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Weekly Feature Articles

Getting Out the Words: Resources on Stuttering
Language, Speech, Virginia Johnson, Weekly Feature Articles, Health and Medicine, Self-Help and Instructional
06/05/2009 - 4:01pm

Bo Jackson. Winston Churchill. Marilyn Monroe. Alan Turing. Nicholas Brendon. John Updike. James Earl Jones.
All of these famous people, some of whom make their living in front of the cameras, have the same difficulty-they are stutterers.
Stuttering Awareness Week occurs each May. Take a few minutes to learn more about this common problem which affects people of all ages.

Esprit de Corps
History Feature Articles, Korean War, Marine Corps, Military, Vietnam War, Virginia Johnson, Weekly Feature Articles, World War I, World War II, History
09/11/2009 - 11:10am

"That two battalions of Marines be raised consisting of one colonel, two lieutenant colonels, two majors and officers as usual in other regiments, that they consist of an equal number of privates with other battalions; that particular care be taken that no person be appointed to office or enlisted into said battalions, but such as are good seamen, or so acquainted with maritime affairs as to be able to serve to advantage by sea."
(Resolution of the Continental Congress, 10 November 1775.)

Shells: Jewels from the Sea
Beaches, Oceans, Vacation, Virginia Johnson, Weekly Feature Articles, Crafts and Hobbies, Natural World
09/11/2009 - 11:00am

Shells litter the beaches of every continent on our planet. They are durable enough to be used as building material, but they are so compelling that societies have featured their motifs in religion, art, and architecture. Many varieties of shellfish have the additional virtue of being delicious!

Delicious...and Diabetic!
Diabetes, Recipes, Virginia Johnson, Weekly Feature Articles, Health and Medicine
09/11/2009 - 10:30am

No matter what type of diabetes you have, whether it's juvenile (type I), adult on-set (type II), or gestational (diabetes associated with pregnancy), a change in diet is a necessary part of keeping your condition under control. In the bad old days, when focusing on healthier eating was something that was just plain odd, diabetics could count on amazingly dull and tasteless choices at the dinner table and were often limited to where they could go out to eat.

Our Apple Harvest Makes for Two Splendid Seasons
Apples, Autumn, Christmas, Fruit, Holidays, Recipes, Virginia Johnson, Weekly Feature Articles, Cooking, Families, Travel
10/08/2009 - 10:11am

Whether they're Galas, Granny Smiths, Yorks, Winesaps, or Ginger Golds, apples are one of Virginia's loveliest and most useful crops and were much enjoyed by the early colonists and pioneers as well as today's families. Crisp, sweet apples-- harvested in the chilly days of October, can be part of your celebrations in November and December.

An October Excursion to a Mountain Orchard

Sisters under Stress
High blood pressure, Stress, Virginia Johnson, Weekly Feature Articles, Women, African American, Families, Health and Medicine, Self-Help and Instructional
09/11/2009 - 10:16am

The kids are running around the house screaming. One has a cat, the other a bottle of dishwashing liquid. They're heading for the bathroom. Your head is pounding as you rush after them; you arrive seconds before your Persian sinks her claws into your five-year-old. After you dry off the cat, lecture the children, and bring out some popcorn to distract them, that extra cup of coffee and sweet roll are starting to look pretty good. If you smoke, you're probably reaching for the pack by now. After all, you deserve it, don't you?

Scented Geraniums Were Stars in Victorian Valentine Bouquets
19th century, Barbara Crookshanks, Flowers, History Feature Articles, Recipes, Victorian, Weekly Feature Articles, Gardening, History, Household Maintenance
10/28/2009 - 3:29pm

Scented geraniums' modest flowers are almost invisible among the big blossoms of their flamboyant cousins...but their fragrant leaves made them the secret stars of Victorian Valentine bouquets.

Storytelling: From the Heart of Human Experience
FYI Articles, Public speaking, Storytellers, Virginia Johnson, Weekly Feature Articles, Arts and Artists, Drama, Families, Teacher Resources
09/10/2009 - 2:11pm

In the past twenty years, storytelling as a treasured art and pastime has made quite a comeback. Not all the video games, cable channels, or talk radio in the world can take the place of a fine story told face-to-face with good friends on a quiet evening as the rain splatters on the window panes.

Family Stories
Storytelling for Educators
Stories as Part of Business Communication
So You Want to Be a Storyteller
Storytelling on the Web

Making Time for Thank-You Notes
Etiquette, Holidays, Virginia Johnson, Weekly Feature Articles, Crafts and Hobbies, Families, Teacher Resources
09/16/2009 - 12:32pm

One of the most important things to teach children about the holidays is how to express their thanks for what they have received. Plan to set aside a few hours to have fun and give thanks.

Tips for Timely Thank-You's

Santa shouldn't be the only one making lists. In the excitement of opening presents, cards have a tendency to get lost very quickly. Have a sheet of paper and pen handy to jot down the givers, the gifts, and the receivers. No need to make a production of it, but this list will come in so very handy later on.

The Fall of the Bastille
France, French Revolution, History Feature Articles, July, Lafayette, Virginia Johnson, Weekly Feature Articles, Historical Fiction, History, Politics, Teacher Resources
03/16/2010 - 9:55am

 On July 14, 1789, a Parisian mob broke down the gates of the ancient fortress known as the Bastille, marking a flashpoint at the beginning of the French Revolution.

"What is the third estate? Everything. What has it been up till now in the political order? Nothing. What does it desire to be? Something."
--Emmanuel Joseph Sieyes, French political activist