Mural celebrating Revolutionary War called too violent for Greenwich pupils

Waterbury Republican-American ^ | June 6, 2006 | Associated Press

[Graybeard58]

GREENWICH -- A restored Revolutionary War mural painted in the 1930s may not be returned to an elementary school because officials are concerned it is too violent for children.

The mural shows Gen. Israel Putnam, a war hero from Greenwich who fought at the Battle of Bunker Hill, half-naked and about to be burned at the stake.

He aims a gun at wolves while men around him fight with guns and knives.

"Violence is not something you see at Hamilton Avenue School," said principal Damaris Rau. "And then to have it in the forefront, especially in the lobby, a picture of men hurting each other and killing each other, it really goes against my sense of what children should be exposed to."

The mural, which belongs to the town and once hung in Town Hall, was commissioned by the Works Progress Administration in 1935 and painted by James Daugherty of Weston. It was displayed in the gym at Hamilton Avenue school for nearly 60 years until it was removed in 1998 and restored.

It now hangs in the Greenwich Library, but is scheduled to go back to the school when a renovated building reopens next year.

For some residents whose families have attended the school for generations, the mural doesn't belong anywhere else.

"It was a battle scene, but if anything it was an inspirational battle scene," said Marisa Nigiro, a member of the third of four generations of her family to attend the school. "Unfortunately today, we psychoanalyze everything."

But PTA President Laura DiBella, who also attended the school, said former students do not remember the painting as disturbing because it was dirty and hung too high to be seen clearly.

"I thought it was phenomenal growing up, but it was a different time," she said. "There was no Columbine or anything like that, and the schools have really done a lot of work on anti-violence. We are now promoting tolerance, accepting differences and all of that, and it doesn't belong in an elementary school."

She said the painting frightened her sons, ages 3 and 4, when they saw it at the library. She also said a depiction of Native Americans with tomahawks may not be appropriate.

She and Rau have asked parents to look at the mural and weigh in on whether it is too disturbing to hang in the school.

[Dahoser]

She also said a depiction of Native Americans with tomahawks may not be appropriate.

Right. Tomahawk bad, craps table stick, good.

[rlmorel]

This stuff makes me want to scream.

We are at risk of raising a nation of sheltered little wimps.

[dandelion]

I'm willing to bet money that these "concerned" citizens will lobby to have the mural taken from the school - and then the they will SELL it for a tidy profit. Of course, the money will go into an undisclosed fund for "future projects".

After all, it's not really stealing if you're doing it "for the children"...

[Anti-Bubba182]

If all these anti violence policies are so good, why are students more violent than they used to be?

[Leatherneck_MT]

"We are at risk of raising a nation of sheltered little wimps."

I'm beginning to hate the very country I live in.

[Xenophon450]

"She said the painting frightened her sons, ages 3 and 4, when they saw it at the library."

WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Let me get out my extra strength prescription wahhh pills. Take two every 6 hours and if you need anything more, just whine.

[Stingray51]

bump

[Sentis]

I am a practitioner of a very violent sport and I can tell you that trying to convince anyone under 30 to join in is incredibly difficult they just want to play video games.

[Graybeard58]

Ping

[Brett66]

I don't suppose it ever crossed their mind to TEACH what the picture might mean?

[MichiganConservative]

The sissification of America continues.

[rlmorel]

"...I don't suppose it ever crossed their mind to TEACH what the picture might mean?"

Oh my. Guns. Native Americans with tomahawks. It is all evil you know.

[bnelson44]

[Fruitbat]

I don't suppose it ever crossed their mind to TEACH what the picture might mean?

Come on pal, save the logic and common sense for someone else. /sarcasm

:D

[highlander_UW]

"Violence is not something you see at Hamilton Avenue School," said principal Damaris Rau. "And then to have it in the forefront, especially in the lobby, a picture of men hurting each other and killing each other, it really goes against my sense of what children should be exposed to."

Is this from Scrappleface?! Schools have lots of violence in them...check the statistics. And children shouldn't be exposed to the facts involving the founding of their nation? What does this school teach about the Revolutionary war...that there was a bit of a struggle, some people weren't nice to each other and then they had a vote?

[Sentis]

If that is the mural where is the violence?

[Hugin]

"...We are now promoting tolerance, accepting differences and all of that, and it doesn't belong in an elementary school."

The irony of that statment is astounding.

[Antoninus]

Well, if that's the mural, this story has a silver lining. It's butt-ugly 1930s-style commu-art.

[Leroy S. Mort]

Barf! I think I could draw a better mural on a paper tablecloth with the free crayons at any two-bit restaurant.

This needs to be banned - for being BAD ART.

[bnelson44]

That was my reation. I wouldn't want to look at it all day either.

[robowombat]

Anyone reading this dopey article would never realize it but the event being depicted occurred in 1758 during the French and Indian War when Putnam won a sterling military reputation as a company commander in Rodger's Rangers. The details are provided here:

http://members.tripod.com/~compmast/putnam/indians.html

Putnam's capture and the attempt to burn him was once a rather a rather famous event in New England folk lore. That was before the pc liberals effectively took control of public culture in New England. I am sure there are many tough sturdy Yankees still around in New England (after all the Vermont Army National Guard has absorbed more fatalities in Iraq than any other state force and the worthy sons of the Green Mountain Boys engaged in no new age whining about these loses.)but the PC brigade is busy making these real Yankees marginalized in their own land.

[rlmorel]

"...and the schools have really done a lot of work on anti-violence. We are now promoting tolerance, accepting differences and all of that, and it doesn't belong in an elementary school."

She said the painting frightened her sons, ages 3 and 4, when they saw it at the library. She also said a depiction of Native Americans with tomahawks may not be appropriate..."

I read a book by Tammy Bruce called The New Thought Police : Inside the Left's Assault on Free Speech and Free Minds

It was a phenomenal, eye opening book. In it, she discusses the people who work behind the scenes to regulate what goes into school textbooks. She said the worst, most restrictive, liberal and idiotic ones are those who have degrees in Native American studies. This woman sounds just like one of them.

[Frank_2001]

Of course! Find a Communist angle and the mural can stay;) You know, it's strange how those lefty educrats always bring up Columbine, as though that was the day the world changed forever, but somehow they can't quite say the same about 9/11...

[Graybeard58]

lefty educrats always bring up Columbine, as though that was the day the world changed forever, but somehow they can't quite say the same about 9/11...

No "evil" guns involved in 9/11, plus Islamic terrorists are different from the home grown ones.

[Rembrandt]

This principal is a complete fool, trying to deny his students knowledge of how their country of heritage or choice was won! What does he want? A bunch of people waving palm fronds just saying "come on in. We love everyone, no problems with guns or bombs, just come on in?

[ApplegateRanch]

"Violence is not something you see at Hamilton Avenue School," said principal Damaris Rau. "And then to have it in the forefront, especially in the lobby, a picture of men hurting each other and killing each other, it really goes against my sense of what children should be exposed to."

A whimp, wuss, and worse trying to churn out more of the same.

"People" (for lack of a better, acceptable term) like Principla Rau don't deserve this nation and the freedoms, so dearly purchased, that it offers; let alone a fairly good spot to slop out of the public trough.

God bless the violent people depicted in that mural, and all those like them still protecting this ass's ass.

[yankeedame]

How 'bout something a little less condescending, like:

She and Rau have asked parents to look at the mural and weigh in on whether it is too disturbing appropriate to hang in the school.

[acapesket]

I am assuming the Printhipal is a boy.
He may find many thingthz "offensthive" about Real Rowdy Kickass Men!
The Feminazis
have instilled him with the whole ' speaking truth to power' thing , whatever it's supposed to mean>
They are just another couple of fruits that make us New Englanders all want to go somewhere else.
If you hate it cause it's fugly just say so.
Why do we have to go through all this tortuous BS just to say "Yuck"?

[metmom]

How did we ever manage to grow up with all that horrible stuff contaminating our little psyches? Lord, save us from those who would save us from ourselves.

[PghBaldy]

What has happened to American schools? When I was a little boy, boys loved gore. Back then, I vividly remember boys drawing WWII pictures ALL the time (it was the late 60s early 70s). Now, it seems what is normal boyhood is quashed with drugs or policies.

[ApplegateRanch]

trying to convince anyone under 30 to join in is incredibly difficult they just want to play video games.

I believe it, and I'll also bet the video games depict at least as high a level of violence as your sport, if not more so.

And in graphic, gratuitous detail.

[yankeedame]

Well, if that's the mural, this story has a silver lining. It's butt-ugly 1930s-style commu-art.

Amen! Who painted this thing? Buzzy-the-Hummingbird?

That thing is way too distracting, way too "busy", way too loud to be in a place where you need quiet for concentrating and thought -- like library or school. It belongs in an airport, or fire station.

Frankly I thought it would be something akin to this...

[metmom]

Looks like a giant paint by numbers that you can buy in any craft store. The kid probably cried because it hurt his eyes.

[garyhope]

The "liberal" leftist crusade against any type of reality rolls on.

I believe the commies called it "revisionism".

[robowombat]

"Violence is not something you see at Hamilton Avenue School," said principal Damaris Rau. "And then to have it in the forefront, especially in the lobby, a picture of men hurting each other and killing each other, it really goes against my sense of what children should be exposed to."
A whimp, wuss, and worse trying to churn out more of the same.

"People" (for lack of a better, acceptable term) like Principal Rau don't deserve this nation and the freedoms, so dearly purchased, that it offers; let alone a fairly good spot to slop out of the public trough.

God bless the violent people depicted in that mural, and all those like them still protecting this ass's ass.

Amen to you sir. This miserable person is bust trying to apply the PC airbrush to the rough edges of history. I doubt this dunce has ever heard or could understand what the phrase 'And there was blood in the dooryards of New England that spring.' connotes. In Queen Anne's, King George's and the French and Indian War the people of the New England frontier enduring relentless danger and threats of death in the most gruesome and terrible form at the hands of the Indian allies of the French. This is the heritage of the people who settled and created those states and this ass is spitting on that and on part of the heritage of all Americans.

[D1X1E]

"it really goes against my sense of what children should be exposed to"

Teaching kids how to put a condom on a banana or why heather has 2 mommies goes against my sense of what children should be exposed to but I doubt the school system cares.

..painting frightened her sons, ages 3 and 4, when they saw it at the library

That one I simply dont believe. Not unless the woman herself frightened them about it.

[bootless]

so much for the Constitution State!

[Psycho_Bunny]

She also said a depiction of Native Americans with tomahawks may not be appropriate.

"Politically Correct" is the politically correct term for "f*cking retarded".

[PghBaldy]

http://www.tfaoi.com/aa/5aa/5aa363c.htm Daugherty used Putnam as the model American hero, a man with the intelligence, leadership, and courage to turn ordinary events into extraordinary exploits. A farmer turned patriot, Putnam reinforced the mythic belief that true American folk heroes were not fantastic supermen, but regular folk who, in fighting for freedom, became legends. Nice article about the mural here.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

The school plainly needs some manly art. This would put the fear of God in the little darlings.

And no, those aren't Mohammadens.

[PghBaldy]

I love WPA art. Have a mural down the street.

[nutmeg]

Thanks for the heads up on this one, but I pinged my CT list to a similar thread yesterday:

Mural may not be welcomed back to school

[RobbyS]

"I thought it was phenomenal growing up, but it was a different time," she said. "There was no Columbine or anything like that, and the schools have really done a lot of work on anti-violence. We are now promoting tolerance, accepting differences and all of that, and it doesn't belong in an elementary school."

She said the painting frightened her sons, ages 3 and 4, when they saw it at the library. She also said a depiction of Native Americans with tomahawks may not be appropriate.

Tells a lot about modern liberalism.

[Incorrigible]

Related thread from 2000

Abolitionist's rifle engulfs N.J. artist in fray [A PC conundrum]

 

[I still care]

That is one beautiful mural.

[Churchjack]

That is sad beyond measure. The very things the folks of NJ should be celebrating to their kids, they think should be hidden from them.

Took the family to a baseball game recently. Around the Texas Rangers stadium are some smallish friezes, depicting in monochrome relief scenes from Texas history. We looked at'em all -- and I proudly pointed out each character from that episode in San Antonio. Travis going down from being shot, Bowie prone bearing his knife, Crockett swinging his rifle, Santa Ana commanding the Mexican army...these are the inspiring characters of every Texans youth, and should always be so.

I've never heard of Putnam, but every NJ schoolchild should!

[Beckwith]

If all these anti violence policies are so good, why are students more violent than they used to be?

That would make a pretty good tagline.

[AmericanChef]

-I don't suppose it ever crossed their mind to TEACH what the picture might mean?-

Clearly the publik edoocashun indoctrination version of events is actively teaching kids that the R.W. was just a bunch of violent thugs killing and maiming the Mother Country for no reason. Better to take it back to Town Hall where somebody might appreciate it?

[FreedomCalls]

What has happened to American schools? When I was a little boy, boys loved gore.

Did you read any of the EC comics from the 50s?