Good morning,
Today’s forecast for Whitewater calls for a sunny day with a high of eighty-eight degrees, with thunderstorms overnight.
On this date in American history, the United States Constitution went into effect following ratification by New Hampshire, the ninth state to ratify the constitution.
In Wisconsin history on this date, the Wisconsin Historical society recalls that
1943 – McCarthy Breaks Leg in Drunken Accident
On this date future senator Joseph McCarthy broke his leg during a drunken Marine Corps initiation ceremony, despite a press release and other claims that he was hurt in “military action.” Although nicknamed “Tail Gunner Joe”, McCarthy never was a tail gunner, but instead served at a desk as an intelligence officer. In 1951 he applied for medals, including the Distinguished Flying Cross, awarded to those who had flown at least 25 combat missions. The Marine Corps has records of only 11 combat flights McCarthy flew on, and those were described as local “milk run” flights. Many of McCarthy’s claims were disputed by political opponents as well as journalists.
Over at Walworth County Today, there’s a story about Whitewater’s art scene entitled, “The Sweet Art of Whitewater’s Visionary Artists.” It’s a story about a group of local artists.
The story recounts that
Two years ago, a group of artists met to have a critique group and to enrich their artistic energies and charge their creative batteries to pursue their individual passion for painting.
The group of four artists became known as the Visionary Artists. They are Karolyn Alexander, Barb Grant, Marilyn Fuerstenberg and Tom Jewell. Their Second Annual Spring Show is at the SweetSpot Gallery [226 Whitewater Street] in Whitewater through the end of June.
Included with the story is an online image of “Barnyard Boss,” by Karolyn Alexander.
Longtime readers know that I’ve been critical of some public displays of art, but private creation and imagination represent an important part of a new Whitewater. I don’t think that an artists’ community can be engineered from the city, but I do think that people forming self-supporting groups can shape and change a town’s culture.
Appreciated works will not come from a line item on a municipal ledger, but from private cooperation.