This summer, I had the captivating experience of meeting Sir Isaac Newton, the famous 17th-century scientist, who surprisingly was visiting South Florida. He told me about his harsh childhood in rural England, his profound discoveries as a professor at Cambridge University, and his old age in London.
I met Sir Isaac Newton because of my good fortune to stumble upon a magical time portal, on the University of Miami campus, which transports famous people from various countries and centuries.
Robert Dawson, a gifted performer, runs this portal. He does so by teaching a class, or more accurately performing historical recreations, through the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI at UM).
The Lives of Great Men
The class is titled, "Triumph and Tragedy: The Lives of Great Men." Dawson appears in character and in costume, along with an intriguing set of props and photos. He enthralls his audience by telling the tales of each famous person, completely in character, during the generally 1.5-hour program, followed by a question-and-answer period.
This summer, Dawson assumed the personas of: Pliny the Younger, who described the destruction of Pompeii, Italy, which he witnessed firsthand in the first century; Galileo, the 17th-century astronomer, who captivated us with stories of his discoveries and persecution; and most interesting of all, Ralph Munroe, who told about his life as one of the founding fathers of Coconut Grove.
The Performance of Ralph Munroe
To give you a deeper sense of Dawson’s performances, I will share more about Ralph Munroe in particular. Dawson appeared dressed as Ralph, in a turn-of-the-century outfit, consisting of a light brown linen suit, a straw boater hat, and a V-shaped tie formed by a black cord.
Ralph told us fascinating stories about early Coconut Grove, which consisted of his home on the bay, along with the Peacock Inn (one of South Florida’s first hotels) and a few farms and homes. Coconut Grove got its name from two lone coconut palms, which were a rarity in those earlier days. Ralph’s children would collect the fallen coconuts, as well as fallen limes, and sell them to tourists.
Coconut Grove was so wild that a 14-foot alligator regularly walked through Ralph’s backyard. He said the area was nearly untouched wilderness, filled with lush, exotic flora and a wealth of animals. Ralph explained how he became distraught upon seeing the devastation of tropical birds, fish, alligators and manatees because of the senseless harvesting by tourists and hunters. He felt that they were destroying paradise.
Ralph described how he built 56 different sailboats, including several famous designs noteworthy for their speed and agility. He showed us a model of his most famous one, the Sharpie, and explained why she was so easy to maneuver.
Ralph said his home, known as the Barnacle, got its name because it was built to withstand any storm, just like a barnacle that clings implacably to a ship. On his property, Ralph also constructed a boathouse, which became known as the Biscayne Bay Yacht Club. That’s how he got his nickname, "The Commodore."
Discovering a South Florida Icon
This fall, Dawson’s performances feature Ernest Hemingway, Buffalo Bill Cody, Myamoto Musashi (the greatest Japanese samurai), Mark Twain and several others.
You have probably heard of "Robert is Here," the treasured Homestead fruit stand and South Florida icon. Now, you know more about another treasured South Florida icon, who perhaps can best be described as "Robert is there ... and there ... and there."
OLLI at UM offers a wealth of benefits to people aged 50+, including six-week classes on a variety of topics (with no tests and generally no homework), speakers, access to the UM library system, the ability to audit UM classes, social events and much more. For more information, visit OLLI at UM at olli.dcie.miami.edu or call (305) 284-6554.
Scott Scovel is a resident of Miami and a student at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute.
