Mural may not be welcomed back to school

Stamford Advocate ^ | Keach Hagey

[Pharmboy]

Mary Ellen LeBien, former president of the Greenwich Library Board of Trustees, speaks in front of “The Life and Times of
Israel Putnam of Connecticut” in the library’s reading room. (Bob Luckey Jr./Staff file photo)

School officials are balking at a plan to return a historic Revolutionary War mural to Hamilton Avenue Magnet School after a restoration, saying its battle scenes are too violent for young children.

The mural, "The Life and Times of General Israel Putnam of Connecticut," depicts Greenwich's Revolutionary War hero stripped half-naked, about to be burned at the stake. He sits astride a wild-looking horse and is aiming his musket at snarling wolves, while all around him Native Americans hurl tomahawks and men armed with prominent guns and knives tussle. It was painted by James Daugherty of Weston.

"It's a beautiful work of art, but I think it's a beautiful work of art for adults," Hamilton Avenue School Principal Damaris Rau said. "I don't think it's something that children should be looking at on a daily basis because it is very violent."

Commissioned by the Works Progress Administration under President Roosevelt in 1935, the painting belongs to the town and was first hung in the First Selectman's Office at the old Town Hall. Five years later, it was moved to the gymnasium of the Hamilton Avenue school, where it hung for nearly 60 years, through an arrangement in which the school acted as the custodian of the artwork for the town.

[Pharmboy]

Putnam was a great patriot. This is insane...

[LibSnubber]

"School officials are balking at a plan to return a historic Revolutionary War mural to Hamilton Avenue Magnet School after a restoration, saying its battle scenes are too violent for young children."

Too violent for young children? Guess these school officials haven't noticed what's on television nowadays.

[madprof98]

I would bet the problem is not that the mural is too violent but that the depiction of the Native Americans is not properly PC. (They are supposed to be helping plan Thanksgiving.)

[VeritatisSplendor]

My collateral ancestor - leave the mural up - Patriot pride!

Mrs VS

[Robert A Cook PE]

Oh, but the Virgin Mary can be displayed with urine, elephant dung, and condoms stamped over her ......

Paid by taxpayer dollars, with no "adult supervision" label.

A row of photographs of a88holes can be paid by taxpayer money, displayed openly in an art gallery in public, but not a Revolutionary War hero.

[razorback-bert]

Nah, he killed wolves.


If wasn't for Putnam , wolves and men would be living in perfect harmony today.

[Timedrifter]

"It's a beautiful work of art, but I think it's a beautiful work of art for adults," Hamilton Avenue School Principal Damaris Rau said. "I don't think it's something that children should be looking at on a daily basis because it is very violent."

I bet this same library has a copy of Heather has two Mommies on the shelf. That is of course appropriate for children according to the same mindset that says a 60 year old murial is not.

[Pharmboy]

Israel Putnam escaping from the British Dragoons down the steps in Greenwich.

RevWar/Colonial History/General Washington ping list (FreepMail me if you want to be placed on or taken off this list)

[Pharmboy]

EXCELLENT point...

[Pharmboy]

Perhaps you can comment on the artworthiness of this. I like it...

[Pharmboy]

That's some pretty good blood to have in the family. General Putnam was a true living legend at the time of the revolution.

[proudofthesouth]

Here's an idea: Wrap every child under the age of 18 in cotton batting and continually feed them Valium. That way except for addiction to Valium no harm can come to them. Sheesh! This world had gone completely INSANE !! I'm sick, sick, sick of hearing nonsense like this!

[StJacques]

I am so diametrically opposed to the viewpoints of those seeking to "protect" these children that I am going to state what I really believe.

I think the mural is exactly the kind of thing those children need to see. What about bringing our young up to understand that real sacrifices were made to give them the kind of life they enjoy today? What about imbuing a sense of real history within them? What about introducing in an easily-grasped manner aesthetic concepts that depict sacrifice and struggle? Haven't we been decrying the lack of the development of critical thinking in the education of our young recently? Haven't both the SAT and ACT college entrance exams both been reworked recently to place greater emphasis upon critical thinking?

I could go on, but I think I'll just stop here and take a "timeout."

[Pharmboy]

Yep--that's why I "home school" my kids in American History and do not trust the schools one whit.

[mtbopfuyn]

Guess these school officials haven't noticed what's on television nowadays.

Or, I'd wager, in many of the books in that library.

[Lancey Howard]

I would bet the problem is not that the mural is too violent but that the depiction of the Native Americans is not properly PC.

I would bet the same. They don't want this mural for the same reason that thye would never want a collage of photos of the only twelve people to ever walk on the moon.

[StJacques]

"Yep--that's why I "home school" my kids in American History and do not trust the schools one whit."

Whaaatttt???

Don't you realize your kids may not ever learn of the great contributions to our society of gays and lesbians?

Don't you fear that your children may never learn that Columbus arrived in the New World intent on genocide?

Has it occurred to you that your kids may not understand that America was founded as a racist society?

Think about all of this Pharmboy. It may soon be too late!

/sarcasm

[Pharmboy]

LOL!

Along with my lessons and trips to historic areas with my kids, I tell them NOT to correct their teachers in American History (other than the REALLY egregious errors).

[TrogdortheBurninator]

Heaven Forbid that children learn History!! For shame, suggesting such atrocious proposition!

[nothingnew]

Too violent for young children? Guess these school officials haven't noticed what's on television nowadays.

No. They know what's on TeeVee...What they don't like is perhaps a bit of history being taught, through art, what the real world is and has been. TeeVee is much more malleable for the little mushbrains...

FMCDH(BITS)