Old Books Are Cool - Reflection by Ron Samul, Thames Faculty

I am an avid reader and I think old books are really cool. Old books have a distinct smell, they have a feel, and sometimes you can imagine some of the hands that touched a book. In fact, I've found some interesting things in old books: four leaf clovers, pressed flowers, notes, pictures, and even letters. You might also discover margin notes, signatures, and other little entries when you read through a old book.

In a recent article for Poor Yorick: A Journal of Rediscovered Objects, I discuss this odd book that turned up on my family bookshelf and how that book easily traveled around the world and came back to New London. While times change, we still have these artifacts to remind us of the skill and the abilities of men who took to the sea. The adventure is almost palpable on this old pages.

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8 Local Hikes You Have to Try! Guest blogger: Chris Scott

Local Hike Guide

Although not known for its outdoors, Connecticut has plenty of options for those willing to look. 

Bluff Point State Park

Bluff Point State Park

Distance from Thames: 10-15 minutes

Address: Depot Road, Groton, CT 06340

Description:  Bluff Point State Park offers a scenic walk around the Connecticut shoreline. The main loop is about three miles long and runs through the woods and right on the shore. Elevation gain is minimal which makes this hike great for all ages. Wonderful vista views of the Long Island Sound, a beach and great aviation watching as the Groton-New London Airport is nearby. This trail is also a popular horseback riding trail so be on the lookout for horses. 

Things to do nearby: The free Submarine Force Museum location at the Groton Sub Base is a wonderful attraction.  Mystic is also close by and offers a great array of dining and recreation options. 

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Local Area Restaurants & Hotels

                                                        

If you will be staying in the area while you visit Thames Academy, please take a look at our list below of local restaurant and area hotels. Please contact your son/daughter's advisor if you have questions. Most Thames staff live locally and are happy to make recommendations!!

LOCAL HOTELS

Hilton Mystic

20 Coogan Blvd, Mystic, CT

Mystic Marriott

625 North Road (Route 117) Groton, CT

Hilton Garden Inn Mystic/Groton

224 Gold Star Highway, Groton, CT

Holiday Inn, New London

35 Governor Winthrop Boulevard, New London, CT

LOCAL RESTAURANTS

Singapore Grill and Sushi Bar

938 Bank St.

Capt. Scott’s Lobster Dock

(Outdoor seafood eatery)

80 Hamilton St.

Tony D’s

(Italian, fine dining)

92 Huntington St.

Gaspar’s New American Cuisine

385 Bank Street

Chaplin’s

165 Bank Street

On the Waterfront

(Seafood, steak, pasta, fine dining)

250 Pequot Avenue

Dev’s on Bank Street

(Tapas)

345 Bank Street

 Fred’s Shanty

(Outdoor seafood stand)

272 Pequot Avenue

2 Wives Brick Oven Pizza

45 Huntington Street

The Recovery Room

(Pizza, salads, Italian)

445 Ocean Avenue

Northern Indian Restaurant

150 State Street

Paesano’s Bar and Bistro

929 Bank Street

  

*For more information, all of these restaurants can be found on TripAdvisor.com

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Sign up for the Lyman Allyn Art Museum Trip on Thursday!!

Thames Academy is hosting a FREE trip to the Lyman Allyn Art Museum located just up the road in New London, CT on the Connecticut College campus. The shuttle will leave at 10:30am on Thursday! Sign up on the bulletin board downstairs!!

Here is a preview of some of their current exhibits:

Lost at Sea: Shipwrecks of the Ancient World

July 18, 2014 – February 1, 2015

Catch the Butterflies

November 28, 2014 – January 4, 2015

Still Life Studio

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The Day newspaper publishes article about Mitchell College President

On Sunday, November 23rd, The Day newspaper published a front page article by Ann Baldelli about Mitchell College and President Janet Steinmayer. Called “New President Charting a Fresh Course at Mitchell College in New London,” the article talks about the work that has happened at Mitchell in the last five months under Ms. Steimmayer's leadership.  

Click Here to Read the Article!

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Will Poole's Island by Tim Weed / A Book Review

by Ron Samul 

Will Poole’s Island by Tim Weed captures some of the best elements of historical fiction, but also delves into the world of mysticism and the native culture that existed before the colonial settlers landed in New England.

Will Poole is an adventure seeking colonial boy who sees the world beyond the strict and often confining world of early Puritan based colonial settlers of New England. He is an orphan that now lives with his guardian, Overlock, who his former servant. While Will tries to steer clear of Overlock and his tedious chores, puritan lessons at the meetings house, and the strict social code of conduct of the New Meadow Plantation, Will has been outside the walls and into the woods. There he meets an indian seer, Squamiset who is a wanted man among the colonists. As Will befriends Squimest - he realizes how much there is to learn about the spiritual understanding that brings harmony to the woods, the sea, and the natural world. Eventually, Will is accused of fraternising the with this outlaw and is punished. When he is able to escape, Will realizes that he must put his faith and his life in the hands of the wise Squamiset. As they run through the coastline of New England, fleeing the colonist and seeking guidance and help from different tribes, these two unlikely protagonists rush headlong into adventure, brotherhood, and a newfound sense of a spiritualism that is being banished by the ever growing colonial population.

Will Poole’s Island is more than a coming of age story, it does a few things remarkably well. Starting this book, you foresee a young Will Poole and his coming of age experience. And simply put, that is what this book might feel like for a bit. The surprise, dare I say revelation in Will’s character development is not only his coming of age, but his spiritual awakening. This is important to this story as Squimeset begins teaching Will how to see the natural world, how to step out of the old world views, slow time down, blend into the world of nature, use the resources that are around him, and even believe wholeheartedly that there is a spiritual essence in all things. He teaches him about Manitoos and communicating with spirits and the heavens. It builds the foundation for Will’s desire to pull away from the colonists, to see beauty in the traditions and the lives of the indian tribes and eventually never turn back. Weed uses these mystical elements to pull us away from the cliches of colonial life and into a natural mysticism that authenticates the spiritual subplot. .

The next element which I think is very important to this book is growing tide of colonization that is coming. As the story unfolds, Will Poole’s Island does turn into a fast moving adventure story. It is fraught with a sense of urgency, desperate decisions, and connections that continually bring suspense and drama to the narrative. While Overlock and Governor Rockingham feel a bit one dimensional, they do serve their purpose as the never-bending vision of puritan corruption, never living outside the bounds of a heaven or hell. Beneath the plot there is also a growing dread that the incoming colonies are growing, pushing tribes out of their villages, causing plagues, and taking advantage negotiations and trading. Knowing in hindsight what is coming, there comes a dread that a traditional and long standing relationship with nature is about to change forever.

This book is well written and because of that, there is not a lot of wasted description or long passages about history. I admire the economy of language and the craftsmanship that makes this book very digestible by anyone interested in a good story. Nathaniel Hawthorne said that “easy reading is hard writing” and that is evident in this book.

Themes in novels can be important. Some of the most important themes are character, time, and place. In this novel, the natural world and place are the elements that make this novel vivid and emotional. Like Howard’s End and the essence of that house, this book realizes some places (not matter how much time is spent there) can hold a significant cathartic change in the characters. As Will Poole moved across this narrative, as the story concludes, the reader is left with a longing to find that place, that moment when everything is right and the everything is possible. It is a longing we all search for spiritually, geographically, and emotionally. This book proves that oppression, obstacles, fate, and the world we live in should not stop us from seeking that place. If we can’t find it right now, walk in the shoes of Will Poole and rediscover that lost island in your life. It will inspire you.

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