• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

Forest Hill News October 2020 Forest Hill News—Page 1 THEODOR GEISEL The young man, Theodor Geisel, was already a successful illustrator and cartoonist in New York, but he wanted to be an author. So, Theodor wrote a book which he enthusiastically submitted to a publisher. It was rejected. And that rejection was followed by another, and another, and another. There were twenty-seven in all. No one likes to be rejected. Theodor lost his enthusiasm. Walking along Madison Avenue with the unwanted manuscript under his arm, it was Theodor’s intention to burn it as soon as he returned to his apartment. Whether it was providential or serendipitous doesn’t matter, but it mattered a lot that on his walk home Theodor happened to run into Mike McClintock, an old friend from student years at Dartmouth College. The friends chatted, but before going their separate ways Geisel’s friend inquired what was in that big bundle tucked under his arm. After pouring out his sad story of serial rejections, the friend announced that he had recently been hired as the Children’s Book Editor for Vanguard Press, and he was on his way to his office for his first day on the job, and if Geisel wanted to accompany him he would be quite willing to look at the oft rejected manuscript. The novitiate editor recognized the manuscript as something quite different for a children’s book, almost “off the wall,” but he liked what he saw, both in the text and the wild illustrations. The book, And to Think What I Saw on Mulberry Street, first published in 1937, was an immediate best seller. The legendary book reviewer for The New Yorker, Clifton Fadiman opined: “They say it’s for children, but better get a copy for yourself and marvel at…the impossible pictures and the moral tale.” Theodor Geisel, whose pen name was Dr. Seuss, wrote sixty more books for children. These sold over sixty million copies in the author’s lifetime and his books have been translated into twenty languages. Now, nearly thirty years after his death, his books sell over 11,000 copies a year, just in the United States. You may remember the Dr. Seuss books both from your childhood and from your children’s…Horton Hears a Who and The Cat in the Hat were among the most popular, along with If I Ran the Circus and If I Ran the Zoo. How the Grinch Stole Christmas and Green Eggs and Ham came later, but like the others, were an immediate success. Dr. Seuss books have spawned numerous adaptations: Eleven TV Specials, five movies, four TV series, and a Broadway musical. Dr. Seuss became a household word in America and abroad…but who, we might ask, is Theodor Geisel? Theodor “Ted” Geisel was born on March 2, 1904 in Springfield, Massachusetts. The son of German immigrant parents, Ted and his siblings experienced anti-German sentiment while growing up in the WWI period. A bright student, Ted entered Dartmouth College in 1921 and while there he honed his skills as a cartoonist on the staff of the Jack-O-Lantern, the college humor magazine. His considerable contributions over the years led to his appointment as Editor for his senior year. Following his graduation from Dartmouth in 1925 Geisel enrolled at Lincoln College, Oxford University with the intention of working for a doctoral degree in English literature. He abandoned that path at the urging of a student friend, Helen Palmer, who later became his wife and lifelong companion. Helen had seen Geisel’s books of lecture notes filled in the margins with marvelous drawings, so she urged him to make his career in illustration. And that he did. Continued on page 2 October 2020 Forest Hill News—Page 2 October 2014 Forest Hill News— Page 1 THEODOR GEISEL (Continued) In 1927 Geisel left Oxford, moved back to New York city, sold his first cartoon to The Saturday Evening Post for $25.00, was hired by a humor magazine, and married Helen. In the next few years his cartoons appeared in magazines such as Look, Liberty, and Vanity Fair. His illustrated ads made for the Standard Oil Company made him a popular household figure. Before Geisel wrote his first book he was a wealthy man. His lucrative career was interrupted by WW II where, as an Army Captain he served as Director of the army’s Animation Department where he produced both training and propaganda films. Prior to his 1943 enlistment, he worked as a political cartoonist for PM, a NYC newspaper. His four hundred cartoons published in those years were denunciations of Hitler and Mussolini, Racists and Isolationists. Other cartoons gave strong support to FDR and his policies. After the war the Geisels moved to La Jolla, California where the writing continued. Theodor and Helen were generous in their philanthropy, with both Dartmouth and UC San Diego the recipients of significant gifts. Dartmouth awarded Geisel an Honorary Doctorate; UC San Diego renamed its library in his honor. Theodor Geisel died of cancer in his La Jolla home in 1991. Where, are you wondering, did the Dr. Seuss name come from? It might well be attributed to a bottle of gin. As previously reported, Geisel had been elected Editor of Dartmouth’s humor magazine for his senior year, a genuine honor well earned by his frequent contributions. Unfortunately, early in the fall, Geisel was caught drinking gin in his room, along with nine somewhat inebriated student guests…and this during Prohibition. The Dean’s penalty was to ban Geisel from participation in any extra-curricular activity, including his work with the Jack-O-Lantern. And so it was that during his senior year at Dartmouth, Geisel continued to write, illustrate, and draw cartoons for The Jack-O-Lantern, but his work was now presented under the pen name, Dr. Seuss. —JE CHEF’S STAGE DINNER IN THE PATIO Featuring Chef Philip J Pasalo (With us since 2014) with Chef John Flynn Roasted Mushroom/Brie on toast—Lobster Linguini / Squash—Cannoli—Chocolate cake—Paired with wine PeggyKramer celebrated 96 years! Jon & Amy Ericson married 69 years! October 2020 Forest Hill News—Page 3 CO-CHAIR MARLENE P. GETCHELL RESIGNS FROM CNMH BOARD “1 have been a member of the Board for nearly 40 years. When I started as a member of the Board, I was a young attorney in San Francisco and newly married. Now I have children, grandchildren, and a law practice that requires constant attention. With family and work commitments, along with the difficulties arising out of the COVID crisis, I no longer have sufficient time to attend to my other obligations. Being on the Board has been a highly rewarding experience for me, both personally and professionally. I have made many friendships and acquaintances. I have enjoyed the fellowship with other Board numbers as well as the opportunity to work with this most worthy institution over the years. However, serving almost 40 years on this Board is a long time. Now that I see that CNMH is in (Garrett B. Cross’s) capable hands as Chairman of the Board and that the Board is capable not only of protecting our residents from the COVID crisis but creating a new path for success in the future, I believe the time is finally right for me to resign.” BANANA SPLITS ON THE PATIO LUNCH IN THE GARDEN October 2020 Forest Hill News—Page 4 SO, YOU THINK TIMES ARE TOUGH? In 536 AD an eerie fog rolled across Europe and on into Central Asia. The skies grew dark, temperatures dropped. Ancient chronicles spoke of crops failing. Food supplies dropped. Wars broke out. Disease spread. Beginning with a volcanic eruption in Iceland, the atmosphere filled with a deep smoky haze that spread to every corner of the planet. Global climate patterns changed, leading to decades of famine. Byzantine historian Procopius of Caesarea wrote: “The sun has lost its brightness. It gave out its light like the moon, during this whole year. It seems the sun is in constant eclipse. And Men are free neither from war nor from pestilence nor any other thing leading to death.” Roman Senator, Flavius Cassiodorus wrote: “We marvel that we do not see our shadows at noon. The sun looks blue, and the seasons are confused, running together.” Chinese records document snow in mid-summer. Then in 541, the first bubonic plague arrived in Europe. It killed at least a third of the population of the Roman Empire. Two subsequent eruptions kept the skies hazy for nearly a hundred years. The Roman Empire fell. The ‘Dark Ages’ had begun. Matters were made much worse by the 'Black Plague' that traveled from Asia carried on ships that carried rats that carried fleas that carried the bacteria Yersinia Pestis that caused the often fatal lymphatic infection we called the bubonic plague. Quarantines are not a modern invention. In the 13th century, Venice enforced the quarantena a forty-day period where ships arriving in port were not allowed to offload their cargos until officials were satisfied that the ship was not carrying disease. In those very religious times, many believed that prayer would help. In the Domesday Book of 1347 I found an invocation against the plague: Domine mittere digneris sanctum angelum tuum de caelis qui custodiat, foveat, protegat, visitet atque defendat omnes habitantes in hoc habitaculo. This was written, often in illuminated form, and hung over lintels in households as a way of keeping illness away from the home. In English it reads: Lord, vouchsafe to send thy holy angel from heaven, to cherish, protect, visit and defend all the inhabitants of this dwelling.

Load more

  6

Copy Link