REMEMBERING THE HERO OF VALLEY FORGE -- Thursday, Dec. 19 marks the 225th anniversary of the day Gen. George Washington led his 11,000 troops to Valley Forge. Washington's men endured months of cold and suffering, but it was during this time that they also became a fighting force capable of taking on the highly trained British army, says Temple history professor Greg Urwin. "During the first two years of the War of Independence, short-term enlistments and the lack of a standard American drill manual limited the effectiveness of the Continental Army," says Urwin. "That ended at Valley Forge with the arrival of Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben, a former Prussian staff officer who had served under Frederick the Great. Falsely posing as a baron and a former lieutenant general, von Steuben got himself appointed as the Inspector General to Washington's Main Army." Urwin says the appointment may have been the wisest personnel decision that Washington ever made. "Thanks to von Steuben's efforts, the main army left Valley Forge in the spring of 1778 prepared to maneuver, fire rapid musket volleys, and employ the bayonet with the same expertise as its British adversaries. George Washington may be known as the 'Father of His Country,' but Baron von Steuben deserves to be remembered as the Father of the U.S. Army."
GOT THE HOLIDAY BLUES? -- If the holidays give you the blues, it's time to take stock of what you want from them and act accordingly--and sometimes boldly--to make them your own, says Temple clinical psychologist Herb Rappaport, author of Holiday Blues: Rediscovering the Art of Celebration. "When we dread components of our lives, something is either wrong with the situation or the way we are approaching it," says Rappaport. "A lot of people don't really know what the holidays mean to them. Holidays, like the rest of life, should be positive markers to anticipate with enthusiasm and optimism. People need to be brave enough and imaginative enough to change things that don't make them happy." According to Rappaport, anxiety, depression, and frustration/anger are the most common problematic emotional responses to special occasions. People with the blues can strive to make the most of their holidays in part by evaluating and changing traditions, being altruistic, focusing on relationships and being imaginative and creative in their celebrating, says Rappaport. For more on his book, visit the NMR web site at http://www.temple.edu/news_media/bb556.html
KEEP HOLIDAY GREENERY COOL AND MOIST -- You're decking the halls with greenery, you're trimming the tree...so how do you help your holiday plants maintain their luster? Christmas trees should be placed in water immediately and should have a constant supply throughout the season, says George Whiting, an associate professor of horticulture at Temple Ambler who specializes in herbaceous plants and plant breeding. "The best idea is to go out to your local tree farm and cut your tree yourself. When you get it home, re-cut the bottom by a few inches and immediately place it into water. You should maintain a reservoir of water in the tree stand. If you don't re-cut the bottom, it will dry out and become plugged up with resin. Once the tree dries out, it will not take any water at all." To care for a poinsettia, says Whiting, keep the temperature around 60 degrees, avoid drafts, and keep the soil moist. And for holiday staples like wreaths and holly for decking the halls, cool areas are best, he says. "The colder the better. You should also avoid direct sunlight, particularly for the wreath."
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