The Scout Report -- Volume 16, Number 15

http://ocp.hul.harvard.edu/reading/

Reading has been around a long time, but as Robert Darnton of Harvard University suggests, "Reading has become one of the hottest subjects in the humanities, perhaps because it seems especially intriguing now that so much of it has shifted from the printed page to the computer screen." It's a nice introduction to this online exploration of the intellectual, cultural, and political history of reading as found in the holdings of the Harvard Libraries. Within this collection visitors can look at personally annotated books owned by Keats and Melville and glance over the historical textbooks that document the pedagogical basis for reading instruction during the past several centuries. Visitors can use topical headings like "Learning to Read" and "Reading Collectively" as a point of entry into these items. One section that shouldn't be missed is the "Book Clubs and Associations" area, as it features records from the Cambridge Book Club and recommended works from a number of other groups. All told, the collection includes over 250,000 pages of text, and it's a site that visitors will definitely want to visit more than once. [KMG]

http://www.unirioja.es/listenerartcriticism/

Wyndham Lewis was an important and influential British artist in the twentieth century, and he was also well known for his art criticism and fiction. This digital collection sponsored by the Arts & Humanities Research Council brings together his art criticism from The Listener magazine between 1946 and 1951. The project was directed by the University of Plymouth and the University of La Rioja, and it also contains selected essays by Jan Cox on Lewis's criticism and a detailed introductory essay by Alan Munton. Visitors can click on "The Articles" area to read Lewis's writings and also use the "Artists Referred to in Articles and Letters" heading to look for Lewis's references to Salvador Dali, Francis Bacon, and Henri Matisse. Any visitors with an interest in art history and criticism will find much to admire and enjoy at this site. [KMG]

http://webs.cmich.edu/resgi/

Dr. Mark Francek of Central Michigan University has created this helpful website for science educators and students interested in the fields of earth science and geography. This clearinghouse of useful educational resources is organized alphabetically around the sequence of topics that one might encounter in an introductory earth science or physical geography class. Some of these topics include "Atmospheric Moisture", "Glaciers", "Water Pollution", and "Population". Each topical area includes links to high-quality online resources, complete with a short description authored by Professor Francek. Visitors to the site can also sign up for Professor Francek's "Earth Science Site of the Week" email update. Finally, the site also has a slide show of compelling images drawn from the world of earth science. [KMG]

To find this resource and more high-quality online resources in math and science visit Scout's sister site - AMSER, the Applied Math and Science Educational Repository at http://amser.org.

http://apps.nlm.nih.gov/againsttheodds/index.cfm

Against the Odds is an online exhibit that is based on an in situ exhibit at the National Library of Medicine. The purpose of the exhibit is to demonstrate the "revolution in global health" that is taking place and to share stories from around the globe that prove that "collectively, we can make a world of difference." Visitors can view the online exhibit by clicking on "Exhibit" at the top of homepage. Middle school and high school visitors should be sure to check out "Online Activities & Resources", for games, such as "Unscramble the Name", "Where in the World", and "Test Your Knowledge". The games can even be e-mailed to a friend. Educators will also find the "Online Activities & Resources" useful for its valuable lesson plans, which include "Health and Human Rights Lesson Plan", "My Agita Brazil: Healthy Lifestyle" and "Science and Society: Preventing the Spread of Disease Lesson Plan". [KMG]

To find this resource and more high-quality online resources in math and science visit Scout's sister site - AMSER, the Applied Math and Science Educational Repository at http://amser.org.

http://www.bothends.org/

Both ENDS is an organization that was started by Dutch environmental organizations in 1986. Their primary goal was to help environmental organizations in developing countries do their best work, since they often "operate within a context of political repression and lack information, contacts and financial, political and moral support." The first item visitors will notice when they go to their website is the world map made of squares that features colored dots. The dots represent organizations that Both ENDS works with to address water, land and capital issues. Visitors can click on the dots to get more in-depth information about the partner, such as their website address, what they work on, and the countries or regions where the partner is active. Visitors who want to learn more about the work of Both ENDS can click on their "Publications" tab, on the left side of the homepage. Most publications are in English, and they all fit within the categories of water, land, and capital, and are indicated as such with a colored dot. Some of the publication titles include "Are Capital Flows from Europe Climate Proof?", "(Un) sustainable Trade in the Amazon", and "Water Markets and Market Mechanisms". [KMG]

To find this resource and more high-quality online resources in math and science visit Scout's sister site - AMSER, the Applied Math and Science Educational Repository at http://amser.org.

http://www.loc.gov/rr/frd/Military_Law/law-reports-trials-war-criminals.html

The Library of Congress' Military Legal Resources has a section on its website that highlights war criminal trials from World War II that offer "major points of municipal and international law that were raised and settled during the trials as well as the potential for the greatest legal interest." The trials cover the time period of 1947-1949, and comprise 15 volumes, each with an introduction by the chairman of the United Nations War Crimes Commission. Visitors will find that each volume's table of contents contains the breakdown of each case, including "Outline of the Proceedings" which is typically comprised of facts and evidence, defense of the accused, and the findings and resulting sentences. The "Notes on the Case" name and discuss the appropriateness of the laws or statutes applied to the case. Visitors interested in World War II history will find these cases provide an interesting perspective by which to view the war. [KMG]

http://www.hsrc.unc.edu/index.cfm

Created in 1965 by the North Carolina General Assembly, the Highway Safety Research Center (HSRC) is dedicated to improving "the safety, security, access and efficiency of all surface transportation modes through a balanced, interdisciplinary program of research, evaluation and information dissemination." Part of that information dissemination happens via this website, where visitors can find safety information, research reports, and their newsletter. New visitors should look at their "Safety Information" first. Here they will find helpful tips on bicycle safety, pedestrian safety, animal-vehicle crash information, and distracted and drowsy drivers. Moving on, the "Research Library" area contains selected full-text publications based on HSRC staff research, along with an exhaustive bibliography of previous papers from 1967 to 1990. Finally, visitors can also peruse their newsletter, which is published quarterly. [KMG]

To find this resource and more high-quality online resources in math and science visit Scout's sister site - AMSER, the Applied Math and Science Educational Repository at http://amser.org.

http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/collections/loyaltyoath/

In 1949, the Board of Regents of the University of California reacted to the Cold War and the Red Scare by imposing loyalty oaths. While the University of California regents had established a formal anticommunist policy in 1940, it was not until 1949 that the regents amended the state-mandated oath of allegiance to include an anticommunist clause. In the summer of 1950 thirty-one professors became "non-signers" and were dismissed. This digital collection of over 3500 pages of electronic text, 30 images, and 15 audio clips document this controversy. It brings together items from four different repositories at the University of California, including The Bancroft Library and the Young Research Library. First-time users should read the brief introduction, and then move along to the "Timeline" area. The "Timeline" includes links to relevant primary documents, photos, and audio files that document this difficult and controversial period. Finally, visitors can browse around at their leisure through the various files and also search for specific items. [KMG]

http://cdi.uvm.edu/collections/getCollection.xql?title=Long%20Trail%20Photographs

The Long Trail in Vermont is the oldest long-distance hiking trail in the United States. In the early 20th century, the Green Mountain Club began to build extensive trail facilities along the way, including shelters and other such structures. The Club also documented their activities, and this collection from the University of Vermont contains over 900 black-and-white and hand-colored lantern slides. These items were originally used in slideshow presentations by Club member Theron S. Dean, who was a great promoter of the Trail. Visitors can use the "Browse the Collection" area to look for items by subject and they can also use the Google Maps feature to look for items by location. Visitors can also sign up for their RSS feed to track when new items are added to the collection. [KMG]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/

The Times in Britain has created this fine website to inform the general public about the 2010 elections. The site is easy to use, and it contains the most recent press coverage on the various election issues, along with interviews, online discussions, and video clips. To get a sense of how the various political parties are doing across the nation, visitors should click on the "Interactive Map" area. This feature allows visitors to track the different elections throughout the country, and the user interface is easy to use. Additionally, the site features a "Red Box" area where readers can keep up-to-date with events from Westminster, a place to sign up for email election updates, as well as a place to check out the latest political cartoons. Not surprisingly, their Election '10 blog is quite good, and it contains in-depth commentary along with illustrative charts and graphs. [KMG]

http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/veterans_affairs/index.html

After the devastating aftermath of the Civil War, the United States government decided to create a number of homes for disabled Union veterans. Eventually, eleven homes would be built, and they were eventually incorporated into the Veterans Bureau in 1930. This most welcome Shared Heritage Travel itinerary offered by the National Park Service creates a roadmap for visitors who wish to learn about this rather compelling aspect of American history. The site contains nine separate sections, including "Essays", "List of Sites", and "Maps". The three essays cover the history of the National Homes and daily life at the homes throughout the 19th century. Moving on, the "List of Sites" area contains links to additional information about the various homes, which are in places like Dayton, Milwaukee, and Togus, Maine. Overall, this is a great way to learn about a forgotten aspect of the country's history, and it might just inspire a future road trip. [KMG]

http://www.siouxcityhistory.org/

The Sioux City History website is billed as "your link to the past", and it does not fail to deliver on this promise. The site offers up snippets of the town's past, drawing on historic photographs, oral histories, and other documents. On the homepage, visitors will note eight primary sections, such as "Notable People", "Transportation", and "Arts & Leisure". First-time visitors should click on the "Arts & Leisure" area to start their journey. Here they will find essays and images that tell the stories of Riverside Park, community theatre, and the local legends who performed in the Monahan Post Band after World War I. To gain a better understanding of the role played by corn in local history and culture, visitors shouldn't miss the "Corn Palace" area. It's a tribute to the five grand corn palaces that graced the city from 1887 to 1891 as a symbol of agricultural prominence and boosterism. Finally, visitors can also look over a selection of oral histories and make use of the search engine here. [KMG]

http://www.themorgan.org/collections/works/cleves/default.asp

The Morgan Library and Museum was originally the private library of financier Pierpont Morgan, the father of J.P. Morgan, who gifted the library to the public eleven years after Pierpont died. The elder Morgan concentrated on collecting "illuminated, literary, and historical manuscripts, early printed books, and old master drawings and prints." One of the most famous manuscripts held by the library is the subject of this digital exhibit, The Hours of Catherine of Cleves. The manuscript is a prayer book "containing an unusually rich series of devotions illustrated with especially elaborate suites of miniatures," that was commissioned by Catherine of Cleves (1417-1476). Considered to be the greatest Dutch illuminated manuscript in the world, it is a tremendously impressive work. Visitors should click on the link "See Thumbnails" to look at the thumbnails of the manuscript to take in all the rich colors and to find the well-known illustrations that look like beasts or demons with mouths wide, and people inside those mouths. Listen to three of the prayers from the manuscript, under the "Listen to Prayers" heading on the homepage. An English translation is given along with the original Latin, as well as a brief explanation of the prayer. [KMG]

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/lobotomist/

The film "The Lobotomist" is about Walter Freeman, the inventor of the lobotomy procedure, and is available to watch on the American Experience website. Although there are no gory scenes in the film, and the descriptions of the procedure aren't overly graphic, the horrifying part is hearing of the effects of a lobotomy. The link to the "Introduction" to the film, at the bottom left side of the page, gives an excellent description of the man behind the lobotomy. Freeman was well meaning, but was also obsessed with attaining greatness in the medical community. His obsession ultimately led him to teach and perform lobotomies at a rapid pace - the "Ice Pick" lobotomy was a rapid procedure that could be done in a psychiatrist's office, and could be taught by Freeman to those psychiatrists in an afternoon. The "Special Features" of the film include a "bonus video" with a man who had a lobotomy by Freeman at the age of 12, and interviews with those whose family members had them performed. Although some of the lobotomies would have been deemed successful because they took away the mental illness Freeman was trying to rid them of, it left many individuals in a childlike state for the rest of their days. [KMG]

http://www.aaa.si.edu/collectionsonline/soyeraph/

The Smithsonian Archives of American Art have an online exhibition of the papers of Russian-born artist Raphael Soyer, who was one of the "leading realist painters and printmakers, often depicting Depression-era transients, Manhattan streetscapes, shoppers, and women at work." The Smithsonian digitized the majority of Soyer's papers, and they now have 6050 images. The "More About this Collection" tab allows visitors to read more "Biographical Information", get an "Overview of the Collection", and learn "How to Use the Collection". The collection of papers dates from 1933-1989 and visitors interested in browsing the collection by the type of material should check out the list of series, 1-7, on the homepage. Series 1 contains biographical material from 1939-1986, and contains several interview transcripts. Other series include material types such as "Correspondence, 1940-1988", which includes business and personal correspondence, "Legal and Financial Records, 1959-1988", "Photographs, circa 1953-1987" and "Artwork, 1968, undated", which includes a wonderful sketchbook of Soyer's. [KMG]

http://www.nmai.si.edu/exhibitions/jungen/index.html

The Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) opened this exhibition by Dunne-za/Canadian artist Brian Jungen late in 2009. Jungen takes consumer objects: sports jerseys, Michael Jordan Nike sneakers, golf bags, plastic trash bins - and transforms them into sculptures that force us to take a new look at these objects. For example, the golf bags are turned into totem poles; the sports jerseys are woven into a fringed blanket in a Native American pattern, with names of NBA teams - Nuggets and Lakers - and players - Iverson and Bryant - still visible around the edges. It's a little hard to comprehend the full extent of one of the largest pieces in the show, Crux (as seen from those who sleep on the surface of the Earth under the night sky), 2008, a mobile that is hanging in the rotunda at NMAI, since the exhibition website itself only presents details of the various parts of the piece. Crux consists of 5 animals: a crocodile, a possum, a shark, an emu, and a sea eagle, made from steel and plastic luggage, and suspended from a wooden rowboat. The site does make it easy to find other views of the piece, since it provides links to the exhibition's flickr pool, blog posts from the Smithsonian itself, the exhibition brochure, and additional media coverage of the show. [DS]

http://www.pwkeeper.com/

It can be a challenge to keep one's passwords all straight, but this application offers a potential solution. With this simple interface, visitors can organize their passwords in the directory, and these crucial items are then stored in an encrypted database. Also, the program can be used to create a database on a removable media device with very little fuss. This version is compatible with computers running Windows 98 and newer. [KMG]

Lincoln restored, thanks to NH find
http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Lincoln+restored%2C+thanks+to+NH+find&articleId=0043598a-28cb-4253-8f9b-8e05bc420019

Long-Lost 1913 Lincoln Film to Premiere at the Putnam
http://keeneweb.org/newsline/2010/04/06/long-lost-1913-lincoln-film-to-premiere-at-the-putnam/

National Film Preservation Foundation
http://www.filmpreservation.org/

The Bioscope
http://bioscopic.wordpress.com/

Internet Archive: Abraham Lincoln
http://www.archive.org/details/abraham_lincoln

Silent Movies
http://www.silent-movies.org/

Abraham Lincoln is making his way back to the silver screen, albeit in a somewhat unexpected fashion. Back in 2006, carpenter Peter Massie was cleaning out an old barn in Nelson, New Hampshire when he came across an old projector and seven reels of film. As it turns out, one of the films on these reels was "When Lincoln Paid", a silent film from 1913 directed by Francis Ford. Ford plays Lincoln in the 30-minute film, and his younger brother, John Ford, would go on to acclaim as the director of many celebrated Westerns. The find was quite unusual, as over 90 percent of the films made before 1927 no longer exist. After finding the films, Massie took them to Keene State film professor Lawrence Benaquist, who was able to identify all of the films after some investigative work. The folks at the George Eastman House in Rochester, New York and the National Film Preservation Foundation assisted in the film's restoration, and it is set to receive its first formal showing at the Redfern Arts Center at Keene State College on April 20. [KMG]

The first link will take users to a news article from this Tuesday's New Hampshire Union Leader about this rather unique find. The second link leads to a news release from Keene State College about the upcoming premiere of the Lincoln film, along with clips from the film itself. Moving on, the third link leads to the homepage of the National Film Preservation Foundation. Here visitors can learn about their activities, and also check out clips from rare films they have preserved. The fourth link leads to The Bioscope blog, which reports on the world of early and silent cinema. Cineastes will find much to enjoy here, including a calendar of relevant events, conferences, and a FAQ area. The fifth link leads to a complete version of "Abraham Lincoln", directed by D.W. Griffith. Lastly, the sixth link leads to a form of silent movie Nirvana, as it contains links to a number of photo galleries, silent star biographies, and so on.