Explore campus history and Ethiopia with Armchair Traveler
Wed, Apr 15 2020, 3:15pm
Dear UMRA Members,
Unfortunately, I am going to have to cancel our Tuesday, April 14, Armchair Traveler Program. President Gabel sent a message March 16 canceling all larger events and said, “Smaller events should not be held unless social distancing can be implemented (6 feet between people).” Our meeting room at the Highland Park Community Center would not allow us to maintain that social distancing. Also, all U of M employees have been told to work from home until further notice.
Thank you to those of you who signed up for the program. I hope to be able to reschedule Ryan Mattke and Ron Anderson for September. More to come. Stay safe and healthy.
All best,
Lynn
CANCELED.
The next UMRA Armchair Traveler program will be from 3:15 to 4:45 p.m. on Tuesday, April 14, in the Community Room of the Highland Park Community Center and Library at 1978 Ford Parkway in St. Paul. Space is limited to 45, so please email Lynn Anderson at [email protected] if you plan to attend.
Our first “tour guide,” Map and Geospatial Librarian Ryan Mattke from the University of Minnesota’s John R. Borchert Map Library, will take us on a rare tour of the U through his presentation, “A Trip through the Past: Documenting Campus History.” Ryan will describe the Libraries' Campus History web application, which displays 160 years of building footprints along with historical maps and aerial photographs. His presentation will include interesting buildings that no longer exist, historical aerial imagery of campus, and how the interactive digital map was created.
UMRA member Ron Anderson, a professor emeritus of sociology, will be our second presenter, sharing “Ethiopia, 1945–2000: Photos and Stories from Ethiopia.” Ron grew up in Ethiopia until age 13; his father was a missionary and doctor for Emperor Haile Selassie. In 2000, Ron returned to Ethiopia with his wife. He has lots of photos and stories to share about this very unusual country.
The Community Room will be available from 3 to 5 p.m. so there will be a bit of time for socializing before and after the program.
—Lynn C. Anderson, chair, Armchair Traveler Committee
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