Two neighborhood home tours this year

This spring there are two home tours in Dayton’s Bluff - the Mpls./St. Paul Home Tour on April 26-27 (which includes this home at 56 Mounds Blvd.) and the Vacant Home Tour on May 3-4.  See below for details.  It’s also time for the Forum’s April Fool’s Day issue. So don’t worry too much about that fleet of flying saucers buzzing Dayton’s Bluff but watch out for some of the stories and photos below.

 
Placeography.org makes preserving  history of
places an online adventure for everyone

  By Joe Hoover
   “I remember driving up to Sears [on Lake Street] and thinking we had reached the Emerald City because of the green neon sign and the building that loomed up to the clouds.” Ruby Rose Wilson was just a child when she first visited the Sears building on Lake Street in the 1960s. Its looming presence is still etched in her memory, but now those memories are available online for others to read.
   The new web site Placeography.org developed and hosted by the Minnesota Historical Society (MNHS), is a collaborative web site that allows anyone to create, edit and link to pages devoted to preserving the history of department stores, homes, farms, public lands or any physical place in Minnesota. Once an entry is created, others can add stories and memories, and even pictures. This kind of collaborative web site is called a wiki.
   Just launched, Placeography.org already has hundreds of stories and photos posted by users on places across the state. From individual homes to the Sears Building on Lake Street, the goal of Placeography.org is to create a comprehensive historical database that includes both well known and lesser-known locations. Tracey Baker, Assistant Head of Reference, helped create the site and says she expects it to be really popular with individuals as well as organizations, including local historical societies, preservation groups, community councils and neighborhood and city development groups.
   To create an entry users follow a series of prompts. A how-to page helps people get started. As much or as little information can be added and users can go back and edit their entry at any time. Those interested in researching building history can get help from the MNHS library, through classes and reference assistance.
   Older than the state itself, the Minnesota Historical Society is a non-profit educational and cultural institution established in 1849 to preserve and share Minnesota history. The Society tells the story of Minnesota¹s past through museum exhibits, extensive libraries and collections, historic sites, educational programs and book publishing.
   During 2008, the Society is commemorating Minnesota’s 150th anniversary of statehood with Sesquicentennial events and programs including “MN150,” the new exhibit featuring 150 people, places, and things that have shaped our state, on display at the Minnesota History Center.
   Dayton’s Bluff has a page started on this site www.placeography.org/index.php?title=DB.  Watch for more on this in the future. For more information call Karin at 651-772-2075 or email Karin@DaytonsBluff.org.

Dayton's Bluff Preservation Evening May 8th

   Do you want to learn more about repairing and preserving your home? Curious about your house’s history? The Fourth Annual Dayton’s Bluff Preservation Evening is May 8th from 6:30 to 8 p.m.  The event will take place in the Ecolab Community Room, third floor of the Metropolitan State University/Dayton’s Bluff Branch Library, just west of the intersection of Seventh and Maria
   Come and hear about historically sympathetic home preservation and repair.
    Dayton’s Bluff has a historic district, and many beautiful homes are in all parts of Dayton’s Bluff.  Neighbors have had extensive experience preserving and repairing their homes. Some of these neighbors will be on hand to speak about their homes and show before and after images.
   If you have a historic home you want to preserve and research and don’t know where to start, you can learn about researching your home and its previous owners.
   Hear from experts in the field, who offer technical advice, assessment, and hard-to-find classes such as historic masonry.
   We need your experience with this event. We are asking residents to bring their stories, pictures, picture boards, scrap books, etc. on big and little home repair projects to share. For the last two years residents brought photos, picture boards, and stories about kitchen, bathroom, porch, and whole house projects. Call Karin at 772-2075 or email Karin@DaytonsBluff.org  if you have projects you would like to share with others or for more information.
   This event is being co-sponsored by Metropolitan State’s Center for Community-Based Learning, Dayton’s Bluff District 4 Community Council, and the Dayton’s Bluff Branch of the St. Paul Public Library.

Second Eastside Business-Community Networking Breakfast

Wednesday April 23rd
7:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
Hiway Federal Credit Union Community Room
840 Westminster St.
(just off Phalen Blvd.)
Speaker and Theme to be Announced Later

  The first event was at the Mounds Theatre in Dayton’s Bluff in January and attracted about 140 people, including Eastside residents and Business people, as well as government and foundation representatives.  The sponsor for this second event is the Hiway Federal Credit Union.
   These FREE events are organized by the Eastside Social Leaders Action Network (SLAN) as a way to promote and enable connections and possibilities on the Eastside of Saint Paul.  For more info and directions, please go to www.daytonsbluff.org or call Ed at 651-772-2075.

The whole family can enjoy Cub Scouts

The Cub Scouts do many things but few are as popular as the Pinewood Derby races.

By Joshua Yurek
   This is Joshua Yurek who is back from, well…Let’s just say I’m back from an overwhelming first half of my high school year. Anyway I’ve finally got that information on the whole Cub Scouts thing I was talking about the last time I wrote. I had a chance to go to the Cub Scouts’ Pinewood Derby districts tournament. This is basically where the Cub Scouts do their racing after the race with their individual Troop. Scouts from all over St. Paul come here to race each other and try to win prizes and trophies. They also make really cool looking cars.
  For people with kids who are looking for something to do, Cub Scouts is a great option. I, being a former Cub Scout and Boy Scout can say that it is a very good group to participate in. Cub Scouts do things like going camping, having den meetings where they learn skills they may need to know later, and of course have the Pinewood Derby races every year.
   Joining Cub Scouts can also help a family grow and give them something to do together. At the Pinewood Derby district tournament, many parents cheered their kids on to victory when their car was racing. Even when they lost they still had a good time. Shawn Larose, who is a dad to two Cub Scouts and was in charge of the districts tournament this year, said, ”Its fun to see what cars the kids can build and race, and its great to see the parents get involved and cheer on their kids”.
   As you can see Cub Scouts is a great option for kids and will help them learn in the future. This is Joshua Yurek reporting the “Cub Scouts Story” for the Dayton’s Bluff District Forum, all news for your neighborhood. That was kind of meant to be funny, oh well. See ya in two months!.

Dayton's Bluff Community Meeting

Meet the police

  On Friday, April 18 the Eastern District Police will host their monthly meeting for community members. The meeting is intended as a time to listen to and address people’s concerns about crime and other issues on the East Side.
   The community meetings are held at the Eastern District police office at 722 Payne on the corner of Payne and Minnehaha Avenues on the third Friday of each month at 9:30 a.m.

    Dayton’s Bluff Take a Hike takes place on the first Saturday of every month.  Meet at 10:30 a.m. in Indian Mounds Park at Earl Street and Mounds Blvd. We will hike from Mounds Park to the Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary then walk along the Bruce Vento Recreational Trail through Swede Hollow Park to the new Phalen/Arcade Park. Along the way we will share stories and learn some local history of the area. The hike is about 4 miles long with some moderately rough terrain. Transportation will be available to return to Mounds Park or you may hike back.
    Join us and explore some of our parks and the Regional Trail. Dayton’s Bluff Take a Hike started in Dec.  1990. Since then  hundreds of people have attended these events. For more information, call 651-772-2075 or  email Karin@DaytonsBluff.org.

Dayton's Bluff Home Tour - April 26 & 27

Summer day camp at Mounds Theatre

  The Portage for Youth, housed in the Historic Mounds Theatre will launch a new summer
day camp program this year, featuring 2 tracks.  Track 1:  Theatre and Dance (ages 8-13)
or Track 2: Photography and Video (ages 13 -17).

For those of you who remember the old Portage for Youth logo, we have changed the logo to meld with our new location, the Historic Mounds Theatre – “Building Solid Community Leaders through Arts and Cultural Enrichment.”

Dayton's Bluff annual Spring Dinner

Plant Swap and Sale

Spend the night in a haunted theater

   The Historic Mounds Theatre is billed as one of the most haunted places in the Twin Cities. Maybe it is and maybe it isn’t.  Now you can find out for yourself... if you dare.
     As a fundraiser for the Portage for Youth, which has it’s home in the Mounds Theatre, two overnight stays  on Saturday June 7th and Saturday June 21st are being auctioned off.
  In addition to spending the night the lucky winners will get to participate in a mini  psychic investigation with the  Minnesota Ghost Hunters Society.
   All bids for the auction must be submitted by May 1.  For more details visit www.moundstheatre.org or call 651-772-2253. .

Volunteer celebrates volunteering at Dayton's Bluff Early Childhood Family Education program

A former United States' president described volunteers as "points of light."  Dayton's Bluff Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) program sparkles with them!

By Meg Gronau
   I certainly didn’t set out to “volunteer”. I didn’t reflect upon the goodness welling in my own breast and say, I must share myself with Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE)!
   I didn’t even know ECFE, really — when I’d given birth to each of my kids, I’d received ECFE handouts in the hospital, but as mom with a full-time job and a sizable support network of friends and family, I didn’t think I needed ECFE.
   But then I found myself at home with my kids during the day. And we took outings to the Children’s Museum, local parks, Como Zoo, plus play dates with friends. But as the summer of 2007 wore on, I began to wonder if my kids could benefit from some more structured group activities. I spoke with a friend of mine who had been delighted with her own experience in the ECFE program at Randolph Heights, so I started to look into ECFE.
   I chose the Wednesday morning Birth-to-Five-Years class at Dayton’s Bluff, and when I heard there was an identical class on Thursday mornings and a need for volunteers, I hatched an idea.
   I could attend the Wednesday class AND commit to volunteering at the Thursday class! My kids would get to play with “new to them” toys twice a week, in addition to getting some extra socialization, and I wouldn’t have to brainstorm ways to keep them entertained in the morning.
   So that’s what I do. I bring my kids to class on Wednesday mornings; we read books and sing songs as a group before the children go to their rooms and we parents head to the parents’ room for snacks and lively discussions with the parent educator, Mary Ann Cogelow. On Thursdays, we do our reading and singing, and then I say goodbye to Ruby (my three-year-old daughter) and take Max (my two-year-old son) into the younger kids’ room.
   I play with Max, and when he wanders off, I play with the other kids. I read books, sing songs, pick up the occasional toy, mediate the occasional conflict, wash eight-to-twelve pairs of little hands, and pass out innumerable graham crackers and goldfish. I get to watch Max interact with other kids in a neutral environment; I get to watch him interact with authority figures who aren’t related to him. I chat with the other teachers in the room, trying to learn as much as I can from them.
   Ruby, then, gets the true preschool experience of being separated from Mom two mornings a week (at a public school price! This is the best little secret!). She has bonded with the teachers in her room as well as with the other children in her classes — when we’re getting dressed in the morning, she’s always asking what Lily and Maddie are going to be wearing. I am so happy that she gets to play with her fantastic teachers two mornings a week.
   And Max gets, if he wishes, some serious undivided Mom time. As the younger child, his ideas for play are often vetoed at home by Ruby’s strong personality. And I don’t know about you, but playtime at my house is rarely carefree for me — there’s always laundry in various phases of completion, or a meal in various stages of preparation or cleanup. My volunteering time is pure pleasure.
   The ECFE teachers are exceptional educators and wonderful people. When a child starts crying (and I volunteer in the “birth-to-three-years” room, so it happens) they are right there with hugs and comforting words. They are authoritative — clearly reiterating the rules and redirecting behavior when necessary — without being authoritarian or punitive. Their love for children is clear, and their training is right on the cutting edge of early childhood education.
   One of the really powerful elements for me is learning about child development and family dynamics in the parent class I attend on Wednesday, and then seeing that same principle applied in class on Thursday. The consistency of the curriculum and the communication between Cogelow and the classroom teachers is impressive. A few weeks ago in my parent class we were talking about speaking to young children in positive terms: telling them what you want them to do, instead of saying “don’t” to stop a given behavior. The very next day, a child in my room (I won’t name names, but it starts with a M and ends with an X) began walking up the slide. Instead of saying, “Don’t walk up the slide,” I tried “Remember to go up the steps, please” instead. I felt empowered and educated — and I got the response I needed. As the parent of two under four, any kind of affirmation that I’m doing the right thing is a huge boost to my morale.
   And with me as an extra grownup body in the room, there are always plenty of us whenever any child needs some quiet cuddle time in the rocker, or with a book, or in the stroller. Young children, I believe, need immediate attention when they need it. For lots of the children, ECFE is their very first opportunity to be separated from their parents in an organized setting. I’m proud to serve alongside these teachers to make that transition as gentle and comfortable as possible for everybody.
   Cogelow, who has taught the parent class for 33 years, says, “Without volunteers of many kinds - classroom helpers, writers, fundraisers, computer whizzes, advocates, and much more - this ECFE program would be a ghost of its current self.” Every Thursday, the teachers take a moment to thank me for being there. I feel welcomed and appreciated and positively blessed  — so much so that I honestly forget that I’m technically “volunteering.” I’m a more involved and informed parent than I was before I “discovered” ECFE at Dayton’s Bluff. Being able to double my time there, by volunteering, has given me back so much more than I ever expected.

"Power Hour" at St. John Lutheran School Building

  St. John Lutheran School presents the free “Power Hour” every Thursday, now through May. The “Power Hour” is for children 5 years of age or younger, accompanied by an adult. Activities include Bible stories, songs, crafts, etc. For more information, call Debbie at 651-776-0761.
   Also taking place is “Christian Education Sunday” on April 20. There will be a 9:30 a.m. service, followed by a potluck and entertainment.
   St. John Lutheran School, 771 Margaret St., 651-776-2763.

Graffiti is a Crime: Report Graffiti, Stop Graffiti

   There has been an increase of graffiti in many parts of Saint Paul, including Dayton’s Bluff in recent weeks. Community members need to help stop graffiti. The way to help stop it is to report it when you see it.
   If the graffiti is on your property call the police at 651-291-1111 and ask that a report be written.
    Also report graffiti that you see on other people’s property and public property by calling 651-266-8989 or email DSIcomplaints@ci.stpaul.mn.us.
   Remember graffiti is a crime.  The police department takes this crime very seriously and is very aggressive in identifying and arresting graffiti vandals for their crimes. Often young people are the perpetrators.
    Many parents have no idea that their children are involved in these crimes nor are they aware of the indicators of graffiti vandal activity. Parents should:
· Check children’s backpacks for markers and/or spray paint, as well as sketch books, pieces of paper with graffiti “tags” on them aerosol can caps and/or nozzles, white shoe polish and photographs of graffiti pieces or murals.
· Check school papers for graffiti “tags” and/or sketches of murals.
· Know who your children are hanging out with and make sure they are home at curfew time. Curfew times are: 10 p.m. for ages 15 or younger; midnight for ages 16-17.
   Graffiti is not an art; it’s a crime. Neighborhood residents get very upset about seeing graffiti in the neighborhood. For more information email Karin@DaytonsBluff.org  or call Karin at 651-772-2075.

Church Directory

Amazing Grace Assembly of God
1237 Earl St.
651-778-1768    
Sun 9:30 am - Sunday school all ages
Sun 10:30 am - morning Worship
Sun 6:00 pm - evening Worship

Hmong Asbury United Methodist  
815 Frank St.  
651-771-0077

Bethlehem Lutheran Church  
655 Forest St.  
651-776-4737
Sun 9:00 am - Morning Service
Sun 10:15-11:15 am - Sunday School & Bible Hour
Sun 11:15 - Hmong Service

Faith Temple - Templo De Fe
1510 Payne Ave
651-778-0096
Sun 10:30 am - Spanish Bilingual Service
Sun 6:00 pm – Spanish Bilingual Service
Wednesday family night

Mounds Park United Methodist 
1049 Euclid St. 
651-774-8736
9:15 am -  Sunday School, 4-year-old through Adult
10:30 am - Worship

Our Savior’s Lutheran  ‘LCMS’
674 Johnson Pkwy 
651-774-2396
Sun only - 8am Worship, 9:20 education hour
Sun 10:45am - Worship

Sacred Heart Catholic Church  
840 E. 6th St.  
651-776-2741
Sat 4:00 pm – Mass
Sun 9:00 am – Mass
Mon, Wed, Fri 8:00 am – Weekday Service

St. John of Saint Paul Catholic Church
977 E. 5th St.  
651-771-3690  
Mon-Sat. 8:00 am – Mass
Sat 4:15 pm - Mass
Sun 9:00 am, 11:00 am - Mass

St. John’s Church of God in Christ  
1154 E. 7th St.  
651-771-7639
Sun 9:30 am - Sunday School
Sun 10:45 am - Worship
Wed 7:00 pm - Bible Study

St. John Ev. Lutheran  
765 Margaret St.
651-771-6406
Sun 9:30 am - Worship
Thurs 6:30 pm - Worship

Miscellaneous Stuff

Advertise in the Forum
The Dayton’s Bluff District Forum is now mailed monthly
to Dayton’s Bluff businesses and households FREE !!
Your 5” x 4” display ad gets to over 6500 addresses for only 2 cents per address.
Your ad is also placed in the online edition of the Forum at no extra cost.
Other size ads are also available
Include the Dayton’s Bluff District Forum in your advertising plans.
Contact Karin@daytonsbluff.org
Or call 651-772-2075

The Dayton’s Bluff District Forum
Wants Your News, Photos and  Articles
About Organizations, People, Events, Opinions, Businesses, Neighborhood Issues
Contact Karin for more info at 651-772-2075

Dayton's Bluff Recycling Pick Up
Every Tuesday.  Have your recycling on the curb by 7:00 a.m. 
If you need recycling bins call 651-772-2075.

An auto race literally came to a crashing halt when this image appeared in the clouds over Daytona International Speeedway in Daytona Beach, Florida.  Local residents had no idea who it was but two Dayton’s Bluff residents visiting the Speedway immediately identified him as Dayton’s Bluff founder Lyman Dayton.  Research revealed that Dayton had real estate holdings in the Daytona area back in 1865 but lost them in a crooked card game.  Shortly afterward he vowed on this deathbed to get revenge.  Apparently he meant it and now his stern visage regularly disrupts races at the Speedway.