If you haven't been keeping up with the latest egg-citing developments in my Library's hatching chicks blog, then you really need to get on the ball and check it out. A record number of chicks (notice I am not calling them winged dinners, because these guys are now my library colleagues and friends) hatched this year, and each was given his or her own special name. Chick Samuel was named after Samuel Moore, founder of Mooresville, Indiana.
Broadway Gal recently announced a status update on Samuel and another chick, Harper (named, if memory serves, after Harper Lee, author of To Kill a Mockingbird). Thanks to my keen feline vision and insight, I immediately noticed the similarities between Samuel (the chick) and Samuel (the founder). Consider, for instance, the white feathers under Samuel (again, the chick's) chin and on his chest. Looks kinda like Samuel's (the founder) beard, eh? See what you think.
Notice the dignified manner and posture? The proud, self-assured stance? The serious, "I'm one tough dude, so don't mess with me" expression? Yep, so did I. These guys could be brothers. Well, not literally, but certainly kindred spirits.
Some people think chickens are none too bright, but that's completely untrue. They are just single-minded and highly focused. Their concentration changes from one moment to the next, but at any given instant, they are zen-like in mental direction. I suspect Samuel Moore was similarly focused and driven, but he, unlike chickens, could hold a huge range of ideas simultaneously in his brain. After all, he founded the town, developed real estate, ran several successful versions of his trading post and general store, raised livestock and crops, etc. He was an extraordinarily successful businessperson. That's no easy task. Plus he was quite generous toward his fellow townsfolk, donating the land for the original annual Old Settlers gatherings (on South Street, known today as Old Town Park), and contributing anonymously a tidy sum to build the first high school in central Indiana (the Mooresville Academy, in 1861, which, by the way, gives Mooresville the distinction of having the oldest continuously operating high school in Indiana). Any way you cut it, this fella was top-drawer stock.
We hope Samuel (the chick) continues to develop into a fine specimen of chickenhood. We hope, too, that any relatives of Samuel Moore still living in Morgan County, Indiana (or elsewhere) and who, however unlikely, might see this blog, have a sense of humor.
May Have Known Samuel Moore in One of My Previous Nine Lives,
Cauli Le Chat
MPL Roving Reporter
Chick/Founder News Beat
P.S. I'm not overlooking Harper, the other chick in Broadway Gal's update. Here is our book trailer featuring To Kill a Mockingbird.
So if Samuel Moore contributed money for the high school anonymously, how do you know he contributed? My third grade class met in the Academy building way back when. Really cool building.
ReplyDeleteMooresville was a really small, close-knit small town back in those days (mid-19th century). Everybody knew where the money came from. There were only a few rich folks living on Silk Stocking Row (West High Street), Samuel Moore included. It was pretty easy to connect the dots.
ReplyDeleteCauli, "small, . . . small town" is redundant. Unless you're emphasizing just how small Mooresville was in those days.
ReplyDelete