Going Screen-Free
The Families Reclaiming Childhood
Train Your Brain
8 Simple Ways to Build a Sharper, Stronger Brain
Elizabeth Tabish
‘The
Chosen’ Star on Telling Stories About the Power of Faith
A PRAYER IN SPRING
by Robert Frost
Oh, give us pleasure in the flowers to-day; And give us not to think so far away As the uncertain harvest; keep us here All simply in the springing of the year.
Oh, give us pleasure in the orchard white, Like nothing else by day, like ghosts by night; And make us happy in the happy bees, The swarm dilating round the perfect trees.
Santa Cruz, California
And make us happy in the darting bird That suddenly above the bees is heard, The meteor that thrusts in with needle bill, And off a blossom in mid air stands still.
For this is love and nothing else is love, The which it is reserved for God above To sanctify to what far ends He will, But which it only needs that we fulfil.
CONTENTS
First Look
12 | Unplugged Getaways
Whether you’re seeking tranquility or adventure, here are six beautiful destinations for a digital detox.
Features
14 | The Power of Faith
Elizabeth Tabish almost gave up acting before being cast in “The Chosen.”
20 | Day in the Life
Singer-songwriter Tasha Layton on her morning routine, favorite part of the day, and upcoming new projects.
24 | The New Counterculture
Families who intentionally built a smartphone-free culture at home are reaping the benefits.
28 | The Minimalist
Joshua Becker talks about what’s at the heart of minimalism—making room for what matters most.
32 | A Wild Pony’s Big Day
For some, the Chincoteague ponies’ annual island swim is all about big dreams.
38 | Homes for Vets
Builders and donors come together to build homes for veterans in need.
History
40 | Operation Little Vittles
During the Berlin Blockade, Air Force pilot Gail Halvorsen earned the gratitude of hundreds of German children.
46 | Revolutionizing the Radio
With a series of vignettes that featured big names in broadcasting, entertainment, journalism, and literature, Pat Weaver saved radio entertainment with the success of NBC’s “Monitor.”
52 | What the Presidents Read
Of the books that shaped our presidents’ characters and informed their policies, these titles stand out.
Arts & Letters
56 | A President to Remember
Biographer C.W. Goodyear uncovered possibly the most impressive rise to power in 19th-century American history.
62 | Victorian in Vogue
The redesigned Stanford Mansion reflects Gov. Leland Stanford’s wealth and social status at the end of the 19th century.
66 | Book Review
How researchers and librarians became the Allies’ greatest assets during World War II.
68 | Why I Love America
Samuel Sarmiento, an immigrant from Ecuador, found the United States full of opportunities for those who are willing to work hard.
70 | My Family Roots
Cindy Carter Jones reflects on the legacy of her grandparents’ belief in hard work and education.
72 | ‘Whisper in the Wind’
A realist masterpiece exemplifies the spirit of American Essence.
Lifestyle
74 | Old World Traditions, Wisconsin Terroir
At Uplands Cheese, two families carry on the art of European cheesemaking to make America’s most-awarded cheese.
80 | The Dandy Dandelion
The oft-maligned plant is one of the best things you can eat in the spring.
82 | Tune Up Your Brain
Experts share eight proven ways to hone a sharper, stronger, more resilient brain.
88
86 | What the Sleep Doctor Ordered
A sleep coach to elite athletes shares her own bedtime essentials.
88 | The River of No Return
Whitewater rafting on Idaho’s Salmon River alternates between rollicking rapids and serene tranquility.
94 | Make the First 5 Seconds Count
An etiquette expert’s essential rules for making a great first impression.
98 | Rx for Life
Tips to overcome smartphone addiction from Dr. Gregory Jantz.
SOCIAL CALENDAR
By Sandy Lindsey
A Blossoming Gift
NATIONAL CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL
Washington, D.C.
March 20–April 13
In 1912, the mayor of Tokyo, Japan, gave a gift of cherry trees to Washington, D.C., to celebrate the close relationship between the two nations. Now, peak bloom of the approximately 3,550 trees is cause for celebration each spring, marked by a street festival, a parade, and live entertainment including Japanese musicians and dancers. NationalCherryBlossomFestival.org
A Pre-Birthday Celebration GIVE ME LIBERTY
Richmond, Va.
March 22, 2025–Jan. 6, 2026
The 5,000-square-foot exhibition “Give Me Liberty: Virginia and the Forging of a Nation” honors the upcoming 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. It shines a light on the contributions of America’s oldest colony, from famous Virginians such as Patrick Henry to ordinary people, and other events that would form our modern republic and ultimately reshape the world.
VirginiaHistory.org
Scenic Wonders
NATIONAL PARKS WEEK
Nationwide April 19–27
From Old Faithful to historical sites, majestic mountains to glacier trails, America’s National Parks are a treasure trove of one-of-a-kind adventures and breathtaking sights. The weeklong celebration of special programs, activities, and digital experiences kicks off with a free entrance day on April 19. NPS.gov
Bring Your Clogs TULIP TIME
Holland, Mich.
May 2–11
More than 65,000 tulips of many varieties and colors take the viewer through the history of the flower, from its Turkish origins, through the Netherlands, to small town Holland, Michigan. The annual Tulip Time festival began in 1927 to honor the heritage of the town’s many Dutch immigrants. Parades, concerts, arts and crafts, and performances of traditional Dutch dances round out the festivities. TulipTime.com
Ready, Aim, Freedom! BATTLE OF LEXINGTON 250TH ANNIVERSARY
Lexington, Mass.
April 19
This year marks the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Lexington, which kicked off the American Revolutionary War, making this a must-attend event for history buffs. In addition to historical exhibits, festivities include a reenactment of the battle and Paul Revere’s ride, a 5-mile road race, and the always lively Patriots’ Day Parade.
TourLexington.us
Back-to-Back Bach
117 TH BETHLEHEM BACH FESTIVAL
Bethlehem, Pa.
May 8–11
More than 100 singers will lift their voices during four days of glorious performances as America’s Oldest Bach Choir (circa 1900) continues its mission to bring people together, strengthen relationships, and nourish the human spirit through choral music. Highlights include Bach’s “Mass in B-Minor,” Bach Outdoors, and the more intimate Chamber Music in the Saal. Bach.org
“Magnificent…
—Tony Robbins, motivational speaker
“I’ve never seen anything quite so beautifully choreographed in my entire life.”
—Shirley Ballas, Strictly Come Dancing (UK), head judge
“There
—Daniel Herman, former Minister of Culture of the Czech Republic
“I
—Donna Karan, founder of DKNY
CULTURE SHORTLIST
America’s First Photographers
On August 19, 1839, painter Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre presented a new way of creating images that forever changed the visual arts. He demonstrated his “daguerreotype” photographic technique at a joint meeting of the Académie des Sciences and the Académie des Beaux-Arts, in Paris. A little under a month later, America saw its first daguerreotype. An upcoming exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York explores the daguerreotype and other early photographic formats in America between 1839 and 1910. Exhibition visitors will see images of urban and rural life taken by anonymous amateur daguerreotype artists and celebrated photographers, including Josiah Johnson Hawes, John Moran, Carleton Watkins, and Alice Austen.
“The New Art: American Photography, 1839–1910” exhibition runs from April 11 through July 20. For more information, visit METMUSEUM.ORG
‘Generals in Bronze: Interviewing the Commanders of the Civil War’
Historian and author William B. Styple was deep into research on one of his many Civil War nonfiction projects in 2003 when he stumbled upon over a dozen boxes housed at the New York Historical Society. They were full of interviews, notes, letters, photographs, and sketches belonging to artist and sculptor James Edward Kelly (1855–1933). He shares not only about Kelly, but about others’ extraordinary roles during a pivotal time in American history.
Belle Grove Publishing Co., 2005 Hardcover, 314 pages
‘Superman: Red Son’
In this animated DC Comics “what-if” timeline, Kryptonian Kal-El lands in the USSR, where he naively advances Soviet military dominance. However, he faces the American ingenuity of inventor-industrialist Lex Luthor and his wife, journalist Lois Lane. They develop the means to counter Superman’s superpowers, all while he grows disillusioned with Stalin’s dictatorial crimes.
DIRECTOR
Sam Liu
STARS
Jason Isaacs, Diedrich Bader, Amy Acker, Paul Williams RELEASED
2020
STREAMING TUBI, AMAZON, APPLE WATCH
READ READ
‘What the Chicken Knows: A New Appreciation of the World’s Most Familiar Bird’
Some women are cat ladies. Sy Montgomery is a chicken lady; she kept chickens as pets for nearly 30 years. This slim book captures her experiences with the birds and relates her travels in what she terms the Chicken Universe, that is, what she learned about and from chickens. The volume also captures life in rural New England. It’s sure to make readers see chickens in a new way.
Atria Books, 2024 Hardcover, 96 pages
VISIT
TRAVEL PICKS
Best Places for a Digital Detox
By Tim Johnson
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Between round-the-clock texting and heaps of emails always waiting on our laptops, our modern lives have gotten complicated. The best way to simplify? A vacation where you won’t miss the screens for even a moment. Here are the six best places in the United States for a digital detox.
Restoring Body and Soul in Malibu
At The Ranch Malibu, nestled in Southern California’s Santa Monica Mountains, the minimum stay is six nights. The resort has a signature, structured program, where guests take part in different activities meant to renew their energy and mental clarity. It incorporates movement with time in nature; think sound baths, guided hikes, yoga, fitness classes, and daily massages. Expert support helps guests make meaningful lifestyle changes that will last beyond their stay.
Rafting the Grand Canyon
It’s an epic dream for so many: paddling down the Colorado River in a raft. With trips through the Grand Canyon that stretch from five days to almost three weeks, OARS offers one of America’s ultimate adventures. There isn’t much, if any, cell reception down there—and you won’t want to check your phone anyway, as you enjoy the breathtaking whitewater rafting, relaxing shoreside meals, and camping.
Mindfulness in the Berkshires
In the Heart of Denali
No cell reception, no Wi-Fi—and no roads. The only way to reach Sheldon Chalet, a luxurious, five-bedroom, private chalet built at 6,000 feet and surrounded by mountains in Denali National Park, is via helicopter. A personal chef, a concierge, and guides are all on hand to customize your adventure, be it glacier spelunking, backcountry skiing, or savoring a multi-course feast made with local ingredients.
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Unplugging is central to a stay at Miraval; this resort even has its own digital wellness ambassador. The luxury retreat, tucked among the rolling Berkshires in Massachusetts, encourages being present in the moment. Guests spend their time hiking and riding trails on the 380acre property, swimming in the serenity pool, and being pampered in the award-winning 29,000-squarefoot spa.
Desert Renewal in Tucson
Awarded three keys by Michelin last year, Canyon Ranch Tucson is one of the world’s finest places to stay—and play. Leave your phone in your room while you engage in a tailor-made outdoor adventure in the vast majesty of the Sonoran Desert, or choose among the many daily wellness activities onsite. Will it be pickleball, Pilates, or power blast fitness? Note: A digital detox weekend takes place March 13–16, 2025.
Dude Ranch Life in Jackson Hole
Surrounded by millions of acres of Wyoming wilderness, Flat Creek Ranch minimizes the usual distractions. There’s no cell service, and the internet is accessible only on a hidden network at the main lodge. That’s a good thing, as there’s plenty to keep you busy in this Wild West paradise, from horseback riding through streams, meadows, and forests, to fly fishing in lakes and creeks. Back on the ranch, cozy renovated cabins, a hot tub, a sauna, and fine dining await.
Elizabeth Tabish
Gets Personal
The actress, who plays Mary Magdalene in the popular series ‘The Chosen,’ reflects on her latest role in the heartfelt film ‘Between Borders’
IBy Randy Tatano
magine being a struggling actress, tired of being turned down at auditions, so strapped for cash you have to move in with your mother. You finally decide it’s time to stop chasing the dream.
“I was trying to quit acting. I was in Austin, working mostly in commercials, and really not able to make it. I just couldn’t afford rent anymore. I moved in with my mom. My car was all beat up,” Elizabeth Tabish told American Essence. Being constantly passed over for roles was also taking its emotional toll on her, and she decided to move on. “This wasn’t healthy for me
Elizabeth Tabish as Mary Magdalene in “The Chosen,” the hit series about the life of Jesus. The fifth season debuts on March 27, 2025.
to keep putting myself out there and getting rejected.”
A month after she told her agent to stop sending her to auditions, she was cast in the incredibly popular Christian series “The Chosen,” playing a major character: Mary Magdalene.
It almost seems like divine intervention; for Tabish, it was the breakthrough role of her career.
Journey to Freedom
Her latest project is a starring role in another
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true story. “Between Borders” chronicles the lives of the Petrosyan family, Armenians who had to flee their home and communism in the 1980s to avoid persecution. Their dangerous journey to freedom presents life-threatening trials along the way as they temporarily end up in Russia. Their attempt to receive asylum in the United States spotlights how difficult and incredibly emotional the process can be. Tabish plays Violetta Petrosyan, a wife and mother who would do anything to protect her family.
The role is personal for Tabish, whose maternal roots are Armenian. “I grew up listening to
In “Between Borders,” Tabish plays the role of refugee Violetta Petrosyan as she testifies in court during her family’s quest for asylum in the United States.
The role is personal for Tabish, whose maternal roots are Armenian. “
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my grandmother and great-grandmother speak to each other in Armenian, and make all the good food,” she said. The script for “Between Borders” really spoke to her. “I recognized so many characteristics and so much strength and heart and personality that reminded me so much of my grandmother.”
The actress met the real Violetta Petrosyan and said the woman’s incredible spirit influenced her performance in certain parts of the film. During the powerful asylum hearing scene, Petrosyan was on the set and in Tabish’s line of sight. Tabish said, “While I’m talking about how Jesus transforms my life, she was in that courtroom scene, so I was looking at her and telling her story back to her. It ended up being really emotional and meaningful for me to get to do this alongside her.”
Petrosyan has seen the movie and feels Tabish was the perfect person for the role: “I could have never dreamt of anyone who would portray me better than Elizabeth. From the moment we met in Bucharest, Romania, to the very present hour, I am forever grateful to the Lord for the privilege of sharing our life story.”
The film is filled with heartbreaking emotion. That’s evident in a scene in which Tabish’s character applies for a job in Russia. As an Armenian outsider, she’s made to repeat demeaning statements by the interviewer in order to secure the position.
“When I first read the script, it was one of the scenes that really popped out to me as the type of bullying that is insidious,” Tabish recalled. “It’s the type of cruelty that doesn’t leave visible marks. This forced humiliation and undermining of confidence, or deserving to be in that space, just broke my heart.”
The time that the Petrosyans spent in Russia gives us a close look at communism and how it dehumanizes those deemed to be outsiders. Before they leave Armenia, Violetta is a school principal and her husband is a rocket scientist. But their resumes mean nothing when they arrive in the Soviet Union; they’re forced to take any jobs they can find.
“To see them both really have to humble themselves in order to survive, in order to take care of their girls, is really a powerful story,” Tabish said. “They’re willing to say whatever
Petrosyan (played by Tabish) experiences discrimination due to her Armenian heritage.
Tabish arrives at the global premiere of season four of “The Chosen” at Empire Cinema on Jan. 22, 2024, in London’s Leicester Square.
Tasha Layton Steps It Up
The singer-songwriter on faith, family, and her upcoming projects
By Ida Pink
Tasha Layton has thrived since her days as a contestant on “American Idol” and a backstage vocalist for Katy Perry. After turning down a solo career in pop music, she released several successful Christian singles, including “Into The Sea (It’s Gonna Be OK)” and the smash hit “Look What You’ve Done,” which landed her on Billboard’s list of top 5 female Christian artists of the year in 2020 and 2021. She is currently wrapping up her Trust Again tour across the United States.
In this interview with American Essence, the South Carolina native shares about her life— from being mom to her kids Levi and Lyla, to launching a mental health initiative inspired by her own story. Through it all, faith and family are front and center.
American Essence: What is your morning routine like?
Tasha Layton: My morning routine is being woken from a dead sleep to chaos every morning. My children are 4 and 7, and so I may or may not
have washed off my makeup from the night before, and I literally hit the ground running. There’s no routine right now in my life, which I am sad about, but I know that will come as my kids get a little bit older. I know that I’ll fall back into a routine, but I do try to wash my face every day, but I don’t have a normal cleanser either. I mean, it’s literally just chaos and no rhythm. The only rhythm that I definitely don’t sway from is my time doing daily devotionals.
AE: Any daily wellness practices that keep you grounded?
Ms. Layton: My time in meditation and prayer every day with my Bible and my journal—that is the one that I don’t miss. I really want to take better care of myself physically, but as a mom, I haven’t been able to find that balance yet. And sometimes, for folks looking at my life from the outside in, they might think I have it all together, but I really don’t.
AE: What is something that people might be surprised to find out about you?
Ms. Layton: Before I had children, I was an adrenaline junkie. I skydived, bungee jumped, did extreme scuba diving, rafting, and other things like that. I just loved doing extreme things. And then when I had kids, I didn’t do any of it anymore, because I just wanted to stay safe for them.
AE: What is your favorite part of the day?
Ms. Layton: I love the time in the evening when I get to snuggle my kids on the couch, or read to them at night before they go to bed. That’s my favorite time of the day. My husband and I weren’t able to have kids, we weren’t supposed to be able to have kids, and so our children are miracles and huge blessings to us.
AE: What has motherhood taught you?
Ms. Layton: I learned something new about God all the time because of my kids, how much God loves us, how much grace He shows us, how much patience He shows us, ways that He knows better than we do about certain things. And, like a good parent, you’re going to give your kids what they need, not always what they want. You don’t know what you’re capable of until you become a mother, because you’re operating under extreme exhaustion and beyond the capacity you thought you had, and somehow you get it all done.
Tasha Layton is releasing a live worship record this year.
AE: What is your favorite family tradition?
Ms. Layton: One of my favorite times together as a family is when we are home from traveling and we go out for Mexican food and ice cream. We do it regularly, and it’s easy. We don’t have to think about it—we know what we’re going to get to eat. My kids love that time. They get so excited for ice cream at this age, so we really love just time together as a family, since we travel so much.
AE: What inspires you and keeps you going on tough days?
Ms. Layton: It’s a combination of two things. The first is that I feel an innate sense of calling from God to do what I do, and, thus, the grace to do it. And the second is that I hear stories every night when speaking with people after events and concerts of how my music has inspired them or changed their lives. Hearing that encouragement from them is also a big deal for me.
AE: What is your ultimate goal as an artist, and how do you hope to impact others?
Ms. Layton: My ultimate goal with music is to help people connect with God, and, by helping people connect with God, that helps bring them freedom and joy in life. Those are the things that I’m aiming for every time I write a song, to connect people with Him.
AE: Where do you find inspiration for your music?
Ms. Layton: The biggest inspiration I’ve had so far has been my own experience—the low points of my life, the struggles, the honest questions I’ve had—but as I continue to do what I do on the level that I do it now, it’s also being inspired from the people who come to my events and tell me their stories.
AE: What songs have you gotten the most feedback on?
Ms. Layton: Probably one of my biggest songs to date is a song called “Into the Sea,” and I think people have really gravitated to that song because the chorus says “It’s Gonna Be OK.” And we live in such a season as a culture of anxiety and fear, and hearing the message “It’s gonna be OK” is very important.
As a person of faith, I don’t believe that just because we have faith, our life is going to be easy or free from distress or obstacles, but I do
“
I
love the time in the evening when I get to snuggle my kids on the couch, or read to them at night before they go to bed. That’s my favorite time of the day.
Tasha Layton
believe that God’s presence will always be with us, and that our faith sees us through those things and walks through those things with us. That song has definitely been a huge anthem for people. And then I have another one called “Look What You’ve Done.” That’s my life’s testimony in a song. That one has become an anthem for a lot of people as well.
AE: Who has had the most significant influence on your life or career?
Ms. Layton: My husband has had the most influence on my career, because he is the one who believes in me and pushes me to do all that God has called me to do, and I can’t fake it in front of him and get out of anything. He’s gonna be that voice to say, “You can do this.”
AE: What is the most valuable piece of advice you’ve received in your career, and how did it impact you?
Ms. Layton: When I was a young girl, my mom told me, “Tasha, be who you’re supposed to be, and you will become exactly who you’re supposed to become,” and she said, “Be who you’re supposed to, and you’ll do exactly what you’re supposed to do.”
Her song “Look What You’ve Done” has become an anthem for many people.
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I think when we focus on our character and our internal integrity and self, somehow, the externals just handle themselves—jobs and open doors and all of that.
If you could sit down with your younger self at the start of your career, what advice would you give her?
I wish that I would have lived with the fear of God and not the fear of man.
I was so concerned with what people thought of me that I wasn’t living courageously or vulnerably. It wasn’t until I knew how loved and special I was, and that God feels that way about every single person on this planet. It wasn’t until then that I truly stepped out courageously into what I felt like I was supposed to do in life, because I knew that I didn’t have to be afraid of what people thought. What projects are you most excited about
I have three things I’m very excited about right now. One is a live worship record that is releasing this year. And then, I also have a full-length studio project releasing as well. The third thing that I’m very excited about is, I began a Christian mental health initiative in 2024 called Boundless.
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It was really birthed from my own mental health struggle because I have a suicide attempt and depression in my history, and I went through a process with God and my therapist that really got me through and set me free from all of that. It was so special that I wrote a book about it to help people walk through that same process, to experience the kind of freedom that I had experienced. The book turned into a workbook that turned into a leader guide, and then I wrote a kids’ book, and now it’s an online course.
My aim is to help people reach a sense of holistic health in their life that’s not just, you know, taking a pill for everything or praying it away. It’s this balance of what we need in every area of our life to be whole and healthy. But it began out of my own process of freedom, from lies I believed when I was a kid about God, about myself, about other people. We’ve put a lot of work into that this year, and I believe that the music in what we’re doing is working hand in hand to help people find that freedom.
AE: What is a dream project or collaboration you haven’t tackled yet, but hope to in the future?
Ms. Layton: I would love to build an intensive counseling center where people can escape and go explore their own history and get healed up from past wounds and trauma.
A Few of Tasha’s Favorite Things
Favorite book
I’m an avid reader, so that’s really tough. My favorite book right now, besides the Bible, is “Every Moment Holy,” by Douglas McKelvey. The premise of the book is that every moment is sacred and holy, even the most mundane activities like changing a diaper or taking out the trash, and there is an everyday liturgy for each of those moments.
Go-to comfort food Pasta.
Hidden talent
Maybe cooking. I’m a very good cook, I love to cook.
Your superpower Hugs.
Proudest moment
Seeing my kids love each other well.
If you weren’t a recording artist I would have been a spy agent. I have this unique gift where I never forget a face. I remember ways out of buildings, exits, faces, strange things. I wondered if I should work for the government.
Most unexpected thing in your purse right now
I have a rotating party light in my purse right now. Don’t even ask. My kids love having dance parties. We put the light in their rooms and turn the music on really loud.
One thing on your bucket list
I have been to 60-some countries, but never been to Alaska. So I’ll say going to Alaska.
Favorite quote
I actually have a quotes section on my phone where I keep inspirational things. There’s a quote that says, “There is nothing so stable as change,” and that is very true in life. Everything’s always changing, and, when you realize that, it makes life a lot easier. And then there is another quote that says, “You were born an original, don’t die a copy.”
Favorite color
My favorite color changes from time to time. This year, I’m really loving blue.
If your life was a theme song
Hmm. I’m vacillating between “Jesus Loves Me,” because I think the message is so pertinent and really important, but also, some sort of party song. “Celebration”—that would be a good one.
Layton with her husband, Keith Everette Smith, and two children, Levi and Lyla.
Restoring Childhood
By limiting the use of digital devices among their children, intentional parents cultivate ‘habits of attention’ and deep, meaningful bonds
By Jeff Minick
Located on the Great Plains of Nebraska near the Platte River, Glade Smith’s land abounds with cattle, chickens, and children—six of them, all homeschooled and born to life on the farm. Their father owns and operates Family Farm Beef Box, a subscription service that ships cuts of beef around the country, while their mother Bethel helps her husband when needed, keeps the household up and running, and homeschools the kids every day. They begin promptly at 8:30 a.m. From Henry, age 3, to 13-year-old Madeline, the Smith children
On their Nebraska farm, the Smith children play and work; each has his or her own chores.
work with the animals and have assigned chores, finding delight and fun along the way. Henry in particular is always eager to follow his dad from place to place and task to task.
“None of our kids have a phone or any electronic devices,” Smith said. “But our kids read a lot and love to use their imagination.”
All across America, there’s a growing subculture of families like the Smiths: intentional mothers and fathers defying the digitalization of childhood. Underreported by many in the media, this movement to restore the traditional norms
of the home and family life is gaining traction as more parents become aware of the harm inflicted by screens and smartphones on the young.
In his recent bestseller, “The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness,” social psychologist Jonathan Haidt reported that since 2010, rates of depression and anxiety in American adolescents have gone through the roof. The consequences of what Haidt calls a tidal wave of suffering can be dire. From 2010 to 2020, for instance, hospital emergency rooms witnessed a 188 percent rise in girls 10 to 14 treated for non-fatal self-injury.
At the same time, a 2023 Gallup survey showed that American teens spend an average of 4.8 hours a day on social media. That’s without adding any other involvement with screens, such as watching television. A 2021 Common Sense Media Study revealed that 18 percent of children ages 8 to 12 use social media every day.
The combination of smartphones and social media platforms, which arose around 2010, coincides with the explosion of emotional illnesses among the young. This “Great Rewiring,” Haidt concluded, is the chief culprit in the increase in teen maladies. They range from sleep deprivation to loneliness to self-harm and mental illness.
The Philosopher’s Way
Jeanne Schindler of Hyattsville, Maryland, has long recognized the detrimental effects of technology and screens not only on children, teenagers, and the family, but on our culture at large. Married, the mother of three teens, and a philosophy professor and fellow at Catholic University of America’s John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family, Schindler has extensively studied the interplay between today’s technology and what it means to be human.
Insights derived from this investigation gave her a broad perspective on the human connection with screens and smartphones. “We’re facing a genuine civilizational crisis that is global in its dimensions,” Schindler told American Essence. “We’re losing our sense of the real. We’re losing our sense of what it means to be human, what our time should look like, who other people are, the fact that we’re bound in space. Basic human things are being jeopardized.”
In November 2021, Schindler struck a blow against the rewiring of human nature by founding the Postman Pledge group. By choosing that name for the pledge, Schindler wanted to honor Neil Postman. In his 1985 book “Amusing Ourselves to Death,” Postman was one of the first people to raise red flags about the dangers of a
Glade and Bethel Smith work hard to instill good values in their children, who don’t have phones or electronic devices. “Our kids love to read and love to use their imagination,” Glade said.
society obsessed with technology and electronic entertainment.
Around 30 families came together that year and pledged to not allow their children to use smartphones or social media. They also pledged to “conscientiously limit our family’s use of electronic technologies in general and to cultivate the habits of attention and presence that allow us to grow in love of one another and of God. Knowing that we were created for deep bonds of community, we pledge, finally, to foster friendships among our families in the natural, traditional ways human cultures have always done.” Today, there are about 50 families in the Hyattsville group.
We’re facing a genuine civilizational crisis that is global in its dimensions. We’re losing our sense of the real. “
Jeanne Schindler, philosophy professor, Catholic University of America
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Wisely, Schindler realized that joining together with others would strengthen the willpower needed to cut back on screens and would help teenagers in particular who might otherwise feel isolated from their phone-owning friends. Case in point: Her son is the only person in his class who doesn’t have a smartphone.
“I think he’s doing fine, but he does feel isolated, and the way we have tried to deal with it practically is to do all we can to promote his friendships, to have his friends over, to cultivate a very active social life for our children,” she said.
To Become More Fully Human
Others around the country who heard about Jeanne Schindler and the Postman Pledge have approached her about founding their own groups. When speaking with them, she makes clear that the pledge is about more than managing phones and screens.
“The heart of the pledge is about promoting a rich human community using the means that human cultures have always had. They’ve always celebrated together. They’ve always come together for meals, for dancing, for feasts, high feasts, like Christmas. That’s what we’re trying to recover,” she said. “That’s the heart of the matter, and that itself is grounded in a doctrine of creation. Because the world is good, being human is good, and we’re meant for relationality.”
Homeschooling and doing chores on the farm keep the Smith children busy.
Activities of the Hyattsville group include game days, field days, Scottish dancing, potlucks, and Christmas caroling. Of these get-togethers, Schindler added, “You have infants, toddlers, high schoolers, parents, grandparents, doing things that human beings have always done to shore up our community and to celebrate life. That’s the heart of the matter. It’s a celebration of life.”
Long-time educator William Bertrain is an original member of Schindler’s group. When he talks to people interested in the Postman Pledge, he emphasizes the importance of “being really intentional and organized about it. If it’s going to grow and be sustained, you have to be intentional. I could imagine Postman Pledge groups doing different kinds of activities than the ones that we’ve done, depending on where in the country they are and what activities their kids are involved in.”
A Systems Strategy
To create a healthy environment in his household, Conor Gallagher, father of 16 children, an attorney, and the CEO of Tan Book Publishing, took the business systems and management tools he’d learned from years of study and experience and applied them to his Charlotte, North Carolina, home.
Of all the tools described in his book “WellOrdered Family,” he said the “digital policy builder” is the most urgent one he offers. It helps families assess the policies—formal or informal—that work and don’t work, and when, where, and how much screen time is allowed.
“Parents must have the guts and the grit to monitor the digital consumption of their children,” he said. “We as parents must get a crystal clear digital policy written down so that our kids, no matter their age, know exactly what the rules are in regard to all digital devices.”
A digital policy for the young brings additional benefits. In his family, and in others he has counseled, Gallagher found that teens mature more rapidly when phone time is limited and responsibilities are increased. “When you enlist the hearts and minds of your teenagers and bring them into adulthood in terms of management of the family, they almost always fill the breach. They step up. They mature overnight.”
Like many parents who monitor their children’s phone usage, Gallagher is also aware of the negative effects of phones and screens on adults.
4.8 HOURS A DAY
Average number of hours spent by American teens on social media
Source: Gallup
He advised setting boundaries on our own time and usage:
“We’re the busiest generation in the history of humanity. … We have an app for everything, and we’re lulled into an artificial sense of comfort that this digital consumption, watching TV, flipping through YouTube shorts, and playing video games is providing rest. We allow our children to consume far more than is good for them, and we’re so exhausted spiritually because we’re so busy physically.”
Back in Nebraska, when Glade Smith puts his children to bed at night, he prays for and with them. “I pray that they can be happy,” he said.
If, as Jeanne Schindler contends, real happiness comes from living in the real world rather than in cyberspace, then the Smith children, with their chickens and cows, their books and lively imaginations, are happy. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then the joy found in the Smith children already speaks volumes.
In his 1999 book “Building a Bridge to the 18th Century: How the Past Can Improve Our Future,” Neil Postman wrote, “If parents wish to preserve childhood for their own children, they must conceive of parenting as an act of rebellion against culture.”
Today, more and more parents are heeding that advice and taking a stand against smartphone culture.
Conor Gallagher devised a “digital policy builder” as part of a system that keeps his family running smoothly, even with 16 kids (15 pictured here).
Joshua Becker is working on his next book, entitled “Uncluttered Faith.”
THE OF
ART MINIMALISM
By focusing on what matters, Joshua Becker is living a life aligned with his values
WBy Walker Larson
hen you talk to him, Joshua Becker radiates positivity and peace. Maybe that’s the natural result of a life spent eliminating distractions and focusing on what matters. For Becker, that’s at the heart of what minimalism means.
Becker has been writing and speaking about minimalism for 15 years, inspiring a wave of the growing movement, which encourages people to cut back on possessions in order to free up time, space, and mental energy for the things that really matter. To him, minimalism isn’t just about streamlining his possessions or becoming more efficient with his time—it’s about the art of living well and prioritizing the aspects of life that have true, long-lasting meaning. In Becker’s case, that means faith, family, and work. His work involves helping others get free of the consumerist trap that eats up paychecks, closet-space, and mental clarity.
Becker’s journey to the freedom of minimalism began in a Vermont suburb when he was cleaning out his garage, wading through all the stuff that clogged it. His wife was cleaning the bathrooms while their 5-year-old son played alone in the backyard.
Becker began chatting with a neighbor, who suggested, “Maybe you don’t need to own all this stuff.” Becker realized his neighbor was right: His day was slipping away, he wasn’t spending time with his son, all because he had to manage possessions he might not even need. Becker and his family began decluttering, recycling, and donating unnecessary belongings, and they’ve never looked back.
Today, Becker lives in Phoenix, Arizona, and continues to blog on his popular minimalist website Becoming Minimalist—when he’s not speaking on minimalism or working on another book (he currently has five to his name, including “Things That Matter: Overcoming Distraction to Pursue a More Meaningful Life,” with a sixth on the way). Most importantly, Becker continues to reap the benefits of a richer life through owning less and practicing intentionality, alongside his wife and two children.
We sat down with Becker for a delightful interview about family, technology, and what really matters in life.
American Essence: Besides your first epiphany that you recount while cleaning the garage, have there been “aha” moments on your journey to becoming minimalist, or while helping others in doing so?
Joshua Becker: The first thing that came to my mind was the very first conversation I had with somebody after we had decided to become minimalist. I was at a dinner party, sitting across the table from a lady named Liz, and I mentioned my minimalism story, and she said, “That sounds like something I need to do as well.” It really opened my eyes to the fact that it wasn’t just me struggling with this, and that people other than myself felt the weight of owning too much and having too much.
AE: What questions have you found to be most powerful and life-changing, for yourself or for others?
Mr. Becker: I have three questions. The first two deal with my day. So at the end of the day, I ask, “Did I live to my fullest potential today?” Then
Where Wild Ponies Swim and Dreams Come True
The annual roundup and sale of wild Chincoteague ponies brings out the kindness of strangers
Archer’s Gambit (the horse closest to shore), known to locals as Puzzle, leads the herd of wild ponies to shore after their annual swim from Assateague Island to Chincoteague Island, Va., on July 24, 2024.
By Nanette Holt & Natasha Holt
Growing up on the island made famous by the “Misty of Chincoteague” book series and movie, Meagan Fulmer desperately wanted just one thing.
“From the time I could say ‘pony,’ I wanted a pony,” she said.
But not just any pony. She wanted to train a wild Chincoteague pony on her own, just like the children did in the stories that inspired her hometown’s annual end-of-July tradition.
Now in its 100th year, that tradition draws tens of thousands of fans to tiny Chincoteague, Virginia, each July. Visiting during “pony penning week” is the fulfillment of a lifelong wish born while reading the story in childhood, dozens of visitors told American Essence.
Wild ponies have lived on neighboring Assateague Island for about 400 years. They swam ashore from wrecked ships, according to
Pankey Nelson, a spokeswoman for the Museum of Chincoteague Island.
In 1924, the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Co. came up with the idea to corral the wild herd and sell some of the foals. The effort would solve two problems. It would ensure that the wild ponies would have enough food by reducing the number foraging on the small, otherwise uninhabited island, and the sale’s proceeds could be used to purchase badly needed firefighting equipment for the community.
Volunteer firefighters on horseback rounded up the herd and encouraged the ponies to swim from their wild home to sparsely populated Chincoteague. The foals were sorted and some were sold. Remaining wild ponies were later guided back across the channel to Assateague Island. The plan was such a success that the effort became an annual event. Volunteer firefighters
formed a band of “saltwater cowboys,” who committed to care for the wild herd year-round.
In the 1940s, the event caught the attention of a publisher, who sent author Marguerite Henry to investigate. She fell in love with the islands, the ponies, the people, and the tradition, according to Nelson.
Henry’s fictional portrayal made the community, its customs, and the pony she bought, Misty, internationally famous. When a movie was made based on her book, only five professional actors played in the film, Nelson said. Island residents filled all other roles.
‘Mane’ Fundraiser for Firefighters
In 1943, the federal government preserved the wild home of the ponies as a national wildlife refuge. In a rare agreement, the fire company was allowed to keep its herd, with up to 150 adult horses, in the preserve. So every year, most of the foals still must be sold so the island doesn’t become overpopulated.
Now officially known as the Chincoteague Pony Roundup, Swim, and Auction, festivities are planned each year for the week of the last Wednesday and Thursday in July. Visiting the island has become a pilgrimage of sorts for horse lovers.
Chincoteague covers about 37 square miles. About 28 are under water. Seafaring activity drove the economy in the early days. Now, most residents in the community of 3,300 make their living on tourism, Nelson said. But residents pay no tax to fund fire and ambulance services. The ponies provide for those: The 2024 summer pony auction brought in more than $547,000 for needed equipment and training. A fall auction of four late-born foals brought in another $22,000.
Unbridled Hope
From the time she was about 8, Meagan Fulmer listened for details about the world-famous pony roundup. She’d beg her grandparents to drive her to buy tickets for the annual raffle associated with the event.
Every year on the night before the pony auction, townspeople and visitors gather at the carnival grounds for the big announcement. With her heart pounding, Fulmer would clutch her ticket, hoping it would be the winner. She dreamed it would make her the proud owner of King or
Volunteer firefighters formed a band of ‘saltwater cowboys,’ who committed to care for the wild herd year-round. “
Queen Neptune, the honor bestowed on the first pony foal to reach the island during the annual swim earlier in the day. That pony was always the raffle prize.
A winning ticket was the young girl’s only hope of taking home and gentling her own wild, baby horse. She knew she couldn’t afford to bid in the annual auction the following day. But every year when the raffle winner was announced, her dream seemed to slip further out of reach.
When she was 15, she decided she didn’t want to attend the festivities anymore. She’d return, she vowed, when she could buy a pony and take care of it with her own money.
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Wild ponies rest near spectators after swimming from their home on Assateague Island to Chincoteague Island.
Saltwater cowboys work together to bring in a herd of wild ponies in the annual “beach walk” on Assateague Island, Va., on July 22, 2024. are not included preview.
Eighteen years passed. But the dream remained. When the time came in July 2024 for the Pony Penning festivities, Fulmer—now a 33-yearold bartender living about an hour north of Chincoteague—decided this was her year.
She prayed through the night and into the early hours of the morning. Then, shortly after sunrise, she crowded in with others eager to watch the excitement. She’d saved $2,200 for her dream horse: a pinto filly, with a coat splotched with white and a reddish color known to horse lovers as “chestnut.”
When the auctioneer, who has directed the sale for 25 years, started the bidding on the first pony, Fulmer’s stomach tightened. When a filly was brought out and offered for sale, she jumped in, caught the eye of an auction helper, made her bid, then another, then another. But the pony’s price quickly went too high.
There were 88 ponies for sale. Seven had been chosen as “buybacks,” which would be purchased and donated back to the fire company’s herd. Fulmer’s heart quickened when each new pony was guided out by its handlers. Brown ponies, cream-colored ponies, black-and-white ponies. She would love any of them, she told herself.
The next ponies’ prices inched higher. Then a buyback filly, a descendant of Marguerite Henry’s
Candy Bomber The
GBy Dustin Bass
ail Halvorsen (1920–2022) was born and raised on the farms of Idaho and Utah. Born around the start of the Interwar Years, he enjoyed the quiet serenity of a world at peace for a majority of his early life. While growing up, America played a role in the advancement of flight. Pilots, such as John Macready, Oakley Kelly, Charles Lindbergh, Amelia Earhart, and Carl Spaatz, were the heroes of the day, setting records and demonstrating the ingenuity behind American aeronautics.
Hearing the stories of high-altitude daring and witnessing planes in the sky every so often, Halvorsen had one wish, and that was to become a pilot.
As a teenager, he earned a scholarship for flying lessons, and by the time he was 20 years old, he’d received his pilot’s license from the Civilian Pilot Training Program (CPTP). The CPTP was founded in 1938 with the objective of training 20,000 civilian pilots each year. This program was initiated due to the possible outbreak of war in Europe. The year after the CPTP began, Germany invaded Poland and started
World War II. Shortly after Halvorsen received his pilot’s license, America was drawn into the war when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.
From Fighter Pilot to Transport
Halvorsen immediately enlisted into the Army Air Forces, and since he already had his pilot license, he volunteered for an opportunity to join Britain’s Royal Air Force (RAF) to train as a fighter pilot. While training with the British, he earned his RAF wings.
In 1943, he was placed on active duty with the Army Air Forces. Although he had been trained as a fighter pilot, there was a greater need for transport pilots. It was a necessity that would not only change his life, but would immensely impact post-World War II global relations.
Halvorsen was stationed in the South Atlantic Theater of Operations and made flights from Brazil to Ascension Island, a small island in the Atlantic Ocean, and into Africa, as well as England and Italy. The young pilot flew the Douglas C-47 Skytrain and the Douglas C-54
World War II pilot Gail Halvorsen became known for his unique generosity during the Berlin Airlift
Skymaster. When the war ended, Halvorsen remained with the Army Air Forces, which would become its own military branch in 1947 called the United States Air Force.
After World War II and the defeat of the Nazis, Germany was partitioned among the Allies— America, Great Britain, France, and the Soviet Union. The latter received the eastern portion of Germany, which included eastern Berlin. The western half was broken up among the three Western democracies. When the countries of America, Great Britain, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands agreed to extend economic assistance to West Germany, as well as institute a new German currency and federal government, the Soviet Union, fearing a strong and unified Germany, cut off Allied access into
Halvorsen delivering candy on the tarmac at the Berlin Tempelhof Airport.
Known as the “Candy Bomber,” pilot Gail S. Halvorsen dropped small parachutes with chocolates for children during the Berlin Airlift after World War II.
Berlin. It was the start of the Berlin Blockade, and the only way into the city now was by air.
Back to Europe
Halvorsen was back in America at the time, but he was soon back on duty in Europe. The transition overseas took place so fast that he hardly had time to pack.
“We had left for Germany so fast I had to drive the first new car of my life under the trees in Mobile, Alabama, put the keys in my pocket, look back once and leave,” he recalled. “I would never see that new, red, four door Chevy again.”
Halvorsen was back to piloting C-54s as part of the West’s response to the Berlin Blockade. The Berlin Airlift, as it was known, began in June 1948 and lasted 11 months. At the height of the Berlin Airlift, a plane landed at Berlin’s Tempelhof Airport every 45 seconds to drop off food and supplies. The 2 million Berliners were
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Halvorsen was deeply moved by the children waiting for food behind the barbed wire fence at the airport.
A poster illustrating “Operation Little Vittles” with Halvorsen waving at the children from the plane.
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Halvorsen and the Air Force squadrons delivered more than 20 tons of gum and candy to the Berlin children. “ their survival.
Halvorsen arrived in July and made his first flight to Tempelhof Airport. “On my first trip to Berlin the flattened ruins of the once proud and sophisticated capital looked like a moonscape as the wreckage passed beneath the wings of my flour laden C-54 Skymaster,” he remembered.
The Children of Berlin
Another sight that left a great impression on him happened after he landed at the airport. There was barbed-wire fencing, and along the fence line were about 30 children awaiting their nutritional relief to be unloaded. He walked over to the children. To his surprise, none asked for candy, which had been a commonality during the war.
Halvorsen said the West Berliners’ concern was that the Americans not give up on them. Upon hearing this, the pilot took out two sticks of gum
and handed them to the children. He watched as they tore the gum into small pieces and shared them. Those who didn’t receive a piece were given pieces of the wrapping paper so that they could sniff the scent. The moment affected him so much that he promised to come back and drop off candy and chocolate. With so many planes coming in, the children asked how they would recognize his plane. He told them he would “wiggle the wings” of his plane. The children quickly nicknamed him “Uncle Wiggly Wings.”
That night, he tied gum and chocolate bars to three handkerchief parachutes. The next day, he flew into Tempelhof, wiggled his wings, and released the tiny parachutes. Halvorsen continued dropping his mini-parachutes to the children of Berlin, despite his actions violating Air Force regulations.
Word spread to the commanding officers and Halvorsen was threatened with a possible court
Halvorsen was beloved by the German children, who nicknamed him “Uncle Wiggly Wings.”
TOP Halvorsen leans out of the plane window, showing the little parachutes he used for delivering candy.
LEFT Halvorsen received hundreds of letters from Berlin children expressing their gratitude.
Sylvester “Pat” Weaver was the mastermind behind NBC Radio’s “Monitor.”
SAVING RADIO in the
AGE of TELEVISION
Sylvester ‘Pat’ Weaver was the brainchild behind NBC radio network’s longest-running and most innovative program, the ‘Monitor’
By Neil Cotiaux
It was the start of the second half of the century. With the Allied victory in World War II and the departure of troops from Korea, America was on the move. The Baby Boom was on, suburbs blossomed, incomes for many Americans rose, and the “Sunday Drive” became a staple family activity. Along with medical breakthroughs like the polio vaccine and a landmark Supreme Court ruling on the integration of public schools, many Americans felt a sense of optimism.
With the country basking in change, Sylvester L. “Pat” Weaver Jr. sought to shake up mass communications with some fresh ideas both in radio and the fast-growing world of television, the newest source of daily entertainment and information.
Keeping the Network Alive
Graduating magna cum laude from Dartmouth in 1930 with a degree in philosophy, Weaver spent much of the first two decades of his career at advertising agencies including Young and Rubicam, where he developed content for radio and television programming and built that content around a single sponsor.
In 1949, Weaver was hired by the National Broadcasting Company (NBC), a division of Radio Corporation of America (RCA), to head television programming. He was named NBC’s president in 1953, and in that broader role he faced the biggest challenge of his career: keeping NBC’s radio network alive.
View of New York’s Rockefeller Center and RCA Building in 1933.
Public interest in TV had spread like wildfire. Before 1947, only a few thousand households owned a TV set. By 1955, half of all American homes had one. While Weaver helped NBC rake in advertising dollars by creating TV programs like the “Today” show (the first network morning show) and “The Tonight Show” (with Steve Allen), he also witnessed advertising dollars slipping away from NBC’s radio network as Americans remained transfixed by the screen in their living rooms.
Weaver set out to design a one-of-a-kind solution. It was his intent to rebuild radio, hour by hour, with live programming that would entertain, inform, and educate listeners from coast to coast, all while making money.
By 1965, 30 million people were listening to ‘Monitor’ on 199 NBC Radio stations. “
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Weaver’s solution? A unique program called “Monitor.”
Something for Everyone
“In the feverish world of broadcasting, the dreams of NBC president Sylvester (Pat) Weaver are generally conceded to be the biggest and the best around,” Newsweek proclaimed.
Weaver developed a heady mix of diverse programming available to not just one, but multiple advertisers in a given time period, and he peppered ongoing bites of music, comedy, and interviews across 40 hours each weekend, with the network—not advertisers—responsible for programming. In the book “Live TV,” as quoted in the Los Angeles Times, Weaver said he believed
News commentator John Cameron Swayze broadcasting on NBC’s “Monitor” in 1955.
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that while “a lot of the public interest will be covered, [the advertisers] still won’t want to do a lot of things that ought to be done,” a reflection of his desire to introduce more audiences to opera, the symphony, and Shakespeare.
Originally starting at 8 a.m. Saturday and continuing until midnight Sunday (some hours were later changed), “Monitor” debuted on June 12, 1955. It was an immediate hit.
Rather than having one host, “Monitor” showcased the voices and personalities of multiple anchors including Gene Rayburn, Hugh Downs, Tony Randall, Garry Moore, Bill Cullen, and David Brinkley. A pleasant assortment of middle-of-the-road vocal and instrumental music—“Goin’ Out of My Head,” “April in Paris,” “If It Takes Forever I Will Wait for You”—kept listeners relaxed each hour.
Also in the mix were the likes of comedy duos Mike Nichols and Elaine May; celebrity chef Graham Kerr (“The Galloping Gourmet”); sports with Joe Garagiola; Gene Shalit’s movie reviews; analyses of domestic and global events from Chet Huntley and other correspondents; and advice from noted experts like Joyce Brothers, “the first psychologist of the television era.”
To accommodate the 50 or so on-air and engineering personnel on board, Weaver had replaced NBC’s master control room with Radio Central—largely glass-enclosed studios on the fifth floor of the RCA Building in Midtown Manhattan. On the cusp of a brand-new type of programming, it was a move that enhanced teamwork and camaraderie.
Breaking the Mold
The 20 years of broadcasting magic “Monitor” kicked off that June had a sound that might have startled some listeners into believing that Martians had landed: a mix of audio-manipulated telephone tones and the sound of an oscillator emitting the Morse code signal for M (“Monitor”), according to the weekend program’s Online Tribute Pages dedicated to “Network Radio’s Last Great Show.” This otherworldly sound was used for station breaks and transitions, sometimes accompanied by the tagline: “You’re on the ‘Monitor’ Beacon.”
Weaver told listeners that his new program would be a series of “vignettes” available “wher-
Host Dave Garroway doing his traditional broadcast sign-off, 1955.
American stand-up comedian and actress Phyllis Diller, circa 1965.
A print of president James A. Garfield, circa 1881. Author C.W. Goodyear’s 2023 book uncovers much about Garfield’s legacy that has gone mostly unnoticed by history.
JAMES A. GARFIELD THE INCOMPARABLE LIFE OF
Biographer C.W. Goodyear discusses the triumphant and tragic life of America’s 20th president
By Dustin Bass
Immersed in the historical documents of the Library of Congress, C.W. Goodyear found himself scouring through articles, notes, correspondences, and other works during his research on the Reconstruction Era and the Gilded Age. The young historian was searching for his subject among this endless treasure trove, though he wasn’t precisely certain about whom or on what he would be writing.
“It is easy to get lost in the Library of Congress,” Goodyear joked.
He said he was searching for a period in American history that was similar to our modern times—times that were at least comparable to America’s current polarization. “I think every biographer, whether directly or indirectly, is writing about their own times,” he said in an interview on The Sons of History podcast.
As he continued his research, he recalled noticing one name in the background of every major event. Not only that, but it was someone who was held in high regard by friend and foe alike. “He was somebody who everybody, regardless of party or faction, was saying vaguely nice things about. Sometimes in a passive aggressive way, but still generally nice; and that person was James Garfield.”
A Most Impressive Man
Goodyear noted that Garfield has not received his just due from historians. He gauged how most historians who mention the former president do so in a “very abbreviated way,” always centered
By C.W. Goodyear
Simon & Schuster, July 4, 2023
Hardcover, 624 pages
‘President Garfield: From Radical to Unifier’
Garfield and his family, circa 1881.
around his assassination.
But Goodyear’s research convinced him of something that arguably has rarely, if ever, been discussed in historical circles, much less common conversation. “I pieced together what I found to be maybe the most impressive political rise to power, certainly in the 19th century in American history, and maybe in all of American history,” he stated.
Goodyear’s claim is certainly up for debate. But the list of other presidents competing for that title is actually quite short: Andrew Jackson and Abraham Lincoln. The claim, however, is true enough. Through the historian’s meticulous research and masterful writing, he produced an incredibly fine biography of Garfield, which received high praise from prominent historians Walter Isaacson and James McPherson.
The works published on the subject of Garfield, the 20th president, pale in comparison to the endless works on the 16th president, Abraham Lincoln. The reason for the lopsidedness speaks for itself, but Goodyear’s work, “President Garfield: From Radical to Unifier,” makes the case that historians should pay more heed to Garfield.
The Similarities Between Lincoln and Garfield
When comparing Garfield and Lincoln, the similarities are astounding. Goodyear noted that both had a “log cabin story,” having grown up poor. “They both had very appealing blue-collar jobs, which were helpful for their presidential campaigns,” he explained. “Lincoln was the rail splitter. Garfield was known as the canal boy. He had worked on the Ohio and Erie Canal for a summer growing up. The amount of political energy that came out of this, you would think he had worked it for years, but it was only for a couple of months.”
The two men possessed a love of Biblical Scripture and an infatuation with the works of William Shakespeare. Goodyear’s research led him to Garfield’s diaries, and he quickly noticed that Garfield began each day’s entry with a Shakespearean quote. It’s an element that the author used throughout his biography.
Along with his personal writings, Goodyear read through Garfield’s public writings, which were plenteous. He wrote regularly for both The Atlantic and the North American Review. He was
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also, like Lincoln, a lawyer.
“He was a practicing Supreme Court attorney, while serving in Congress,” he added. “Then, after the Supreme Court career, he wrote an original proof of the Pythagorean theorem. There’s a famous anecdote of him writing Latin and Greek simultaneously in each hand—left hand Latin, right hand Greek. Again, this was a man who was raised by a single mother in a log cabin in rural Ohio.
“Garfield was probably the most intellectual man to be president,” he stated. Considering the breadth of his subject’s work and accomplishments, it’s a claim that may prove difficult to refute.
The Political Similarities
Additionally, Garfield was not only a good writer, but he was a good teacher and speaker, garnering immense practice as both a schoolmaster and a preacher in the Western Reserve in Ohio. As Goodyear relayed, “His political career began in large part because of his religious one.”
His political career in Washington spanned nearly 20 years and would have undoubtedly surpassed that mark had an assassin not ended his life. Garfield served in the House of Representatives from 1863 to 1880, chairing numerous House committees and ultimately
“In Memory of James A. Garfield” ribbon, circa 1881.
A print of our martyred presidents: Abraham Lincoln and James A. Garfield, 1881, by August Hageboeck.
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becoming minority leader.
The political comparisons with Lincoln are glaring as well. “They were moderate republicans,” he said. “They had very strong beliefs on racial equity and political reform; but they were also practical politicians, so they were willing to work around their own vision of what America should be. They both attracted quite a lot of flack from members of their own party and members of the public for that. They were in alignment, at least ideologically, with the most extreme side of their political party.”
Garfield’s Political Evolution
As Lincoln was both president and commander-in-chief, Garfield technically served under him when he fought with the Union Army. According to Goodyear, he joined the Army as a Radical Republican, with the hopes of liberating the slaves and punishing the secessionists. He found military success during the war, and by the
He
had one of the most long-lived political careers on the national stage of anybody in that period. “
C.W. Goodyear, author & historian
A campaign poster of Gen. James Garfield, Republican candidate for president, and Gen. Chester Arthur, Republican candidate for vice president, 1880.
Garfield photographed circa 1860 to 1865 by Mathew Brady.
A Legacy of Hard Work and Self-Sacrifice
How grandparents passed on a strong work ethic, unwavering faith, and thirst for knowledge through generations
By Cindy Carter Jones
Though I presently live in Florida where temperatures are hot most of the time, I have refreshing memories of my time in Mount Gaylor, Arkansas. My brother, sister, and I spent many childhood summers on my paternal grandparents’ farm, located off the old main highway between Fayetteville and Fort Smith. They owned a retail store, Mount Gaylor Giftshop and Tower, which had a tower you could climb to see panoramic vistas of the Boston Mountains. In the late ’50s and early ’60s, I spent time helping them sweep the front porch while sipping cold Cokes from the vending machine. Located in a storage building at their home were damaged ceramics that I loved to use for tea parties and pretending to be a salesperson.
My grandparents, Vern and Helen Stewart Carter, were savers and only spent the money they had. But when others were in need, they readily loaned their money. I think that is where I was motivated to become a banker in my first career. My goal to have a career and persevere through adversity was also motivated by my great-grandmother, “Gran” Amy Dawson Stewart. She was a young widow with seven children to raise. During the early 1900s, she became the first postmistress of Greenwood,
Paternal grandparents Helen Stewart Carter and Vernon H. Carter Sr., circa 1951.
Arkansas, at a time when few women were in the workforce. She did what she had to do to provide for her family. As a teenager and then as an adult, I admired that trait. When I became a grandmother, no other moniker would do it for me. I chose to be called “Gran” as well.
My grandparents were hard workers who valued education. Grandad was a pharmacist. He later attended optometry school out of curiosity for the subject. After he closed the pharmacy, he operated the Mount Gaylor gift shop. My grandmother worked alongside him throughout.
She was the eldest child among her siblings and chose to work instead of attending college because she wanted to help her siblings afford a college education. Her youngest brother became a physician, and later, my father chose the same career. Grandmother demonstrated self-sacrifice.
They both valued sharing knowledge and would work with me, reading and diagramming sentences to learn proper grammar. They taught me about science by encouraging me to explore and work on their homestead. They inspired my favorite subjects in high school, biology and literature. Their rural living instilled in me a love for the farms our family currently runs in Florida and Arkansas. When Grandad moved off the mountain to a Fort Smith retirement facility, he took courses at the community college. He was in his 70s at the time! Lifelong learning is a fantastic legacy I hope to pass on to future generations, too. My four grandchildren share their schoolwork with me and seek advice from time to time. My continuing goal is to demonstrate to them how life is enriched with self-sufficiency gained through knowledge and hard work. Watching my grandchildren glow with a sense of accomplishment after putting in the effort is so rewarding to me.
Grandmother was the one who took me to my first church experience, at the Methodist church in Winslow, Arkansas. It was a quaint, white clapboard church. Those Sundays at church provided me with a knowledge of Scripture and a sense of belonging. My grandmother never cursed or said anything unkind or what would be considered gossip. Her strong
My continuing goal is to demonstrate to them how life is enriched with self-sufficiency gained through knowledge and hard work.
work ethic, combined with her faith, made her a wonderful role model in my life. Though my faith was challenged when Grandmother died the year after my parents divorced, she had provided a strong foundation. When I close my eyes and think back to those days, I can feel Grandmother’s hand holding mine walking into that church, and I am reminded of Who holds our hand every day.
Today, during family dinners, my husband Glenn, my children, and my grandchildren often look through old photo albums, providing a time of reflection on our lives well spent in the Ozarks. Some of the photos are from our farm in Madison County, Arkansas. Lollars Creek Farm, which we still operate to this day, was our first home after marriage in 1978. It was also the final home for Grandad living next to my parents, who both died suddenly in 1989. My husband and I purchased the farm out of their estate and are thankful to have endeavored to keep the farm going. Before Grandad died, Glenn had his days enriched with helping him tend his very large garden and rolling Wheatie balls to go crappie fishing together. I remember stopping by the house on my way to work to find Grandad still sleeping at that early hour. I would kiss his forehead, with his old man smell, and smile all the way to work. I’ve come to appreciate spending time with the wise and aged, and I am so grateful for those who taught us well.
Is there a family member who has positively impacted your life? American Essence invites you to share about your family roots and the lessons passed down from generation to generation. We welcome you to send your submission to: Editor@AmericanEssenceMag.com
A Painting That Embodies the Spirit of American Essence
The work is one of the 17th International Art Renewal Center Salon Competition’s entries
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American Essence was invited by the Art Renewal Center, a leader in reviving traditional realism in the visual arts, to choose an artwork from among its nearly 1,900 competition semi-finalists. After our jurors narrowed the number to American artists only, we selected one that exemplified AE magazine’s spirit: the lyrical “Whisper in the Wind” by Samuel S. Hoskins.
With its spiritual and philosophical theme, the artwork, painted entirely from life, evokes a profound sense of equanimity and humility, and captures the timeless beauty of a rocky landscape.
BEHIND AMERICA’S BEST
CHEESE
Old World traditions meet Wisconsin terroir at the family-run Uplands Cheese 74
DON’T OVERLOOK THE DANDELION
One of the healthiest spring greens is hiding in your yard. 80 Wheels of Pleasant Ridge Reserve cheese age at Uplands Cheese in Dodgeville, Wis. The wheels turn from pale ivory to golden, and finally to a rich, speckled brown. are not included preview.
AMaking America’s Best Cheese
In Wisconsin, Uplands Cheese’s award-winning wheels start with a single herd of cows, acres of fresh pasture, and the dedication of 2 families carrying on a legacy
The farm’s cows graze on fresh pasture all summer long in a rotational grazing system that’s good for the animals, the land, and the resulting cheese.
By Kevin Revolinski
If you’re a serious fan of American artisanal cheese, you’ve likely eaten, or at least heard of, Pleasant Ridge Reserve from Uplands Cheese. This hard, alpine-style cheese is made from raw milk from cows that eat only spring and summer grasses from a single farm’s pristine fields. The cheese is then washed in brine and aged for at least nine months (and as long as two years for the Extra-Aged selection).
It has quite the resume: Best of Show in the American Cheese Society (ACS) annual competition three times (2001, 2005, and 2010), and Champion at the 2003 U.S. Championship Cheese Contest—the only cheese to ever win both national awards.
At the root of this most awarded American cheese is a story of wisdom and tradition, love for the land, and the family farm.
Birth of a Cheese
Pleasant Ridge is a geographical formation just north of Dodgeville, Wisconsin, amid the rolling hills of the Driftless Area, land untouched by the last advances of glaciers. Along this ridge sits a 500-acre farm and cheese company co-owned and managed by Andy Hatch, Scott Mericka, and their families since 2014. But they carry the torch of the previous owners and founders.
Back in the early 1980s, Dan and Jeanne Patenaude began to feed their cows using rotational grazing, moving them periodically to fresh paddocks—fenced-off sections of pasture— throughout the grazing season, a practice that benefits the animals’ diet and health and allows the plants and soil to recover as well. Jeanne’s brother, Bill Murphy, an agronomist and author of “Greener Pastures on Your Side of the Fence,”
In the fall, when the cows switch from fresh grass to hay, Uplands Cheese uses the richer, fattier milk to make its Rush Creek Reserve cheese.
had long been a proponent of the practice, and the Patenaudes were early adopters.
In 1994, the Patenaudes and fellow farmers Mike and Carol Gingrich pooled their resources and bought the current farm together, to merge their small herds and manage the cows in a seasonal, pasture-based system.
“They realized that the milk coming off of fresh pasture has so much flavor, and such a different flavor than when cows are eating stored feeds,” said Hatch. “So they asked themselves, ‘What’s the best way to take advantage of that?’ They looked at Old World cheese making traditions that have been based on pastured milk.”
In 2000, Gingrich and Patenaude founded Uplands Cheese. Working with local cheese makers and cheese scientists at the Center for Dairy Research in Madison, Wisconsin, they chose to model their cheese after an aged alpine cheese. For centuries, alpine farmers would send a shepherd with their animals up into the mountains to graze during the summer months while the farmers made hay down in the valleys. The
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milk’s flavors were tied to the land and season, and the cheeses developed as a way to preserve summer milk.
In 2001, only one year after first making a batch, Uplands won its first Best of Show award at the American Cheese Society competition. The high quality and value meant the company could hang its hat on that one cheese. But as Gingrich and Patenaude entered retirement, they needed to find someone to buy them out, someone who could be entrusted with their treasured creation.
Changing of the Guard
The 2022 USDA agriculture census counted 1.9 million farms and ranches, down nearly 7 percent from 2017. The American Farm Bureau Federation noted that around 1.3 million farmers were at or beyond retirement age, while fewer than 300,000 were under the age of 35.
Andy Hatch, who is now in his 40s, started at Uplands Cheese as an apprentice in 2007. Scott Mericka was hired three years later as herdsman.
“I knew I wanted to buy this farm,” said Hatch,
The creamery crew, including head cheesemaker and co-owner Andy Hatch (center).
The cheese is made in a traditional open vat. After adding rennet to fresh pastured milk, the resulting curd is cut with wire harps, stirred and cooked for more than an hour, pressed to squeeze out the whey, and cut into large cubes. The cubes are transferred to hoops and pressed overnight, forming into wheels.
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“but I knew I couldn’t run it alone.” When Mericka answered an ad and came out to the farm, the two hit it off.
Though Mericka grew up in a white-collar household, his grandfather and uncles farmed in North Carolina, and he’d wanted to farm since his youth. He attended an agricultural college in North Carolina and was milking cows in California before he came to Uplands.
Hatch was a city kid who grew up in suburban Milwaukee, but as a teenager, he developed “a farming fantasy,” he said. His parents had lived in France and Switzerland and were pretty serious about cheese.
“My first real love was farming, and I wanted to find a way to have a dairy farm,” he said. He studied dairy science at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, then took a job with a corn breeder. His employer’s wife, a Norwegian woman from a cheese-making family, lost her elderly father, leaving her mother all alone with a goat dairy on the side of a fjord. Hatch went to Norway to help out.
“So I first learned to make cheese from a little Norwegian woman in her 70s named Uni,” he said. He was hooked. He spent the next two years working around Europe as a cheese maker’s apprentice.
Pleasant Ridge Reserve is a hard, alpine-style cheese made from raw spring and summer cow’s milk.
When he returned to Wisconsin, Hatch set his sights on Uplands because it reminded him of the places where he’d worked in Europe.
“What a rich life it is,” he said, “to be connected to soil and animals and farming on the one hand, and connected to people in cities who are interested in flavor and whose lives are more like mine was growing up.”
Gingrich, Patenaude, Hatch, and Mericka ran the place together for four years, but actually taking the big leap to purchase was “pretty daunting,” said Hatch. “We didn’t have any family
No Return Thrill and Splendor on the of River
Roller-coaster rapids, languid pools for swimming, and sugar-white sandbars pair a beach vacation with wilderness solitude
The Salmon River Canyon’s heavily forested shoreline and emerald green mountains cloister the shimmering, turquoise waterway.
By
Our wild and scenic river adventure in Idaho began the moment we took off at sunrise from McCall on a 45-minute intrastate flight to Salmon. The single-engine Cessna flew just above forested mountains and saw-toothed peaks in the summer sky the shade of faded denim.
“Flying at 10,000 feet in the Rockies is a unique experience,” Gem Air pilot Jonathan Brady said. “You can see individual trees and rocks in the river, and I can sometimes point out mountain goats.”
Legendary River and Limitless Wilderness
The small town of Salmon is a popular starting point for world-class whitewater rafting trips in the 2.3-million-acre Frank Church–River of No Return Wilderness. The largest contiguous and roadless wilderness in the lower 48 states sustains one of the longest untamed rivers on the continent: the Salmon that contains the Main Salmon section renowned as the River of No Return.
Draining the central mountains of Idaho, the Salmon wends its way 425 miles and courses through a gorge more than 1,000 feet deeper than the Grand Canyon. Unlike the sheer walls of the Southwest abyss, the Salmon River Canyon features wooded terrain and emerald green
David Coulson | Photographed by Maria Coulson
mountains studded with granite outcroppings interspersed with golden blond hills speckled with sagebrush and wildflowers.
Miners and homesteaders first reached the Main Salmon in the late 19th century. Over time, their cabins crumbled and collapsed under the weight of each winter’s snow and disappeared back into the wilderness.
The “River of No Return” romantic moniker was coined by pioneers whose heavy-laden wooden scows could only head downstream and were dismantled and used for lumber at the final destination. They could not fathom that someday adventure seekers would float the fabled river.
Connoisseur’s Choice
The Main Salmon is more easily navigable with less technical rapids than the Middle Fork, making it popular with families and every skill level. Once named “Best Guided Outdoor Trip” in the United States by Sunset magazine, our Outdoor Adventure River Specialists (OARS) six-day passage charted 92 sinewy miles through the heart of the River of No Return Wilderness.
We spent warm summer days running roller-coaster rapids and swimming in deep, languid pools, and cool nights sleeping on sugar-white sandbars under a flour-spill of stars. It is a rare combination that pairs a beach vacation with the solitude of a vast wilderness.
‘The Magnificent Seven’
The largest river outfitter in North America, OARS bases its reputation on veteran guides, safe and reliable equipment, and great camp food.
Our seven guides shepherded two dozen novice and veteran river rats—ages 12 to late 70s—and masterfully looked out for everyone’s needs and personal safety with courage, courtesy, and good humor. Our party came from across the country and included four families and four engineers; two were women, including my wife, Maria.
It was both a river tour and tutelage on the geology and history of the watershed. “I am impressed by our guides’ depth and breadth of knowledge of the Salmon River Canyon and their ability to engage in interesting conversations about a variety of topics from literature to pop culture,” said Ben Fearing, who wanted to spend time with his teenage daughter, Emily, before she
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A beach campsite, snuggled between the river and a cliff wall.
Paddlers explore the river in inflatable kayaks.
Rafting the River of No Return
Main
Meeting
McCall
River
Class
River
92
Put-In
Corn
Take-Out
Spring Bar
The Name Early settlers called the Salmon River the “River of No Return” because the strong rapids prevented boats from easily returning upstream.
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Dams
Despite being 425 miles long, the Salmon River isn’t hindered by a single dam. It’s one of the longest free-flowing rivers in the country.
went off to college next year.
Guide Hannah Stevens, 27, had a clear idea of who relishes rafting the river. “People should take the Main Salmon trip if they have a sense of adventure, if they like trying things that are new to them, if they are willing to be pushed out of their comfort zone,” she said. “People should come on the trip if they want to immerse themselves in nature and to spend time disconnected from the rest of the world.”
Campfire Stories and S’mores
Guide Mike Neff sees the trip as an opportunity for people to get off the daily treadmill. “It allows the child within us to come out and for us to rediscover who we are and who we want to be,” the salt-and-pepper bearded 51-year-old said. “What matters most in life might include sitting around a campfire making s’mores and telling stories with the family.”
Six members of a three-generation clan living in Colorado and Texas shared the exploit. “It’s good for extended family to do a trip like this,” Max Kimball, 14, stated. “You get to spend time together in a new environment away from the hustle and bustle of the city.”
It was the first time his mother, Kendra Kimball, a third-grade teacher in Dallas, had spent much time in the outdoors. Working toward becoming an Eagle Scout, Max showed his mettle. “It’s been wonderful to see how kind, respectful, and helpful he is with everyone,” she said with evident pride. “He has stepped in to help me and a few others set up their tent and helped someone trying to pull a heavy bag up a hill.”
Canyon Wrens and Breath of Wind
After a leisurely and hearty breakfast with choices such as hot coffee and orange juice, fresh fruit and granola, and pancakes with eggs and bacon, we would break camp and take to the river.
It was cast in cool blue shadow as the line of yellow rafts and kayaks spooled out from the sandy shore. We drifted down water clear as gin and through pools so quiet the only sounds heard were canyon wrens and breath of wind.
The remoteness and tranquility of the Main Salmon’s corridor makes it a natural habitat for fish and wildlife. We glimpsed rainbow and cutIdaho
Stories That Make You PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN
Rediscover the heart and soul of our nation with American Essence, a bimonthly magazine celebrating America’s rich tapestry of cultures and landscapes. You’ll find inspiring tales of courage, fascinating tidbits from history, expert tips for healthier living, and more. Meticulously curated and full of hopeful stories, each issue is a celebration of the American spirit.
