Frizzi: I Meet a Beatle! (by Charles Hawtrey and the Deaf Aids)

On September 21, the state of Illinois will dedicate a plaque in the town of Benton. The plaque commemorates the 50th anniversary of its own British Invasion. Gov. Pat Quinn has proclaimed that Saturday, "George Harrison Day".

Usually, such plaques commemorate a battle or skirmish involving, say, British troops and either the French or the revolutionaries, depending on what war was being fought at the time.

The particular plaque will commemorate the visit of one George Harrison of The Beatles.

Harrison played lead guitar for what is considered the most influential group in music history. He also had a successful solo career until his death in 2001. Both with The Beatles and single strength, Harrison wrote such classics as "Here Comes the Sun", "Something", "Taxman", "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" and "My Sweet Lord". He composed some of the most beautiful spiritual songs ever written. Harrison was also a film producer, with movies such as "Monty Python's Life of Brian" and "Time Bandits".

Harrison was ranked the 11th best guitarist in Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Guitarist list. He is also credited with introducing Eastern music, most notably that of sitar virtuoso Ravi Shankar, to the Western world.

A half century ago, Harrison and his older brother Peter, came to Benton to visit their sister, Louise. She and her husband, Gordon Caldwell, a coal mining engineer, had recently moved to Benton from Canada. The Beatles, very popular in their home country of Great Britain, were unknown in the U.S. at that time. That would all change when they made their historic appearance on Ed Sullivan's immensely popular variety show in February of 1964.

Louise, who called herself "Lou", took a copy of The Beatles' single, "From Me To You", to local radio station WFRX and asked that they play it on the air. Marcia Rauback, a high school junior and daughter of the station owner, had a Saturday morning radio show. Marcia played the song repeatedly, replacing a cover of the same song by Del Shannon. That was the first time that a Beatle song was played over American airways.

Harrison, just 20 years old at the time, became friendly with the townspeople. Like his sister, he found them to be extremely kind and hospitable.

Lou's home was just a few blocks away from the town square. Located at the square was the Barton and Collins furniture store, which was the only place in the area that sold records. At one point, George stopped in the "B&C" and purchased about 30 albums. Most were rock and roll, some were country and western.

Harrison became friends with Gabe McCarty who had a local band known as The Four Vests. He was especially impressed with the playing of the lead guitarist, Kenny Welch, who had once played at the Grand Ol' Opry in Nashville. While watching the band at the VFW Local 3479 in nearby Eldorado, Harrison was invited to sit in with the Vests during the third set. It was the first time a Beatle performed in America. George would later joke that after the set, someone told him "With the right kind of direction, you could really go places." Gabe and George became good friends. Gabe even drove Harrison to a music store in nearby Mt. Vernon, where George treated himself to a black Rickenbacker guitar.

Fast forwarding about 30-plus years, Lou and her husband had long since moved from the house. They only lived there for seven years. A local Beatle enthusiast, Bob Bartel, found it and the house next door vacant, but with no "For Sale" or "For Rent" signs visible.

In his DVD, "A Beatle in Benton" (2004 Dean Williams Productions), Bartel said he discovered that both houses were purchased by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources – Office of Mines and Minerals. Both homes were to be torn down for a parking lot for state owned vehicles.

This prompted Bartel to start a grassroots campaign to save the house. He contacted the powers that be in Springfield. The story made the international papers. Louise Harrison was eventually contacted asking her about why the state of Illinois was tearing down her old home. She had no idea. According to her interview on the DVD, she thought someone had found a body inside.

Lou thought it was silly to save the home just because her now famous brother had stayed there for two weeks. But she remembered the kindness and generosity of the people of Benton when she and her husband moved there from Canada. So, she decided to help Bartel save the house.

On Feb. 4, 1995, State Senator Jim Ray, with Lou at his side, announced from the porch of the house that Office of Mines and Minerals provided a 30-day window to save the house or move it to a new location. Next door, in a vacant lot, heavy machinery was parked so close to the house that the operator could see into the bathroom window. A group purchased the house and turned it into "The Hard Days Nite" Bed and Breakfast.

In 2008, while surfing the web, I found that Benton would be having a George Harrison festival. It would be on Saturday night on Oct. 4 at the Benton High School East Gym. The special guest would be The Pete Best Band.

Pete Best? I told my wife, Heddy, that we had to go see him since Pete Best used to be a Beatle.

When The Beatles were just starting out, they did not have a permanent drummer. Needing one for their gig in Hamburg, W. Germany, Paul McCartney recruited Best. Best was described as "mean, moody and marvelous" and was very popular with the girls, another reason McCartney sought him out. Best's presence would attract more girls to the group.

One of the blemishes in the Beatles' history was the way they replaced Best with Ringo Starr. The story was that Parlophone Records producer George Martin thought that Best's drumming, while adequate for a club, was substandard for recording. When Martin approached The Beatles about a new drummer, he learned they had thought of replacing Best anyway. Allegedly, they were jealous that Pete was obviously the favorite of the female fans. Also, while The Beatles were sporting their new hair styles, Best continued with his pompadour. The reason was that his hair was naturally curly and Best felt that he couldn't pull off the look. Best also tended to keep to himself and did not associate much with the group off stage.

When Best was sacked, the girls were passionately upset. Many went to Beatle shows with protest signs saying "Pete Forever! Ringo Never!"

Benton is a small coal mining town of just over 7,000 people. It's in southern Illinois, sitting between St. Louis and Evansville, Ind. Benton is the county seat of Franklin County. It's roughly 33 miles northeast of Carbondale, home of Southern Illinois University. From Peoria, it's about a four hour drive.

Heddy and I even made a detour into downtown Mt. Vernon to find the music store where Gabe McCarty had taken George to buy his black Rickenbacker. It had since morphed into an auto parts store, much in the way that Sun Records in Memphis had before it was reopened as a studio/museum.

We drove around the town square and then went to see if we could find the high school gym. The gym was just a few blocks east. Across the street from the gym, at 113 McCann Street, sat Lou Harrison's house. It was a bright yellow bungalow with green trim. A union jack flew from the front porch. There was a sign in front marking it as "A Hard Day's Nite Bed and Breakfast". A zebra striped crosswalk, like the one shown on the album cover of "Abbey Road", led you across the street and to the house, which was closed. The group that had bought the house and saved it from demolition by the state were interested in selling the place.

The concert had the feeling of a sock hop. The back-up bands were on stage playing Beatle tunes. The bleachers were pulled out from the wall. The basketball goals had been raised. Somebody came dressed as George from his Abbey Road days and a Paul McCartney impersonator was dancing alone, high above the floor in the bleachers. The gym was far from full capacity.

Out came the drummer of "The Four Vests" to jam with the local group on stage. The group was a bit ragged sounding but improved greatly when the Vests' drummer joined them.

When The Pete Best Band played, I tried to imagine what kind of ride this man had been on. He was a member of one of the most exclusive clubs in history. He was fired just before the band took off, missing out on fame and money. He had become a working class hero like the rest of us. Best was better prepared for it than the others, being the only Beatle who had passed his "O-Level" (Ordinary Level) tests in high school. He had also been married to his wife, who he met while working at a bakery, for over 50 years. Reportedly, he had no regrets.

Best was a handsome 67 year old guy with salt and pepper hair and mustache. He was one of two drummers in The Pete Best Band and didn't sing. His band mates were younger and extremely tight as well. Their repertoire consisted of classic 50s and early 60s rock and roll. They played no Beatles music.

At that time, a man came up to the top of the bleachers where Heddy and I were sitting. He carried a snare drum case and drumsticks. I recognized him as the drummer of The Four Vests. I don't recall his name. I tried to get it from Bob Bartel's DVD. I believe his name was Vernie Boland. He looked like he could be a Vernie, so I'll call him that.

Vernie seemed a very friendly fellow by the way he was talking to his friends. As he was sitting next to me, I waited for the chance to speak with him.

I told Vernie that he sounded pretty good and he thanked me. I also told him that he really helped the local band sound much better. Modestly, he smiled. "I think their drummer was throwing them off. A band has to have a good drummer."

Then, I asked Vernie, "George Harrison. What was he like?" Again, Vernie smiled and said, "Well... he was different. But a very nice guy. We really liked him."

"Did you like his guitar playing?"

"Oh yes! He was a very good guitarist. He could play. He knew what he was doing, even then."

It was certainly my pleasure to have met Vernie and for him to give me a bit of his time. Lou Harrison was right. The people of Benton were very friendly.

At the end of the show, Pete Best and his band were available to sign autographs. They would only sign items that they were selling. That was OK with me. The man has to make a living.

I bought an 8.5 x 11 glossy copy of a picture of the very early Beatles, all in leather jackets, none of which smiled. Pete Best looked even more sullen as he sat behind his drum set. The older version of Pete would then autograph the plain white bass drum head (there was no "The Beatles" logo yet).

When it was my turn to meet Pete, he looked at me and acted somewhat startled. It took me back a bit. Then, I thought to myself, "Hmmm. I'm a big buy with a big belly, glasses and a double chin."

"My God! I probably remind the poor guy of Mark David Chapman!" Chapman, just two years older than me, is still serving a life sentence for murdering Best's former band mate, John Lennon in December, 1980.

I told Pete that his band sounded good and tight. His band heard this and broke out laughing. "Yeah! ", said one, "We're always good and tight before we go on stage." I had meant that they played in sync with each other. They thought I had meant they were playing drunk.

I thanked Pete for his time and shook his hand. I was now, henceforth, "Beatlified".

Saturday's dedication will involve music, film and a return visit from Lou Harrison. We had seen Lou years ago in Peoria when she appeared with the Beatle tribute band, "American English". The band played at a free concert sponsored by CEFCU at the old Lakeview Museum. Heddy and I got there very early to get a good seat on the lawn. It was early enough to see Lou walking with the person who played "George". He was dressed as George on the Abbey Road cover. Both looked up and we waved hello to each other. Then, we went downstairs to the auditorium where the pair was enjoying some fried chicken.

Today, Lou's house in Benton is back to being a private residence. It has been repainted a dark green from the yellow of the bed and breakfast.

On December 8, 2001, roughly a month after George passed, the city of Benton held a memorial service. Louise Harrison attended as did The Four Vests. Lou announced that in 2013, the State of Illinois would mark the 50th anniversary of George's visit with a historical marker. Lou spoke about how her daughter had mentioned that, with the world still shaking from the 9-11 attacks just three months prior, news coverage took a break from the horror and was now reporting about a person who had advocated love and peace. It was at this commemoration where Louise Harrison made the following speech:

"I started looking at historical markers throughout the country. As I was traveling back and forth, I realized that most historical markers that are out there, in this country and many others, are commemorating where one bunch of people slaughtered another bunch of people. And with a touch of whimsy, I thought to myself, maybe humanity is evolving to a point where we now have become sufficiently civilized. Instead of always commemorating violence and bloodshed, we now can commemorate a very, very kind, decent and loving young man who gave the world only love and kindness and some beautiful music."

Frizzi: A boy named Alice

Alice? Alice? Who the (Bleep) is Alice?

(I used "Bleep" because this is a family publication and I care about our youth!)

You'll probably hear this several times at an Oktoberfest near you. It gets screamed by crowds whipped up by a combination of a German ooom-pah band and beer. The song played is called "Tür an Tür mit Alice", a German version of the song, "Living Next Door to Alice." The German version was a hit song for one Howard Carpendale in 1977.

You probably won't hear it played during high school games. Why the (bleep) would you, you may ask? Because in that little rustic corner of the earth known as Southwestern Indiana, there is a high school whose sports teams have the nickname of "The Alices".

I ain't joking. If you don't believe me, look at Paul Gordon's (The Peorian's editor) website bio. Paul and I are alumni of good ol' Lincoln High.

The sports clubs of Vincennes Lincoln High School, in Vincennes, Indiana, be they football, basketball, baseball, tennis and track, are known as the Alices.

The Vincennes Lincoln Alices.

And the name of their womens' sport teams?

The Lady Alices.

It works for the lady athletes. But why in the world would you name a men's sports team "The Alices"?

Their local opponents have the standard nicknames such as Braves, Warriors, Wildcats, and Bulldogs. The local Catholic school, Rivet High School's nickname is the Patriots.

Were all the good nicknames taken?

In Peoria and Peoria Heights, you have nicknames like the Lions, Knights, Rams and Patriots. There used to be the Warriors when there used to be a Woodruff High School. There's even a Notre Dame High School with the nickname "The Fighting Irish", just like the big kids near South Bend, Ind. (the land of which was donated by the Bishop of Vincennes, Celestine de la Hailandiere in 1842).

In the surrounding towns of Central Illinois, you have nicknames like the Panthers, Little Giants, Trojans, Wildcats, Commandos and the Farmers.

Pekin High School wisely changed their name to the Dragons. Their former nickname was the Asian equivalent to "Redskins".

Illinois has its fair share of offbeat high school nicknames, as well. Liz Rudolph has a blog on ESPN1380.com called, "Pretzels, Sobos and Bunnies, Oh My! A Look Into Illinois High School Mascots and Nicknames". In it are listed names like the Freeport Pretzels, the Cobden High School Appleknockers, the Hoopeston Area High School Cornjerkers and the Teutopolis High School Wooden Shoes.

Also listed is DeKalb High School's nickname, "The Barbs". But it's not short for "Barbara". Instead, the team is named for barbed wire, which was invented in DeKalb. And their mascot is a crow named "Barbie".

The Alices' mascot is a giant furry tick-looking creature known as the "Big A". In Jersey, he would be known as "Big (Bleeping) Aaaaay!"

All this "bleeping" makes me feel like I'm Jon (bleeping) Stewart!

Still, WHY in the wide, wide world of sports would you give a high school team, which can and does consist of male athletes, a female name? It not very macho, especially on a crisp autumn Friday night, when a male football player runs out of the locker room and onto the field of battle, pass the cheering cheerleaders and hearing the PA announcer urging the crowd to welcome "your Vincennes Lincoln FIGHTING Alices!" It could've been pretty emasculating unless your mascot was a big tough gal named Alice. Back in Paul's and my day, such a gal would've been welcome on the men's squads, which were sadly substandard.

When my family would go back to Pittsburgh, my Dad and my Uncle would laugh their collective heads off over "The Alices". They were alumni of Central Catholic, whose nickname was "The Vikings" and was just a Dan Marino (Class of 1979) "Hail Mary" away from the University of Pittsburgh.

Yet, the locals in Vincennes think nothing about it. They seem to be proud of it. After all, they've been known as "The Alices" since 1923.

That was the first time that Vincennes Lincoln won a basketball championship.

For my money, the 1986 movie "Hoosiers", starring Gene Hackman, Barbara Hershey and Dennis Hopper, is the best sports movie ever. This is because the movie describes the insanity of Indiana high school basketball, or "Hoosier Hysteria" to a proverbial "T".

The movie was about the 1952 Hickory Huskers, a fictional basketball squad of fresh faced farm boys who went on to win the state championship against the larger and more talented team from South Bend. The story was loosely based on the story of the 1954 Milan High School team ("The Indians"). But it could've been based on the 1923 Lincoln team that won the high school championship.

Up until 1997, Indiana's high school playoff formats did not include "Class A" or "Class B" teams. Small town teams like Dugger and Linton could end up facing (and occasionally defeating) teams from bigger cities like Gary, Hammond and Indianapolis (or "Downtown Indiana"). Lincoln teams would twice win state championships in 1923 and 1981. Even with the name, "The Alices".

Not even Larry Bird's Spring Valley High School teams in French Lick won state basketball trophies. And his team was called "The Blackhawks".

When the Alices won the tourney, people were asking, "Why Alice?" "What's an Alice?" "Who the (bleep) is Alice?"

According to Vincennes Lincoln High School's website:

"The 1923 Vincennes High School basketball team derived the unique nickname of "Alices." That team played one night at Columbus, where they were dubbed the Cinderella team of 1923. Combining the fairytale of Cinderella with Alice in Wonderland and Alice of Old Vincennes, a sports writer started calling the team, Alices, and it has stuck since. Although school officials have never officially adopted the nickname, the unique nickname has followed Vincennes High School athletic teams throughout their history."

"Unique" is putting it mildly.

I thought the name was silly when I was a pimply faced student at Lincoln. I still do. Especially when I found out that the name used to be "Buccanneers". Being a life-long Pittsburgh Pirates' fan, I still couldn't see why you would name your high school team "Alices" instead of "Buccanneers". After all, "Buccanneers" were swashbucklers! "Alices", not so much.

"Alice of Old Vincennes" was a 1900 novel by Maurice Thompson. The heroine, Alice Roussillon was a sympathizer of the American revolutionaries. She helped sew American flags and tended to the needs of the troops. If you let your mind wander about the latter, well, she was probably more popular with the troops than the Marquis de Lafayette. I'm still not sure if I would name a high school team after a Revolutionary War trollop!

I'm still a big fan of Lewis Carroll and his whacked out stories of Alice and her adventures. Yet, I would've preferred the name "Vincennes Lincoln Mad Hatters". Incidentally, there was a minor league baseball team in Madison, Wisconsin called the Madison Hatters, now known as the Great Lake Loons.

Being a member of the Class of 1975, I would love to see Alice Cooper, snake and all, as the team logo. I'm sure Alice's image is copywritten (although that hasn't stopped other high schools from using copywritten sports logos for their own). But I would love to see the football or basketball team run out of the locker room to the song "School's Out".

That idea may be too old school, like having Alice Kramden, the long suffering wife in Jackie Gleason's "The Honeymooners", as a logo.

Perhaps Alice Hyatt, the waitress played by Linda Lavin in the '70s TV show, "Alice" would make a good logo. The cheerleaders could wear vintage polyester uniforms and shout "Kiss my grits!"

What about the Vincennes Lincoln A's, the Vincennes Lincoln Big Al's or the Vincennes Lincoln Al Bundys? What about that poor girl in Elton John's "All The Young Girls Love Alice?" Or the Alice that Howard Carpendale lived next door to?

I'm still curious about the history of Vincennes. So, I'm linked to a Facebook site on the subject. Vincennes used to have a food packing company in the 1930's that used to bottle "Alice of Old Vincennes" ketchup. I jokingly asked if the nickname "Alices" came from a brand of ketchup but nobody took the bait. Instead, I got several very serious responses educating me on the history of the nickname, "Alice".

I think the name is going to stick.

Back in 1969, Johnny Cash recorded a hit song called, "A Boy Named Sue". Based on a poem by Shel Silverstein, the story's about a guy who was given a girl's name. And not a bi-gender name like Leslie, Jody or Tracy. So, Sue was taunted and harassed. As a result, he had to learn to defend himself. Sue finally catches up with his long lost father and fights him. As Sue gets ready to finish Dad off, Dad explains the reason why he named his son Sue. Since Dad wouldn't be around to raise the boy, he wanted to make sure that Sue had a "name to help make (him) strong". As the story goes, Silverstein got the idea for the poem from humorist Jean Shepherd, who wrote and narrated "A Christmas Story."

Maybe it was that mentality that helped Lincoln's 1923 and 1981 state champs. Maybe that name got a few "Alices" into professional sports. Shortstop Clint Barmes is a 10-year veteran who is currently with my Pittsburgh Pirates. Punter Dan Stryzynski had a successful 15 year career in the NFL, two of which were with my Steelers.

I looked to see if the Alices made lists of "Worst Team Names in Sports Today". But the lists were mainly of pro and college nicknames, such as the University of Arkansas at Monticello Boll Weevils and The Scottsdale Community College Fighting Artichokes. The Alices didn't even make RantSports.com's "20 Worst High School Mascots In The Nation", although the Morton Potters made the list at #7.

Don't get me wrong. I still think it's a very silly name for any sports team. I wouldn't even name my fantasy team "The Alices". But, I don't mind if they keep it. Besides, it has won me a few dollars in bets!

Regional neighborhood conference set to open

The 2013 Regional Neighborhood Network Conference, where a coalition of big and small Midwestern cities converge to discuss ways to improve their neighborhoods, will be Thursday through Saturday at Four Points Sheraton.

More than 400 representatives from 22 Midwestern cities will participate in discussions and exchange ideas that could transform troubled neighborhoods. "We look forward to the opportunity to showcase Peoria's diverse Neighborhoods and committed Neighborhood Leaders," said a release from Peoria City Hall.

Last spring, after a meeting the the RNNC's steering committee in Peoria, local officials lauded the work of the organization, which has included Peoria the last 25 years. "This really is one of the most important organizations that Peoria is part of, in my opinion, because the cities represented all help each other find ways to improve their neighborhoods," said Paul Masick, president of the Peoria Neighborhood Alliance.

Peoria City Councilmen Eric Turner and Ryan Spain, both advocates of strong neighborhoods and the council's chief drivers of the Warehouse District, spearheaded the drive for the 2013 RNNC to be in Peoria. It was last here in 2001.

"It is an honor and pleasure to have an opportunity to showcase our wonderful city with all its amenities, including our dedicated neighborhood advocates. The city understands that an event of this magnitude will need strong community partnership with Peoria's key stakeholders to be successful," Turner said after that committee meeting in March.

Spain noted that the RNNC is a success because it involves not only neighborhood organizations but civic, political and business leaders of the communities. Locally, that includes leaders from Caterpillar Inc., CEFCU and Illinois-American Water Co.

Another key sponsor is the Peoria Area Association of Realtors, which stays tuned in to what is happening in area neighborhoods.

Dallas Hancock, CEO of the Realtors Association, commended local leadership for bringing the conference to Peoria. "A city is only as healthy as its neighborhoods. Each year this conference brings ideas and people together to focus on a common goal of improving their neighborhoods. As an All-American City, Peoria needs to be a leader in improving the quality of life in all its neighborhoods by exchanging challenges and success with other communities in the region," she said Hancock.

The conference begins at 2 p.m. Thursday and keynote speakers include Dr. Chuck Stoney, a professor of management and leadership at Bradley University and the author of several books about management. Also speaking is Dave Meslin, a dynamic community innovator from Toronto.

Breakout sessions are scheduled for Friday and Saturday, with local trips and events planned for the evenings.

For more information on the RRN Conference visit www.peoriagov.org/community-development/neighborhood-development-division/regional-neighborhood-network-conference-rnnc/

Illinois cities involved in the RNNC are Peoria and Decatur. Indiana cities are Indianapolis, Evansville, Ft. Wayne, Muncie, Richmond, South Bend and Terre Haute.

Kentucky cities are Bowling Green, Covington, Lexington, Louisville and Owensboro. Ohio cities are Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton, Lima, Springfield and Toledo. Tennessee is represented by Memphis and Knox County.

"While representatives of the member cities typically interact face-to-face, a minimum of two times per year at Steering Committee meetings, the friendships have become long-standing opportunities for resource sharing through technology. All conference collaborations are conducted in a non-partisan manner. This interaction among the city representatives has transcended party politics and is based simply on trust, respect, and genuine friendships that have evolved," the RNNC said.

Knight: Did you smell that kaleidoscope?

I can imagine the response if I write that, as a kid, I sleepwalked and had an imaginary friend.

"No surprise," a Tea Partier may sniff. "Progressives are sleepwalking through the 21st century, and union guys are surrounded by imaginary friends."

But if I mention that I used to explain to my Kindergarten teacher that days of the week were certain colors, the reaction might be more like, "Step away from the ledge, sir."

My sleepwalking lasted a couple of years, when I'd usually walk downstairs and sort of speak in tongues to my parents, who'd patiently explain that they couldn't understand what I was babbling about and then gently accompany me back to bed. The following mornings I'd have vague, dream-like memories of these frustrating interactions.

My imaginary friend faded before I started school, but I feel a little guilty even now just dismissing him (his name was Dewey) because my feelings about him – not exactly "memories" – are vivid, if not precisely describable in a physical sense.

However, I can describe days' colors, even now:

Monday is green, Tuesday blue, Wednesday yellow, Thursday purple, Friday brown, Saturday white and Sunday red.

That's that.

Weird? Maybe.

But ... maybe not.

It turns out that some people experience the world in a kind of "sensory stereo," with numbers or letters perceived as colors, musical notes a certain smell or taste, and maybe a poem or paragraph a soothing or jangled tone or chord.

It's called "synesthesia," an unusual neurological syndrome.

"Most synesthetes believe that [artist] Charles Burchfield was synesthetic," said Nancy Weekly, a leading scholar on the watercolorist who shared her theory this summer at the annual conference of the American Synesthesia Association in Toronto.

"Synesthesia is a neurological condition in which stimulation in one sensory or cognitive pathway leads to automatic, involuntary experience in a second sensory or cognitive pathway," she explained.

Therefore, a trigger – a day of the week, for instance – provokes not only the understanding of a day, but a color. Maybe a sharp pain sparks a bitter taste.

Daniel Tammet, a high-achieving autistic savant, wrote about that in his compelling book, "Born on a Blue Day."

Synesthesia can take different forms, too. "Grapheme-color synesthesia" is believed to be the most common, where affected folks perceive numbers and letters as colors: a five may be blue, two green, etc. In fact, composer Oliver Messiaen – who wrote "Le Merle Noir" and whose synesthesia is well-documented – perceived sounds as color, and wrote music that sought to depict the colors he perceived.

"For Burchfield, his journals suggest he 'saw' sounds and smells, and his paintings depict the sounds and smells of the natural world he explored," said Weekly, a professor at SUNY Buffalo State and author of "Charles E. Burchfield: The Sacred Woods."

"He also depicted emotions as shapes, which he called 'conventions for abstract thoughts'," she added.

For Burchfield, certain shapes depicted brooding, loneliness, and morbidness, among others. His art is often described as fantastical, but it may simply show reality as he perceived it.

People with synesthesia – about 4 percent of the population, according to the association – can experience dual perceptions in response to a single stimulus, according to studies using MRIs and other technologies.

Blending the senses may be as reasonable as mixing computers and illustrations, Weekly said after the conference.

"One theme that emerged is that art and science are not diametrically opposed," she said. "Synesthesia is on the cusp of exploring what may, in fact, be a deep connection between the two."

That makes perfect sense to me.

I'd really like to ask Dewey.

However, sad to say, I lost that connection.