Archive - Aug 2008

Tecumseh was a Native American leader, who tried to unite the
Native Americans to withstand the Europeans that were taking their land
and changing it.

Tecumseh ("Panther Across the Sky"), an Indian
messiah named after his birth sign--a great light which lit the skies
above the Colonies in 1768--and his brother Tenskwatawa ("Open Door")
formed what became known as Prophet's Town by the Wabash River in what
became Indiana in 1808.

Tecumseh is considered one of the founders of Tippecanoe County, Indiana.

He
many several predictions that may have been the most amazing ever made.
One was that he was stomp and this would shake the earth. One of the
world's most powerful earthquakes occurred at the time he predicted. He
also predictied the death of several American presidents.

At
the top of the cliff, where Tecumseh and his brother spoke to his
followers, a strange sound was heard. Was this an animal sound, or the
lingering spirit of a Native American?

More information about
Tecumseh, the history of Tippecanoe County, and John Purdue is given in
the new book, Uncle: My Journey With John Purdue.

By CRISTINA TRAPANI-SCOTT

Last week, Brookside Cemetery staff arrived at work to find 37 grave markers damaged by vandals. This week, two Tecumseh teens, a Clinton teen and a Blissfield teen have eased the blow by volunteering to help staff repair the markers that can be repaired.
Aaron Findley, 16 and Evan Burr, 16, of Tecumseh, Chett Albee, 18, of Clinton and Emily Miller, 17, of Blissfield assisted Cemetery Supt. Dan Righter and cemetery staff members David Fritz and Andy Fisher for two hours Monday afternoon as they repaired several marble headstones that were damaged.

Findley’s great grandparents are buried in the cemetery and, for the past ten years, he’s been involved with the reenactments at the cemetery that are put on during the weekend of the Promenade tours. He’s portrayed Tecumseh Civil War and World War II veterans who are buried there. “Because I’ve done the cemetery tours, I wanted to help,” he said. “I’ve heard stories of some of these people three or four times. There is really quite a bit of history here if you know the stories.”

Miller, who is from Blissfield, also has participated in cemetery tours and knows Findley through their participating in the 4th Michigan Company G Civil War reenactment group. She wrote a letter expressing her concern about the damaged markers. “I am absolutely disgusted,” she said. “I am 17 years old and a senior at Blissfield High School. There is no need for teens or anyone to vandalize headstones in a cemetery. They were real people. They have stories just like us.” She’s also portrayed historical figures at Brookside as have Burr and Albee. They all said it has been a great way for them to learn about and understand the history of Tecumseh and Lenawee County.

By DEB WUETHRICH

Tecumseh Public Schools will have to remove a letter of reprimand from Tecumseh Middle School (TMS) teacher Ernie Palmer’s file now that a decision has been handed down from the American Arbitration Association. The fifth grade teacher had received a written reprimand from TMS Principal Rick Hilderley over an incident that took place in a classroom last October.

Palmer had been accused of using “fear and intimidation” to control an unruly classroom on October 9 when he reportedly rapped a large yardstick on a printer and the stick broke. A student in the class, who later admitted that he had lied, told several other students in the lunch room that he had been struck by Mr. Palmer. The district’s investigations into the allegations resulted in Hilderley’s writing of the reprimand.

Various details of the incident were revealed through a process that included a public grievance proceeding before the Tecumseh Board of Education in November, with a decision to deny Palmer’s request to have the letter removed from the file in December. The matter was then sent to the arbitrator. Both parties gave testimony earlier this summer.

“Clearly, I don’t look at these things as win/lose situations,” said MEA Uniserve Director, Jim Berryman, who represented Palmer throughout the grievance process and said that he had just received a copy of the arbitrator’s decision on Tuesday afternoon. “But from the very beginning we knew this all started because of the lies of one student and that nothing would have happened were it not for the lying.”

By DEB WUETHRICH

 Several high school track team members and their parents were in the audience at Monday night’s Tecumseh School Board meeting to hear a proposal to the board for possible future construction of a new track at Tecumseh High School. Track work had been a part of the bond proposal in May and they said it is still a need, not a want.
“We’re requesting a study group to explore options for the construction of a track and to explore fundraising and a donation campaign,” said Edith Hong, who made the presentation with track coach, David Greene.

Hong pointed out issues with the current track, such as its age (30 years) and deteriorating condition and also cited a number of injuries that students have suffered that are believed to have been a result of the aging track. She also talked about how the finial league meet is no longer held in Tecumseh because it is only a 6-lane track and not 8, with no room for expansion.

“For the first time in 32 years, Tecumseh track had to cancel the Tecumseh Relays this past spring due to the fact that no team wanted to compete on our track,” Hong said. She cited the popularity of the sport, with 80 students participating at Tecumseh Middle School this year, serving as a feeder system for the high school programs, along with a list of student track achievements, including state medals.

“I’m passionate about this because we have a great group of kids that deserve equipment that isn’t going to hurt them,” Hong said. “I know it’s a lot of money and we’re at a difficult time, but we’re willing to put forth some work that will make this a reality.”
Board president Debbie Johnson-Berges recommended that the matter be moved to the Facilities and Grounds Committee to evaluate the information and possibly start the process.

Entries are now being accepted for Tecumseh’s fourth annual Art Bra Auction, scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 30.  Help raise money for the fight against breast cancer and other women’s health issues by submitting your interpretation of bra art using your favorite medium.

The bras will be on display from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. at The Purple Pear Tree, located at 109 W. Logan Street in downtown Tecumseh.  Each bra will have a bid sheet attached and guests are encouraged to bid on their favorite items.  All proceeds generated by the Art Bra Auction are donated locally to fund women’s health programs.  

Tickets for the Thursday evening charity event are $25 and include an entertaining evening filled with art, food, music and wine. Artists submitting work to the auction receive one free ticket to the event and are encouraged to attend.  Guests enjoy meeting the artists and learning more about the inspiration behind the evening’s creativity.
Bring your work of art to Tecumseh’s Economic Development Department located at 112 S. Ottawa Street in Tecumseh.  Entries are due by Friday, Oct. 12.  Please call 424-6003 for further information.