by Bill DeyessoThe fourteenth child of a Methodist minister and a clergyman’s daughter, Stephen Crane became one of the most revered authors of his time. Having written from the age of four, Crane overcame the adversities of early childhood illness to maintain a writing career that has lasted more than a century past the date of his birth.Although Crane was offered the opportunity for an intensive education, he never felt the desire for such coursework. Instead, he grabbed the chance to work as a reporter in New York City. There, he enveloped himself in the workings of the social underground, utilizing his immense talents of observation coupled with the empathy he had learned in his religious upbringing. Just two years after leaving school, Stephen Crane wrote his first novel, Maggie: A Girl of the Streets. After winning a small amount of critical acclaim for this work, Stephen Crane composed The Red Badge of Courage, a widely praised book about the Civil War, though the author had no battlefield experience at all. Instead, Crane’s inspiration for the work stemmed from magazines devoted to Civil War stories that he read while waiting the long hours to have his portrait painted.Because of his personal integrity and his loyalty to his sources, Stephen Crane in 1896 served as the witness for a reputed prostitute who had given him information for his writing. Against the advice of such notables as Theodore Roosevelt, who at the time was the Police Commissioner of New York City, Crane defended Dora Clark’s actions on the night he met with her. Later, the officer who accused Clark attacked her physically, and Crane attended the trial to give testimony in her aid. The New York City Police Department launched an investigation into Crane’s life and friends, ruining his reputation through association with certain colleagues and manufactured evidence. In disgrace, Crane then accepted a position as a war correspondent in Cuba. During this time, Crane met the madam Cora Taylor, a dishonored Boston woman whose divorce had committed her to a life in the underworld.Taking his place onboard the SS Commodore, Stephen Crane expected to embark upon a difficult but interesting task documenting the hostilities and privations of war. Instead, the ship sank and left Crane in a lifeboat with three men, one of whom died in the attempt to reach shore. Documented in the story The Open Boat, this ordeal left Crane penniless on the shore of Daytona Beach. Cora Taylor traveled tirelessly to reach him and bring him funds, after which the two launched an affair that lasted for the rest of his life.
As a former Executive Vice President at WinnCompanies, Bill Deyesso possesses more than three decades of experience in the financial planning and real estate industries. Joining WinnCompanies as a manager in 1980, Bill Deyesso earned a promotion to Executive Vice President of the company in only three years. In his new role, Bill Deyesso worked to decrease operating costs for the real estate management and development firm, and he was successful for five consecutive years.
Bill Deyesso was also responsible for directing all nationwide operations, conducting financial planning, and developing projections and company-wide budgets during his 27-year tenure at Boston, Massachusetts-based WinnCompanies. In addition to his commitments to Winn, he also served as a member of the Board of Directors for AutoSuccess Magazine and Mountain Grainery, LLC. Today, Bill Deyesso provides oversight and guidance as CEO of Buyer's Choice Inc.
Additionally, Bill Deyesso is a member of the National Independent Auto Dealers Association (NIADA). A philanthropist, Bill Deyesso supports many charities across the country, such as the American Cancer Society, Inc., Special Olympics Massachusetts, and the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation. In addition to his support of these charities, Bill Deyesso has previously contributed to political candidates.
A practicing Christian who is known for his business acumen and impressive results in various capacities, Bill Deyesso resides in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire.
Bill Deyesso was also responsible for directing all nationwide operations, conducting financial planning, and developing projections and company-wide budgets during his 27-year tenure at Boston, Massachusetts-based WinnCompanies. In addition to his commitments to Winn, he also served as a member of the Board of Directors for AutoSuccess Magazine and Mountain Grainery, LLC. Today, Bill Deyesso provides oversight and guidance as CEO of Buyer's Choice Inc.
Additionally, Bill Deyesso is a member of the National Independent Auto Dealers Association (NIADA). A philanthropist, Bill Deyesso supports many charities across the country, such as the American Cancer Society, Inc., Special Olympics Massachusetts, and the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation. In addition to his support of these charities, Bill Deyesso has previously contributed to political candidates.
A practicing Christian who is known for his business acumen and impressive results in various capacities, Bill Deyesso resides in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire.
February 14, 2011
Stephen Crane
February 14, 2011
Helen Keller
by William Deyesso
The life of Helen Keller, full of accomplishments and the defeat of obstacles, remains one of the most inspirational stories in history. Helen Keller, who was born into a well-to-do family, came into life with her hearing and sight intact. A mysterious illness, however, compromised those senses, and Keller was left unable to see the world around her or hear its sounds. At the time, Keller’s parents understood only that their daughter was ill with a debilitating fever; it was only later that they realized there had been any lasting damage.
Left blind and deaf, Helen Keller possessed no real way of communicating with the outside world. Too young at the time of her illness to have mastered her native tongue, Keller’s short-lived memory of words to describe her surroundings deserted her. In desperation, Keller’s parents contacted Alexander Graham Bell, who at the time was one of the nation’s premier experts in the education of deaf children. Bell, who invented the telephone, advised Keller’s parents to employ a teacher from the Perkins School for the Blind. In hiring a teacher from that school, Keller’s parents hoped that she would be more able to respond to someone who had experienced problems similar to her own.
Anne Sullivan accepted the position as Helen Keller’s teacher and almost immediately convinced Keller’s parents to allow her to take Keller from their own large home to a small cottage on their property. At the time, Sullivan was concerned that Keller used terrible table manners and was extremely spoiled. After living with Keller for a short time in isolation, Sullivan taught her the meanings of words such as “water,” “pump,” and “teacher.”
Documented in “The Miracle Worker,” Helen Keller’s story provides inspiration for those who would teach, as well as those who would be taught. Without the strenuous but loving efforts of Anne Sullivan, Helen Keller might never have achieved the heights that have marked her as a muse for those struggling to overcome enormous impediments.
December 30, 2010
Children’s Hospital Boston Autism Research
by Bill Deyesso
An average of one in every 1,000 children born in the United States receives a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders before they are three years old. Autism is a class of neural development disorders that result in impaired communication skills, poor social interaction, and routine or repetitive behaviors. Diagnosis falls along a spectrum of functionality and symptoms, ranging from classic autism to Asperger syndrome, which is a high-functioning form of autism.
First diagnosed in the 1940s, a very few advances have been made in autism research in nearly 60 years. Scientists don’t know what causes autism, although they have been able to identify as many as 10 different genes associated with the disorder. There is no treatment for autism, although various therapies may help increase individual abilities and life skills. For this reason, the need for ongoing research remains necessary. I contribute to Autism Research at Children’s Hospital Boston, which oversees multiple autism research studies, including the Infant Sibling Project. This hospital aims to identify genetic markers for autism spectrum disorders, as well as phenotyping and genetics, seeking early identification of autism spectrum disorders in order to improve treatment and outcomes, in conjunction with Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Children’s Hospital Boston. To learn more, visit http://www.childrenshospital.org/
December 16, 2010
Go Tell It On The Mountain
by Bill Deyesso
One of my all-time favorite books is James Baldwin’s groundbreaking novel, Go Tell It On The Mountain. The semi-autobiographical book is set in Baldwin’s home neighborhood of Harlem, New York. At the core of the book is a search for self-identity, under the strict supervision of a religious step-father. The book details a young man’s conflicted views of religion, reacting on one hand against moral duplicity and repression, and on the other finding in the Bible a source of solace and inspiration. The story about the writing of Baldwin’s first novel is interesting, as well. Baldwin turned to writing seriously in 1942, at the age of 18. Living in Greenwich Village, Baldwin worked full time on the original draft of Go Tell It On The Mountain. Richard Wright, well known for his autobiographical novel Native Son, read Baldwin’s manuscript in 1944, enjoying it enough to recommend it for a grant. Although Baldwin actually received that grant, his finished manuscript was denied publication. Baldwin moved to France in 1948, spending the next several years gaining a reputation as an essayist and critic, and intermittently revising his novel. Finally published in 1952, Go Tell It On The Mountain was followed two years later by Baldwin’s classic collection of essays, Notes of a Native Son. Among the aspects that draw me to Go Tell It On The Mountain are its complete sense of honesty and its rich evocation of themes found in the Bible. The novel has gained increased critical prominence in recent years, with Time magazine selecting it as one of the 100 Best English-Language Novels from 1923 to 2005. I recommend this book to anyone who wants an entertaining and thought-provoking read in a style evocative of mid-20th century New York.
November 3, 2010
November 3, 2010
November 3, 2010
