SMT Incoming
Motivational Teaching
Rae Lynne, in response to Greg Kristapovich’s June 5th photo essay on Mother Lode Teacher Becky Taylor: “I am currently a student at Oklahoma State University studying Elementary Education. I was given the assignment to find three blogs for my Ed Tech class, with one being in my specific area. I am a senior and after I graduate I want to teach 1st, 2nd, or 3rd grade. I found this story and it really motivated me to think of incentives like this to motivate my students. Since I still have another year before I am a teacher on my own, I continue to look for great ideas such as yours that will help me to become a better teacher. Thank you for posting your story, this was very helpful.”
Pines to Vines
Robert Martin of Twain Harte, in response to Greg Kristapovich’s May 29th Man on the Street Question: “In your recent man on the street the question was asked if wine tasting was something wanted in Twain Harte. The idea on the surface seems like a good idea. But upon closer inspection it is not only a bad idea but fundamentally ridiculous. First of all lets define “wine tasting” as opposed to “wine drinking”. Wine tasting rooms are generally a place located in wine regions for consumers to be able to try a taste of a winery or vineyards product before buying. A one-ounce pour is then tried and for serious wine tasters, then spit out so as not to influence ones decision regarding their financial investment of the purchase of that product. Wine drinking done stand alone without food is typically done in a “wine bar” which is a public premises drinking place or “BAR”. Here proprietors offer for sale wine or beer for consumption on premise and more of the same for consumption off premise. Historically Twain Harte is a family oriented town. We have had at times many activities for families to do together. The idea of “wine tasting” in Twain Harte is essentially faulty because Twain Harte is not a wine grape region. As far as wine drinking is concerned it is socially irresponsible and a bad idea to promote the proliferation of bars for the sole reason of alcohol consumption unless it is connected with a restaurant and the consumption of food. Consumption of alcohol without food is not a family oriented activity. In a neighboring wine grape growing region the proliferation of “wine tasting” rooms has generated a positive revenue stream for that community. But the largest growth of those revenue streams is through law enforcement arrests of alcohol related incidents for that county. Thus manning the ranks of their work release programs at the detriment of the citizens. If Twain Harte imbibes of this idea soon people will say, “Come to Twain Harte on vacation and leave on probation”. I personally live very close to downtown Twain Harte and do not wish to turn Twain Harte into a carnival every weekend full of places to drink alcohol without food available on premise. If those serious about making Twain Harte like Murphys maybe they should work towards taking out the golf course, cut down all the trees and plant grape vines to make this a wine grape growing region or better yet move to Murphys! Twain Harte can still earn the reputation of the premier family recreation area for the bay area by establishing its own identity and sense of place. We are in a unique situation to be able to create something new and forward thinking to preserve the family quality of our resort town without compromising the quality of life for those of us that live and visit here. Lets bring the right people here for the right reasons. Here are a few suggestions. Together lets build a strong, positive community with a vision of the future.
1. Build a community garden in the Black Oak School location. Plenty of sun already irrigated and flat. From this garden we could sell and supply at a reasonable cost, healthy organic foods for all eating-places in town so as to offer the freshest healthiest foods available in every establishment in town. Also supply healthy foods for our local school, while offering instruction in the production of a healthy food source to the children. The children here deserve better than what they currently are getting. In addition, retired and fixed income seniors living in Twain Harte could be supplemented with organic vegetables and have a place to socialize while helping out in the garden. All remaining produce could be sold or distributed based on a work for food program.
2. Open the Twain Harte Lake to the public. Sure it’s been a private lake for a long time but it is long overdue and for a sense of community it should be available to everyone who lives in and visits Twain Harte.
3. Collaborate to develop a more sustainable community by building towards our own power generation, composting program and sustainable water supply systems.
4. Transform the downtown area of Twain Harte to a vehicle free retail commerce area.
5. Promote a higher standard of quality in all new businesses by creating ordinances to limit or encourage specific types of businesses within the downtown region.
6. Develop and promote organized family activities to enhance visibility of our regions positive attributes, i.e. National soap box derby run down our long downhill grade to Soulsbyville. People from all over the country would come to compete. Or we could sponsor an actor’s arts festival or film festival since Tuolumne County is the home of several actors’ repertories and site of many film productions.”
