Davis Hall

Davis Hall was completed and opened in June 1957 to house the nursing students for the Holzer School of Nursing. It served as a dorm and classrooms for the nursing students until it was closed after just 25 years of service in June 1982. Davis Hall was closed due changes in the nursing program. The Holzer School of Nursing was moved from being a self sustaining operation to Rio Grande College. Davis Hall due to it age and lack of maintenance is scheduled to be demolished later this summer. It is part of the Holzer Legacy of Gallipolis. It is being razed to make room for the City of Gallipolis' new City Building. I had the opportunity the other day to get access to the inside of Davis Hall to take some photos. Little has changed since the building was abandoned in 1982. The city has used it for storage and law enforcement training.





The outside of Davis Hall appears in good shape but looks can be deceiving.

The rear of building begins to show some of the decay to be found inside.



Outside there is a small courtyard for the students to relax. A great feature of this building is the large bay window.



When you enter the front door you ascend a stair case to the main floor. Stair case is a circular stair covered in a pink marble.



Visitors had to check in at the front desk. The mail slots are still in the building along with an old Remington typewriter.







To the left you would find the elevator. It has long been disabled but the floor indicator with its bubble I found unique.







To the right was the lobby area. The green shag carpet reminds you of the era that the building was used.



Off the lobby is the library. The table is still there but all the books have since been removed.





In the downstairs where the classrooms are you begin to see some of the damages of time.

This was one of the offices used by an instructor.



The classrooms are large but they are still storing items for Gallipolis.





Also on the ground floor are the mechanical systems of a time past.







Back upstairs behind a door past the elevator you find the actual dorm rooms. Down long hallways you find things of the past.



Some of the 2nd floor hallways were in the worst shape.



In the hallways you also find reminders of the past. The old phone booths still remain though the pay phones are long gone.



Next are the dorm rooms showing what dorm life wass like for these nursing students.



Each room had a wall unit for the students to use to store their belongings. Each room was 2 students to a room. Though the beds are long gone the wall units remain.









Each floor also had a lounge area with a place for a TV and a small kitchenette.



And finally the laundry room. One on each floor with 3 ironing boards each.



Just a reminder from Ethel Armstrong the first director of Davis Hall about the use of Laundry Facilities.



If you have a camera get out and shoot some of these buildings before they are gone. Also as a note a copy of these photos are being provided to the Gallia County Historical Society so other generations can remember Davis Hall.

Enjoy,

Chris

Thunder Rolls

Last night a quick line of storms rolled in producing lightning before its arrival. I have wanted to capture lightning for a while so I gave it a go. The storm still a few miles off so initially I just got illumination of the clouds. The storm died out before getting close enough to get some shots of actual bolts.















I did get one tendril of lightning.



With some more storms coming in the next few days hopefully I can get some more.

Enjoy,
Chris

Remembering

On May 5, 1868 General John Logan issued General Order #11. General Orders #11 designated the first official Memorial Day on May 30, 1868.

In General Orders #11 General Logan states the following:

"Let us, then, at the time appointed gather around their sacred remains and garland the passionless mounds above them with the choicest flowers of spring-time; let us raise above them the dear old flag they saved from his honor; let us in this solemn presence renew our pledges to aid and assist those whom they have left among us a sacred charge upon a nation's gratitude, the soldier's and sailor's widow and orphan."

In 1968 Memorial Day was changed from May 30th to the last Monday in May.

Memorial Day is to honor all the soldiers who gave their lives defending our rights and freedoms as Americans.

"Let no vandalism of avarice or neglect, no ravages of time, testify to the present or to the coming generations, that we have forgotten, as a people, the cost of a free and undivided Republic." -John A. Logan

So May 31, 2010 we remember the over 1.3 million Americans that gave their lives defending us. We do this by placing flags to watch over their graves.



We lower the American Flag to half staff from sunrise until noon.



"I have never been able to think of the day as one of mourning; I have never quite been able to feel that half-masted flags were appropriate on Decoration Day. I have rather felt that the flag should be at the peak, because those whose dying we commemorate rejoiced in seeing it where their valor placed it. We honor them in a joyous, thankful, triumphant commemoration of what they did." -Benjamin Harrison

We also build permanent memorials to those loved ones who fought for our country.



So this Memorial Day let us remember those who fought and died for the United States of America. Even those whose name is not known.



"Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty." -John F. Kennedy



"For love of country they accepted death..." -James A. Garfield



"It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived." — General George S. Patton



"These heroes are dead. They died for liberty – they died for us. They are at rest. They sleep in the land they made free, under the flag they rendered stainless, under the solemn pines, the sad hemlocks, the tearful willows, and the embracing vines. They sleep beneath the shadows of the clouds, careless alike of sunshine or of storm, each in the windowless Place of Rest. Earth may run red with other wars – they are at peace. In the midst of battle, in the roar of conflict, they found the serenity of death. I have one sentiment for soldiers living and dead: cheers for the living; tears for the dead." — Robert G. Ingersoll

Remembering,
Chris

Lens Baby Composer

A few months ago I got a Lens Baby Composer. The Lens Baby Composer is a an optic system that offers selective focus. This is achieved using the Lens Babies Optic and the fact that the "sweet spot" can be moved around the frame by tilting the axis of the optic. The Lens Baby offers several different optics using its optic swap system. I currently have the double glass optic but am considering the new fish eye optic. All Lens Baby products require manual focus, changing the aperture disk and manual settings work best on the camera.



Here are some photos shot with the Lens Baby.



This is the clock that sits on my mantle. The sweet spot is on the dial in an attempt to draw your eye to it.







The focus on the Lens Baby using the double glass is sharp. It will obviously not be nearly as sharp as a regular lens but it allows for outstanding effects.

One thing that I noticed is with an APS-C crop sensor you don't have to shift the optic system very far move the sweet spot around the frame.

As always you can click on any image to see a larger size.

Enjoy,
Chris

Snap Totes are Here

I have partnered with Snap Totes to bring their bags to you. Snap Totes offers a wide variety of bags with your photos on them. Take a look at the bags here. All bag prices include shipping and Scotch Guard protection. These bags are very durable and well constructed. My wife has been carrying them for a few years and they show little sign of wear or dirt. If you have any questions please contact me.



Thanks
Chris