accessible for many different people. Seemingly everything at the game worked to show that Lowell is a place that people should want to go to, to show that Lowell is on the map as a cultural hub.

Kerouac Walking Tour Blog

Aaron King

10/24/13

FYSH: Prof. Zabalbeascoa

Jack Kerouac Walking Tour Response

            The “Lowell Celebrates Kerouac Tour” is an informative tour held in downtown Lowell describing the life of the famed author. A native of the city, Kerouac wrote in a spontaneous style that reflected the nature of his lifestyle and of his time here in the city. The tour of the pubs that he frequented as well as the general walking tour both do well to illustrate this nature. Kerouac was an alcoholic, and the disease would ultimately lead to his death. His childhood was marked by a strong Catholic upbringing under his mother, who he was very fond of. The tour gives great voice to Kerouac’s life and also to why it celebrates a man with such a controversial personal life. As a man who very closely resembles the “sex, drugs, and rock and roll” type of lifestyle, it is interesting to see more about his personal life and how came to be such a prolific yet self-detrimental individual. Both the walking tour and pub tour illustrate his life very well.

            The walking tour began at the Lowell Public Library, where Kerouac spent much of his time. He would skip class to go read classics such as Shakespeare, and this is where he would begin to get interested in classic literature. Following this, the tour led us to Lowell High. Kerouac’s time here was marked by a withdrawn but also popular demeanor, and he also was very involved in the athletics the school had to offer. He did fairly well in school. After the high school was Kearney Square, a popular hang-out spot for Kerouac and his friends during his youth. The guide described this place as very reflective of Kerouac’s personality, both polite and disrespectful at the same time, a place Kerouac would have fit right into. Next, the tour guided us to the Jack Kerouac Commemorative, which has inscriptions from various works of Kerouac. The memorial itself consists of various pedestals that intend to represent Kerouac’s Christian and Buddhist background that presents itself all too often in his writing. Finally, the tour led us to the Boott Cotton Mills. These were the mills that Kerouac most often described in his writing, and his descriptions reflected his view of working. As the guide explained, while Kerouac writes his characters as having jobs, his opinion is that the pleasure in life lies in other places.  

            Another portion of the tour that I took was the Pubs Tour. As an alcoholic, Kerouac obviously spent a great deal of time at these pubs and they had a profound impact on him. The first pub was the Worthen House. Established before 1900, much of the interior decoration is still in the restaurant from that time. Next, the tour went to Ricardo’s Café, followed by Ward Eight. This tour demonstrated the influence that alcoholism had on Kerouac’s life. As his views changed of the world around him, and slowly grew more and more pessimistic, he turned to alcohol. He became more depressed as the years went on, and his health deteriorated as a result of his drinking. His writing reflected the shift in outlook.

            These Lowell Celebrates Kerouac! Festival tours were very informative. Not only did they demonstrate in great detail Kerouac’s life, his influences, and how these reflected in his writing, but also the effect he had on the city itself. The uses of the places we visited, which were to commemorate what he did during his time in the city and explore these actions, show that the role Kerouac played in Lowell’s past and present is significant. Just as the city had a deep and profound impact on the author, he meant a lot to the city. Also, this tour showed that to live in Lowell is to live in a place with rich and meaningful history. Overall the tour was a great experience in learning about Lowell.

            

God of Carnage Response

Aaron King

10/1/13

FYSH Wednesday: Zabalbeascoa

God of Carnage: Response

            Characters in any work of literature, be it a play, book, movie, or other can have a monumental impact in shaping that work’s outcome. Many plots are even driven by the characters. In God of Carnage, as we do not see the main plot, the characters we are introduced to are what shape the play. The parents of two children, Benjamin and Henry, all convene to discuss Benjamin’s injuring Henry on a playground with a stick. While the play is rather simple narratively (the adults spend the night discussing what to make of the situation), characteristically it is rich and this potency of character development segues into the development of the plot (the deterioration of the conversation into mayhem and irrationality). The characters in this play are contemptible: Michael, Veronica, Alan, and Annette all have some quality to them that one can’t help but despise. And yet, we grow to sympathize with them, because despite these qualities they grow on us. In any work of literature it does not matter whether a character is likable or not, so long as we sympathize with his or her motivations. Two characters that demonstrate this are the men, Alan and Michael.

            Michael, in the play, hosts the other parents Alan and Annette with his wife Veronica. During the play, he attempts to be as welcoming as possible, offering his wife’s cooking to his guests and generally trying to be amicable to them. However, this endeavor soon becomes overbearing and we see him even defend the bully that beat his son. Soon he even disagrees with his wife about disciplining Benjamin and now they themselves are arguing rather than with the other couple. Michael’s lack of a spine is what makes him detestable; he is quick to appease anyone on any topic just so as to avoid conflict. Really the only time he takes definitive action is when he learns his mother is taking a faulty drug and tells her to stop, and this comes at a fast-paced part of the play when there is little order to what is going. And yet, despite Michael’s faults in character, we still sympathize with him, we still like him. He is just a simple man with an “ordinary job” as he describes it, thrown into this chaotic situation that he is surely not accustomed to. We are inclined to see his lack of fortitude as amicability, as trying to ease things over. It shows how likability of a character is irrelevant, so long as his or motivations are just. This is true with an even more detestable character, Alan.

            Alan is husband to Annette and father of the aggressor in the play, Benjamin. Alan spends a hefty majority of the play on his cell phone, trying to quell a controversy over a drug that has serious side-effects. Alan is certainly detestable: even from the beginning of the play (and during the entirety of it) he defends his son’s hostile actions as normal, as routine; he even goes so far as to compare them to those of children in Africa who are taught to kill at age eight. This justification definitively adds to his despicability. In addition his constant talking on his cell phone shows us his true character: a sleazy lawyer who works to defend a drug that has very serious side-effects. However, Alan’s faults also come with sympathy. In fact his moral ambiguity is one of the funnier parts of the play, and many of the times he answers his cell phone add comedy to the chaos that this play degenerates into. In this way we justify his flawed character as a funny and consequently “good” aspect of the play.

            The characters in God of Carnage illustrate that likability of a character is irrelevant; if there is something to justify their despicability, be it humor or motivations, we look to those rather than their flaws in character. Michael and Alan attest to this, as do the other characters (read: Annette’s vomiting all over the room, Veronica’s drunken antics). Despite all of the characters’ flaws and mistakes, discussing a disagreement between children and becoming like children themselves, we still sympathize with them. This is certainly true for other forms of media as well: current shows such as Breaking Bad, Dexter, and Madmen celebrate this so-called “anti-hero,” and they all show how much we relish in the bad character. God of Carnage simply adds to that list.