CalendarMay 2016

A Monthly Publication from New Hampshire Humanities

Humanities to Go (HTG) is our most democratic (small d!) way of sharing the humanities with people in every corner of New Hampshire. This year, more than 450 programs will gather Granite Staters in libraries, historical societies, town halls, and other local venues. HTG gets lots of well-earned love from New Hampshire Humanities supporters. How does it work? Simple. Program hosts choose from more than 200 programs offered by 100 presenters on a wide array of topics ranging from the history of brewing to the power and impact of comics through the ages to living history programs on the lives and times of important

This fall we’ll release a new catalog of HTG programs. The

soliciting and auditioning new programs. We received scores of applications in response to a request for proposals over the winter, and we’ll audition more than 50 programs over two days

You be the judge as we audition programs at our 2016 Humanities Fairin June. We’ll host our two-part Humanities Fair for a full day on Friday, June 10 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Saturday, June 18 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at in Manchester.

and help review new programs on a wonderfully diverse range of topics including Galileo and his world, racial struggles in the Northeast, New England lighthouses and living history programs on NH musician Abby Hutchinson, beloved author Laura Ingalls Wilder, suffragist Lucy Stone, and President Teddy Roosevelt.

Which programs will be included in our 2016 catalog? Help us decide! Humanities Fair participants will view programs and

of choosing which programs to offer through the catalog. Visit the Humanities to Go page of our website to register for either or both days of our Humanities Fair or call 224-4071.

His passion for his

Reviewer of George Morrison’s Humanities to Go program, Benedict Arnold: Patriot Traitor. That’s George center right, at our 2012 Humanities Fair. Photo by Cheryl Senter.

Stephen P. Barba, ChairConcordEllen Scarponi, Vice-ChairFairPoint CommunicationsMartha McLeod, TreasurerMMcLeod ConsultingBob Odell, SecretaryNew LondonRobin O. Kenney, Immediate Past ChairPeterboroughJane ChristieKingstonStephen ChristyMascoma Savings BankKathy GillettManchesterWilbur A. Glahn, IIIMcLane MiddletonJada Keye HebraSt. Paul’s SchoolPatricia HicksUniversity of New Hampshire, ManchesterJamison HoffHollisMarcia J. KellyDartmouth CollegeKristina LucasNHTI Concord’s Community CollegeInez McDermottNew England CollegeDaniel Thomas MoranWebsterJames E. MorrisOrr & Reno, PARusty J. MoscaNathan Wechsler & Company, PAEvan A. SmithHyperthermDavid H. WattersUniversity of New HampshireDaniel E. WillDevine MillimetSusan DeBevoise WrightSunapeeKen BurnsDirector Emeritus

Staff

Deborah WatrousExecutive DirectorSusan BartlettConnections Program CoordinatorSue Butman

Anne CoughlinMarketing DirectorLynn Douillette

Susan HatemAssociate DirectorCathy KaplanHumanities to Go CoordinatorMary Anne LaBrie

Kathy MathisProgram DirectorRachel Morin

Jane Berlin PauleyDevelopment Director

The in Moultonborough, has received a grant from New Hampshire Humanities for a multi-faceted project celebrating the Granite State’s deep Franco-American roots.

The project begins on Saturday, May 7 with the opening of an exhibit titled . French speakers have been an integral part of

New Hampshire’s state fabric for generations. The exhibit, on view through July 18, will honor Franco-American Thomas Plant, the original owner of the Lucknow estate, by exploring the history and impact of Franco Americans in New Hampshire from the 19th century to today. Admission to the exhibit is free. There is a fee to visit the rest of the Castle in the Clouds site.

On Wednesday, May 18 the Castle in the Clouds will host an from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The symposium

will be moderated by Castle in the Clouds Programs Coordinator Jennifer Belmont-Earl. Speakers include Dr. Katharine Harrington, Associate Professor of French at Plymouth State University and author of Writing the Nomadic Experience of French in Contemporary Literature; Dr. Mark Richard, Professor of History and Canadian Studies at SUNY Plattsburgh and author of Not a Catholic Nation: The Ku Klux Clan Confronts New England in the 1920s; and Robert Perreault, faculty member at Saint Anselm College and author of Franco-American Life and Culture in Manchester, New Hampshire: Vivre la Différence.

The day’s activities will include a guided tour of the exhibition and of the Lucknow

Teachers will also receive a guide on utilizing the project’s oral history resources in their classrooms. The symposium is open to the public, as well as to teachers, but space is limited. Register at www.castleintheclouds.org/events/free-academic-symposium.

The Castle in the Clouds will host a free gallery reception on Friday, June 3 at 5:30 p.m. The scholars who helped create the exhibition will be on hand to answer questions. Complimentary wine and crudites will be served.

For more information, contact programs@castleintheclouds.org.

2

air

ster

by Susan Bartlett, Connections Program Coordinator

What gives us hope? What experiences do we have in common: of growing up, of moving to a new country, of learning? What can literature teach us about the world, about ourselves? This March, students in Kate Deschenes’ Connections adult literacy group in ESOL classes at Nashua Adult Learningthrough Connections. The Lotus Seed by Sherry Garland, My People by Langston Hughes and When I Was Young in the Mountains by Cynthia Rylant are high-quality illustrated books, intended for children but ideal for adult learners, that quickly get to the heart of

Connections discussion facilitator Linda Graham offered writing prompts.

Student Ana Rodriguez wrote this response:

“I am… a positive person. I see life with love because life is wonderful; each day you can make a decision to change your life forever.

I feel… I am very happy because life is giving me the opportunity to help other people to change the negativity in their lives; sometimes one word can change each of our lives.

When I was young… I did not have a mother or a father – both died. But I had dreams in my heart. I have always liked to study.

I wish… to be an interpreter. I am blessed and fortunate because I study in an excellent school, where everyone is treated as an important person. We are the world, we are one big family.

Someday I will… be a good interpreter! When we are learning, we are making ourselves better persons and we have better lives.”

Literature opens new worlds for students, stimulates thinking and discussion, builds vocabulary, and creates a new sense of Connections brings to her classes:

“The students love the books and discussions, they open up and talk about themselves, their experiences, their memories and their

Connections is all about building communities of people who love to read and learn and discuss books. Each year, we reach more

classes, programs for incarcerated parents, and classes for adults with developmental disabilities.

For more information on Connections, contact Susan Bartlett at sbartlett@nhhumanities.org.

Making Connections: Book Discussions for Adult Learners

When we are learning, we are making ourselves better persons and we have better lives.” Ana Rodriguez Connections participant

Students in the Nashua Adult Learning Connections program. Photo by Becky Field.

3

New Hampshire Humanities has awarded a grant to the a series conducted in partnership with the . The series concludes on Tuesday, May 3 at 6 p.m. when Geneive Abdo will present .

fracturing the region.

Abdo is a fellow at the Atlantic Council where her research focuses on modern Iran and political Islam. She also co-chairs a program on Iran in conjunction with the Heinrich Böll Foundation North America.

Civilizations, a United Nations initiative established by

relations between Islamic and Western societies.

Abdo was a speaker in New Hampshire Humanities 2007 statewide project,

. She is the author of several books, including No God but God: Egypt and the Triumph of Islam, Answering Only to God: Faith and Freedom in Twenty-First Century Iran, Mecca and Main Street: Muslim Life in America After 9/11, and The New Sectarianism.

Abdo’s talk is free and open to the public, but registration is encouraged. It will be held at the University of New Hampshire at Manchester, 88 Commercial street, on the

Council website at www.wacnh.org.

Storytelling connects strangers, strengthens links between generations, and gives children the self-knowledge to carry them through hard times. Collecting stories helps create connections, preserve history, and foster a deeper understanding of the community’s collective roots, current challenges, and hopes for the future.

Storyteller and scholar Jo Radner has led several popular and successful oral history workshops around the state and she’ll bring her considerable expertise to the Seacoast region on May 14 for a workshop hosted by the Museum and the and funded in part through a New Hampshire Humanities grant.

The workshop will teach and reinforce best practices for designing and conducting community oral history projects. Participants will learn techniques for project implementation and planning, interviewing strategies, role playing, transcribing, and get an overview of useful tools and successful oral history projects.

The workshop will take place on Saturday, May 14 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Kingston Community Library. It is ideal for teams of three to four participants from a community, whether representives of a museum, historical society, school, or library, or other historically-minded people.

For more information, contact Project Director Stephen Sousa at steve-sousa@comcast.net. Download a registration form at www.kingstonnh.org/home/news/building-community-through-oral-history-open-to-towns-schools-organizations-may-14-2016.

Global Tipping Points: Insecure World

Jo Radner

4

How does a state with the motto “Live Free or Die” confront its participation in slavery, segregation, and the neglect of its Black history? The Shadows Fall North, that will premiere on Thursday, May 26 at 7 p.m. at the Music Hall in Portsmouth.

Funded in part by a grant from New Hampshire Humanities, Shadows Fall North focuses on the efforts of two dedicated historic preservationists and activists, Valerie Cunningham of Portsmouth and JerriAnne Boggis of Milford, to recover the stories of African Americans who have been rendered nearly invisible in the historical record, from individuals laid to rest at the African Burying Ground in Portsmouth to the novelist Harriet Wilson, author of Our NigStates, to the twenty slaves who petitioned the state legislature for their freedom in 1779.

For many, New Hampshire does not come to mind when thinking about race relations because of its lack of diversity, but Africans

impact of African Americans in New Hampshire in an old book of church records from 1807 that read “Contributions Xmas day – Venus – a Black – $1.” That scrap of paper led her to collect oral histories and, eventually, to establish the Portsmouth Black Heritage Trail, which takes tourists to sites where Portsmouth’s Black residents lived, worked, prayed, and celebrated.

The central story and metaphor in Shadows Fall North is the African Burying Ground in Portsmouth. In use during the 18th Century,

and a memorial park opened at the site in 2015. A reburial ceremony for the remains that had been exhumed was held May 23, 2015, as the focal point of a multi-day commemoration that garnered local and national attention. Shadows Fall North culminates with footage of the reburial ceremony.

citizens, largely outside of traditional scholarly and educational institutions, can be central in a process of recovering seemingly lost history.

Jason Sokol, an Associate Professor of History at the University of New Hampshire, will moderate the discussion.

Tickets for the premiere are $11 ($8 for seniors, students, and military personnel). Reserve yours on the Music Hall website at

Live Free or Die

Image from Shadows Fall North courtesy of the UNH Center

the reburial ceremony at the dedication of the African Burying Ground Memorial Park in Portsmouth.

5

Humanities in New HampshireYour Monthly Guide to Programs Around the State

Manchester, May 3Amherst, May 9Hollis, May 10Concord, May 10Canterbury, May 10Loudon, May 10Hollis, May 11Brookline, May 12

Humanities to Go generous support of

Lyndeborough, May 16

Antrim, May 21

North Woodstock, May 19Bath, May 28

Charlestown, May 7Wilmot, May 8Cornish, May 9Grantham, May 10Grantham, May 19Canaan, May 21Bradford, May 21Lebanon, May 26

Exeter, May 3Plaistow, May 4Madbury, May 10Seabrook, May 12Stratham, May 12Epping, May 13

Moultonborough, May 2Tilton, May 4Moultonborough, May 7Moultonborough, May 9Wolfeboro, May 12Sanbornton, May 12Campton, May 16Alton, May 17Moultonborough, May 18Ashland, May 18Laconia, May 19Meredith, May 24

New Boston, May 12Bedford, May 18

Manchester, May 19Hollis, May 19

Concord, May 26

Kingston, May 14North Hampton, May 16Dover, May 17Greenland, May 25Kensington, May 25Portsmouth, May 26

6

May 2016 2 Monday, 12:45 p.m., Lion’s Club, Old Route 109

Distinctly different paths led Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd to

The years that followed their move to the White House were

portray President and Mrs. Lincoln in this living history program, telling stories of their early lives and the challenges they faced during this turbulent time in our country’s history. Hosted by the Moultonborough Women’s Club. Contact: Harriet Bicksler, 539-4310

3 Tuesday, 6 p.m., UNH Manchester, 88 Commercial St.

See the article on page 4 for more information on this event. Learn more and reserve your seats at www.wacnh.org.

3 Tuesday, 7 p.m., Exeter Town Hall, 9 Front St.

Drawing on research from her book, Moved and Seconded: Town Meeting in New Hampshire, the Present, the Past, and the Future, Rebecca Rule regales audiences with stories of the rituals, traditions and history of town meeting, including the perennial characters, the literature, the humor, and the wisdom of this uniquely New England institution. Hosted by the Exeter Historical Society. Contact: Barbara Rimkunas, 778-2335

4 Wednesday, 2:30 p.m., NH Veterans Home, 139 Winter St.

of New Hampshire’s State Dog, the ChinookThis program looks at how dog sledding developed in New Hampshire and how the Chinook played a major role in this story. Explaining how man and his relationship with dogs won out over machines on several famous polar expeditions, Bob Cottrell covers the history of Arthur Walden and his Chinooks, the State Dog of New Hampshire. Cottrell will be accompanied by his appropriately named Chinook, Tug. Contact: 527-4400

4 Wednesday, 7 p.m., First Baptist Church, 122 Main St.

Immigrants from Celtic lands have come to the Americas bringing with them their musical traditions. Emery Hutchins and Jim Prendergast sing and play this traditional Celtic music using a variety of instruments, and share its links to American country music and its roots in the early twentieth century. Through stories and songs, they demonstrate how old time American mountain tunes are often derived directly from the songs of the Irish, yet were

Hosted by the Triangle Guild. Contact: Jean Latham, 382-5843

7 Saturday, 11 a.m., Silsby Free Public Library, 226 Main St.

of New Hampshire’s State Dog, the ChinookSee the listing for May 4 in Tilton for a description of this program. Contact: Holly Shaw, 826-7793

7 Saturday, 10 a.m., Castle in the Clouds, 455 Old Mountain Rd.

Learn more about this exhibit, which is on view through July 18, in the article on page 2.

8 Sunday, 2 p.m., Community Assn. Red Barn, 64 Village Rd.

Abenaki history has been reduced to near-invisibility as a result of conquest, a conquering culture that placed little value on the Native American experience, and a strategy of self-preservation that required many Abenaki to go “underground,” concealing their true identities to avoid discrimination and persecution. Robert Goodby, Franklin Pierce University, reveals archaeological evidence that shows their deep presence, inches below the earth’s surface. Hosted by the Wilmot Historical Society. Contact: Marc Davis, 927-4596

9 Monday, 2 p.m., Amherst Public Library, 14 Main St.

Speaking as Betsey Phelps, the mother of a Union soldier from Amherst, New Hampshire who died heroically at the Battle of Gettysburg, Sharon Wood offers an informative and sensitive

Wood blends the Phelps boy’s story with those of other men who

the families who supported them on the home front. Hosted by the Captain Josiah Crosby DAR. Contact: Ruslyn Vear, 673-2283

NH’s State Dog,the Chinook

7

9 Monday, 7:15 p.m., Moultonborough Library, 4 Holland St.

From Seabrook to Colebrook, Berlin to Hinsdale, New Hampshire’s towns, individuals and veterans organizations erected a fascinating assortment of memorials to The War of the Rebellion. Beginning with obelisks of the 1860s and continuing to re-mastered works of the 21st century, historian George Morrison presents a diverse selection of New Hampshire’s commemorations. Co-hosted by the Moultonborough Historical Society. Contact: Nancy McCue, 476-8895

9

Why are we so fascinated with stone walls? Kevin Gardner, author of The Granite Kiss, explains how and why New England came to acquire its thousands of miles of stone walls, the ways in which they and other dry stone structures were built, how their styles emerged

England landscape. Along the way, Kevin occupies himself building a

gallon bucket. Hosted by the Cornish HIstorical Society. Contact: Stuart Hodgeman, 477-2844

10 Tuesday, 7 p.m., Town Hall, 13 Town Hall Rd.

Who Won the War of 1812?

When was the War of 1812? That’s a trick question, but if you don’t recall America’s “Forgotten War” with England, you are not alone. Two hundred years ago, with only 17 armed ships, a youthful United States declared war on the world’s largest navy (over, 1,000 warships). Then we invaded Canada. That didn’t go well. In retaliation the British burned Washington, DC to the ground. So how come we think we won? J. Dennis Robinson offers an upbeat, often irreverent, slideshow on New Hampshire’s reluctant role in “Mr. Madison’s War” with special emphasis on the bold privateers who swarmed out of the state’s only seaport. Hosted by the Madbury Historical Society. Contact: Melissa Walker, 742-0497

10 Tuesday, 3 p.m., Lawrence Barn, 28 Depot Rd.

Did you know that photographer Margaret Bourke-White had to make Stalin laugh to get his picture, and she was told by Patton to hide his jowls? Letters and tender WWII-era V-mails found at Syracuse University form the basis for this living history program. Sally Matson’s lifetime in theatre began with acting and directing at Northwestern University, and her fascination with history provides the audience with an entertaining lesson. Hosted by the Anna Keyes Powers Chapter of the DAR. Contact: Mary Pease, 465-3501

10 Tuesday, 1 p.m., Pierce Manse, 14 Horseshoe Pond Lane

New Hampshire has lost many of its important historic buildings

cases, a plaque or marker provides a reminder of what was, but in other examples, no tangible evidence remains. Maggie Stier showcases some of the celebrated buildings that we’ve lost, and explores how and why we remember and commemorate those losses. Audiences will be challenged to think about other examples, and consider the ways in which we remember what isn’t there any longer. Co-hosted by the Buntin-Rumsford-Webster Chapter of the DAR. Contact: Kathleen Sternenberg, 724-7705

10 Tuesday, 7 p.m., Elkins Public Library, 9 Center Road

Marek Bennett presents a whirlwind survey of comics from around the world and throughout history, with special attention to what these vibrant narratives tell (and show) us about the people and periods that created them. Bennett engages and involves the audience in an interactive discussion of several sample comics representing cultures such as Ancient Rome, Medieval Europe, the Ancient Maya, Feudal and modern Japan, the United States in the early 20th century, and Nazi Germany during World War II. The program explores the various ways of creating and reading comics from around the world, and what these techniques tell us about the cultures in which they occur. Contact: Susasn LeClaire, 783-4386

10 Tuesday, 7 p.m., Dunbar Free Library, 401 NH Route 10

The recent spate of Sherlock Holmes movies, television shows, and literary adaptations indicate that the Great Detective is alive and well in the 21st century. Holmes is the most portrayed literary

different languages. Over the past century, Sherlockians created societies like the Baker Street Irregulars, wrote articles sussing out the “sources” of Doyle’s works, and, most recently, developed an

so popular? Ann McClellan’s presentation explores the origins of Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous detective and tracks his incarnations in

case of the most popular detective. Contact: Susan Wren, 863-7355

Marek Bennett will discuss Comics in World History May 10 in Canterbury.

8

10

Glenn Knoblock explores the fascinating history of New Hampshire’s beer and ale brewing industry from Colonial days, when it was home- and tavern-based, to today’s modern breweries and brew pubs. Unusual and rare photos and advertisements document this changing industry and the state’s earliest brewers, including the renowned Frank Jones. A number of lesser-known brewers and breweries that operated in the state are also discussed, including the only brewery owned and operated by a woman before the modern era. Illustrations present evidence of society’s changing attitudes towards beer and alcohol consumption over the years. Whether you’re a beer connoisseur or a “tea-totaler,” this lecture will be enjoyed by adults of all ages. Contact: 798-5153

11 Wednesday, 7 p.m., Hollis Social Library, 2 Monument Square

See the listing for May 8 in Wilmot for a description of this program.

12 Thursday, 7 p.m., Wolfeboro Public Library, 259 South Main St.

This lecture by Rachel Lehr provides a view of Afghanistan and the surrounding region through visual images and the stories of individuals who live there. Throughout the presentation Rachel Lehr will illustrate how ordinary lives and people are impacted by international politics and economics. Their personal experiences and research expertise afford a rare view of this misunderstood and complex region. Contact: 569-2428

12 Thursday, 6:30 p.m., Brookline Public Library, 16 Main St.

John G. Winant, three-time governor of New Hampshire went on to serve the nation in several capacities on the national and international scene. In the process he became a hero to the British in World War II and to the common man throughout the developed world. His life, marked by highs and lows, ended tragically in his mansion in Concord. Richard Hesse, University of New Hampshire School of Law, examines his life and measures his impact at home and abroad. Contact: Keith Thompson, 673-3330

12 Thursday, 7 p.m., Community Church, 2 Meetinghouse Hill Rd.

now Londonderry in 1722, and it would become a wildly popular event lasting for generations until it came to be so dominated

the legislature revoked its charter in 1850. But fairs have always had strong supporters and eventually the state came around to appropriating modest sums to help them succeed. Temperance groups and others would continue to attack the fairs on moral grounds and their close connection to horse racing was a chronic

down through years and how public affection for rural traditions helps them survive in contemporary times. Hosted by the New Boston Historical Society. Contact: Lisa Rothman, 487-3867

12 Thursday, 6:30 p.m., Seabrook Library, 25 Liberty Lane

Rebecca Rule shares the stories that make New England unique. And she wants to hear yours, too! Contact: Ann Robinson, 474-2044

12 Thursday, 6 p.m., Wiggin Memorial Library, 10 Bunker Hill Ave.

See the listing for May 10 in Grantham for a description of this program. Contact: 772-4346

12 Thursday, 7 p.m., Lane Tavern, 520 Sanborn Rd.

In their more than two and a half centuries of existence, members of the United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing,

agriculture, industry, medicine, music, furniture design, women’s rights, racial equality, craftsmanship, social and religious thought, and mechanical invention and improvement. Darryl Thompson explores some of these contributions in his lecture and shares some of his personal memories of the Canterbury Shakers. Hosted by the Sanbornton Historical Society. Contact: Linda Salatiello, 286-4526

Rachel Lehr will discuss contemporary Afghanistan May 12 in Wolfeboro.

9

13 Friday, 7 p.m., Harvey Mitchell Memorial Library, 151 Main St.

Abraham Lincoln, portrayed by Steve Wood, begins this program by recounting his early life and ends with a reading of the “Gettysburg Address.” Along the way he comments on the debates with Stephen Douglas, his run for the presidency, and the Civil War. Contact: Ben Brown, 734-4587

14 Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Kingston Community Library, 2 Library Lane

See the article on page 4 for more information on this program. Register at www.kingstonnh.org/home/news/building-community-through-oral-history-open-to-towns-schools-organizations-may-14-2016.

16 Monday, 7 p.m., North Hampton Town Hall, 231 Atlantic Ave.

In a brief 30-year period in the early 19th century the New Hampshire countryside became home to hundreds of thousands of sheep. Production of wool became a lucrative business, generating fortunes and providing the only time of true agricultural prosperity

thousands of miles of rugged stonewalls. Steve Taylor discusses how farmers overcame enormous challenges to make sheep husbandry succeed, but forces from beyond New Hampshire were to doom the industry, with social consequences that would last a century. Hosted by the North Hampton HIstorical Society. Contact: 379-2167

16 Monday, 7 p.m., Historical Society, 529 NH Route 175

TitanicThis program responds to people’s enduring fascination with this historic, and very human, event. Including and moving beyond the physical facts of the story, Ted Zalewski explores the personal experiences of selected passengers and crew, including those with

courage and triumph. Contact: Nancy Mardin, 536-3982

16 Monday, 7 p.m., J.A. Tarbell Library, 136 Forest Rd.

The year is 1876, and New Hampshire’s own John Hutchinson sings and tells about his famous musical family. Originally from Milford, NH, the Hutchinson Family Singers were among America’s most notable musical entertainers for much of the mid-19th century. They achieved international recognition with songs advancing social reform and political causes such as abolition, temperance, women’s suffrage, and the Lincoln presidential campaign of 1860. In this living history program, Steve Blunt portrays John Hutchinson. He tells the Hutchinsons’ story and shares their music with lyrics provided. Audience members are invited to sing along on “The Old Granite State,” “Get Off the Track,” “Tenting on the Old Campground,” and more. Contact: Regina Conrad, 654-6790

17 Tuesday, 7 p.m., Gilman Library, 100 Main St.

In 1837, teenaged Victoria ascended to the British throne, untrained and innocent. Those who would try to usurp her power underestimated this self-willed intelligent young woman whose mettle sustained her through her 63-year reign. Using Queen Victoria’s diary and letters, this program reveals the personal details of a powerful yet humane woman, who took seriously her role as monarch in a time of great expansion. She and her husband, Albert, set an example of high moral character and dedication, a novelty in the royal house after generations of scandal. Through her children she left a royal legacy; an era bears her name. Sally Mummey performs this living history in proper 19th century clothing resplendent with Royal Orders. Contact: 875-2550

17 Tuesday, 7 p.m., McConnell Center, 61 Locust St.

Daily life for the Amoskeag Manufacturing Company’s textile worker was not easy. Robert Perreault sheds light on how people from a variety of European countries as well as from French Canada made the transition from an agrarian to an industrial society and how that change affected families, cultures, the nature of work, and relationships among workers themselves. Hosted by the Dover Adult Learning Center. Contact: Kimberly Hanson, 742-1030

18

Bancroft Highway

Jose Lezcano presents a multi-media musical program that showcases the guitar in Latin America as an instrument that speaks many languages. Lezcano presents a variety of musical styles: indigenous strummers in ritual festivals from Ecuador, Gaucho music from Argentina, European parlor waltzes from Venezuela, and Afro-Brazilian samba-pagode. He also plays pieces by Villa-Lobos, Brouwer, Lauro, Barrios, Pereira, and examples from his Fulbright-

Contact: 429-1315

Charlesshares tTeddy RNobel Pand NHrole in tprocess in Manc

10

18 Wednesday, 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Castle in the Clouds, 455 Old Mountain Rd.

Learn more about this free symposium in the article on page 2. Space is limited. Register at www.castleintheclouds.org/events/ free-academic-symposium.

18 Wednesday, 1 p.m., St. Mark’s Church, 18 Highland St.

See the listing for May 4 in Plaistow for a description of this program which is hosted by the Ashland Womens’ Club. Contact: 968-3838

18 Wednesday, 7 p.m., Bedford Library, 3 Meetinghouse Rd.

Based on recently discovered historical materials and recent books, this program by Douglas Wheeler is an inquiry into the

Hale, of Coventry, Connecticut. Wheeler takes audiences on a journey through the spy world of the Culper Spy Ring of New York, the most secret of the American spy rings and the most successful in getting useful intelligence to General George Washington.

The program is illustrated with images of the main places and dramatis personae of this unusual network of patriot secret agents and couriers. Hosted by the Bedford Historical Society. Contact: Bill Earnshaw, 472-3866

19

165 Lost River Rd.

Musical humorist Charles Ross Taggart grew up in Topsham, Vermont, going on to perform in various lyceum and Chautauqua circuits all across the country for over 40 years starting in 1895.

at least 40 recordings on various labels, as well as appearing in an early talking movie four years before Al Jolson starred in The Jazz Singer. Adam Boyce portrays Mr. Taggart near the end of Taggart’s career, c. 1936, sharing recollections on his life, with some live

program. Hosted by the Moosilauke Public Library. Contact: Wendy Pelletier, 745-9971

19 Thursday, 7 p.m., Stephenson Memorial Library, Junction Routes 136 and 31

See the listing for May 12 in New Boston for a description of this

Contact: Adele Hale, 547-3403

19 Thursday, 7 p.m., Millyard Museum, 200 Bedford Street

Teddy Roosevelt chose Portsmouth to be the site of the 1905 peace treaty negotiations between Russian and Japanese delegations

focuses on Roosevelt’s multi-track diplomacy that included other world powers, the Russian and Japanese delegations, the US Navy, and New Hampshire hosts in 30 days of negotiations that resulted in the Portsmouth Peace Treaty and earned Roosevelt the 1906 Nobel Peace Prize. The program then focuses on how ordinary people from throughout New Hampshire positively affected the Portsmouth negotiations. Hosted by the Manchester Historic Association. Contact: John Clayton, 622-7531

19 Thursday, 7 p.m., Lawrence Barn, 28 Depot Rd.

See the listing for May 12 in Seabrook for a description of this program which is hosted by the Hollis Historical Society. Contact: Sharon Howe, 465-3935

19 Thursday, 7 p.m., Laconia Public Library, 695 Main St.

See the listing for May 10 in Grantham for a description of this program. Contact: 524-4775 x12

Charles Doleac shares the story of Teddy Roosevelt’s Nobel Peace Prize and NH’s special role in the peace process on May 19 in Manchester.

11

N

19 Thursday, 7 p.m., Aaron Cutler Memorial Library, 269 Charles Bancroft Highway

See the listing for May 10 in Loudon for a description of this program. Contact: Alex Robinson, 424-4044

19 Thursday, 7 p.m., Grantham Town Hall, 200 Route 10 South

See the listing for May 8 in Wilmot for a description of this program which is hosted by the Grantham Historical Society. Contact: Kenneth Story, 359-4405

21 CANAANSaturday, 1 p.m., Canaan Town Library, 1173 US Route 4

See the listing for May 10 in Grantham for a description of this program. Contact: 523-9650

21 Saturday, 7:30 p.m., Atrim Grange, 253 Clinton Rd.

See the listing for May 12 in New Boston for a description of this program which is co-hosted by the Hillsborough County Pomona Grange. Contact: Beth Merrill, 588-6615

21 Saturday, 1 p.m., Tin Shop, 160 East Main St.

See the listing for May 9 in Cornish for a description of this program which is hosted by the Bradford Historical Society. Contact: Claire James, 938-2041

24 Tuesday, 6:30 p.m., Meredith Public Library, 91 Main St.

See the listing for May 9 in Moultonborough for a description of this program. Contact: Erin Apostolos, 279-4303

25 Wednesday, 6:30 p.m., Weeks Library, 36 Post Rd.

See the listing for May 3 in Exeter for a description of this program. Contact: Denise Grimse, 436-8548

25 Wednesday, 7 p.m., Kensington Library, 126 Amesbury Rd.

Rubbings, photographs, and slides illustrate the rich variety of gravestones to be found in our own neighborhoods, but they also tell long-forgotten stories of such historical events as the Great Awakening, the Throat Distemper epidemic, and the American Revolution. Find out more about these deeply personal works of art and the craftsmen who carved them with Glenn Knoblock, and learn how to read the stone “pages” that give insight into the vast genealogical book of New Hampshire. Co-hosted by the Kensington Historical Society. Contact: 772-5022

26 Thursday, 2:30 p.m., Heritage Heights, 149 East Side Drive

The native Abenaki people played a central role in the history of the Monadnock region, defending it against English settlement and forcing the abandonment of Keene and other Monadnock area towns during the French and Indian Wars. Despite this, little is known about the Abenaki, and conventional histories often depict

rather than the homeland of people who had been there for hundreds of generations. Robert Goodby, Franklin Pierce University, discusses how the real depth of Native history was revealed when an archaeological study prior to construction of the new Keene Middle School discovered traces of four structures dating to the end of the Ice Age. Undisturbed for 12,000 years, the site revealed information about the economy, gender roles, and household

evidence of social networks that extended for hundreds of miles across northern New England. Contact: 229-1266

26 Thursday, 6 p.m., Upper Valley Senior Center, 10 Campbell St.

See the listing for May 9 in Amherst for a description of this program. Contact: Jill Vahey, 448-4213

26 Thursday, 7 p.m., Music Hall, 28 Chestnut St.

Shadows FallSee the article on page 5 for more information on this event. Reserve your tickets at www.themusichall.org.

28 BATHSaturday, 7 p.m., Bath Town Hall, 4 West Bath Rd.

Contra dancing came to New Hampshire by way of the English colonists and remains popular in many communities, particularly in the Monadnock Region. Presenter Dudley Laufman brings this tradition to life with stories, poems and recordings of callers, musicians, and dancers, past and present. Live music, always integral

Willing audience members may be invited to dance the Virginia Reel! Hosted by the Bath Public Library. Contact: 747-3372

12

Teachers are invited to expand their understanding of the effects of the Civil War in the Granite State at a three-day teacher workshop hosted by the Historical Society of Cheshire County

and reconstruction from 1860 through 1877.

The workshop is designed for elementary and middle school teachers and will give them the opportunity to become familiar with the types of primary documents that are available for teaching the Civil War and how to use those resources in the classroom. The

home front, and the reconstruction period. Sessions led by local educators will focus on multidisciplinary approaches to teaching

and place-based learning opportunities.

To help bring the time period to life, the workshops will consiste of interactive lectures, hands-on activities, opportunities to

Hampshire Volunteer Regiment.

Graham Warder, Associate Professor of American History at Keene State College, will lead the workshop in collaboration with Alan Rumrill, Executive Director of the Historical Society of Cheshire County. Other presenters include Marek Bennett, expert on

Runjybasm, Curator of the Exeter Historical Society, who will discuss their on-line Exeter History Minute teaching tool.

The workshop will take place from Wednesday, June 22 through Friday, June 24 at the Historical Society of Cheshire County. Participants will receive 20 professional development credits for attending.

For more information or to register, contact Project Director Jennifer Carroll, Director of Education at the Historical Society of

Teacher Workshop will explore the legacy of the Civil War in NH

NH Sharpshooters monument at Gettysburg.

13

Justice David Souter expressed his deep concern over a domestic threat to our democracy when he launched the Constitutionally Speaking project with a public talk in 2012. He cited ignorance of civics in the American public and a lack of focus on the teaching of

The (NHICE), with New Hampshire Humanities, one of the founding partners in Constitutionally Speaking, is working to address this pressing issue with an array of initiatives aimed at improving the teaching of civics in public schools.

To that end, NHICE will host two teacher workshops in June. First, will take place on Thursday and Friday, June 23 and 24, at the Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College. Middle

school teachers will hear from an array of experts on best practices in civic education, game-based learning, the iCivics online civics education program, and using iCivics in the classroom.

NHICE will present on Monday, June 27 at The Childrens’ Museum in Dover. An impressive roster of speakers will present teachers of grades K-5 with information, inspiration, theory, and materials to support the teaching of civics to children. Participating educators will receive a $75 stipend and 10 credit hours for participation in the workshop and curriculum development.

Learn more and register for the K-5 workshop at http://constitutionallyspeakingnh.org/elem_workshop_brochure.php.

Learn more and register for the middle school workshop at http://constitutionallyspeakingnh.org/mid_workshop_brochure.php.

For more information, contact Martha Madsen, President of the New Hampshire Institute for Civics Education, at martha@constitutionallyspeakingnh.org.

David Souter and Margaret Warner talking with students at the inaugural Constitutionally Speaking public event in 2012

14

Address

Phone E-mail

Please save paper and postage and e-mail my tax receipt Please list me as Anonymous

$500 $250 $100 $50 $25* Other $__________ *$25 minimum to receive the print Calendar Open Circle: $1,000 or more This gift is: monthly matched by my employer

Please send me: Print Calendar* Electronic Calendar Both

MC Visa Discover AMEX

Card number CVC

Expiration date Signature

Please return to New Hampshire Humanities, 117 Pleasant Street, Concord, NH 03301 or give securely on our website at www.nhhumanities.org.

or ldouillette@nhhumanities.org.

Please support New Hampshire Humanities with your gift today.

May

201

6

“The humanities have been my internal compass during a lifetime of wrestling with enduring questions of how to live a good life and what it means to be fully and authentically human. The questions change with experience, but also through encounters with literature, the arts, history… and with the lives of other people.”

David Watters is a State Senator representing

and has written books and essays on literature and about New England’s old gravestones.

Your gift to New Hampshire Humanities helps make exploring these essential questions possible.

Thank you.

aking

15

117 Pleasant Street Concord, NH 03301-0375 Phone: (603) 224-4071 Fax: (603) 224-4072 www.nhhumanities.org

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION

U.S. POSTAGE PAID NEW HAMPSHIRE

HUMANITIES COUNCIL

Thank you for