THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, July 14, 1995 TAG: 9507120132
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 02 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: Ida Kay's Portsmouth
SOURCE: Ida Kay Jordan
LENGTH: Medium: 69 lines
City Councilman Cameron Pitts' determination to get a ``flying carousel'' in the second floor glass atrium of the Children's Museum is unyielding. As far as I'm concerned, that's good. Nothing would make High Street more interesting.
Can you imagine turning onto High Street and seeing the colorful horses going round and round up over your head? Pitts says that although other museums, including one in Indianapolis, have carousels, none has one ``flying'' over the sidewalk.
He believes the merry-go-round would get Portsmouth on television news-feature shows, that it would attract hundreds of people who are fascinated by carousels, that it would be talked about across the country.
And, furthermore, the children would enjoy it.
So what's so special about a carousel?
Don't you remember when you took your first ride on the big horses? I remember coming to Virginia Beach and Ocean View on ``excursions'' from Elizabeth City. As if the train ride and the trolley weren't exciting enough when you're 5 or 6 years old, there was the merry-go-round, calliope music playing waltzes and ``big boys'' reaching for the brass rings that would give them a free ride.
I never was much for Ferris wheels or other carnival rides that took me too far off the ground. Nor was I really crazy about riding real live horses - not even the one belonging to one of our Girl Scout leaders who tried to get us all to ride.
But I really liked riding those wooden horses on the merry-go-rounds at the beaches, even when I had to be hoisted up by somebody and when my toddler legs sort of stuck out on each side.
Pitts talks about fantasy experiences and dreams when you're riding the carousel. Well, I haven't the vaguest idea about my thoughts as we went round and round. I do remember some fascination with the mirrors around the middle of the machine.
And I do go with Pitts' notion that kids can learn the principle of the crank, which really is the physics of the automobile. I remember trying to figure out how the horses went up and down and being fascinated with all the mechanism in the middle.
He envisions corollary exhibits explaining the principles of the crank.
Pitts believes a new merry-go-round should be purchased to eliminate dealing with mechanical problems that could arise with older equipment. But he would like to see displays of antique, hand-carved and painted carousel animals nearby.
``This fits right into the museums,'' he said. Certainly he's right on the mark there.
Back in 1987, the Portsmouth Museums made a big deal of an exhibit of antique carousel carvings collected by Charlotte Dinger, a New Jersey woman whose gorgeous $40 book with many color photos of her collection is owned by many Portsmouth people. Collectible pieces from carousels are worth as much as $75,000 to $100,000. Some go for more than that at auction and some, of course, for much less.
In many children's museums, active exhibits such as the proposed carousel are combined with passive items, such as the $1 million collection of miniature trains and toys given to the Children's Museum by Junie and Millie Lancaster. That collection will be displayed on the second floor, where children also would be able to ride the museum merry-go-round.
Pitts intends to pay for the carrousel with donations from individuals and companies. by CNB