Friday March 7, 2014
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7:00 PM
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Moved and Seconded: Town Meeting in New Hampshire
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Contact: Dottie Bean 332-5521
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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.
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Location: Goodwin Library, 422 Main St., Farmington
*This talk is offered on several other dates across the state. Please visit the Humanities Council website for a full list of offerings.
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2:00 PM
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Baked Beans and Fried Clams: How Food Defines A Region
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Contact: Katie Gallagher 209-1774
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Baked Beans, fried clams, fish chowder, Indian pudding - so many foods are distinctive to New England. This talk offers a celebration of these regional favorites along with an examination of how contemporary life has distanced us from these classics. What makes them special and how do these foods define our region?
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Location: Langdon Town Hall/Meetinghouse, 5 Walker Hill Rd., Langdon
*This talk is offered on several other dates across the state. Please visit the Humanities Council website for a full list of offerings.
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Tuesday March 11, 2014
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7:00 PM
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Comics in World History and Cultures
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Contact: Ruslyn Vear 673-2288
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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.
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Location: Amherst Town Library, 14 Main St., Amherst
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Wednesday March 12, 2014
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6:30 PM
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A Night of Music with Two Old Friends
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Contact: Naella MaCloughlin 279-1500
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Over the centuries immigrants from the British Isles have come to the Americas bringing with them their musical styles and tastes as well as their instruments. With the concertina, bodhran, mandolin, octave mandolin, guitar, and banjo, Emery Hutchins and Jim Prendergast sing and play this traditional Celtic music, but they also perform American country music in the way it was conceived in the early twentieth century. Through stories, songs and instrumental melodies, they demonstrate how old time American mountain tunes are often derived directly from the songs of the Irish, yet are influenced by other cultural groups to create a new American sound.
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Location: Meredith Bay Colony Club, 21 Upper Mile Point Dr., Meredith
*This talk is offered on several other dates across the state. Please visit the Humanities Council website for a full list of offerings.
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7:30 PM
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Family Stories: How and Why to Remember and Tell Them
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Contact: William Earnshaw 472-3866
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Telling personal and family stories is fun - and much more. Storytelling connects strangers, strengthens links between generations, and gives children the self-knowledge to carry them through hard times. Knowledge of family history has even been linked to better teen behavior and mental health. In this active and interactive program, storyteller Jo Radner shares foolproof ways to mine memories and interview relatives for meaningful stories. Participants practices finding, developing, and telling their own tales.
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Location: Bedford Public Library, 3 Meetinghouse Road, Bedford
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Thursday March 13, 2014
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7:30 PM
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Cannon Shenanigans and New Hampshire's Muster Day Tradition
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Contact: Lisa Rothman 487-3867
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New Hampshire's Muster Day tradition ended in 1850, as did some of the related localized rivalries that involved the stealing of cannons. Muster Day was a day of drills, marching, and sham battles for local militias in NH. This spectator event was accompanied by entertainers, vendors, gamblers, and a great deal of alcohol. Throughout 19th century NH, demand for cannons for Fourth of July, election celebrations, demonstrations of civic pride, and for the sheer cussedness of making noise, often exceeded supply. Various town and regional rivalries sprang up over the possession of particular cannons and were constant headaches for local authorities. Jack Noon will explore the vestiges of this tradition that survived well into the 20th century.
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Location: New Boston Historical Society (Wason Mem. Bldg), 2 Central Square, New Boston
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Monday March 17, 2014
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7:00 PM
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Traditional Matryoshka Nested Doll Making: from Russia to New Hampshire
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Contact: Taylor Community 524-5600
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Marina Forbes shares many examples of Matroyshka nested dolls, including examples of her own work and from her extensive collection, as she examines the rich folk tradition and symbolism of the dolls' appearance. She explores the link between doll making and other traditional Russian art forms. There will be a quick stop at the 1900 World's Fair in Paris that made Russian nested dolls and Fabergé eggs famous, followed by an illustrated tour of a working doll-making factory in rural Russia.
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Location: Taylor Community (Woodside Bldg.), 435 Union Ave., Laconia
*This talk is offered on several other dates across the state. Please visit the Humanities Council website for a full list of offerings.
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Wednesday March 19, 2014
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1:00 PM
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Imperial Russian Fabergé Eggs
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Contact: Polly Fife 228-6956
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This illustrated presentation by Marina Forbes focuses on the life and remarkable work of Russian master jeweler and artist, Peter Carl Fabergé. The program features a photo-tour of Fabergé collections at the Constantine Palace in St. Petersburg and from major museums and private collectors around the world. Explore the important role of egg painting in Russian culture and the development of this major Russian art form from a traditional craft to the level of exquisite fine art under the patronage of the tsars. Forbes also discusses the fascinating history of these eggs, their role in the dramatic events of the last decades of Romanov rule in Russia, and in the years following the Bolshevik Revolution.
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Location: Horseshoe Pond Place Senior Ctr., 26 Commerical St., Concord
*This talk is offered on several other dates across the state. Please visit the Humanities Council website for a full list of offerings.
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Tuesday March 25, 2014
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7:00 PM
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New Hampshire's Grange Movement: Its Rise, Triumphs and Decline
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Contact: Bob Haefner 889-1553
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Much of rural New Hampshire in the late 19th century was locked in a downward spiral of population decline, abandonment of farms, reversion of cleared land to forest and widespread feelings of melancholy and loss. The development of the Grange movement in the 1880s and 1890s was aided greatly by hunger for social interaction, entertainment and mutual support. As membership surged it became a major force in policymaking in Concord, and its agenda aligned closely with the Progressive politics that swept the state in early 20th century. Many Grange initiatives became law, placing the state at the leading edge in several areas of reform. Steve Taylor analyzes the rapid social and economic changes that would eventually force the steep decline of the once-powerful movement.
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Location: Hudson Grange Hall, 4 Old Windham Rd., Hudson
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Saturday March 29, 2014
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7:00 PM
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Old Time Rules Will Prevail: The Fiddle Contest in New Hampshire and New England
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Contact: Kathie Bonor 747-3372
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Fiddle contests evolved from endurance marathons to playing a set number of tunes judged by certain specific criteria. Whether large or small, fiddle contests tried to show who was the "best," as well as preserve old-time fiddling and raise money for local organizations. In recent years, the fiddle contest has declined significantly in New England due to cultural changes and financial viability. The greatest legacies of these contests were recordings made during live competition. A sampling of these tunes is played during the presentation, as well as some live fiddling by the presenter, Adam Boyce.
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Location: Bath Village School, 61 Lisbon Rd., Bath
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Tuesday April 1, 2014
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7:30 PM
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New Hampshire's Grange Movement: Its Rise, Triumphs and Decline
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Contact: Laura Martin Gowing 778-2335
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Much of rural New Hampshire in the late 19th century was locked in a downward spiral of population decline, abandonment of farms, reversion of cleared land to forest and widespread feelings of melancholy and loss. The development of the Grange movement in the 1880s and 1890s was aided greatly by hunger for social interaction, entertainment and mutual support. As membership surged it became a major force in policymaking in Concord, and its agenda aligned closely with the Progressive politics that swept the state in early 20th century. Many Grange initiatives became law, placing the state at the leading edge in several areas of reform. Steve Taylor analyzes the rapid social and economic changes that would eventually force the steep decline of the once-powerful movement.
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Location: Exeter Historical Society, 47 Front St., Exeter
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Location: Gilford Public Library, 31 Potter Hill Rd., Gilford
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Friday April 4, 2014
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7:00 PM
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Harnessing History: On the Trail of New Hampshire's State Dog, the Chinook
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Contact: Dottie Bean 332-5521
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This 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. Inquire whether the speaker's dog will accompany him.
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Location: Goodwin Library (Henry Wilson Museum), 422 Main St., Farmington
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Wednesday April 9, 2014
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1:00 PM
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Songs of Old New Hampshire
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Contact: Emily Whalen 228-6630
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Drawing heavily on the repertoire of traditional singer Lena Bourne Fish (1873-1945) of Jaffrey and Temple, New Hampshire, Jeff Warner offers the songs and stories that, in the words of Carl Sandburg, tell us "where we came from and what brought us along." These ballads, love songs and comic pieces, reveal the experiences and emotions of daily life in the days before movies, sound recordings and, for some, books. Songs from the lumber camps, the decks of sailing ships, the textile mills and the war between the sexes offer views of pre-industrial New England and a chance to hear living artifacts from the 18th and 19th centuries.
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Location: Centennial Senior Center, 254 N. State St., Concord
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Thursday April 10, 2014
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7:00 PM
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12,000 Years Ago in the Granite State
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Contact: Jaffrey Civic Center 532-6527
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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 the first Europeans entering an untamed, uninhabited wilderness, rather than the homeland of people who had been there for hundreds of generations. Robert Goodby 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 organization of the Granite State's very first inhabitants, as well as evidence of social networks that extended for hundreds of miles across northern New England.
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Location: Jaffrey Civic Center, 40 Main St., Jaffrey
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7:00 PM
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The Ballad Lives!
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Contact: North Hampton Public Library 964-6326
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Murder and mayhem, robbery and rapine, love that cuts to the bone: American ballads re-tell the wrenching themes of their English and Scottish cousins. Transplanted in the new world by old world immigrants, the traditional story-song of the Anglos and Scots wound up reinvigorated in the mountains of Appalachia and along the Canadian border. John Perrault talks, sings, and picks the strings that bind the old ballads to the new.
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Location: North Hampton Public Library, 237A Atlantic Ave., North Hampton
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7:00 PM
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Town by Town, Watershed by Watershed: Native Americans in NH
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Contact: Jennifer Mika 724-1326
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Every town and watershed in New Hampshire has ancient and continuing Native American history. From the recent, late 20th century explosion of local Native population in New Hampshire back to the era of early settlement and the colonial wars, John and Donna Moody explore the history of New Hampshire's Abenaki and Penacook peoples with a focus on your local community.
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Location: Pittsfield Historical Society, 13 Elm St., Pittsfield
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Wednesday April 16, 2014
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7:00 PM
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Old Time Rules Will Prevail: The Fiddle Contest in New Hampshire and New England
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Contact: Sally Woodman 382-7574
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Fiddle contests evolved from endurance marathons to playing a set number of tunes judged by certain specific criteria. Whether large or small, fiddle contests tried to show who was the "best," as well as preserve old-time fiddling and raise money for local organizations. In recent years, the fiddle contest has declined significantly in New England due to cultural changes and financial viability. The greatest legacies of these contests were recordings made during live competition. A sampling of these tunes is played during the presentation, as well as some live fiddling by the presenter, Adam Boyce.
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Location: Newton Town Hall, 2 Town Hall Rd., Newton
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Friday April 18, 2014
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7:00 PM
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That Reminds Me of a Story
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Contact: Sheila Jones 539-4071
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Stories speak to us of community. They hold our history and reflect our identity. Rebecca Rule has made it her mission over the last 20 years to collect stories of New Hampshire, especially those that reflect what's special about this rocky old place. She'll tell some of those stories - her favorites are the funny ones - and invite audience members to contribute a few stories of their own.
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Location: Effingham Historical Society Bldg., 1014 Province Lake Rd. (Rte. 153), Ctr. Effingham
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Saturday April 19, 2014
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1:00 PM
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Harnessing History: On the Trail of New Hampshire's State Dog, the Chinook
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Contact: Veronica Mueller 764-9072
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This 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. Inquire whether the speaker's dog will accompany him.
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Location: Joseph Patch Library, 320 NH Rte. 25, Warren
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Tuesday April 22, 2014
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6:30 PM
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Music in my Pockets: Family Fun in Folk Music
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Contact: Robin Sweetser 464-3595
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Singing games, accessible "pocket instruments" like spoons and dancing puppets, tall tales, funny songs, old songs and songs kids teach each other in the playground are all traditional in that they have been passed down the generations by word of mouth. They will all be seen, heard and learned as Jeff Warner visits 1850 or 1910 in a New England town, with families gathered around the figurative hearth, participating in timeless, hearty entertainment and, almost without the audience knowing it, teaches how America amused itself before electricity.
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Location: Fuller Public Library, 29 School St., Hillsboro
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Wednesday April 23, 2014
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2:00 PM
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Made of Thunder, Made of Glass: American Indian Beadwork of the Northeast
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Contact: Mose Olenik 924-4555
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A long neglected and misunderstood area of American Indian art has been the "souvenir" beadwork produced by the Northeast woodland tribes. Not everyone is aware of the historical context and currents that contributed to the emergence of this type of American Indian artistry. Gerry Biron examines 19th century work produced by the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) from upstate New York and eastern Canada, to the Wabanaki in northern New England and the Canadian Maritime Provinces. Additionally, Biron surveys the close relationship beadworking had with two other cultural phenomena: the rise of tourism in the Northeast and the fashion industry.
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Location: Mariposa Museum, 26 Main St., Peterborough
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Monday April 28, 2014
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8:00 PM
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Rally Round the Flag: The American Civil War Through Folksong
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Contact: Jim McLaughlin 456-3677
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Woody Pringle and Marek Bennett present an overview of the American Civil War through the lens of period music. Audience members participate and sing along as the presenters explore lyrics, documents, and visual images from sources such as the Library of Congress. Through camp songs, parlor music, hymns, battlefield rallying cries, and fiddle tunes, Pringle and Bennett examine the folksong as a means to enact living history, share perspectives, influence public perceptions of events, and simultaneously fuse and conserve cultures in times of change. Showcasing numerous instruments, the presenters challenge participants to find new connections between song, art, and politics in American history. (Note: Please contact Woody Pringle to book this program.)
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Location: Warner Town Hall, 5 East Main St., Warner
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Wednesday April 30, 2014
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7:00 PM
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Family Stories: How and Why to Remember and Tell Them
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Contact: Donna Dunlop 746-3663
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Telling personal and family stories is fun - and much more. Storytelling connects strangers, strengthens links between generations, and gives children the self-knowledge to carry them through hard times. Knowledge of family history has even been linked to better teen behavior and mental health. In this active and interactive program, storyteller Jo Radner shares foolproof ways to mine memories and interview relatives for meaningful stories. Participants practices finding, developing, and telling their own tales.
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Location: Hopkinton Town Library, 61 Houston Dr., Contoocook
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7:00 PM
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That Reminds Me of a Story
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Contact: Alex Robinson 424-4044
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Stories speak to us of community. They hold our history and reflect our identity. Rebecca Rule has made it her mission over the last 20 years to collect stories of New Hampshire, especially those that reflect what's special about this rocky old place. She'll tell some of those stories - her favorites are the funny ones - and invite audience members to contribute a few stories of their own.
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Location: Litchfield Middle School Library, 19 McElwain Dr., Litchfield
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Tinsmithing was a popular trade as it did not require a
forge or as many tools as blacksmithing. Any form can be created using careful
planning, hammers, tin snips, punches, nippers, shears, a soldering iron and a light weight anvil.
By the early 19th century the first hand powered machine for cutting tin forms
was invented. Before these machines were developed each piece of tinware was
meticulously formed by hand.
