Dear All, As my alma mater has been discussed here many, many times, I have some information you might like. For those that have graduated from Thomas Edison State College, might I suggest a book that I have found downright riveting. The book, Empires of Light, takes a look at Thomas Edison, Nikola Tesla and George Westinghouse and the race to electrify the world. You will find that you just cant put it down. The chapters on Edison are very moving and really puts into perspective on just what drove him. It gets a thumbs up from me.
I think I have read that his friends or family called him "Alva." Do we know where that name came from? John Bear, who has long thought that if TESC started an online medical school, like the Scottish one described recently, they could call it: Thomas A. Edison College of Medicine.
Dr Bear, You are correct." Young Alva, as he was known, had recieved very little formal education,being taught mainly by his mother ,who had briefly been a schoolteacher" (Pg53) One thing that really caught my eye was...."He spent $2 ( two days'pay) to join the new Detroit Public Library and proceeded to read his way through its shelves" (pg53). Now that is a man I can surely respect. The book is written by Dr Jill Jonnes, Phd ( History) Johns Hopkins.
My dad's name was Alva. I've only seen the same name with Thomas Alva Edison. I asked my dad if he was named for the inventor. He always claimed he never knew how he ended up with the name, he hated it. Mom and his friends always called him Alvie.
