Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Resource for Administrators

This is a link to my friend, Claudia's blog.
She is a former superintendent of a unified school district in Northern California and is currently heading up a program for new administrators.
As part of this new program, she has started a blog for the Administrative Credential Candidates called "The Well-Read Administrator"
Whether or not you are an administrator, these can be very helpful books.
She will recommend reading materials and give her own insights on the works.

You can find it here:
CLICK
(TheWell-ReadAdministrator.blogspot.com)

Happy reading!


Friday, August 2, 2013

Where Do I Come From?

My mom recently did a little family digging and was rewarded when a cousin produced some stories about our Scottish ancestors.  And he was even able to produce pictures!

My Great Grandmother, Barbara Soundy was Scottish.
Charles Archibald Smith and Barbara Dawson Smith 1888
Her parents were Charles Archibald (C.A.) Smith and Barbara Dawson Smith. They came over from Scotland in the late 1800s.

C.A.'s parents were George Smith and Ann Archibald-Smith of Tarland near Aberdeen.  Smith and Archibald are both surnames that have been associated with Clan MacPherson.

Barbara's parents were George Dawson and Jane England-Dawson of Peterculter near Aberdeen.  Dawson is a surname associated with the Clan Davidson.  England does not have a known Clan affiliation.

C.A. and Barbara with Jim and George (two of my great grandmother's brothers)

The Smith Family around 1905 in the back row is Jim, George, and Paddy, the middle is Barbara, C.A., Jeannie, Frank, and Sydney.  On Barbara's lap is my great grandmother, Barbara Elizabeth Smith, and her twin brother Stanley
The Smith Family around 1925 (my great grandmother is with her beau, Frank third and second from the right in the picture.)

The Smith Family, all grown up.  Back row Sydney, Jim, Paddy, Frank, and Stanley.  Front row Jeannie, C.A., Barbara, Barbara Elizabeth, and George.
And here are C.A. and Barbara in the mid-1930s
The Smith Family lived in Goleta, CA after moving here from the "Old Country".  They rented and farmed land that sits on where UC Santa Barbara now stands.  Charles and Barbara raised 8 children and with the exception of George's early death, all the children lived long lives, and Jeannie Smith-Pitts even lived to be 105 years old!

Barbara Elizabeth married Frank William Edward Soundy in 1928.
He emigrated from London, England as a child.  Next, I hope to find some information about my British roots through the Soundy family.

Dig into your family history... what will YOU find?