to
. . .
to
. . .
. . . A WebPage perpetually in the making . . .
After thirty-nine years teaching in the public secondary schools of Alabama and thirty-six years in the same classroom at Decatur High School, I finally decided to retire my chalk and bid a fond, if somewhat reluctant, farewell to dear ole D.H.S. and high school teaching forever. It was a difficult decision because, with my Advanced Placement, Dual Credit, and IB courses, it was one of the most personally gratifying and professionally rewarding teaching positions in America . . . but let's hope that life after D.H.S. offers even greater satisfactions.
. . . well, at least semi-retirement. I'm still teaching at Calhoun . . .
David & Mom at his D.H.S. retirement luncheon in May of 2007
David at Wat Prakeaw in Bangkok, Thailand ca. 2003
Miss Gi Gi ca. 2000
David in China ca. 1996
This picture is of David when the WebSite was first begun with a student's help many
years ago.
The very top photo is of me and my mother, Claudie Owen, at my Retirement Luncheon at Decatur High School. Where did all the years go? It seems like only yesterday that I began my 36-year-long odyssey at D.H.S.! Second Row From The
Top, David at Wat Prakeaw
in Bangkok in 2003. Oh my! what raveges the passage of time continues
to produce! It makes
me cringe for the future! Third Row From The Top, my dog Gi Gi and a picture
of me in China sometime in 1996; again showing time working its terrible magic. You may click on the picture of Gi Gi to
find
out more about her. Bottom Row, a picture of me when I first began this
WebPage two decades ago! The middle of the bottom row is how this page looked when it first began twenty-something years ago. Wow! It is amazing how
unkind the passage of time can be! But, as Mother always says, "better that than the alternative!" A sentiment one can LIVE with!
***************Hello!***************
(Nia
Hao, Sawasdee, Konnichiwa, Hola, Bon Jour, Goddag, Guten Tag,
Salut, Ciao, Shalom, Saheedah, Aloha, Kalimera,
Merhaba, etc. to all of my friends all over the world!) |
"When you have only two pennies left in the world, buy a loaf of bread with one
and a lily with the other . . ." . . . Chinese proverb
Important note: If
any of the graphics or animations do not load the first time, simply "refresh" or "reload" the
page! Repeat if necessary. They should then display properly. The page was designed on an HP Pavilion PC laptop with a WideScreen 15.4" LCD HD Monitor. This
page is best viewed with your browser
set at full screen. |
Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it! . . . George Santayana
Welcome to
my WebSite HomePage that is a "work-in-progress" growing,
changing, evolving, and hopefully, getting better. If you are a friend,
colleague, or student of mine, you probably already know most of what
I will tell you on this page. However, whether you know me or not,
there are some links to fabulous sites which I have discovered
all over the
world that I think you may find interesting even if you are not interested
in me at all. Please scroll down, read on, explore and discover some
of them for yourself. Because this WebSite has been "growing" since the eighties, many of the pictures in it are very old. This WebSite HomePage is virtually the same as it was when it was begun two decades ago as far as its format and lay-out are concerned. I have changed some of the pictures, added several new graphics and layers and expanded the pages considerably, but the basic design is what it was at first. I never take anything out of it, but merely add layers of new things to it while retaining all of the old. One reason this page is so cluttered and busy is because I love doing html. Its like working puzzles or doing mental gymnastics to keep your mind sharp. |
"You must do the things you think you can not do" . . . Eleanor Roosevelt
The
following categories will introduce me and a few of the things
that I think help to make
life wonderful! Please
note, however, that this page was created by a history teacher whose
greatest love after history and teaching is travel. This page affords
me the opportunity to showcase some of the things that are important
to me as well as a sampling of my photography. Please explore until
you find something that peaks your curiosity or until you find something
interesting. |
. . . but first, somthing to ponder . . .
* * * * * * * 
* * * * * * *
.
" Those who desire to give up Freedom
in order to gain Security, will not have,
nor do they deserve, either one."
. . . Thomas Jefferson
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
*****BIOGRAPHICAL*****
1. I was born . . .
2. My life's work . . .
*****TRAVEL*****
3. My favorite pastime is traveling because it leads me to. . .
My favorite cities. . .My favorite countries. . .
My favorite museums. . .
My favorite theatres. . .
*****PROFESSIONAL*****
4. My Vitae . . .
5. My teaching schedule at D.H.S. . . . oopse!
You may still click to see my last schedule and some pictures at D.H.S.
5. Now I'm Retired from Decatur High School!
Click here to see the Today Show video about the Decatur City Schools!
I can only speak to Decatur High School, but I KNOW it was among the best in the nation
when I was there and I have no doubt it still is!
6. My teaching schedule at Calhoun Community College . . .
7. My teaching schedule at Athens State University . . .
8. A brief history of D.H.S.
9. Newspaper article about my 34 years in the same classroom . . .
10. International Baccalaureate History at Decatur High School . . .
*****SABBATICAL*****
11. I was on sabbatical leave in 1996-97 to teach in China . . .
12. My teaching schedule at Sichuan Union University in China . . .
*****ASIA*****
13. Welcome to the "Land of the Dragon" where I . . .
14. Zhonghua Renmin Gongheguo's size and varied landscapes . . .
15. Farewell dear wonderful China, my second home . . .
16. Exotic and beautiful Moung Thai (Thailand) will probably be my home someday . . .
*****INSPIRATION*****
17. My hero is. . .
18. I agreee with Gladstone that the U. S. Constitution is . . .
19. Although not on a par with my hero, nevertheless I admire. . .
*****GALLERY*****
20. A Boat Trip Down the Yangtze River before the Gorges are Gone . . . .
21. My Thai Friends Gallery with an Addendum of Thai Orchids . . . . . . . .
22. Mom's Blue Ribbons at the County Fair Gallery and other things. . . . .
23. A Photo Essay of My Trip to Xin Dien and Some Chinese Friends. . . . .
24. "One Night in Bangkok" Gallery of a Few Specially Selected Photos . . .
25. Gallery of an Unbelievable Journey to Angkor Wat in Cambodia . . . . .
26. This Miscellaneous Gallery is a Little Montage of Many Things . . . . . .
27. Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Northern Thailand Photographs Gallery . . .
28. New Canon Rebel XTi Photo Gallery . . .
*****OBSESSIONS*****
29. My love of genealogy and family history. . .
30. World War II and the Holocaust provide a glimpse into . . .
31. Writing is also one of my great loves even though I'm not very good at it . . .
*****LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST *****
32. Important work that must be done for our Humanity, our Culture, our World to survive!
33. If you enjoyed the above page (32.) and agree at least in part that the sentiments I expressed in it are important, please leave a comment.
34. If you disagree with my opinions in page (32.) also feel free to leave a comment and offer thoughtful alternative ideas and suggestions of your own.
35. David Kilpatrick's political page . . .
*****ADDRESSES*****
Write to me at:
Home Address:
davidkilpatrick@yahoo.com
(personal)
- or -
Decatur High School Address:
David.Kilpatrick@dcs.edu
(professional)
Calhoun Community College :
jkilpatrick3316@calhoun.edu
(professional)
Athens State University Address:
jkilpat2@athens.edu
(professional)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My favorite Jefferson quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"If there be any among us who would wish to destroy this Union or to change its republican
form, let them stand undisturbed as monuments to the safety with which error of opinion may
be tolerated when freedom is left free to combat it."
Thomas Jefferson's First Inaugural Address
If Americans could only have that kind of faith in our democracy today!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*****************
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* * * * * * * * * *
* * * * *
* * * * *
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I CHALLENGE YOU TO MOVE BEYOND YOUR PARAMETERS OF COMFORT AND SECURITY OUT INTO THE BIG, WONDERFUL WORLD THAT AWAITS YOUR EXPLORATION AND DISCOVERY:
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you find links that no longer work, or
if you find problems with html code, please
send a quick report to:
davidkilptrick@yahoo.com
Madison, Alabama