AbleMedia LLC

MEDFORD, MA - March 28, 2001 - The architecture of Providence is a grave merger of cultures, according to Megan Billings, a senior at the Moses Brown School in Providence, RI. Billings is this week's AbleMedia Bronze Chalice winner for The Columns of Greece, Rome & Providence RI published on the Classics Technology Center on the Web (CTCWeb, http://ablemedia.com/ctcweb). "Where does a high school senior find modern examples of Classical Greek and Roman architecture?" asked Wendy E. Owens, CTCWeb Editor-in-Chief. "In a cemetery, of course. Megan has used this otherwise ominous source to develop a straightforward, beautifully photographed presentation of Greek and Roman columns."

In The Columns of Greece, Rome & Providence RI, Billings provides descriptions and photographic examples of columns from the Greek and Roman orders, including, Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, Tuscan, and composites. Rather than travel to Greek or Rome to find columns to photograph, she found numerous examples at the Swan Point Cemetery in Providence, RI. "Swan Point cemetery is a large, rather affluent cemetery located on the East Side of Providence. This location served as an excellent place to find modern examples of ancient architecture because the tombs and gravestones tend to be extremely large and ornate," Billings said. "Most of the graves that I photographed were from the late 1800s to early 1900s, although the cemetery also has graves built as early as last year."

Billings provides descriptions of the modern use of column styles at Swan Point and explains why some styles were especially popular. "Most columns found were Corinthian or Roman Ionic, probably due to the fact that these varieties are more ornate and make more impressive grave markers," Billings said. "Smooth pillars were the most common, probably due to the fact that the smooth form of an unfluted pillar is more modern looking." Megan developed The Columns of Greece, Rome & Providence RI as part of an independent study Classic course in the fall of 2000. Following her graduation from the Moses Brown School this spring, Megan will attend the Rhode Island School of Design.

Each week AbleOne’s sponsor, AbleMedia, salutes contributors for outstanding submissions to the AbleOne Consortium (http://ablemedia.com/ctcweb/consortium/), the CTCWeb Showcase (http://ablemedia.com/ctcweb/showcase/), and CTCWeb Netshots™ (http://ablemedia.com/ctcweb/netshots.html). Each receives the Bronze Chalice award. AbleMedia awards Silver Chalices for the outstanding submissions of the month. At the end of each year, AbleMedia awards Gold Chalices for the outstanding submissions of the year.

AbleOne serves millions of educators, students, and other users in over 100 countries and the number of users is tripling annually. AbleOne’s CTCWeb is a repository of practical tools, for classicists and other educators, to enhance the use of computer technology in Classics education. At CTCWeb, students, educators and others find the free dissemination and open exchange of practical educational materials, systems, and applications by individuals and organizations involved in the Classics community. AbleMedia sponsors CTCWeb as part its AbleOne Education Network.

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