In this classic book, Carl Carmer describes the social life and customs of his native New York. Wandering from Buffalo to the Adirondacks across upstate New York, he heard folk tales, tall tales, stories of religious fervor and scandal. A born storyteller himself, Carmer writes about the beautiful Genesee, the Seneca and Tuscarora, the Cardiff Giant and the Loomis Gang, and the story of the Murdered Bride of Rensselaer County.
Matt Burnett joins the militia when he hears of pending French and Indian attacks upon colonial settlers. He immediately finds himself regarded as a hero and at the same time a spy-suspect, both situations arising from a series of incidents involving the young Major George Washington. Matt and Chief, his elderly Indian accomplice, begin their adventure by foiling an ambush of Washington. Shortly afterward, Matt is part of the young Washington’s first military command. The colonial militia, augmented by British regulars, sets out to intercept a French and Indian invasion. Washington is beset by the resentment of regular British officers at being subordinate to a colonist. He is also hampered by the lack of discipline in his militia, and by the nagging doubt about whether one of the colonials in his command is practicing treachery. The climax comes when the young colonel, abandoned by the British and outnumbered by the enemy, decides to erect a primitive defense which history remembers as Fort Necessity. “Alter has demonstrated that he has an interest in all manner of ancient history. His books have a ring of research thoroughly done.” —The Independent Star-News
Oneida Utopia is a fresh and holistic treatment of a long-standing social experiment born of revival fervor and communitarian enthusiasm. The Oneida Community of upstate New York was dedicated to living as one family and to the sharing of all property, work, and love. Anthony Wonderley is a sensitive guide to the things and settings of Oneida life from its basis in John H. Noyes’s complicated theology, through experiments in free love and gender equality, to the moment when the commune transformed itself into an industrial enterprise based on the production of silverware. Rather than drawing a sharp boundary between spiritual concerns and worldly matters, Wonderley argues that commune and company together comprise a century-long narrative of economic success, innovative thinking, and abiding concern for the welfare of others. Oneida Utopia seamlessly combines the evidence of social life and intellectual endeavor with the testimony of built environment and material culture. Wonderley shares with readers his intimate knowledge of evidence from the Oneida Community: maps and photographs, quilts and furniture, domestic objects and industrial products, and the biggest artifact of all, their communal home. Wonderley also takes a novel approach to the thought of the commune’s founder, examining individually and in context Noyes’s reactions to interests and passions of the day, including revivalism, millennialism, utopianism, and spiritualism.
The New Deal era changed Iroquois Indian existence. The time between the world wars proved a watershed in the history of Indian white relations, during which some of the most far-reaching legislation in Indian history was passed, including the Indian Reorganizat1on Act. Until recently, scholars have acclaimed the 1930s as a model of Indian administration, praising the work of John Collier, then comm1ss1oner of Indian affairs. Among the Indians, however, a less-than-beneficial heritage remains from th1s era. To many of today's Native Americans these were years of increased discord and factionalism marked by non-Indian tampering with existing tribal political systems. Whenever the government directly intervened in Iroquois tribal affairs—or arbitrarily imposed uniform legislation from distant Washington—the Indians' New Deal suffered. It succeeded only when the government worked slowly to cultivate the backing of prominent leaders and achieved community-based support. Nonetheless, government programs stimulated a flowering of Iroquois culture, both in art and in language, and new Indian leadership emerged as a result of, or in reaction to, government policies. Laurence Hauptman argues that overall the work of the New Deal in Iroquoia should be seen as having done more good than harm.
A superb blend of good story-telling and sound scholarship this book provides a fascinating record of what “country New Yorkers” have had to say and sing about themselves as they made their way through three centuries. You'll find stories and songs about pioneers,” Injun fighters,” canallers, outlaws, “uncanny critters,” lumberjacks, farmers lovers, murderers, and tricksters. You’ll even be reminded that piracy and whaling are part of New York’s many-faceted tradition. One chapter examines the origins of New York’s strange place-names. Another is devoted to an engrossing account of New York’s proverbs and folk wisdom.
Revised and updated, the new edition of Tenure, Discrimination, and the Courts provides a lucid overview of the case law involving charges of discrimination made by faculty members against institutions of higher learning. More and more faculty members are taking their cases to court, charging illegal employment discrimination in reappointment, tenure, and promotion decisions. How can individual faculty members defend themselves against unfair practices, and how can universities and colleges protect themselves from being named in employment discrimination lawsuits? What factors precipitate lawsuits? What position have the courts taken on intervention? What evidence do the courts consider persuasive in such cases? Paying particular attention to equal employment opportunity legislation, Terry L. Leap discusses the results of more than twenty years of promotion and tenure litigation and provides a comprehensive chart of relevant cases. He also analyzes the rationale used by the courts in adjudicating these cases and suggests ways colleges and universities can reduce the likelihood of suits.
