Todd Frary Home Page

Welcome to Todd Frary's KSU Student Home Page!

Welcome to my student web site! I'm graduating in May 2008 with a Bachelors Degree in History, a Minor in International Affairs, and a Public History Certificate. I'm also a columnist with the KSU Sentinel so look for my columns each Tuesday! I've been accepted into Georgia State University's Graduate Program in History and will be starting there this Summer. I've included links to sites I regularly use and a little bit about myself for those with natural curiousity. Cheers!

Todd Frary at the National Archives - Washington DC

At the National Archives Washington, DC

KENNESAW STATE UNIVERSITY LINKS

Below are some of Kennesaw's internal sites I regularly use along with links to various Honor Societies I'm a member of.

Pi Sgima Alpha - National Political Science Honor Society

Delta Epsilon Iota Academic Honor Society

Kennesaw State University News Kennesaw Weather Kennesaw Student E-Mail

THE FRARY FAMILY IN AMERICA

I'm often asked questions about my surname: What nationality is it? How do you pronounce it? What does it mean? Well, for starters, Frary is pronounced the same as the words library or prairie. The earliest known Frary in my family is John Frary (1600 - 1685) who came from Norfolk in East Anglia, England and settled in Dedham, Massachusetts in 1637. The ancestry of John Frary remains unknown, but most believe our family has its origins with French Huguenots who fled persecution in that country and settled in England. The name Frary likely derives from the French word freré which means brother or it may derive from individuals who lived near or provided service to a friary. Below is a postcard view of Frary House in Deerfield, Massachusetts built by my ancestor Nathaniel Frary, the grandson of John Frary, in the early 18th Century. It was built on the foundation of a earlier home built by Nathaniel's father, Samson Frary, who was killed in the French and Indian raid on the town in 1703/4. The original home was burned during that raid and Samson's wife Mary was taken captive by the Indians and killed while they were retreating from Deerfield. Frary House has been preserved as a part of Historic Deerfield and is open to the public. If you meet a Frary they almost certainly are a relative of mine!

Early 20th Century postcard view of Frary House in Deerfield, Massachusetts

WHERE I'M FROM

When I'm asked where I'm from my response is usually, "Everywhere and nowhere." What I mean by that is I've lived in many places and home, to me, is wherever I hang my hat. I was born in Rockford, Illinois many, many moons ago, but I honestly can't call Rockford home as I haven't lived there in decades. My favorite years were growing up in the Naples/Marco Island area of Collier County, Florida WAY before it became a popular tourist destination and resort area. I graduated from Lely High School in Naples, but grew up on the Isles of Capri, a small community between the mainland and Marco off County Road 951. It was and is a very small island community of only a few year-round families and since Mom and Dad moved away in 1987 I don't get back much, but a part of me still calls it home even though it's changed a great deal. Tampa really was home for me for the longest period of time but in the ten years since I moved away it continues to change to the point where I scarcely recognize it. Which is why when it comes to where home is for me the answer is "Everywhere and nowhere."

Arial shot of the Isles of Capri

PI KAPPA ALPHA FRATERNITY

I joined Pi Kappa Alpha's Zeta Pi Chapter at the University of South Florida and am a member of the Atlanta Alumni Association. Both I and our Alumni Association would be more than happy to meet with and work with other men desirous of starting a Colony here at Kennesaw State University. The first link below will direct you to our National Fraternity Web Site which has information on our history and on starting a Colony. If that sounds like something you'd be interested in then send me an email and lets talk! I'd also love to hear from any of my brothers who may be here at Kennesaw; lets see if maybe we can get something started.

PUBLIC HISTORY AND GENEALOGY

While at Kennesaw I'm also working on a Public History Certificate. Below are links to sites I regularly use in public history, historic preservation, and genealogy. I've been into genealogy for about nine years now and have discovered it relates quite well to public history and historic preservation.

Association of Professional Genealogists

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

OK, OK...I know I'm at Kennesaw now, but I can't help seeing how the Bulls are doing. Follow the link below to USF Athletics and see. GO BULLS!

The Social Sciences Building at USF, where I spent more than a few semesters!

THE TAMPA YEARS

While attending USF I came to love Tampa and really had no reason to return to Naples after graduating. My first job, post-USF, was with the old Columbia Bank in Ybor City before being hired into First Florida Bank's Management Training Program. I was with First Florida until their merger with Barnett Bank in 1993.

When we merged with Barnett I spent the transition consulting as well as assisting laid-off employees in finding a job at our Employee Outplacement Resource Center. Through good luck I was able to find my next job with MCI Telecommunications. Little did I know how that would change my life!
MCI

THE ATLANTA YEARS

After an interesting start with MCI in Pinellas Park I had a shock to my system: my department was being relocated to Iowa City, Iowa. It was time to either relocate, find another job in MCI or look for another employer. For a number of reasons that are difficult and painful to explain it was time to move on from my home of Tampa. I found a great new job within MCI, but it required relocating to our Southeastern Regional Headquarters in the Ravinia Complex off Ashford Dunwoody in Atlanta. With some trepidation I moved to Atlanta in August 1996 just as the Olympics were ending.
Lobby at Ravinia

Our lobby on the 2nd floor

My seven years with MCI in Atlanta were beyond my wildest expectations and I learned more in that time than I thought possible. I grew to become a very resiliant, tough, critical thinker. Yet those years led to the sad story of MCI's acquisition by WorldCom and we all know how badly that ended so there's no point in dwelling on it. My career at MCI ended after a great 10 year run in 2003.

NEWS SOURCES

With increased corporate control of the media and its resultant dumbing-down I look to less commercial channels for my news and prefer a broader array of sources outside of corporate control. Here are some of those sources along with other journals I regularly read that help shape and inform my opinion.

LOCAL NEWSPAPERS

While I detest the tendency of local newspapers to mindlessly parrot reporting from the major news services, some do an excellent job of reporting local news. Here's a few I read with some regularity to keep in touch with what's going on in communities near and dear to my heart.

EPISCOPAL CHURCH LINKS

As someone who chose to be an Episcopalian I can testify how welcoming the church is to all people. Episcopalians mean it when they say they welcome you; they welcome all! Below are links to the Anglican Communion, the Episcopal Church, the Diocese of Atlanta and my home parish, The Cathedral of St. Philip. I'm also active in the Community of the Cross of Nails which is active in addressing a variety of social issues through reconciliation and mediation.

THINK TANKS & POLICY INSTITUTES

Think Tanks and Policy Institutes tend to have negative connotations connected to the work they do, but they're actually a great sources of reasoned thinking for governmental action and policy. These are a few of the groups that shape and form my opinion of what form governmental policy should follow.

Pew Research Center for the People and the Press

GOVERNMENTAL LINKS

To be an engaged and informed citizen you need to keep an eye on your elected officials. Below are some links to U.S., U.K. and Canadian government web sites.

EMAIL

Scrapy's just glad those mourning doves aren't still nesting nearby!

Last updated: Wednesday, 9 April 2008