The quality of mercy
The Civil War divided our country like no other event in our history. Consequently, people in both North and South suffered wounds both physical and emotional. Abraham Lincoln in his…
Read MoreArticles by Nancy Kelly Smith
ABCs: Reflections on Academics, Bots & Civility
School has begun. Teachers and students are getting into the rhythm of another school year. Reading. Writing. ‘Rithmetic. Robots? One school district in Western New York State proposed a pilot…
A more perfect union
The adult “We the People 101” course I took in 2023 was an eye-opener. I gained a more thorough knowledge and a much deeper appreciation for our U.S. Constitution. The…
Who am I? Who are you?
“Oh, I loved English! It was my best class in high school!” That response is what I often get when I share with someone that I am a retired English…
To the Moon & beyond
The evening of July 20, 1969, I sat transfixed staring at the television along with other staff members of the summer camp where I was working. We were watching the…
Monkey see, monkey do
I was on the phone recently with my sister-in-law in California. Not surprisingly, our conversation eventually turned to our pre-school age grandsons and our children. She related this time that…
Hooray for Independence Day!
John Adams, one of the Founding Fathers, believed that the Fourth of July should be celebrated with “solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty” as well as “pomp and parade,…