Neighborhood News 2012 Fall

Ruxton-Riderwood- Area Improvement Association When Men Were Men and Sport Was Sport INSIDE The Story of Robert Garrett, Olympic Hero Fall Fun in Robert by Barbara Guarnieri jumping events. It was not until he heard that E. Lee Park the Greek nation had decided to host the first The crowd was still tittering with laughter as the Page 3 international games since 385 A.D. that he began athlete made his third and final attempt. Twice he his odyssey with the had frenetically twirled himself h discus. Professor Meeting and flung the discus hard – William Sloane, his Neighbors by only to watch it spiral end history professor Association over end and land perilously and then a member Page 4 close to the audience. When of the organizing the crowd roared with laughter committee for the Homeh Sales at these ridiculous miscues, first Olympics, Page 8 the handsome athlete simply suggested that acknowledged the guffaws Robert enter the h by joining in the fun and That’s Amore! games and include vamping like a clown. the discus among his Page 10 This one last time he scowled game entries. intently, raised the ancient h The pair consulted The Fall saucer, spun with grace and with classical Gardener’s released it with a loud grunt. scholars for ‘To Do’ List The audience fell silent as information about Page 12 heads traced the perfect the discus and the arc of the disc, watching it ancient exercise h coast cleanly to well beyond Village at Home: of making it fly. the other competing marks. Up and Running They also closely The silence grew deafening; Smoothly examined art the crowd was stunned. No Page 13 from that period one could believe the young such as the famed foreign athlete had defeated This Roman copy of Myron’s famous Discobolus served as a h Discobolus, sculpted The Origins of the Greeks at their own time- pre-Olympic model for Garrett Photo courtesy The British Museum and cast in bronze Hurstleigh honored exercise. The young by Myron in 450 Page 14 American had just won a gold B.C. This particular medal in the discus! h statue had long been admired for its portrayal of The League of Legends were born that day in April of 1896. a beautifully proportioned athlete crouched and Women Voters Robert Garrett (1875-1961), then in his third year poised at the very moment when his arm would Page 18 at Princeton, became something of a supernatural spring forward to release the discus. Surely, thought hero to the Greeks. He had arrived in only Garrett, I can stand like this too and get the job h days prior with several American collegiate athletes done. “Lost! Lovable to join in the first modern Olympics since ancient Lab…Please Neither Professor Sloan nor Robert had any idea times. Mostly, he’d made the week-long trans- Call!!” what the discus should look like except from art Atlantic crossing with three friends to savor a good, Page 21 prints. No one manufactured them in the United old-fashioned adventure. States so they developed a scale drawing, took it h Garrett, a strong athlete and the captain of the Princeton track team, was noted for and Continued on page 16 The Foundation at Mid-Year 2012 by Joseph M. Coale Every year is different in the fundraising arena. So far this year, The Greater Ruxton Area Foundation was started a decade ago to 115 residents have responded to our May mailing. The donations help in the preservation and beautification of our have ranged from $10 to $1,000 with the average unique and historic community. Those of us who being about $200. We will issue a 2012 year-end formed the Foundation felt the need to support a letter that will report on our finances, contributors, campaign to restore some of what has been lost accomplishments and plans for the coming year. during years of neglect. I am often amused by being referred to as a Everyone looks at his or her home as a sanctuary, ‘community activist’ but, frankly, that’s what it but it’s also true that the neighborhood in which takes to get things done. Due to active lifestyles the home resides is a sanctuary. The community and professional commitments, not everyone frames and sets the tone for the residences that can play an active role in the community, but it contains. This is why the Foundation’s work is most can afford to at least nominally support the effort. County government cannot carry the important to all our residents. The Foundation puts responsibility for beautification and preservation of our collective resources to work here where we our community. We must be our own keepers and live. continue to accept the challenge. I believe our best While we have been pleased to see many days are ahead and we each must participate. new participants this year, our landscaping improvements have been made possible mostly by a core of Tax deductible donations payable to GRAF can be sent to P.O. Box 204, Riderwood, MD 21139. consistent and generous contributors. Fall Fun in Robert E. Lee Park by Nancy Worden Horst which is geared to children, their families and friends. The Robert E Lee Park Nature Council (RELPNC) is grateful to Senator Bobby Have you been to Robert E. Lee Park recently? If not, you’re Zirkin and Delegates Steve Lafferty, Jon Cardin, Dan Morhaim and missing a chance to explore this 450-acre park where nature Dana Stein for sponsoring the bond bill. abounds. Lake Roland sparkles and entices boaters to bring their Volunteers working in the Park are making a real difference. canoes and kayaks. Paths leading through the woods beckon RELPNC board member Howdy Knipp and his trails committee runners, bikers, walkers and bird watchers. And, of course, there’s work in conjunction with the County Paw Point, the dog park for off-leash romps to keep the trails open. A group on land and in the water. from ServeFest worked Baltimore County rangers and volunteers on the Acorn Hill site this spring. provide a variety of activities for children Sixth-graders from Friends School and adults, from learning how to make took charge of spreading mulch mud pies and fish with cane poles to and picking up trash in another family campouts. Guided walks showcase area of the Park. And Baltimore the Park’s rich history, its abundant bird City high school students from the population and its unusual flora. A calendar Baltimore Conservation Leadership of activities can be found at www.relpnc. Corps continue to work on trails and org/events. erosion control. Renovation of the old trestle bridge over The Nature Council is seeking new Jones Falls on the trail from Falls Road board members and volunteers for has recently been completed by Baltimore its committees, such as membership, County. The new bridge is safer, wider and A new pavilion at Robert E. Lee Park environment and history, recreation provides a nice vantage point for viewing Photo courtesy Nettie Washburn and Acorn Hill. There is also a the stream. Other new amenities include need for volunteers to help with a second pavilion with a spectacular view programs. If you have the time of Lake Roland and a newly renovated ranger station and storage and interest, or want to learn more about the Park and Nature area. Each pavilion accommodates 60 people and is available to Council, please visit the website www.relpnc.org. rent for $75 (call Donna at 410-887-4156). Robert E Lee Park Nature Council partners with Baltimore County A bond bill to fund construction of Acorn Hill is expected to Department of Recreation and Parks to provide high quality nature and provide $215,000 for Baltimore County Recreation and Parks recreational opportunities for the public at Robert E. Lee Park. and landscape architects to begin work on the natural play area,

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