Thursday, April 18, 2013

John Pomp Studios Glass Blowing Promo Film from Ron Risman on Vimeo.

Weston - The Glass City


The city of Weston is located in the north central region of West Virginia along the banks of the West Fork River. The city is known for the glass that was produced there and for the State Mental Hospital that still stands but is no longer in operation.




The first glass producer in Weston opened in 1903 and produced sanitary glass tile. As many as 20 different manufacturers have made glass since Monarch Tile opened. The Louie Glass Company was in business the longest, operating from 1926-1998. The Louie Glass Company produced colored stemware, tumblers, vases, and pitchers.






























Saturday, April 6, 2013

Technology Use in Blog Posts


The use of technology in blog posts may take many forms and can be as varied as the many technologies offered. I intend to include GIS technology through Arcview Explorer Online so as to allow for geospatial analysis by blog followers. The WV Glass and Ceramics project has an important geographical aspect to it because the confluence of raw materials, transportation, energy, and skilled work force in the northwest quadrant of West Virginia. 

I will also use digital photography and video to offer blog followers more than one medium for learning about the glass industry and ceramics industry. This includes Gigapan technology that offers even more ways of using photography to engage students and to encourage learning.

Blogs will continue to be used as notebooks in all of my Earth Science classes, as they have been this past year. Students will be expected to respond to other student blog posts as well as adding videos and hyperlinks. 

The WV Glass and Ceramics project kicked off with a presentation by Dr. Dean Six, a glass historian, enthusiast, and collector. This lecture was a condensed history of the glass industry in West Virginia that included examples of glass products like the ones shown below.

Glass Marble






   
Whiskey Bottle





Souvenier Glass Bottle