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DJ Sadic – Part III
In this 3rd and final part of the interview DJ Sadic shares about giving back to society, his brand & the future…
With passion & relentlessness you can be anything you wanna be.
In this third and final part of the interview DJ Sadic shares about giving back to society, his brand & the future.
The Mix Genius, do you mind telling us more about your unit, The Genius Entertainment?
As I'd launched out as a solo deejay after leaving System Unit, God impressed in my heart that the vision he'd given me was bigger than myself so it had to involve others. Then since I'd embraced the Mix Genius factor, I decided that everything I was going to do, had to have the "Genius" effect. That is how The Genius Entertainment (GE) was birthed; which is a one-stop entertainment house.
God kept broadening the vision and since am a deejay and very passionate about training others, then the Genius Deejay School (GDS) came to existence. Thereafter, we formed a deejay agency which used to do gigs and that's how we created the Genius Republic Deejays (GRD) unit.
While at it, we thought of printing branded tees that we could wear when doing gigs. They became popular and our fans begun making orders and then it developed into a clothing line, the Genius Wear (GW).
We also have an events arm where we consult for other events and organize our own. We provide deejaying gear, sound and lighting, stage etc., which is the Genius Event Gear. Tying closely is the group that does parties and weddings and such like functions.
The media arm on the other hand manages our radio and TV shows. Closely within the media segment, we have the social media team who carry out social media marketing, videography, photography etc.
In addition, we have our record label, the Genius Records (GR), where we are able to sign talents from artists, especially who are from humble background. Since I also sing dancehall/reggae tunes, this is that arm that will manage my music and distribution. Above all else, all these arms within the GE unit, fuel our outreach activities within the, I Am Genius Foundation.
Where do you see yourself in the next 10 years?
Well, I'll be venturing into music production. Moreover, my desire is to broaden the functionalities of all the arms I've mentioned under the Genius Ent. My vision is to have all these replicated at a larger scale into other counties, and nations of the world.
What's your parting shot as we conclude this interview?
To anyone reading this interview, know that you can be anything you wanna be so long as you've got the passion and are relentless. Don't give up!
Catch Part 1 and 2 of this interview on:


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The Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa (SENTRO) send its heartfelt congratulations to Brother Han Sang-gyun, former President of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), for his release from prison last May 21. Together with KCTU we stand proud and happy regarding this positive development—a clear moral and political victory for the solidarity of the working classes.
Brother Han's imprisonment is just one of the many violations and intimidations employed against the working peoples of the world when they stand up for their rights. Accused of leading "violent action", Brother Han's only action was to lead the organizing for the mass mobilization of 130,000 people against the now-deposed government of Park Geun-hye in November 2015. The release of Brother Han is a vindication—one not written by the courts and government of South Korea, but by history, one that will look favorably on him for sparking the light of freedom in South Korea since 2016.
That said, we acknowledge that the fight is not yet over. Brother Han's fellow KCTU officer, Secretary General Lee Young-Joo, remains in prison. Many other political prisoners of the Park years remain languishing in their holding rooms. Despite the ascension of left-leaning President Moon Jae-In under the mandate of representing the Candlelight Revolution, the continued imprisonment of Sister Lee and other like her would continue to put the lie on the promise of change.
We in the Philippines share South Korea's joy in their current exercise of reforming society through democratic revolution and representation. At the same time, our country's history of reversals, witness how our own EDSA Revolutions eventually ended up with the fascist regime of Rodrigo Duterte, may serve as a warning. Indeed, popular democracy will always be a work in progress. And the working peoples of the world can only continuously rely on themselves and those willing to dream an equal and equitable world. Only by vigilance, dignified dissent and an educated people may the fruits of liberation be protected.
So we in SENTRO and the working peoples of the Philippines, while celebrating Brother Han's release, also join in your on-going calls:
Free Lee Young-Joo!
Free all trade unionists and prisoners of conscience!
Organize! Fight! Win!


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I propose that the proper subject for discussion under the caption "Art at the University Stage" in this seminar, may be more precisely entitled "the place of Art in University Education".
And, under this general title, I would like to suggest three basic questions for consideration and exchange of views. These are:
- How far are the ideals of 'liberal education', accepted by our universities, under British rule, during the last two hundred years, consistent with the aim of a really genuine liberal education, and help to create those values and sensibilities in the student, which may enable him to live the good life as a citizen, useful both to himself and society?
- To what extent do the individuals, produced in our universities, emerge with a character in consonance with the exalted ideals of our old-new nation, with a great creative past, which hopes now to contribute some virtues, to cope with the difficulties of its transition to a modern stage, and be a balancing factor in the atmosphere of disruption and conflict prevalent among the family of nations?
- And how can the gaps, which, I shall contend, exist in the present day university education, in appreciating the role of art as an important factor in creating balanced human individuals, be filled.
Before I go on to raise these issues, I would like to make some preliminary observations on the historical tradition of art in our country which may have some reference to the problems we arc discussing.
Insofar as our country affords as example of one or two of those unique ancient civilizations, in which what is now called 'art' was generally accepted as creative work, bound up with practice of a comprehensive religion, or way of life, the participation of almost the whole of society in the use, or enjoyment, of creative works, was ensured, generation after generation, century after century, almost by habit. For instance, in Mohenjo-Daro the architecture of the public bath and the private latrine seems to have been as important as the making of pots and pans, and terracotta or gold images of magical or cult objects. And the stupas, as well as the images obviously made in the workshops of the places of pilgrimage of the Buddhist faith, suggest that the values of good workmanship were fairly well shared between the craftsman, the clergy and the laity. At least the stories and the themes treated in the Buddhist art were familiar legends to the whole of society, from mnemonic memory. And the great mediaeval Hindu temples demonstrate, clearly, that there is no bifurcation between the belief in religion and the use of well made images or symbols, whether these be giant sculptures or the intricate language of dance or small ritualistic votive lamps. Again, the values of craftsmanship and design, which went to the making of mosques seem to have been shared in common between the donating Emperor or nobleman, the priestcraft and the worshipful, who said their prayers in the sanctuary.
The lack of empahsis on the concept of beauty in all these three great religions, implies, of course, that 'aesthetic sense' in the modern European signification, may not have been expected, but the technical works embodying the laws of architecture, or the principles underlying sculptures and painting, were highly evolved and had profound aesthetic sanctions behind them. 'One who knows amiss his craft' says the Maya-Mataya, 'after his death will fall into hell and suffer'. It is likely, that these very sanctions, laid down by the priestcraft, from the point of view of religion, led sometimes to the subservience of the craftsman to the canons laid down by religion, in such a way as to lead to a period of decadence, because the canon became oppressive, as in Sukracharya's phrase that 'even a misshapen image of a God is always better than an image of a man, however beautiful'. But the larger part of traditional art which flourished under the influence, and direct patronage, of the three religions I have referred to, shows that there was the highest respect paid to inventive skill, at least by the few who were responsible for the initiation of giant monasteries, temples and mosques. The common belief which knit together the followers of the one or the other religion, seems to have assured wide enjoyment of creative works if not complete technical understanding of their formal values. And the artist often had a vivid sense of devotion and mental alliance with the images be made.
During one great period of Indian History, the so called 'classical renaissance' of the Gupta age (first century to fourth century A.D.) the concept of fine art, Lalit Kala, seems to have flourished among the courtiers, the learned men and the creative artists, in a manner which denotes that good taste had percolated into this period from the generations which had gone before, even as it is obvious that the aesthetic ideals of this age persisted into later periods.
For the uniformly high qualities of colour and design in much of the craft work, the fabrics and the objects of daily use, both ritualistic and secular, among the bulk of the population, right until the 18th century, evidence to the continuance of traditional good taste and appreciation of skill in handiwork. And, it seems to me, that the decay of the great religions, and the lapse of intense belief was certainly accompanied by a deterioration in the arts and crafts, in the delight in well made objects, as well as in the understanding of the need for them.
And about this time, under the impact of European conquest, India came into the orbit of the Western Industrial revolution.
Now, this upturning had already brought rapid social and psychological changes in the fabric of the great religious faiths of Europe, and robbed the works carried out under them of belief, in the West itself. And the machine forms, the sciences from which these machines originated, as well as the new learning of the European renaissance, which had led to the questioning of all previous faiths in Europe and brought an extreme individualism there, also ushered an era of individualism into India after the British conquest, such as was unknown to our country for centuries during its long traditions.
The sources of the social organisation of the 19th-and 20th-century European states, had lain in the hypothesis of the new sciences, with their inductive methods of inquiry, and the examination of all previous values, in the light of the new illumination.
This also brought about the bifurcation of all the knowledge that had been assembled. The sciences themselves began to be considered as distinct from the humanities, which included the arts in university education.
The classes, which resulted from the pressures of commercial life based on profit, tended to become distinct, even like our own old caste order. And, in the resultant conflicts and chaos of society, the emphasis on vocational training, for individuals who were to be churned up in the vast machine dedicated to the worship of Mammon. many of the values of human life were lost sight of, if not deliberately ignored. The average 'intelligent person' trained in a university tended to become an atomised creature, with a narrow outlook,—a specialist without a vision of the potentialities and aspiration of the whole man, while the 'average man' performing a routine operation in the making one part of a gadget, or selling it, lost nearly all genuine rhythmic sense and became a bored, self-centred personality, seeking escape in the pleasures of Kisch culture.
Unfortunately, in spite of the great freedom movement in our country, many of the social forms of modern Europe were imposed upon, or were voluntarily adopted by, our forebears, and we have inherited the crises of the West willingly, remaining in our minds provincials and suburbans of Europe and America, and tending to take on the philistinism and vulgarity of the West, without sorting out the ideas we have imported, in regard to education and the general conduct of life.
If this be so, we have to evolve a new outlook to eradicate the evils of vocational training and specialism, in order to help the emergence of whole men, both from our universities and society at large.
After these general remarks I feel that we are in a position to pose, one by one, those three questions which I put down at the beginning of this essay and try to answer them in such a way that some positive suggestions may become possible, at the end.
Liberal Education
'How far arc the ideals of liberal education, accepted by our universities under British rule, during the last two hundred years, consistent with the aims of a really genuine liberal education and help to create those values and sensibilities in the student, which may enable him to live the good life, as a citizen, useful both to himself and society?'
As everyone knows, our present day education system has come down to us as a forcible imposition on us from the West; and it is, still, under our national regime, a compromise with, and an inferior imitation of, the British system. And nowhere in the new schemes, whether of Sargeant or Radhakrishnan's, does one feel that the aim of education has been conceived on the basis that every man and woman is potentially, as Ananda Coomarswamy put it, a special kind of artist (though not every man is a painter or a sculptor), and that the real aim of liberal education is not class rooms and syllabuses but humanness and freedom, the real freedom which comes to the whole man with a free mind, the mind whose fears, hates, guilts and anxieties have been released, so that the dynamic energy latent in him can express itself, creatively, through pleasurable acts and movements.
Of course, education of a liberal kind at the university level alone, cannot contribute very much when the child, who becomes the man, is poisoned at the source. And though I am going beyond my subject to talk of the need for good primary education, I am convinced that until we begin to rear our children from the very earliest ages, in the atmosphere of the greatest freedom, allowing them, without dont's, to express their creative urges, unless we realise that childhood is a natural creative playhood and not a business of categorical imperatives and learning of tables by rote to the tune of the school master's Danda, (itself stimulated into action by the teacher's own faulty upbringing and education and low standard of living), until we get into the habit of seeking the inner life of a child and not only his ulterior acts, we shall be building, not a nation of whole men, but generations of vipers, who will set upon each other at the least little excuse given by narrow minded fanaticism, and our so called art will remain a thin veneer of complacency to cover our beastliness.
Still, as we pretend to espouse the ideals of liberal education at the universities on the British model, it may be instructive to see the results of this education on the minds of many of the scholars of the British universities themselves. It is not infrequent to come across many intellectuals in Great Britain who say in a tone of mock humility: "I don't know anything much about art but really, I can't stand the ugliness of modern art!" And I remember at least one politician, with liberal sympathies, who held a picture upside down and began to auction it for a charity, with the mock-humorous phase: 'I don't know which way it should hang, but I know that the painter who painted it should hang—except that he may be exonerated for helping our fund!' Public taste has been so corrupted by the specialist education in the British universities that art has come to be for most graduates 'a queer thing'.
And, among our own universities, vocationalism and specialism, though indifferently taught, so completely excludes the stimulation of the sensibility, the intensification of the emotions, or the promotion of a balanced outlook, that the situation is utterly depressing. The recourse to the cram notes, aids to text books, and the questions and answers, which are supposed to enable a student to pass his B.A. or M.A., leaves no room, or incentive for such activities as may help the making of an individual, integrated with other individuals. The professors, teaching whole classes of hundred or so students, on limited emoluments, often take the easy way out and fail to guide the young mind. Anyhow, there is an absence of adequate texts in the curricula, giving an elementary idea of our heritage or of a modern humanistic world outlook.
Sir Herbert Read has drawn attention to a passage in the Autobiography of Charles Darwin, which is a remarkable piece of confessional writing, by a great scientist, describing how the aesthetic sense can be lost through emphasis on specialist training:
'My mind seems to have become a kind or machine for grinding general laws out of large collections of facts, but why this should have caused the atrophy of that part of the brain alone, on which the higher states depend, I cannot conceive. A man with a mind more highly organized or better constituted than mine, would not, I suppose have thus suffered; and if I had to live my life against, I would have made a rule to read some poetry and listen to some music at least once every week; for, perhaps, the parts of my brain now atrophied would thus have been kept active through use. The loss of these tastes is a loss of happiness, and may possibly be injurious to the intellect, and more probably to the moral character, by enfeebling the emotional part of our nature.'
And I can myself vouch for the fact that the Indian universities certainly do not help to stimulate those opportunities through which the student may individually or collectively, satisfy his natural urges to participate in creative activities, and thus enable the young people to become useful both to themselves and to society. (In order to be a creative writer, I had myself to unlearn much of what I was taught, particularly to release my sensibility, a process of self education which, I hope, has not yet been finished!)
National Character
To what extent do the individuals, produced in our universities, emerge with a national character in consonance with the exalted ideals of our old-new nation, with its great creative past, which hopes now to contribute some virtues, to cope with the difficulties of its transition to a modern state, and be a balancing factor in the atmosphere of disruption and conflict prevalent among the nations.
If education in our universities is inadequate for the tasks envisaged by a modern liberal education, then it is totally destitute in its awareness of our peculiar position as an old-new nation with an unique tradition, and the need for the creation of men of noble character, who may know their history and synthesise it with the fundamental human values accepted everywhere today as the inspiration behind the more creative impulses of the modern democratic state.
The blame for this abject situation in the universities, lies not so much on ourselves but on the British rulers of India, who imposed a blind, imitationist system of teaching on our country and who were generally contemptuous of our ancient traditions.
From Lord Macaulay, who was the author of the British-Indian university system, through Professor Westcott to Roger Fry, the designation of our artistic heritage has been constant and uniform.
The strictures of Macaulay arc familiar: "I have no knowledge', he wrote in his Minute on Indian Education, 'of either Sanskrit or Arabic. But I have never found one (among the Orientalists) who could deny that a single shelf of a good European library was worth the whole native literature of India and Arabia. I certainly never met with any Orientalists who venture to maintain that the Arabic and Sanskrit poetry could be compared to that of the great European nations. And when we pass from works of imagination to works in which facts are recorded, and general principles investigated, the superiority of the European becomes absolutely immeasurable' .
In 1864 said Prof. Westcott of Indian sculpture: 'There is no temptation to dwell at length on the sculpture of Hindustan. It affords no assistance in tracing the history of art, and its debased quality deprives it of all interest as a phase of fine art. It must be admitted, however, that the works existing offer very curious subjects of inquiry to the scholar and archaeologist.'
And, though much objective scholarship was brought to bear on the Indian tradition by many eminent Englishmen, during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, these researches did not persuade the famous contemporary art critic, Roger Fry, from declaring, in his Last Lectures delivered in Cambridge, during the Second World War, that the 'Indian craftsman had no sense of design'.
In the face of this kind of attitude our official universities, before the transfer of power, could not emphasise the teaching of the values of our past culture or disseminate information on this culture.
Since then the addition of courses in ancient history and culture have been piecemeal. And, apart from three universities, there is no regular teaching of the history and the values of Indian art, or world art, anywhere. Thus any serious knowledge and appreciation, of the achievements of Indian civilisation is, at the moment, in the poorest state possible.
In vain did the poet Tagore seek to warn the Indian people about the dangers of neglecting our past and about ignoring the need for relating it to the vital as pects of the new learning from the West.
And the whole psychological basis for stimulating the higher aesthetic taste of the child, which was the basis of the Gandhi-Zakir Hussain report on basic education, with its insistence on 'learning by doing', has been so far shelved, with the report which embodied it.
Actually, there is nothing in the present university system of India to suggest that we are conscious of the need to develop a national character, far less of the need to adjust such national character to the social and psychological changes which will come, inevitably, with the extension of the First Five Year Plan into the Second Five Year Plan and march onwards towards a 'socialist pattern of society'.
The essence of this reprehensible situation is that if we accept the hypothesis that the university teaching is concerned merely with the training of the intellect of our students, by filling their heads with knowledge of economics, history, philosophy, literature and the sciences, we are ignoring the existence of sensibility, and the emotional life, which lie at the sources of human personality.
Undoubtedly, quite a few amateur and professional artists practice the creative arts in our country today, according to their individual aspirations and skills. But the bulk of the people are illiterate and prefer traditional crafts and cannot participate in the enjoyment of the culture produced by our braver spirits. The minority of the university educated intelligentsia may pretend to understand the products of the imaginations of these artists, but do not, I hazard the opinion, have the necessary information on the ancient, modem, or contemporary history of Indian, or world, art, to bring any integrity, or genuine sense of discrimination and appreciation, to the works being produced in our midst.
Therefore, the creative virtues, which may thus help to bridge the gulf between our past tradition and present democratic secular makeup, and contribute our modest share towards providing a deeper basis for understanding with other parts of the world, do not exist, except as a thin stream of potential contemporary art.
In this context, I would like to quote the warning of the British thinker, Ruskin, to his students in Oxford. Said Ruskin: 'The art of any country is the expression of its social and political virtues.' And he added elsewhere: 'With mathematical precision, subject to no error or exception, the art of a nation, so far as it exists, is an exponent of its ethical state.'
And I would like to recommend to my countrymen the profound faith of Mahatma Gandhi who declared that 'there is no art if it does not serve the people'.
Is it likely in view of my analysis of the existing situation, that we have as yet no life concept, with a consequent faith, which may become the basis of a national character and certain shared values?
I am afraid the answer is that we have no life concept yet. And we have not yet grasped even the elementary fact that art is as vital a necessity for us in helping to provide a life concept as bread and clothes and houses, insofar as it is impossible to be truly human, under modern conditions, without the cultivation of the sensibility and emotions, side by side with the intellectual side of our temperaments.
The Necessity of Art
And how can the vast gaps, which I contend, exist, in the present day university education, in appreciating the role of art as an important factor in creating balanced human individuals, be filled.
The practice and understanding of art has never in our long history been divorced from life, as though it were an excitation of the nerve-ends of the imagination when a person is bored or seeks to escape from the tedium of routine. As Dr. Coomarswamy put it aptly:
'To the primitive man, first and foremost a metaphysician and only later on a philosopher and psychologist, to this man who, like the angels, had fewer ideas and used less means than we, it had been inconceivable that anything, whether natural or artificial, could have a use of value only and not also a meaning. This man literally could not have understood our distinction of sacred from pro fane or of spiritual from material values; he did not live by bread alone. It had not occurred to him that there could be such a thing as an industry without art, or the practice of any Art that was not at the same time a rite… … …'
Nor was there any bifurcation between the various faculties of man, in the Hindu, Buddhist or Islamic religions.
It is only in the modern democratic state that disintegration is accepted as a law of nature and accommodation is made for all the ills of the body, without consideration of the central fact that creativeness is a natural attitude of the integrated personality, even as creative work forms the basis of any organised society, whether of men, of bees, or of mere ants.
And, in the context of this creativeness, the work of art becomes, as professor Whitehead feels: 'The concrete achievement of a thing in its actuality, with a highlight thrown on what is relevant to its preciousness.'
In this sense the creative arts become the pooled resources of the culture of a people; and the manifold works, to the elaboration of which human genius be comes addicted, constitute the most coherent expression of life when they are most private, and the habit of living in and through such vivid values is the only possible life in which harmonious development of human personality can be achieved. And thus creative art becomes an expression of the natural faith, and the inner traditions, of a people.
Without it a people die, or languish, in an apathy, which is the expression of decadence. It is impossible to build a nation. with its important limbs cut off at the sources, by the hardening of the arteries and the stoppage of the circulation of the blood, which in itself is the basis of the instinct for life and more life.
If what I have said is substantiated by the individual testimony of other participants in this seminar, if there is, indeed, a deep and integral connection between the whole man and his creative acts, and if these creative abilities are fashioned, to any extent. by education, then it may be asked: What are the ways in which we can promote such integration through our educational system, particularly at the university stage?
I do not think that any partial reforms, such as the opening of an art institute here and a museum there wilt suffice, important as these methods may be within the possibilities of our small present day budgets for education. These isolated reforms cannot lead to the direction in which we must travel, if we are to rescue ourselves from the disastrous situation in which we find ourselves, through the British India system of education, prevalent among us.
What is needed, in the first instance, is a thorough change in our own outlook.
This seminar may be a partial effort in this direction. And then we must really think in terms of a new commission inquiry, in which we may invite those thinkers of our own country and abroad, who are not merely art critics, but sociologists, political workers and planners and publicists, who can inquire into the present paucities of our education system, with a view to the evolution of a comprehensive scheme of education, through art, informed by the sense of a humanist life concept, to which we have been vaguely proceeding without much awareness of its implications.
Such a commission may take evidence, not only in our country, where we have made a very small start in the way of education, but, through the U.N.E.S.C.O., in such other countries where the problems of integration of education with modem life have already been pursued with some degree of depth and coherence.
I would suggest that Sir Herbert Read, the eminent British art historian and philosopher, be asked to be the chairman of such a commission, with some of the Vice-Chancellors, educationists and public men of India as members of this inquiring body.
As a small interim measure towards the correction of the defaults of university education, the Ministry of Education should be asked by this Lalit Kala Akadami seminar to appoint chairs for the teaching of the History of Indian Art and culture in all the important universities in our country.
I anticipate that at least four or five of the most important universities could secure grants from private individuals for the establishment of chairs of the History of art. Such chairs already exist in the Calcutta, Banaras and Baroda universities, and have proved very beneficial in raising the general level of aesthetic appreciation. I suggest that the universities of Delhi and Bombay be asked to take steps to found these chairs of the History of An immediately. Other universities could be recommended to appoint Readership of the History of Art until they can afford, with the help of Government or private grants, to found full professorships.
Further, I suggest the grant of scholarships from the Ministry of Education to train students who are likely to become cadres of the teaching staff in the universities, for courses such as the history of Indian and World art, and aesthetic appreciation, as well as for the thousands of museums and culture centres, which must be opened. For it is necessary to decentralise the ignorant 'wonder house' presentation of art, current in our country's museums, and to bring many more people into the orbit of the awareness of the vivid values of human culture.
The decentralised culture centres should, in my opinion resort to new techniques of display and education than be content with the dusty manner to which even the most important museums are, at the moment, addicted.
The Lalit Kala Akadami, which already has a programme of publication embracing the field of ancient and modem Indian art and culture could extend it to include informative and popular, as well as research, studies, on the arts and cultures of our neighbour countries in Asia, which have inherited civilizations similar to our own. A programme of publication in India, at reasonable prices, of works of European art and culture, might also ensure contact between our people and those of the West, at the highest levels of achievement.
Again, in order to evolve a wholesome university education system, I emphasise the need to drop the fashionable catch words and slogans of the 'Art world'. I place much value upon the body of experts on the commission which I have recommended, to analyse the new methods of education that have already been propounded by the most important thinkers in the face of the present world debacle. Only, the proceedings of such a commission, may be able to stimulate some appreciation of our need for greater life concepts and a fundamental aware ness of our human needs. The emergence of life concepts will, in their turn, reveal the real function of creative works in the modern community, by showing that creativity is the core of all civilized living, the warp and woof of human existence and not a mere decorative luxury.
When we realise that the emergence of a great new art tradition in our country is contingent upon the evolution of great life concepts (and what could be greater life concepts than the positive values arising in the face of the problems of uplifting our lowly and downtrodden fellow countrymen?), it may be possible for us to talk of art with some degree of honesty. At the moment, all our boasting about art is largely a compensation for our paucities in the present, and all our partisan quarrels are a series of vicious circles within bigger vicious circles.
Arc we serious enough in our efforts to study the problems of genuine liberal education, to evolve a national character, and to emerge from the present world crisis to some degree of poise and balance in human society?


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Cabinet decides to bring resolution for Vidhan Parishad
Bhubaneswar: The State Cabinet that met under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today took several important decisions including bringing in a resolution during monsoon session of the State Assembly to expedite formation of Vidhan Parishad in Odisha.
There will be 49 members in the Vidhan Parishad of the State, informed Parliamentary Affairs Minister Bikram Keshari Arukh after the cabinet meeting.
The monsoon session is scheduled to begin on September 4.
Once the Odisha Assembly approves the resolution, it will be sent for the approval of the Parliament under Article 169 of the Constitution of India.
The Cabinet also approved a proposal on amendment of the Odisha Hindu Religious Endowments Act, 1951 for better administration and management of Hindu Religious institutions. As per the decision, the institutions will get government control during framing of schemes and will have government officers as trustees.
A proposal on amendment to the Odisha Excise Service Rules, 2002 was also approved by the Cabinet. All the posts of Superintendent of Excise, Group –A will be filled up by promotion, it was decided.
The Cabinet also decided to frame the Odisha Medical and Health Services Rules 2018 to regulate recruitment, promotion and conditions for medical officers appointed to the Odisha Medical and Health Service cadre.
A proposal on modification of 'Kalinga Sikhya Sathi Yojana' scheme implemented by the Department of Higher Education to provide financial assistance to needy students was also approved. As per the decision, the period of loan repayment was increased from 10 years to 15 years for loans up to Rs 7.50 lakh.
The Cabinet also decided to repeal the Bihar and Odisha Places Of Pilgrimage Act, 1920.


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2 thoughts on "Members & Friends of Killamarsh Congregational Church 1953"
The gentleman front row, far left was my grandad, George Harold Drakett. He lived in Sheffield Road, Killamarsh. Lovely to see him again.
Names given for photograph:
Mrs Ruth Batty, Billy Lawson, Henry Taylor, Wm Henry Taylor, Miss Joyce Fells, Mrs Winifred Holden, Mr Tucker
Miss Emma Kirkham, Mrs Evelyn Milner, Mrs Alison Tucker, Miss Maud Childs, Mrs W H Taylor, Colin Hopkinson, Vincent Hopkinson
Mr Arthur Watson, Mrs Maggie Watson, Mrs Janet Hopkinson, Rev Fred Mares, Mrs Harriet Bailey, Harold Hopkinson, Mrs Rose Burton, Herbert Taylor,
Fred Childs, Miss Lily Bailey


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COVID-19 and Employee Layoffs
We have received many questions about how to lay off employees due to the Covid-19 shutdown. The answer may require consideration of how many employees you have and how many will be laid off. This may require further discussion.
At a minimum you must provide the following:
1. Paycheck for all hours worked until separation including all accrued but unused vacation time, bonuses and commissions, and any other earned compensation.
If you cannot calculate what bonuses or commissions have been earned up to the date of separation, this requires a separate discussion. The paycheck must be provided at the time of termination or within 72 hours if an employee quits without providing 72 hours' notice.
2. Notice to Employee as to Change.
Code 1089 requires that employers provided separated employees with written notice of the employee's change in relationship with the employer. https://www.edd.ca.gov/Payroll_Taxes/pdf/NoticetoEmployeeastoChangeinRelationship.pdf.
3. "For Your Benefit, California's Program for the Unemployed" pamphlet published by the EDD (Form 2320)
This form published by the EDD is required to be provided to any employee who is being laid off, terminated, or placed on a leave of absence on the last day of employment. https://www.edd.ca.gov/pdf_pub_ctr/de2320.pdf
4. COBRA and Cal-COBRA Notices.
Employers should obtain these forms through your health insurance provider. Includes the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) certificate of group health plan coverage to all terminated employees who are participating in the group health plan at the time of termination.
5. Health Insurance Premium (HIPP) Notice (DHCS 9061)
For employers with 20 or more employees, the Department of Health Care Services requires that employers provide terminated employees with the Health Insurance Premium Payment (HIPP) notice. https://edsd.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/5.g.-Notice-to-Terminating-Employees-HIPP-Program.pdf
6. California Labor Code Section 2808(b) requires employers to provide to employees, upon termination, notification of all continuation, disability extension, and conversion coverage options under any employer-sponsored coverage for which the employee may remain eligible after employment terminates.
I recommend you visit the link below and read about news on additional benefits going into effect April 1. 2020. https://www.californiaemploymentlawreport.com/2020/03/families-first-coronavirus-response-act-enacted-by-the-president-what-employers-need-to-know/
I hope this helps. Let me know of any questions.
COVID-19 Update
To our clients and prospective clients:
Griego Law Office will remain open in order to address the employment law concerns of our clients and prospective clients by appointment only; no walk-ins. We will endeavor to schedule phone consultations only for the foreseeable future. We will continue to advise employees and business clients about all aspects of employment law. In most cases, documents can be exchanged via the internet. My assistant Geri can arrange that.
Please contact our office so that we can coordinate an appointment with you: 408-498-7671, ext 3 or email@example.com. You may be transferred to a message center.
Please leave a message explaining your reason for a visit and a phone number.
What Is the Harm of Hugs in the Workplace?
In recent months, the increasing number of high-profile allegations of sexual harassment and sexual assault has put a spotlight on the charged issue of proper decorum in the workplace. The issue that many employers face, however, is that the line between innocent behavior and offensive behavior can be difficult to draw. That's why it's important for employers to be as transparent as possible about workplace rules regarding unwanted touching—including behavior that many people might regard as innocuous, such as hugs. In addition, employers should make themselves familiar with the laws of their state regarding sexual harassment and sexual assault. Staying inside these laws is essential for protecting your company from potential lawsuits from current and former employees. If you are concerned about whether your workplace policies are strong enough to protect your company from possible legal action in the future, you may want to consult with a lawyer in San Jose, CA, with experience in employer rights .
Steps to Take When You've Been Underpaid
You work hard for your paycheck, and every dollar counts. So you might be surprised to learn that getting underpaid is quite common, and not every employee realizes it's happening. Employee rights lawyers recommend verifying the accuracy of every paycheck you receive before you deposit it. If you do think you're being underpaid, talk to an employment law attorney in San Jose, CA right away.
Look for common pay stub errors.
Many different payroll errors can result in you receiving a smaller paycheck than you should. As you examine your pay stub each week, ask yourself the following questions.
- Are my hours correct?
- Is the rate of pay correct?
- Did I get paid time-and-a-half for overtime?
- Did my employer take out unusual deductions?
Report the mistake to human resources.
It's possible that a too-small paycheck is simply due to a clerical error. Visit your company's human resources department to discuss the issue. You have the right to request a timely payment of the money you're owed. In most cases, your employer should include compensation in your next paycheck.
Maintain your own work records.
Whether or not you've previously detected paycheck errors, it's good practice to retain your pay stubs and keep your own records. Keep a small notebook in your car or desk, and write down the times you arrive at work and leave each day. Add up the hours and make a note of whether you're owed overtime pay.
Talk to a labor attorney.
Contact an employment lawyer, and schedule an initial consultation. Bring your recent pay stubs and any other relevant documents, such as your employment contract if you have one. Your lawyer will review these documents, explain the applicable labor laws, and discuss your options. In some cases, employers are more willing to pay what they owe their employees when they learn that a lawyer has been retained—even before an official complaint is filed. If you're still denied the pay you're entitled to, your employment attorney can file a lawsuit.
Talk to your co-workers.
Your lawyer may recommend that you speak privately with your co-workers to find out if they're also being underpaid. You and your co-workers may pursue a collective action against the employer. In litigation, there can be strength in numbers.
What Should You Do If an Employee Makes a Sexual Harassment Claim?
All sexual harassment claims should be taken very seriously. Even if the employee hasn't yet filed an official complaint, you should take immediate action. First, contact an employment lawyer in San Jose, CA . He or she can give you the legal guidance that will minimize your company's liability.
When you watch this video, you'll be reminded to speak with all involved parties to get to the bottom of what has happened. Take action to put an end to the sexual harassment, and execute disciplinary action as specified in the employee handbook. Later, you'll need to follow up with the involved parties to make sure the behavior has stopped and the victim didn't suffer any retaliatory actions. You can prevent future problems by holding training sessions focused on raising awareness of sexual harassment, and explaining your company's zero tolerance policy.
How Federal and State Laws Impact Marijuana in the Workplace
Employers in California must be mindful of both federal and state laws. This can get complicated because these laws can evolve frequently, especially when they pertain to marijuana. Although Californians can legally possess and use marijuana for medical and recreational purposes, federal law still classifies it as a Schedule I drug that has no medicinal use. This means that it's possible for employers to face legal difficulties if they knowingly continue to employ workers who use marijuana. To keep your company out of legal entanglements, seek employment law advice from a labor attorney in San Jose, CA who is familiar with these matters.
Drug-Free Workplace Policies
Not all companies may be affected by the marijuana use of employees, as long as the substance is not taken to or used on the company's campus. However, if your company is subject to the 1970 Federal Controlled Substances Act, it must have a Drug-Free Workplace Program in effect. Companies are subject to this law if they are nonprofits that receive federal grants (of any amount), or if they are for-profit entities that receive $100,000 or more in federal contracts. An employment lawyer can draft a drug-free workplace policy to include in your employee handbook.
Marijuana-Related Work Issues
Beyond the legal requirements, there are other issues for employers to consider. Employees who work while under the influence are more likely to be involved in workplace accidents. Their productivity may suffer, and the mere fact that some people are working under the influence of marijuana may affect the morale of the entire workplace.
Medical Marijuana Considerations
Labor attorneys are often asked if employers must make exceptions for workers who have a valid medical marijuana card. Remember that marijuana is still illegal under federal law. Even under state law, California courts have made it clear that it's within an employer's rights to terminate or refuse to hire an individual who tests positive for marijuana, with or without a medical marijuana card.
When Is Political Speech Allowed at Work?
In today's politically contentious landscape, many employees find it difficult to abide by the golden rule: Never discuss politics in the workplace. This can create problems if heated political debates interfere with employees' job duties and attentiveness to customers. Freedom of expression in the workplace differs from state to state. Employers should check with a labor rights lawyer in San Jose, CA for the reliable employment law advice they need to craft a written policy regarding political speech.
This video provides a brief introduction to this topic, including a discussion of the National Labor Relations Act, anti-discrimination laws, and the First Amendment. It's a common misconception that the right to free speech guaranteed by the First Amendment extends to the workplace. In fact, it only prevents governmental action against the impingement of free speech. This means that employers can take action to limit political debates in the workplace, particularly if these debates could be considered harassment.
Employment Law in the News: Can NFL Players Be Fired Over Protests?
An intriguing question regarding unlawful termination has been making headlines lately: Are NFL team owners legally able to fire players who use time on the field to protest social injustices? Despite the urgings of the 45 th President, whether or not an NFL owner can let a player go because of protests is a bit more complicated than simply saying, "You're fired." Employment lawyers serving San Jose, CA would defer to the player's contract and the collective bargaining agreement when determining whether a termination is unlawful or not.
In the typical workplace, an at-will employee can be fired at any time for any reason, as long as the termination does not arise from discrimination based on a protected class. Employees who work under a contract, such as NFL athletes, can only be fired under the terms specified in the contract. The typical NFL contract requires athletes to conduct themselves in a manner that befits the "public respect." It's possible for an NFL owner to fire an athlete if he or she claims that the athlete's protests have diminished the public respect. However, since fans are about evenly split between disliking the protests and appreciating the true meaning behind them, the athlete could possibly argue that protesting in such a way actually upholds the public respect.
Can Employers Ask Questions About Intended Pregnancies?
Legal protections in the workplace have come a long way from previous decades, but some employers still run afoul of employee protection laws, including those regarding pregnancy. Civil rights attorneys in San Jose, CA can offer employment law advice to employees who think they may have been discriminated against based on a protected class, such as pregnancy.
Asking About Pregnancies and Intended Pregnancies
It is not within an employer's rights to ask about an employee's intentions to become pregnant, or about whether she is currently pregnant. Employees have every right to consult a labor rights lawyer if they are asked this question. Likewise, employers may not ask job candidates about their intentions toward parenthood, nor can they base a hiring decision on whether a job candidate intends to become pregnant or is pregnant.
Disclosing a Pregnancy Status
Women often choose to give their employers a heads up when they are expecting to use maternity leave soon. However, not every new mother will take multiple weeks off. Women are within their rights to work up to their due date, and then take vacation time for the delivery and recovery period. Women who aren't yet expecting, but intend to become pregnant, can use time off for doctor's appointments and infertility treatments in accordance with the company's policy.
Requesting Leave
Women who plan to take maternity leave given by the company—or time off requested under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)—must give reasonable notice of the leave. Not every employee is eligible for FMLA. Those who do are lawfully allowed to take up to 12 weeks of leave within a 12-month period for family or medical reasons, such as the birth of a child. FMLA leave is unpaid. At the end of the leave, employers are legally required to restore the employee's previous position, or an equivalent position that offers the same benefits and wages.
Requesting Reasonable Accommodations
It's possible for a pregnant woman to be unable to carry out certain job duties due to the conditions of pregnancy. During the last few weeks, for example, she may not be cleared by a doctor to take a business trip. There may also be restrictions on heavy lifting. Although employers cannot ask about pregnancies or intended pregnancies, they should be given reasonable notice about any accommodations the employee needs.
Employee Vacation Benefits: What Are Your Rights?
In California, employers are not legally required to provide paid or unpaid vacation time to their employees. If an employer does have an established vacation time policy, then employment law can regulate it. If you think your employer may have violated your rights with regard to your vacation benefits, consider talking to a labor rights lawyer serving San Jose, CA. An employment law attorney can determine whether your accrual or denial of vacation time violates any state regulations.
The Accrual of Vacation Time
California law recognizes that vacation time is accrued as labor is performed. The longer an employee works for the company, the more vacation time he or she accrues. Hypothetically, if Sara is given two weeks of vacation each year, then she'll only have half of that available to her by the six-month point.
The Disposal of Unused Vacation Time
An employee rights lawyer can advise you that your vacation benefits are considered to be earnings under state law. This means that, barring a contradictory clause in a collective bargaining agreement, your employer cannot legally deny you those benefits if any are unused when you resign or are terminated. Your employer must compensate you for these unused vacation hours, corresponding with your final rate of pay.
The Legality of a Waiting Period
It's legal—and common practice—for employers to require a probationary period for new employees, during which they do not accrue vacation time. As long as the vacation plan cannot be considered subterfuge , it's acceptable for an employer to impose this waiting period. For example, an employee may not accrue vacation time at all the first year, followed by four weeks the second year, followed by two weeks during the third year. An employment law attorney could argue this is subterfuge, since it's implied that two of the four weeks during the second year actually accrued during the first year. A legally acceptable vacation plan might offer zero vacation time during the first year, followed by two weeks for years two through five, and three weeks for each year following that.
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The Fisher-Price My Little Snugapuppy Deluxe Bouncer is on sale for $33.57 at Amazon right now. That's 48% off the list price of $64.99!
Product information:
- Deep & extra-cushy seat with soft, supportive head rest and newborn insert
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- Lightweight design and non-skid feet
Shipping is free with Amazon Prime or if you spend $35 or more.
See all posted baby deals or all posted Amazon deals to save even more!
Amazon Deals can change at any time, so make sure you double check the price before making your purchase.
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Chitcombe Farm Camping Barns
Camping Barns in England : Family and Group accommodation on Exmoor, individuals welcome.
Chitcombe Farm Camping Barns, Chitcombe Farm, Huish Champflower, Taunton, Somerset, TA4 2EL
Call Ali Kennen on 01398 371274
OverviewA small family run farm in West Somerset, on the edge of Exmoor. Providing inexpensive basic accommodation, with an emphasis on a warm and dry place to stay after a day out in the locality. So if you're looking to have a day hiking on Exmoor, or training for an event, or just spending time in the countryside this could be the place for you. The Hay Barn, is a dormitory style open plan barn with bunks, two bathrooms with showers, a kitchen and seating area for up to 12 people, more by prior arrangement. It is centrally heated, with hot and cold running water at no extra charge. The Cart Shed is more of an open plan chalet with a kitchen, bathroom with shower, seating area and bunks for four people, if you require extra beds for this barn there is a sofa bed (double). Also centrally heated with hot and cold running water. You will need to bring everything as if you were camping, mattresses are provided but no pillows
This accommodation is featured on our map of Devon, Cornwall and the West Country and here is its own website.
Beds & Rooms:16: The Hay Barn 14, The Cart Shed 4. More by arrangement
Open:All year.
Price per night:£20pp. Sole use: The Hay barn £200. The Cart Shed £75.
Booking:Book via website or phone
Directions:Don't use Sat Nav. From B3190 Raleigh's Cross to Bampton road at crossroads take turning for Huish Champflower and Wiveliscombe, Chitcombe is the second left about three hundred yards from cross roads. Chitcombe is down a steep bumpy lane, about half a mile.
Public Transport:Train to Taunton, local buses to Wiveliscombe. Pick up available from here for a small fee
Walks:Long Distance Walks
This accommodation is in a National Park and is available to individuals. It is on a dark sky area, the walking festivals page, the The Dartmoor National Park & Exmoor National Park map and the The Land's End Trail & Mary Michael Pilgrim's Way Map.
MapView Nearby Hostels
Latest Blog about Chitcombe Farm Camping Barns
Exmoor, Less is more.
August 26th 2015
Whilst I was staying on Exmoor I took the opportunity to get to the coast at Watchet to enjoy a sunset, and to go and buy local produce from the Taunton farmers' markeRead More
News & Offers from Chitcombe Farm Camping Barns
Quantock Walking Festival, 22nd-23rd June 2019, Somerset
June 2nd 2019
Stowey Walking, will be holding a weekend walking festival in the beautiful Quantock Hills, showcasing the unique landscape of the hills and the nearby Jurassic coast. The nearest Independent Hostel accommodation is on Chitcombe Farm.
The beautiful Quantock Hills, England's first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) make an ideal location for walks to suit all abilities. Lead by local experts with start and finish in the village of Nether Stowey.
Chitcombe Farm bunkhouses are two self contained buildings one sleeping 12 and 14. They are situated on a small working hill farm, in the heart of the Brendon Hills, 10 miles from Stowey and on the edge of Exmoor national park. Rich in wildlife, the red deer and famous Exmoor ponies, you'll be walking through heather with clouds of butterflies springing up with each step.
Wimbleball Lake
April 4th 2019
With lakeside walks, cycle route and all kinds of water sports and outdoor activities, somerset is your oyster.
Chitcombe Farm Camping Barns are ten minutes drive from Wimbleball lake, were you can partake in all kinds of water sports and outdoor activities. There is a 9-mile round Lake circular walk on footpaths and a cycle route which takes you around the lake, following mostly bridleways and some quiet country lanes. The cycle route passes through woodland and grassland, with tantalising glimpses of the lake. The Outdoor + Active Centre on the lake has a cafe and play area with light lunches, drinks and snacks . They also provide tuition in sailing, windsurfing, canoeing and rowing. Visitors can launch their own craft or hire boats from the centre. There is also a variety of land based activities to choose from including climbing, high ropes, archery and trout fishing.
Chitcombe Farm Camping Barn
February 24th 2018
..then explore Exmoor…
Stay on a small working hill farm, in the heart of the Brendon Hills on the edge of Exmoor.
Camping barns are often the next step up the ladder from camping. Camping with a few extras, with the onus on you to bring everything you need as if you were staying in a tent. We like to think our barns at Chitcombe Farm have that bit more with heating, hot and cold running water and kitted out kitchens. Ideal for an affordable family holiday or a night away for cyclists and walkers. Our camping barns (or perhaps they should be called bunkhouses) are ideal for groups and families. There are two self contained buildings one sleeping 12 and the other 4.
They are situated on our small working hill farm, in the heart of the Brendon Hills on the edge of Exmoor national park. Rich in wildlife, the red deer and famous Exmoor ponies spring to mind, but I recall walking knee high through heather and clouds of butterflies springing up with each step. Magnificent. Exploring Exmoor will also reveal ancient sites, evidence of human habitation stretching back and back – nearby Tarr Steps for example is a lovely ancient bridge.
Contact Chitcombe Farm Camping Barns
Visit this accommodation's website & social mediaVisit Website


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I have been trying to get a video of Luke walking, but the minute he sees the camera, he stops!
All sorts of new tricks have come with the walking. Yesterday I found him on the first shelf of the pantry- yes on it! So climbing is here too. And a new opinion of the world, which is different from mine. Oh dear- fun times ahead ;)


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We'd like to thank Randi Richardson for posting the biosketch below to the Monroe county, IN, genealogy list. Dr. Maxwell was one of the early settlers in Bloomington and married a daughter of one of the three Brewster sisters.
Randi says about this sketch that it was "typed from a microfilm copy located on Reel 18, Local History Microfilm Collection, Monroe County Public Library, Bloomington, Indiana. Document consisted of 12 typed, double-spaced pages with a cover sheet. The original is available at the Lilly Library, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana. Punctuation has been added where needed and minor spelling errors corrected [by Randi]. Read before the Monroe County Historical Society, Bloomington, Indiana, January 1910."
Louise Maxwell
On September 17, 1786, in Garrard County, Kentucky, there was born to Bazaleel Maxwell and his wife, Margaret Anderson, a son who was destined to become a factor in the formation and early development of one of the great states which was carved from the Northwest Territory.
The history of the forebears of David Harvey, or Hervey, Maxwell, for such was the name with which this son was christened, is that of the Scotch Presbyterians who (were) persecuted by King James for one hundred years or more after the year 1600, crossed the Irish channel to build homes for themselves and families in the north of Ireland. And their descendants in turn through a period of one hundred years after 1700, unable longer to endure the burdens of civil and religious oppression in Ulster, sought homes in far away America.
So it was that about the year 1745 John Maxwell and his wife, Fanny Garner, grandparents of David Hervey Maxwell, came from county Londonderry to the colony of Pennsylvania and down through the Shenandoah Valley to Albermarle County, Virginia. Here, on December 20, 1751, near Monticello, Bazaleel Maxwell, father of David Hervey Maxwell, was born and in 1775 was married to Margaret Anderson of Rockbridge County, Virginia.
In an old Virginia record one finds Bazaleel Maxwell figuring in a land survey of the 16th of June, 1785, in Lincoln County, Kentucky, on the waters of Silver Creek. Was it a land grant that had been issued to him for military services in the state or colonial line that attracted him to that far away country or was he lured by the marvelous tales of Daniel Boone to the land across the mountains called the "Dark and Bluidy Ground?"
Be that as it may, we know that Bazaleel Maxwell with wife and small family crossed the great "Blue Western Wall," suffered the hardships of cold and encountered the dangers of the Wilderness Road but finally reached that "fairest of promised lands, the delectable country Kaintuckes." It was under these skies, among rude surroundings and in primitive conditions, that the child, David, saw the light of day.
His boyhood was that of the pioneer of the period. He helped his father to clear the forests, till the ground, hunt game, and watch for the Red Skins.
Though opportunities were few, his early education was not neglected. It was such as the schools of the time afforded supplemented by instruction at home.
At the age of 18 he was sent to school at Danville, which event at that early day was noted for the superior educational advantages it offered over other localities in Kentucky. Where (t)here it is said of him that "he became well versed in mathematics and was an excellent, well-read English, though not a classical, scholar.
Later at Danville he studied medicine under Dr. Ephraim McDowell, one of the most noted surgeons of that or of any time. Dr. McDowell's name is so eminent in medical annals that to relate an incident of him in passing may not be out of place. It was he who in 1809 at Danville, first in the history of surgery, performed the operation of ovariotomy. Himself a deeply religious man, it is related of him that he offered up a prayer when all things were in readiness. Then, without the aid of an anesthetic to relieve his heroic patient, but with the courage of his convictions and profound faith in his diagnosis, he skillfully removed a great tumor from a Mrs. Crawford. On the outside, an angry mob awaited to kill "the butcher" should this woman die. It was many years before surgeons at home or abroad conceded the honor of this to Dr. McDowell. The medical world was chagrined that this operation had been so daringly and successfully performed in a back settlement of America instead of in one of the scientific centers of Europe. It is believed that David H. Maxwell witnessed this operation.
We now find him a young physician entering on the practice of his profession and ready to take unto himself a wife. He was married on September 21, 1809, to Mary E. Dunn of Danville, a daughter of Samuel Dunn originally from County Down, Ireland.1
That the young couple at once set up a home for themselves is evidenced from a bill of sale, now one hundred years old, found among some family archives dated four days after their wedding. Strange reading this yellow bit of paper in the light of the day.
Know all men by these presents that I, Bazaleel Maxwell, Garrard County and State of Kentucky, do sell and by these presents have bargained and sold to David H. Maxwell of the county and state aforesaid, one Negro woman named Sal of 18 years of age for the sum of $350.00 current money of Kentucky, the receipt whereof I acknowledge myself fully satisfied. Which Negro I do warrant and defend to him, the said David H. Maxwell, his heirs and assigns forever, and from me and my heirs and assigns forever and further from all manner of persons whatever. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 25th day of September 1809.
Bazaleel Maxwell
Jno. A. Swinney
William Ragston
In 1810, Dr. Maxwell moved to Indiana Territory near the present site of Hanover. He practiced medicine here and at Madison until the spring of 1819. Twice during these years he was called to public service.
He was a surgeon in the war of 1812 in the company of his brother-in-law, Captain Williamson Dunn. In the Ranging service he traversed the Wabash country from Vincennes to Ft. Harrison and on to the Mississinewa towns. At a time of high water he had the misfortune to lose his surgical instruments. He was afterwards reimbursed by Congress for this loss.
In 1816 Congress passed an enabling act authorizing an election of delegates who were to determine whether or not a state government should be formed in the Territory. Dr. Maxwell was elected a delegate from Jefferson County to this convention.
One finds him next an active participant in the framing of a constitution at Corydon. Vision had come to this man of whom his contemporaries said he was profoundly read in his favorite study, politics. He had been a slave holder in an environment friendly to the institution. He was now the friend of freedom and drafted that clause of the constitution which prohibited slavery forever from the state.
Dr. Maxwell was interested in all the provisions of the constitution, but it is known from his subsequent life that Article IX lay nearest his heart. The article which made it the duty of the General Assembly "as soon as circumstances will permit to provide by law for a general system of education ascending in a regular gradation from township schools to a state university wherein tuition shall be gratis and equally open to all."
The fulfillment of this provision dominated the rest of this man's life.
An item of interest in connection with Dr. Maxwell as a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1816 is that the manuscript copy of the constitution is in his handwriting. This copy is in the State Library at Indianapolis.
From the time that President Madison designated a township in the County of Monroe for the use of a seminary of learning, Dr. Maxwell's attention was turned toward this place. He bought a lot in Bloomington in 1818 and moved from Madison in May, 1819.
Bloomington has been described as a town in name only at this time. A wagon road ran east and west on what is now Kirkwood Avenue. The public square was an unbroken forest, while the public spring was down the hill, through the woods, to a place which is now Eighth and Morton streets.
The few inhabitants faced the hardships of living in the wilderness. Indians were all around them. They were dependent for meat upon deer and bear which were killed in the hills of Salt Creek and Bean Blossom.
From an old receipt, showing the payment of rent in full, one finds that Dr. Maxwell, on arrival, rented a log cabin from Aquilla Rogers, grandfather of L. D. Rogers. This cabin stood on the northwest corner of the lot now occupied by the Kirkwood Block, formerly the National Hotel. Again, Dr. Maxwell established his household, took up the practice of his profession, and became active in the promotion of the little community's interests.
His young wife, brought up in a Kentucky home surrounded by slaves, knew nothing of the hardships of life until she came to this outpost of civilization. True, she brought with her a colored man and woman, Dick and "big Maria," but they could not relieve her of the care of her children nor of the responsibilities of the home. Her husband, a physician called hither and thither, was often times many miles from home. She spun and made the clothing for her little ones. Anxiety for their safety was never absent from her mind. The Indians, though not unfriendly, were a constant annoyance and sometimes, in their drinking revels, a positive cause for alarm.
In September 1819 the First Presbyterian Church was established in Bloomington with nine charter members. The preliminary meeting was held in Dr. Maxwell's log cabin, and the church was formally organized the following Sunday in the log courthouse. Dr. Maxwell and his wife were charter members of this church, and three of their children, Martha A., James Darwin, and Samuel Franklin, were baptized at this time.
Later, Dr. Maxwell built a two-story house, the first brick in Bloomington, on what is now North College Avenue. This was known, in after years, as the Dr. Lucas property. Here his young children were born, and later several of his daughters were married.
The winter of 1819-20 arrived, and the 4th session of the General Assembly convened on December 6th. Dr. Maxwell, ever alert and filled with zeal and energy for the cause of education, did not lose sight of the township of land designated for the use of a Seminary of Learning which lay one quarter of a mile south of the village of Bloomington; nor did he forget this further fact that the four years had expired which the constitution required that the land set apart for educational purposes should be withheld from sale. He at once set out on horseback, in mid winter, for Corydon to procure, if possible, the location of the State Seminary at Bloomington. He was a personal friend of Governor Jennings and had many acquaintances among the members of the legislature who had sat with him in the Constitutional Convention.
History says Dr. Maxwell composed the "Third House of the Assembly." That he was a successful lobbyist was shown by an act passed on January 20, 1820, establishing the State Seminary at a point in what is now Perry Township.
As one looks back upon that primitive day at the physical condition of the country, the social environment of the people, the illiteracy and poverty of the masses, one wonders that even courage, perserverance and steadfast purpose of the few made an actuality of his law of establishment.
Six men were named as members of the Board of Trustees of the State Seminary, of which Dr. Maxwell was one. He was made its presiding officer and occupied this position almost without intermission throughout his life. Dr. Maxwell sought election to the legislature solely that he might advance the interests of the State Seminary.
Let us glance for a moment at this pioneer as he again rode yonder to Corydon, this time an accredited member of the House of Representatives from Monroe County to the 6th General Assembly.
Dr. Maxwell was now 35 years of age, of slight build, fair, straight, and stood six feet in his stockings. He was described by his friends as dignified in bearing, easy in conversation, courteous and kindly in manner and liberal and judicial in his views, but by his adversaries in Bloomington who did not believe in "schoolin," he was dubbed that _____ aristocrat.
One finds Dr. Maxwell at this 6th session of the legislature, serving on the Ways and Means Committee and on that of education.
His constituents returned him as a member of the House of Representatives to the 8th and 9th General Assemblies. At the 8th session he was elected Speaker. On being conducted to the chair he thanked the members for the honor conferred upon him and enjoined the observance of good order and decorum. At the close of the session a resolution was unanimously passed that the unqualified approbation and thanks of the House are due the Hon. David H. Maxwell on account of (for the) intelligence, assiduity and impartiality displayed by him in the chair.
During the years 1826-1829 he represented the counties of Monroe, Greene and Owen in the State Senate where, as a member of the Ways and Means Committee and as Chairman of the Committee on Education, he guarded jealously at all times the affairs of the new Seminary. It was during the latter part of his senatorial service, January 24, 1828, that "Indiana College" was established.
Dr. Woodburn, in his monograph on "Higher Education in Indiana," has said, "In the establishment of institutions it seems that the life and services of some one man are paramount and essential. In the establishment of the Indiana Seminary, Dr. David H. Maxwell was the essential man."
The success with which Internal Improvement Schemes were being prosecuted at this period in New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio, gave a strong impetus to the feeling that something must be done in Indiana.
The Internal Improvement System, therefore, was adopted almost without objection at the session of the legislature of 1835-36. Governor Noble nominated Dr. Maxwell to the Senate, without any knowledge or solicitation on his part, as a member of the State Board of Internal Improvements. Upon the meeting and organization of the Board he was unanimously elected its president. Heavy care and responsiblity developed upon him in this capacity. Could the success of the undertaking only have been commensurate with the amount of labor involved, it would, indeed, have been great.
The state authorized an expenditure of more than $10,000.000 (sic) for the building of canals, roads and railroads. The cost of the projects exceeded the estimates, the proceeds from the canal lands did not meet expectations, the panic of 1837 made it impossible to borrow money. Governors Noble, Wallace and Bigger respectively expressed sanguine hope in the outcome of the Internal Improvement system, but the state had undertaken too heavy a burden, and it was a number of years before it recovered from the effects of it.
After the campaign of 1840, Dr. Maxwell, a Whig in politics, was appointed postmaster of Bloomington by President Tyler and served from May 31, 1841, until December 30, 1845. He was superceded by John M. Berry, an appointee of James K. Polk. With the return of the Whigs to power, Dr. Maxwell was again made postmaster. This time the appointment came from Zachary Taylor. The term of office lasted from 1839 (sic) to 1852.
Recollections of Dr. Maxwell in his home are very precious to his children, two of whom are living. They recall the bookshelves in the corner where the bible, Burns, Shakespeare, Children of the Abbey, books of Erasmus Darwin and works on government stood side by side. Also they recall the winter evenings around the fire when their mother knitted and their father read aloud to them his favorite poems or plays. Nor do they forget his gun and his love for hunting. They remember the firm, but kind, discipline of his Scotch Irish training; the spirit with which he instilled in them the love of learning, his errands of mercy to the sick, for he knew no rich nor poor, and his fidelity to the church and its institutions.
One gathers from the writing of that day that Dr. Maxwell, as a citizen and public servant, commanded the respect of his compeers, that his wise sympathy and medical skill made him a beloved physician, that he defended loyally and disinterestedly the cause of Indiana University from 1820-1854.
He was a friend of Indiana Unversity from Its inception. It was through his initiative, influence and efforts that the law of establishment was passed. For this reason, he has been designated as its founder and, in recognition of the joint services of himself and son, the late Dr. James Darwin Maxwell, one of the University buildings bears their name Maxwell Hall.
Such is the chronicle of Dr. Maxwell's life, whose years did not reach three score and ten.
With the words on his lips, "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace," he died May 24, 1854.
The following item appeared on the front page of the Bloomington Daily Telephone, 7 Mar 1913:
Indianapolis News Thursday: "The Philip Shoff chapter of the United States Daughters of 1812 met yesterday afternoon with Mrs. J. H. Talbott. Mrs. Vinson Carter read a sketch of her ancestor, David H. Maxwell, a surgeon in the War of 1812 and founder of Indiana University at Bloomington. The society has placed an official marker at the grave of Dr. Maxwell at Rose Hill Cemetery in Bloomington."
Cousin Howard Maxwell provided the following biographical information on David and Mary Maxwell's son Samuel:
Samuel Franklin Maxwell, born July 29, 1817, Madison, Indiana; died June 25, 1877, Rockville, Indiana. Graduate Indiana University. Judge of (Parke and Vermillion Counties) Judicial Circuit. Indiana. Residence, Rockville, Indiana. Married, November 8, 1848, in Rockville, Indiana, Eliza Ann Sunderland, born April 4, 1822, died October 19, 1899. -- Maxwell Family History and Genealogy, by Houston, Blaine and Mellette, 1916; p. 111.
Judge of (Park and Vermillion Counties) Judicial Circuit, Indiana. Residence: Rockville, Parke County, Indiana.
Graduate of Indiana University, class of 1838.
Judge Samuel F. Maxwell was another of the conspicuous members of the early bar of Parke County. He was the pupil of Howard in the law business and partook of the courtliness and thoroughness which characterized his eminent preceptor. He was born in 1817, at Madison, Indiana, and was educated at Bloomington. He came to Rockville in 1839, and entered the office of General Howard, as a student of the law, and, at the conclusion of his preparatory studies, entered the practice in the County. In time he became possessed of a good practice and had a fine reputation as a man of integrity and a sound and accurate lawyer.
Perhaps none of our lawyers, from the date of his death, had a more complete mastery of the principles of special pleading than Judge Maxwell, or a more reliable and comprehensive knowledge of the law of real estate. When our present code of law of descent came into existence in 1852, Judge Maxwell, as one of the Common Pleas Judges of the State, was called upon, in common with them, to examine these new statutes, and formulate that great mass of important rules of law growing out of statutory construction, which is the basis of our code practice and State law of real property. His labors in this regard were of the highest importance to the people of the State, and cast upon his shoulders the greatest responsibility.
He continued on the bench until the year 1868, when he resumed the practice of law and at once commanded a wide practice. He was affable in demeanor, an exceedingly agreeable companion, full of reminiscence, wit, wisdom and social amenities. He was especially kind and considerate to the younger attorneys. He invited their confidence and gave them, without stint or remuneration, valuable instruction and advice whenever they chose to ask it. His death in 1877 was unexpected, and was deplored by a large circle of the public, whom he had served so faithfully and efficiently. -- The Parke County Centennial Memorial, 1816-1916, published under the auspices of the Rockville Chatauqua Association.
Moved from Jefferson County to Parke County, Indiana in 1838 according to the Parke County, Indiana Atlas, 1874.
This biography of another of David and Mary Maxwell's sons is taken from the Monroe county INGenWeb site:
DR. JAMES D. MAXWELL, SR., eldest son and third child of David H. and Mary (Dunn) Maxwell, was born May 19, 1815, near Hanover, Jefferson County, Ind. His parents were natives of Kentucky, and came to Indiana in 1809, locating in what is now Jefferson County, where they remained for ten years. Removing then to Monroe County, they settled on the lot now occupied by the "National House," the father being the first physician ever in Bloomington. He served as Postmaster for eight years, and died May 24,1854. His widow died March 18, 1880, at the advanced age of ninety-three years. David H. Maxwell was a member of the Fist Constitutional Convention at Corydon, Ind., in 1816 and drew up the constitutuion. He was also Surgeon in Capt. Dunn's Company in 1812.
The subject of this sketch came with his parents to Monroe County, and eight years later entered the seminary at Bloomington, where he graduated in the fall of 1833, afterward teaching for two years in a preparatory department in the college. He then went to Clinton, Miss., and taught for one year, when, returning to Bloomington, he studied medicine with his father for two years, during which time he attended a course of lectures at Transylvania Medical College, at Lexington, Ky. Returning thence, he entered into regular practice with his father in Bloomington, and about one year later formed a partnership with Dr. J. G. McPheeters, continuing for about nine years, when he dissolved the partnership and has since been in practice alone.
He has been Secretary and Trustee of the college for the past thirty years. On July 6, 1843, he was married to Louisa J. Howe, daughter of Joshua O. Howe, a pioneer of Monroe County. They have ten children--
- Emma M.,
- Mary E.,
- Howard,
- Allison,
- James D.,
- Anna,
- Louisa A.,
- Fannie B. and
- Juliette.
Dr. Maxwell is a member of the Presbyterian Church and politically he is a Republican. -- Counties of Morgan, Monroe and Brown, Indiana. Historical and Biographical, Charles Blanchard, Editor. Chicago: F. A. Battey & Co., Publishers, 1884, page 582.
This biography of yet another son is from the Parke county INGenWeb site:
David H. MAXWELL. The Bar of Parke County numbers among its most honored representatives the firm of Maxwell & Maxwell, of which the subject of this sketch is the senior member. Not only at Rockville, where for many years he has been continuously engaged in the practice of profession, but also through this portion of Indiana, he is known as a lawyer of high talents and great ability. The qualities of discrimination for which he has always been distinguished, together with his perceptive qualities and power of analysis, have led to the attainment of a position of prominence among the legal fraternity of the state.
At Bloomington, Indiana 7 August 1825 occurred the birth of the subject of our sketch. His father, Dr. David H. Maxwell, served in the War of 1812 as a surgeon and became one of the earliest settlers of Indiana as well as a pioneer physician at Bloomington. He and his wife, who was born in Kentucky and bore the name of Mary D. DUNN, became the parents of eight children, our subject being the sixth. He was reared in Bloomington and attended the Indiana State University until the junior year when he abandoned his literary studies and boarding a river steamer, proceeded down the Mississippi. He landed at Grand Gulf, MS and thence took passage on a steamer to Louisville, Kentucky from which place he walked a distance of 90 miles to Bloomington, carrying his rifle on his shoulder.
In 1845, shortly after his return from the South, our subject came to Rockville and commenced the study of law in the office of Wright & Maxwell. Three years later, he came back to Bloomington and entered law department of the State University of Indiana, then under the control of Judge David McDonald and Judge William T. Otto. From that institution he was graduated in 1849, and was licensed to practice at the Bar of the State.
Returning to Rockville, he formed a legal partnership with Samuel Magill, who had been his classmate. The connection continued for 12 months when Mr. Magill accepted a position at Washington, D. C. With his brother, Samuel, our subject formed a partnership and remained in practice at Rockville for two years. Meanwhile the Legislature had instituted the Court of Common Pleas, the district being composed of Parke & Vermillion Counties. Judge Porter of Vermillion had been elected to fill the position of Judge of the court, but his death occurred while an incumbent of the office. Joseph A. Wright, then Governor of Indiana appointed Samuel F. Maxwell to fill the unexpired term, and the partnership was accordingly dissolved. When Judge Patterson succeeded to the position, the legal connection was resumed.
Afterward, however, Samuel F. Maxwell was reelected judge, and our subject then took into partnership his nephew, Frank M. Howard, with whom he remained in practice for two years. Later he was alone until 1889, when he formed the partnership with his son, under the title of Maxwell & Maxwell which firm is still in existence.
The marriage of our subject in 1864 united him with Miss Anna F., daughter of Samuel S. SMITH, a prominent agriculturist of Parke County. Two children have been born of the union: Howard, the law partner of his father and Hugh, who is at home. Mr. Maxwell has devoted his entire active life exclusively to the duties of his profession and has for 44 years been engaged in active and continuous practice. He was reared a believer in the principles of the Whig party, and in later years has been a consistent adherent of the platform of the Republic Party. His first Presidential ballot was cast for General Taylor. During the war he enlisted for 60 days and served as a member of the 78th Indiana infantry. In his religious belief he is connected with the Presbyterian Church and gives to that denomination his generous and active support. -- Portrait & Biographical Record of Montgomery, Parke & Fountain Counties, Indiana. Chicago: Chapman Brothers, 1893, Page 137.


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1. Oats - When shopping in bulk, you pay a price based on the weight of how much you purchase. As oats weigh basically nothing, you can purchase a whole bag full for about $1-2. 😮 This price is so much better than the packaged alternatives, so I would recommend stocking up from the bins!
2. Lentils - As I mentioned in my Non-Meat Protein Guide, lentils are a great way to substitute meat in cooking if you are looking for a plant based alternative. Again, the packaged versions are almost double the price! I love to store mine in a mason jar, and they last for a long long time.
3. Dried beans (including chickpeas) - If you are looking to save money, dried beans are usually only a tad cheaper in bulk... But at least you can avoid any unnecessary packaging! I think buying dried beans is much better than beans from a can because you are able to rehydrate the amount you need and continue storing the rest.
4. Spices - Not only can you purchase spices for a cheaper price, but you can also buy the exact amount you need without having a whole container that will just sit in the cupboard after making a new recipe. 🙂
5. Dried fruits - Just like beans, these can be hit or miss compared to packaged versions. I have found that lighter fruits (like dried apples and unsweetened banana chips) are cheaper. These make delicious bulk bin snacks!
What foods do you buy from the bulk bins? Comment below and don't forget to follow The Chic Cupcake to never miss another post! I will be writing a "part 2" of this post about items that you should AVOID purchasing in bulk bins, so keep an eye out for that! 😍
Jenna ♥


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November 21, 2016 – Genevieve Nnaji's Daughter Ebuka Nnaji Weds.. See Traditional Wedding Photos
Ramsey Nouah & Others At Ebuka Nnaji's Wedding Introduction Ceremony In Mbaise Imo State
The daughter of Nollywood actress Genevieve Nnaji, Ebuka did her wedding introduction over the weekend in Mbaise Imo State.
The beautiful lady who has a stunning resemblance to that of her mother and her fiance, Prince Chigozie did their wedding introduction in Genevieve Nnaji's hometown on Sunday.
Nollywood actor Ramsey Nouah was one of the celebrities at the wedding ceremony yesterday.
See first photos from the event below:
She is so beautiful like her mother.
Congrats to her.


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Buckinghamia celsissima plant profile
A medium to large native tree, Buckinghamia celsissima is better known as the 'Ivory curl tree'. Best suited to tropical to sub tropical gardens this is a tree that can be grown in temperate climates given a warm protected position.
Although a little rare, the fragrant flowering Buckinghamia celsissima is grown commercially.
Buckinghamia celsissima requires a frost free environment and will reach 8-10m in cultivation in an open position, taller in it native habitat.
Glossy green foliage with a silver underside and masses of long lasting creamy white flowers in late spring to summer.
Relatively fast growing and preferring well drained humus rich soil Buckinghamia celsissima (Ivory Curl Flower) makes a good specimen tree.
Buckinghamia ferruginiflora is another species, also from Northern Queensland, this species is a rare species not readily available.
Buckinghamia celsissima – Summary Information
- Height – Over time this tree can reach 20 metres in height. In cultivation usually much smaller. The cooler the climate the smaller the tree, even in Sydney height will usually be restricted to a tall shrub.
- Spread – Will form a broad spreading rounded crown in open areas.
- Position – For landscaping, best in full sun, it is a tree that will tolerant some shade.
- Growth Rate – Regarded as fast to medium.
- Foliage – Glossy mid to light green. New foliage tinged with pink.
- Flowers – Fragrant creamy coloured flowers that will cover the tree when in full bloom.
- Flowering period – Summer.
In an open sunny position, this is a tree that naturally forms a nice shape. It does take well to pruning if the size needs to be restricted.
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Graduating Hillsdale College seniors on average scored in the 99th percentile for the third year in a row on a national standardized exam, the college announced on Tuesday.
Fifty students in the class of 2018 were among the 113,924 students nationally who took the Educational Testing Service's Proficiency Profile, a general education assessment that the college uses internally and for accreditation purposes. Hillsdale students, on average, scored in the 99th percentile overall and in each of the seven subsections.
"Our students are among the top in the nation when it comes to these basic skills," said Director of Institutional Research George Allen. "This is consistent. Year over year we're getting the same results."
Hillsdale's average score 480.2 of 500 points compared to the national average of 447.0. Although the Hillsdale students taking an exam had a higher average GPA than last year's (3.51 to 3.47), they scored slightly lower overall (last year's was 482.4) and in every subsection except the social sciences than the class of 2017.
"The change has been so small, it's not even significant," Allen said. "There's not a large enough change to be of interest."
The lowest score from Hillsdale was 437, ranked in the 32nd percentile. The highest was 498, ranked in the 99th percentile.
Senior Maria Theisen said the exam was not particularly challenging.
"I did not by any means think the exam was a breeze, but I felt it was doable," she said. "Most questions were relatively easy to figure out if I made sure to follow all instructions. Due to my liberal arts background, I was able to approach questions I was unfamiliar with."
The Proficiency Profile tests students from liberal-arts colleges, state universities, and other institutions of higher education on critical thinking, reading, writing, math, humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. Hillsdale students scored lowest in writing with 121.9 of 130 and highest in reading with 126.9.
Senior Sarah Kilgore said she enjoys taking standardized tests and that she found this one fairly easy. The results, she said, show the strengths of a liberal-arts curriculum.
"It shows that we're competent, which is great," she said. "It only tests you in a certain number of areas, which we are required to take classes in. Because of that, we are refreshed and know what we should know."
College accreditation requires a general assessment component. With changes in the core curriculum three years ago, the college had to come up with a new assessment for this requirement, and it chose the Proficiency Profile. Hillsdale also uses a sophomore self-assessment survey and essay comparisons between freshman and sophomore year for this component.
General assessments help the college to determine if it is lagging anywhere and put forth efforts to pick up any slack, Allen said.
"It's a dashboard on the car," he said. "Most of the time everyone's fine, but sometimes you have to check something out."
The exam results come as the college awaits its official re-accreditation report from the Higher Learning Commission, Hillsdale's accreditor.
Allen said the committee that visited and assessed Hillsdale recommended to the commission that it re-accredit the college without any major changes.
"We have a reasonable expectation that we will be re-accredited," Allen said. "There's been no indication of an unfavorable response."