Former president swings through Harrisonburg

It's not every day a former president of the United States drops by the Shenandoah Valley so Bill Clinton's appearance in Harrisonburg Tuesday for a campaign rally caused a stir. Political reporter Bob Stuart covered the event at James Madison University for the <a href="http://www.dailyprogress.com/newsvirginian/news/local/clinton-rallies-with-mcauliffe-to-packed-house/article_f3457f04-410e-11e3-a4a7-0019bb30f31a.html"><i>News-Virginian</i></a>.

Bill Clinton Bob Stuart Harrisonburg James Madison University Lynn R. Mitchell Shenandoah Valley Waynesboro News-Virginian Former president swings through Harrisonburg

It's not every day a former president of the United States drops by the Shenandoah Valley so Bill Clinton's appearance in Harrisonburg Tuesday for a campaign rally caused a stir. Political reporter Bob Stuart covered the event at James Madison Univer…

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JMU Marching Band headed to Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

Virginia's James Madison University Marching Dukes will be one of only two college bands performing in the 2013 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade held annually in New York City. JMU first participated in the parade in 2001 and again in 2008, and will be sending 485 band members this year.<br /><br />Band Director Scott Rikkers told <a href="http://www.whsv.com/news/headlines/JMU-Marching-Band-Practices-for-Macys-Thanksgiving-Day-Parade-229803681.html">WHSV TV-3</a>: <br /><blockquote>"This will be our third time in the parade. We went for the first time in 2001, second time in 2008, and this will be our third appearance on the 20th of November. There are two college bands in the parade, and we are marching 485. We're probably one of the largest college bands in the country, which we're very proud of, but we're going because we really want to represent James Madison University. What we're just trying to do is create the best, most entertaining performance for the audience, and also again to represent the quality of our program and the school so that's what we focus on, and bottom line, the kids are going to have a great time."</blockquote>At our house we always watch the parade from the kitchen while preparing Thanksgiving dinner. As a JMU family with our own Duke alumnus son, we will be watching the Marching Dukes. Congratulations, JMU!

James Madison University Lynn R. Mitchell Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Marching Dukes WHSV TV-3 JMU Marching Band headed to Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

Virginia's James Madison University Marching Dukes will be one of only two college bands performing in the 2013 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade held annually in New York City. JMU first participated in the parade in 2001 and again in 2008, and will be…

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'Which Founder Are You?' ... James Madison?

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNN8hWkTJlNHqD3GJnQslbhg4csVJYnLtnMBYOP2c4yGPzZFZH96I82hfGY_-UoZL-wZOXZWufEzONM9_7Vt3JS8BK8yTW_PuLxm7ZaWk7CyFm3dcgmyvsUfumsWLY58Wm25tTNqJOfzw0/s1600/James+Madison.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNN8hWkTJlNHqD3GJnQslbhg4csVJYnLtnMBYOP2c4yGPzZFZH96I82hfGY_-UoZL-wZOXZWufEzONM9_7Vt3JS8BK8yTW_PuLxm7ZaWk7CyFm3dcgmyvsUfumsWLY58Wm25tTNqJOfzw0/s1600/James+Madison.jpg" /></a></div><br />There's a <a href="http://constitutioncenter.org/foundersquiz/">Constitutional quiz</a> making the rounds of Facebook so this morning I decided to answer the eleven questions and see which Founding Father I was most like, just for the fun of it.<br /><br />The history geek in me was surprised to find that I was considered to be most like fellow Virginian James Madison who was "diligent, scholarly, and shy," according to the Constitution Center's <a href="http://constitutioncenter.org/foundersquiz/">"Which Founder Are You?"</a> quiz. Madison is known as the Father of the Constitution and was co-author of the Federalist Papers. Wonder if he would be a photographer of the beautiful Virginia countryside if still alive today?<br /><br />Wonder if I got extra points for my son graduating from Mr. Madison's University in Harrisonburg?<br /><br />Here's the Constitution Center's brief bio of Madison (1751-1836):<br /><blockquote>The oldest of ten children born to a distinguished planter family, Madison received a good education from tutors and the College of New Jersey. Despite a long and relatively healthy life, Madison was something of a hypochondriac, perhaps due to a sickly and frail childhood. <br /><br />Even before he chose a profession, Madison decided on a life in politics; he threw himself enthusiastically into the independence movement, serving on the local Committee of Safety and in the Virginia convention, where he demonstrated his abilities for constitution writing by framing his state constitution. During the war he served in the assembly and in the Council of State, kept from military service by poor health. In 1780 Madison became the youngest delegate to the Continental Congress. <br /><br />An early advocate of a strong central government, Madison attended both the Mount Vernon conference and the Annapolis convention before earning the title "Architect of the Constitution" for his work at the Philadelphia convention. He campaigned tirelessly for ratification in Virginia and reached out to influence New York as well by his contributions to the essays known as The Federalist Papers. <br /><br />Madison won a seat in the first House of Representatives, where he served until 1797. By this time he was a committed leader of the Democratic-Republicans, and he became secretary of state in 1801 when his friend and cofounder of that party, Thomas Jefferson, became president. Madison succeeded Jefferson in 1809, and it was during his administration that the long-standing tensions between Britain and the United States finally erupted into war. <br /><br />After his second term as president, Madison retired to his plantation, Montpelier, where he edited the journal he kept during the Constitutional Convention. He wrote newspaper articles supporting fellow Democratic-Republican and Virginian President James Monroe and acted as Monroe's informal adviser on foreign policy. In his last years, Madison became actively involved in the American Colonization Society, an organization that encouraged the emancipation of slaves and their resettlement in Africa.</blockquote>Earlier this month we visited Thomas Jefferson's Monticello with both my sisters and a brother-in-law who is from Colorado and had never seen that beautiful historical spot. At the time I noted to my husband that I had never visited <a href="http://www.montpelier.org/">Montpelier</a>, home of James Madison in nearby Orange located north of Charlottesville, and would like to make a trip over there one day. Maybe we should go in October when there are lots of <a href="http://www.montpelier.org/visit/calendar-events">activities</a> planned including <a href="http://www.montpelier.org/visit/homeschool-day">Homeschool Day</a>. Montpelier has definitely been added to the bucket list.

Father of the Constitution Federalist Papers James Madison James Madison University Montpelier 'Which Founder Are You?' ... James Madison?

There's a Constitutional quiz making the rounds of Facebook so this morning I decided to answer the eleven questions and see which Founding Father I was most like, just for the fun of it.The history geek in me was surprised to find that I was conside…

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Back in the homeschool classroom: Grown son's first house

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQbaOY5gze7LqBd5pDiAjc5xYhu_mLZoyWT3tTknRMnn58TJNY32Kfnlon8Paox6t6mJ_HO9UN7z-O_mEEnRdCWkhMNpl1z7mN_iNrfWNINzKgG9t2X39t6g90sjtL1cNYfDWxHsBuqflP/s1600/25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQbaOY5gze7LqBd5pDiAjc5xYhu_mLZoyWT3tTknRMnn58TJNY32Kfnlon8Paox6t6mJ_HO9UN7z-O_mEEnRdCWkhMNpl1z7mN_iNrfWNINzKgG9t2X39t6g90sjtL1cNYfDWxHsBuqflP/s400/25.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Unpacking and organizing in the new kitchen.</i> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>We're proud of our son. At the age of 29, he has become a home owner, purchasing (on his own with no help from us) his first house -- a three bedroom, two bath with one car garage and pool with a view of the Blue Ridge Mountains and Shenandoah National Park. <br /><br />It's a path he has been on since graduating from homeschool high school. Educated at home in grades 2-12, he attended nearby Blue Ridge Community College and then transferred to James Madison University's computer school to complete his degree. He secured a job in Harrisonburg and moved into an apartment with friends, paid off his student loan within a year, then saved and finally bought a new car after driving an old one since the age of 16. With the car paid off, he turned his attention to home ownership. <br /><br />This year, that became a reality. His friends, sister, brother-in-law, aunt, uncle, cousin, and grandparents have visited. We gathered as a family at his house and celebrated.<br /><br />The foundation laid during his youth has paid off with his fiscal responsibility and determined path in life. His dad and I are proud. He now has a nest of his own.<br /><br />---<br /><i>Lynn Mitchell educated her children at home for 16 years and was part of leadership in North Carolina's Iredell County Home Educators (ICHE) and Virginia's Parent Educators of Augusta County Homes (PEACH). Her son graduated from Harrisonburg's James Madison University (JMU) in 2007 with a BS in Computer Science and a minor in Creative Writing. Her daughter graduated from Staunton's Mary Baldwin College in 2012 with a BS in Sustainable Business and Marketing. Lynn and her husband live in Augusta County located in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. The story of how she began her homeschool journey <a href="http://swacgirl.blogspot.com/2013/01/back-in-homeschool-classroom-blazing.html">can be found here</a>.</i> <br /><br />Photo by Lynn R. Mitchell<br />June 2013

Back in the homeschool classroom Blue Ridge Community College family James Madison University Lynn R. Mitchell personal responsibility Back in the homeschool classroom: Grown son's first house

 Unpacking and organizing in the new kitchen. We're proud of our son. At the age of 29, he has become a home owner, purchasing (on his own with no help from us) his first house -- a three bedroom, two bath with one car garage and pool with a view of …

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