tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16072283931683489042024-02-08T03:49:09.943-08:00Biographies Written Not For Kids Only -A Name To RememberMen and women change our lives every day. Molly Kool, Francis Blaidell-remembering names of the less famous.Joyannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05097307273105296938noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1607228393168348904.post-6170887668731915592009-08-30T14:04:00.000-07:002009-09-25T07:27:28.868-07:00CALL ME CAPTAIN! THE STORY OF MOLLY KOOL FOR YOUNG READERS<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;mso-outline-level: 1">Molly Kool grew up in a small fishing village called Alma on the Bay of Fundy.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";">The sea by her tiny cottage has the highest waves in the worlds.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";">Molly’s father was a ship’s captain.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";">He built a boat called a scow to carry long logs to Boston Harbor. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";">Molly’s favorite spot was always by her father’s side on the water.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Before Molly was born, her father named his boat the Jean K after Molly’s older sister. But Molly was his best first mate.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Molly could do any job on the ship. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She could fix a broken engine while the boat bounced around in the foggy, icy waters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She could cook dinner for the hungry crew or sew the canvas sails. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When weather was good she cranked the winch to raise the sails. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Giant waves could not stop Molly Kool. She steered the boat away from the rocky cliffs when tides were high. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";">The deepest mud could not stop Molly. As the water rose, she pulled on ropes and dragged the boat with the flat bottom farther out to sea.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";">In the fall when she returned to school, her father hired two men to take her place.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";">First Mate Molly wanted to be a sea captain just like her father.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";">But she had one problem.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";">Every sea captain was a man.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";">No one believed a woman could run a ship. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";">Her father said, “Molly you can do it.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";">Molly would order the crew to move the logs from ship to scow. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";">She could keep her boat close to the big ship so its logs rolled perfectly on to the Jean K’s deck. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";">Molly would order the crew to loosen the chains. With a roar as loud as thunder the logs dropped into the harbor water while Molly kept the Jean K steady.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";">On one foggy trip a steam ship hit the Jean K. The crash made Molly fall over the side. She grabbed a floating log.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Her shipmates threw not one, not two, but five life preservers. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";">“I am already floating. Send a boat!” she yelled.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";">The Jean K was not the biggest ship in the port. But Molly was very proud to keep it safe from every danger. One summer day Molly and her boat were waiting at the dock with lumber piled high upon the deck. Captain Gunderson was used to getting what he wanted. Today he wanted the Jean K’s spot. Molly heard his ship’s whistle but refused to move. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Two sailors came onto her deck.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";">“Move this ship!” said the sailors.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";">“No. I came here first.” Said Molly. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That day the Jean K kept it place. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";">Before Molly could be a captain, she must learn the rules. But that would not be easy because only boys could study at the captain’s school. Soon Molly joined the boys. She was the best student. It took her two years to win her papers.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";">When she passed all her tests, she wrote a letter to her family. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";">It said,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“You can <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Call Me Captain</i>, from now on!”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";">This is how Molly Kool became Captain Molly Kool, the first woman ship’s captain in North America.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Joyannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05097307273105296938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1607228393168348904.post-24593985420302559672009-08-28T09:52:00.000-07:002009-09-25T07:28:33.313-07:00Francis Blaisdell: THE STORY OF THE FIRST GIRL FLUTIST FOR YOUNG READERS<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Jim And Her Singing Flute<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";">Hi. I am Frances and I am a girl. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>My father wanted me to be a boy. He called me, “my Jim.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He loved to play the flute. When I was five he bought me a piccolo. That is a little flute.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";">He taught me how to play it like a harmonica.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";">He thought I was very good. He wrote a letter to a famous flute player in New York.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He asked Mr. Wagner to give<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“my Jim,” some lessons. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";">Mr. Wagner said, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“No. I will not teach a girl. Do not waste my time or your money. No one will let a girl play a flute in the orchestra.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";">I was very sad. Mr. Wagner listened to me play. “Who taught this little girl to play?”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";">My father was very proud. He said, “I did.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";">“Well, you taught her wrong. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I will teach her the correct fingers to use.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He was a very good teacher. I took a train from our New Jersey farm to New York City every Friday for four years to Mr. and Mrs. Wagner’s house.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";">Mr. and Mrs. Wagner lived across the street from Carnegie Hall. They invited famous musicians to their house. I went to the parties too.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>On Saturday Mr. Wagner gave me a flute lesson. After lunch I explored the city. I liked<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>shop windows filled with pretty dresses. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Mr. Wagner played with a big orchestra on Saturday night. He took me to listen to him. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>On Sunday morning I practiced with a children’s orchestra. Then I rode a train back home.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";">When I was 16, I wrote a letter to the great George Barrere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He was the finest flute player in America. He was tall man. His long black beard and beady eyes frightened me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";">“We expected a boy,” the secretary said. “ <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Mr. Barrere will not teach a girl to play the flute.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I played.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 200%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-line-height:200%;font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Light;font-size:10.0pt;">“You go to the office, and you tell them I want you. Do you understand?”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 200%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-line-height:200%;font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Light;font-size:10.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 200%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-line-height:200%;font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Light;font-size:10.0pt;">“Oh, yes. I understand. I am a girl who plays the flute.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 200%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-line-height:200%;font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Light;font-size:10.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 200%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-line-height:200%;font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Light;font-size:10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was hard for some people to believe a girl could play the flute as well as a boy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>One time I wore a gown of silver and gold and played at Radio City Music Hall. I looked out over the stage. It was dark and quiet. The Rockette Dancer nudged me and said, “Get going kid and smile.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 200%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-line-height:200%;font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Light;font-size:10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I played alone. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 200%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-line-height:200%;font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Light;font-size:10.0pt;">I played for the Nutcracker Ballet in New York City. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 200%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-line-height:200%;font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Light;font-size:10.0pt;">I played alone.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 200%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-line-height:200%;font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Light;font-size:10.0pt;">I played for a children’s concert. It was a big honor. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 200%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-line-height:200%;font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Light;font-size:10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I played alone.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 200%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-line-height:200%;font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Light;font-size:10.0pt;">I played for many years.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 200%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-line-height:200%;font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Light;font-size:10.0pt;">I married a man who played the clarinet.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 200%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-line-height:200%;font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Light;font-size:10.0pt;">We had a boy and a girl.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 200%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-line-height:200%;font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Light;font-size:10.0pt;">One day the Philharmonic Orchestra needed an extra flute player. The director knew about the lady who played the flute alone. He asked her to join the other flute players.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 200%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-line-height:200%;font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Light;font-size:10.0pt;">I was very happy. Now I was the first girl to play the flute in an orchestra. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was Frances Blaisdell. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 200%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-line-height:200%;font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Light;font-size:10.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 200%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-line-height:200%;font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Light;font-size:10.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 200%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-line-height:200%;font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Light;font-size:10.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Joyannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05097307273105296938noreply@blogger.com0