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anthropological rough draft [Dec 02 2009 1:26pm] Angela Rickborn Dr. Jon Marcoux Anthropology 101, Section 002 December 2, 2009 In the month of October, I stumbled across a curious sight in a public square in downtown Summerville. There were rows of human figures made of straw on display. Families paused at each figure and viewed it until they had seen them all. Couples strolled by hand in hand enjoying the fall day and the public art. A lone man walked his dog through the square. A group of young college women rode their bikes past, stopping breifly to look at a figure that caught their interest. It seemed that these handmade manequins attracted a large appeal. Upon closer inspection I found a sign that read "Scarecrows on the Square 2009." "How strange." my boyfriend, Randall, interjected. "How strange that they would have scarecrows in the middle of a town. There are no fields around. There is nothing for these scarecrows to protect." We could not resist the appeal of the scarecrows, they had piqued our interest, so we found a parking spot and began the walk around the square. The first exhibit we saw didn't actually have any scarecrows in it. There was a large wooden structure in the background that was cut and painted to look like a beehive and had the letters 'FES' painted in the middle. In front of the beehive, a pile of straw was on the ground on top of which styrafoam bees and flowers were placed in rows. A plaque in front read "Flowertown Elemetary School." The next exhibit featured a rather fat scarecrow with a pumpkin for a head sitting on a stool. The scarecrow wore a shirt that said "Mary Blunt for Probate Judge." The scarecrow had it's arms wrapped around several, much smaller scarecrows in an attempt at friendliness. We continued the walk around the square looking at all the different variations of the scarecrow. Some were surprisingly realistic. One exhibit presented lifesize scarecrows with meticulously sculpted faces made from cloth bags. Others were simpler, and some placed all emphasis on the advertising aspects. My favorite scarecrows were the ones based on popular culture. There was one scarecrow decorated to look like performer Michael Jackson and another that was done based on the characters in "Where the Wild Things Are." Signs around the square informed us that we could vote for our favorite scarecrow at one of the several businesses nearby. We stopped inside of a locally owned drugstore at the corner and began talking to the shopkeeper. She informed us that it cost fifty cents per vote, that you could vote an unlimited number of times, and that all proceeds benefited a local charity. I voted twice for the "Where the Wild Things Are" scarecrows and commented that the scarecrows do a lot for the community. The shopkeeper, Pam, said that local events such as Scarecrows on the Square and the Flowertown Festival are extremely beneifical to the community's economy and the culture. The arts and crafts events attract people from across the lowcountry to stop by and learn about the town, while also purchasing things from small businesses. In the present economy it is difficult, if not impossible, for small businesses to thrive, but these events make it possible for those in Summerville to do so. The scarecrows of Scarecrows on the Square fulfill a much deeper role than that of a traditional scarecrow. They are representations of the town itself, of the people, the businesses, and the times. They create a sense of community for the people and they provide a free, outdoor activity that is family friendly. The use of scarecrows is also seasonal and adds to the excitement of fall and halloween. As an annual event rooted in tradition, they create a sense of connection to the past. All in all, the scarecrows are part of the culture of the town of Summerville. COMMENT

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[May 27 2006 7:20pm] [ mood | high ] Fell into A sea of grass And disappeared among The shady blades... The children all Ran over me Screaming tag! You are the one! He trips her as Her sandals fail She says stop! I'm a girl... Whose fingernails are made Of a mother's pearl... Yellow buttercup Helicopters Orange buttercat Chasing after The crazy bee Mad about somebody Oh no... Me and my girlfriend Don't wear no shoes Her nose is painted pepper Sunlight... She loves me I mean it's serious As serious can be... Well, she sings a song and I listen to what it says: If you want a friend Feed any animal... There was so much space I cut me a piece With some fine wine It brought peace to my mind In the summertime... And it rolled Summer.... ohhhh... Oh, oh, oh... the summertime rolls Summer.... ohhhh... Oh, oh, oh... the summertime rolls Oh Summer.... Yeah, yeah yeah... Oh, oh, oh... summertime rolls Summer.... Yeah, yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah... Oh, oh, oh... summertime rolls Me and my girlfriend Don't wear no clothes ya know, Her nose is a pepper sunlight... I love her And me, it so so serious As serious can be... COMMENT

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