Good Folks are Everywhere!

As we read the historical placard account of how 3 Catholic nuns were arrested for teaching the neighborhood black children (they got off because the state law “that white teachers shall not teach black children” did not apply to private Catholic schools), an elderly man greeted us with a warm smile.  His name was Tony and he grew up in this Lincolnville neighborhood (established by freed blacks in 1866).  The dilapidated brick building near us was where he attended K-grade 8 (the school closed in 1963 when students were desegregated).  After grade 8, black students could continue their education in public schools in Virginia or North Carolina (which meant most kids didn’t finish high school).  “The Catholic Church practiced desegregation long before desegregation occurred,” Tony shared with us, and that was how he earned his diploma—at the nearby St. Joseph’s Catholic High School (Listening to Tony's stories of attending Catholic School, sounds like ALL Catholic nun teachers—from Northern MN to Florida--discipline out of the same playbook!).  Tony went on to earn 2 college degrees, has traveled all over the world, and is proud to call St. Augustine—Lincolnville his home.

Because yesterday was rainy and sun was predicted for this afternoon, we decided to stay in St. Augustine one more day.  We’re glad we did!  We walked the town and visited the Flagler College (once a luxury hotel, now a liberal arts college known for its programs in Deaf Education), Lightner Museum (once an opulent resort, now home to City Hall, specialty shops and Museum), Memorial Presbyterian Church (its architecture is patterned after Venice’s St. Mark’s), and Lincolnville Historic District (Played a significant role in the Civil Rights movement, home of the country’s first all-black professional baseball team—the Cuban Giants!).  Oh!  And we treated ourselves to “salted caramel” and “key lime pie” popcorn from the Kernel Poppers store!

Returning to the St. Augustine marina to catch the 6 p.m. shuttle back to our moored Velsignet, we came upon a group of people (15?) enjoying “docktails.”  Who does docktails besides Loopers?  So Mike asked, “Are you guys Loopers?”  AND THEY WERE!  ALL OF THEM!  So we caught the shuttle, returned to Velsignet, and put on our life jackets to dinghy back to the dock for more visiting boat card exchanges.  Tonight we found new friends who we will continue to meet along the way to share docktails, boat stories, and helpful tips.

This memorial is located in St. Augustine's downtown square and is dedicated to those who--despite jailings, beatings, shootings, loss of employment, threats, and other dangers, participated in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. 

This is Mike and Brenda with Dave and Penny (MV Southern Cross; Bradenton, FL) as we enjoyed dinner at a local restaurant last night.  We met Dave and Penny (and their dog, Ariel) in Fort Pierce and we've been getting together when possible ever since!

Flagler College is beautiful.  This is Brenda in the courtyard.

This is Mike outside of the gates of Flagler College.  We had so hoped to get a tour of the buildings you see which were once the luxurious Ponce de Leon Hotel for the rich and famous.  Alas, both tours today were sold out.

Flagler College is named after a developer and railroad guy named...you guessed it:  Flagler. 
Flager hired Tiffany as the interior designer for the Ponce de Leon Hotel and it is stunning.

These photos are of only a small part of what was once the hotel (and now enjoyed by students).  We couldn't get into the dining hall, but were told that it contains the worlds largest collection of Tiffany glass windows in the world!

Flagler wanted this hotel to be MORE than what its wealthy clients would expect...I think he pulled it off!

Flagler College from across the street.  There's more to the college campus, but certainly this part is a show stopper!

This is the Memorial Presbyterian Church which was built through a huge donation by....Flagler.  In an effort to restore and maintain the building, the congregation is currently holding a "Save the Dome, Raise the Cross" campaign.

This is Brenda with Tony Edwards.  We felt so lucky to spend time with this man who shared his stories with such warmth, humor and appreciation.  As we parted ways, Tony said to us, "God bless you!" to which Mike responded, "God bless you, too."  Then Tony replied, "And if He don't....it's not HIS fault!" 

As we walked around Lincolnville, we saw these signs posted in several front yards.  From our perspective, we felt them a comfort and a much more effective message than some we've seen in other neighborhoods we've visited
(such as "Black lives matter" in Seattle or Saint Paul).