Some Things Never Change - Louisa May Alcott

Most of us have had bad times in our lives when we didn't know if we could go on or if we even wanted to go on but to find out that a creative talent like Louisa May Alcott had even considered suicide is a big surprise for me.

I am very jealous of her for her opportunity of living in such a time that she would have access to such incredible people as "Elizabeth Peabody boarded with the Alcotts, and John Brown’s daughter lived with them after Brown was hanged. Nathanael Hawthorne was a neighbor who didn’t get along with her father, Henry David Thoreau was her schoolteacher and Ralph Waldo Emerson lived next door. Bronson Alcott’s teaching assistants included Margaret Fuller and Dorothea Dix."

This quote is from the New England Historical Society. They do a really great job of promoting an interest in history. Read their full profile of Louisa May Alcott at
http://www.newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/louisa-may-alcott-shakes-blues

We Owe a Debt of Thanks to Dorothea Dix

Two things to be thankful for this morning:

1) Dorothea Dix and her campaign to get the mentally ill people out of jail. It is obvious that her work was very successful. What is not obvious is whether we are doing a good job of not sending mental illness people to prisons today.

2) The Massachusetts Humanities through Mass Moments keeps reminding us of all the great women who came before us and made the world a better place for us. Check out this article on Dorothea.

http://www.massmoments.org/moment.cfm?mid=96

History Buffs: Great Beach Reads

It is that time of year again where we can sneak away with a good book, find a quiet corner of beach and immerse ourselves in the exploits of those brave souls who came before us.

Looking for ideas? Here are some enticing titles:

http://earlyamericanists.com/2015/04/09/spring-reads

While you are at it, try being a regular reader of the The Junto history blog. Great stuff.