Simple gifts: more Southern Minnesota inaugural tales

The Mankato Free Press reports MSU crowd loves Obama and Young students' optimism shows. In the latter story:

There may have been no one in the building with more fervor for Obama than 11-year-old Harrison Weaver. Ask him what he knows about Obama and you’ll get a full biography.

“He’s 47 years old, he has two daughters, Malia and Sasha Obama, He went to Harvard University and he went to law school....”

Weaver followed Obama’s campaign closely and video recorded his acceptance speech after the election so he could watch it over and over.

His overall view of Obama is of a man of fortitude.

“He’s strong. When he was doing his election and his grandma died, he stayed strong about that.

“It is exciting to watch his inauguration. It’s historic and there’s a lot of stories to come,” Weaver said.

Weaver is the young man in the striking John Cross photo that accompanies the MFP article. In the paper's Letters section, Josh Reinitz of Henderson writes that Seeger embodied event. Guess he liked the whole song as much as we do. Watch the performance from Sunday's musical celebration in the video in our post below.

The Waseca County News notes in WHS students gather for historic moment:

All day Tuesday, a big screen television in the high school’s Little Theater was available to anyone who wanted to watch the inaugural events taking place in Washington, D.C. Students and staff could stop in between classes or during lunch or if they were excused from class. And while the numbers of students in the theater varied, Swanson believes that about 95 percent of the school’s students watched some part of Obama’s inaugural either there or in their classrooms.

They witnessed the peaceful transfer of power from one American president to the next.

The Albert Lea Tribune tells how an Albert Lea High School graduate recounts being at the National Mall:

He noted he was impressed that Obama took the time to acknowledge President George W. Bush and the last eight years without insulting him or talking down to him.

“I thought President-elect Obama was real respectful toward former President Bush,” he said. But at the same time he gave his own vision about what he wants to see happen over the next four years.”

After got out of the inauguration, he attended two receptions, one at the Minnesota State Society Reception and one by Walz.

He said he ran into Freeborn County DFL chairman Art Anderson and vice chairman Rose Anderson.

The Winona Daily News reports in WSU students watch inaugurational history:

David Obray, WSU’s Student Senate president, is ready to serve the new commander-in-chief as a soldier in the Army Reserves.

He said that while Obama’s speech was beautiful, his stumble while reciting the oath of office was most poignant.

“It was a subtle touch of human error,” Obray said.

Last year, Obray--who had once struggled with his weight--became the first Reserve Soldier to win the Best Warrior competition. The WDN also reports that Local Democrats enjoy low-key celebration:

Dozens of Winonans celebrated President Barack Obama’s inauguration Tuesday night at Watkins Manor Great Hall, albeit without the spectacle and grandeur of Washington’s social events.

The apparel featured plenty of jeans mixed in with the formal wear. Organizers asked attendees to prepare an hors d’oeuvre to share and donate a canned food item for Winona Volunteer Services. And those present had to bring their own wine and champagne.

The event organized by the Winona County Democrats did share a few common themes with the glitzier balls held elsewhere across the country: a sense of accomplishment over the presidential victory and excitement for the country’s future, complete with popping champagne corks.

That image just looked slightly different in Winona than in D.C., a reality that local Democrats aimed for. The gathering was meant to focus more on celebrating the new administration, without worrying about social distinctions, local Democrats said. Organizers even encouraged people to avoid the black-tie apparel.

“We’re a little more reasonable and down to earth,” said Anne Morse, county DFL chairwoman. “If we wanted to wear ball gowns enough, we would go to D.C.”

That down to earth quality that's characteristic of Southern Minnesotans was evident in Washington last night. In an article that's not posted online, the Mankato Free Press's Mark Fischenich concludes:

Having a ball

[First District DFL Chair Lori] Sellner’s plan for the evening was to serve as a volunteer at a Washington reception for Minnesota Democrats attending the inauguration.

The Walzes were going to the Midwest Inaugural Ball, one of the offi­cial balls the Obamas would be attend­ing briefly. But Gwen Walz said it defi­nitely wasn’t something either she or her husband were overly excited about. “ We are not necessarily that tuxedo­-fancy-gown sort of people,” she said.

In fact, the congressman decided to skip the tuxedo and wear a black neck­tie to, at least technically, meet the cri­teria. Gwen is wearing a long skirt.

“I got it at Herberger’s. On sale,” she said.

To top it off, her husband isn’t par­ticularly light on his feet.

“He’s a terrible dancer,” she said. “Absolutely terrible.”

In German, "Walz" means "waltz."  In Southern Minnesotan, maybe not so much.

This post rightfully concludes with a dance tune, written by one of those original dancing fools, Shaker Elder Joseph Brackett. Aaron Copland incorporated the lovely song into his ballet, "Appalachian Spring," which was in its turn adapted for the "Air and Simple Gifts" by John Williams for yesterday's inauguration (heck, even Weezer's sampled the Brackett tune).

The original song and Copland adaptation have been favorites since we were young, growing up along the Minnesota River in what seemed our own "valley of love and delight." Lots of different performances on YouTube; we especially like this version: