HEARTHSIDE HOUSE MUSEUM NEWSLETTER
"The House That Love Built"    Vol. 11, Issue 8             Aug. 2017

It's already been a month since we held the 1904 World's Fair! And I'm still digging out from under all the work involved in it.  As anyone who came to it was aware, it was a huge success, and very apparent as to just how much effort it takes to put something of this magnitude on.  As many late nights as there were in preparing for it, once the event happens, there is such an overwhelming sense that it was well worth it!  The size of the crowd, the wide range of ages, and seeing families spending the day and enjoying the whole experience was just amazing.

With all the fun and games, it may seem like we're not really focused on education.  But that is just not the case at all.  In fact, our emphasis on education, a primary part of our mission, was quite strong throughout the World's Fair.  It was just sort of disguised. People had a great time....but they learned a whole lot while doing so.  

And speaking of education, our efforts at opening the Pullen School House continue and things are moving along toward its completion, thanks to a grant just received from The Rhode Island Foundation (see story below).  Once the restoration is finished, we will be including the school house as part of our tour offerings for groups, and for special events.  The first glimpse inside the building will be on  Great Road Day, scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 23rd. Because we're at the mercy of contractors and summer schedules, I'm not sure what stage the school house will be at, but the doors will be open and the public welcomed to come take a look at this 1850 school.  

The board of Hearthside has just voted a new member to join us, Nancy Poon, recently retired school teacher from the Northern Lincoln Elementary School.  Nancy is heading up our Educational Initiative, which will focus on programming for the school house and marketing it to various school districts, private schools, charter schools, and home schools.  This will primarily be for the spring season, allowing for the completion of the town facilities being built at Chase Farm Park that will include meeting space and restrooms necessary to accommodate groups.

In the meantime, we're excited to announce the launching of classes in handwriting.  That's right, in our mission to preserve history, this is an important subject.  Read more about that further down in this newsletter.  

So with school starting in the next week or so, remember, our historic sites and museums play just as an important role in educating the public, and particularly the next generation.   And it can  be a whole lot more interesting than sitting in a classroom for most.

Come visit us soon!
 
NEXT FRIENDS OF HEARTHSIDE MEETING TAKES PLACE WEDNESDAY, AUG. 30TH AT 6:30 P.M.

How is it that we are able to offer such an active calendar of programs and events?  It is through the energy, enthusiasm, and commitment of our volunteers who make it happen.  During our periodic meetings throughout the year, the floor is open to ideas from our volunteers which results in some pretty creative and amazing programs.  

With a full calendar from now till the end of the season, we're already looking at next year and what we might be able to come up with.  

So if you have thoughts to share, and just want to come and be a part of the synergy that takes place among a committed group of caring individuals, then plan to come to Hearthside next Wednesday evening.  You'll also learn alot about what goes on behind the scenes and how you can help.  Just let me know if you'll be coming, and I'll have your seat ready for you!   Respond by sending me an email.

In This Issue

         Upcoming  

     Event Schedule

Thurs. Aug. 24
6:30 p.m.   
1904 World's Fair Exhibit & Tour
Wed. Aug. 30
6:30 p.m. Friends of Hearthside Meeting
Sat. Sept. 16
Downton Abbey Fox Hunt & Luncheon *
10:30-2:00
Sat. Sept. 23
Great Road Day - Free Tours of Multiple Historic Sites
Thurs. Sept. 28
Validating the Afterlife:  A Special Evening with Spiritual Medium Roland Comtois * 6:30 p.m.
Sat. Oct. 7
Victorian Dinner Party
6:30 p.m. 
Sat, Oct. 21  
Battle of Chase Farm - Revolutionary War Reenactment  11-3 p.m.

*Special Event - Tickets Required
Connect with Us
LAST CHANCE TO SEE 1904 WORLD'S FAIR EXHIBIT
August 24th
Thursday Evening, August 24th
 Tour at 6:30 p.m.
While much of the focus of the July 23rd World's Fair tribute was on the outdoor events, there was a whole lot going on inside the house with an impressive exhibit about many different aspects of the  St. Louis World's Fair .  Our exhibit, started in 2014 with the donation of a
collection of Fair memorabilia from  Laura Murch Moran , whose family lived in the former
Rhode Island Building in St. Louis during the 1960s and '70s.  That collection, some of which is pictured below, quickly evolved into the World's Fair tribute we host today.  The Rhode Island Building was modeled after Hearthside, which is the reason Laura first visited us.  The Murch collection has been supplemented with informational panels and other images and artifacts to help bring the story to life.  

A display of souvenirs from the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair started Hearthside's collection and tribute to this greatest world exposition ever.   Photo by Susan Gonsalves
The centerpiece of it all, of course, is the history of the Rhode Island Building and our  state's significant role in the Fair.  

Numerous awards were given to our state's schools, businesses, organizations, and governmental agencies for excellence.  One of those awards went to  The Wheeler School for the student artwork.  Thanks to the school for loaning us some items, we have their Silver Award on display as well as one of the paintings that had been exhibited there, done by student Louise Hereshoff (of the Bristol family boat builder fame). This is just one example of what's in store to see.

So if you missed the event, or didn't get a chance to view the exhibit, this Thursday evening's tour is your chance to learn all about this exciting time in our nation's history and our connections with St. Louis in 1904.  The guided tour begins at 6:30 p.m. and will conclude by 8:00 p.m.  Admission is $10; $5 ages 10-17; 9 and under free, as well as our members.
RI FOUNDATION GRANT PUTS
PULLEN SCHOOL HOUSE IN THE SPOTLIGHT
The restoration of the Pullen Corner School House got a big boost with the award of a $10,000 grant from The Rhode Island Foundation last month.  The grant was part of the Foundation's Community Grant program in which some 30 projects across the state were selected to receive $225,000.  The largest grant amount was $10,000.  
Some 50 organizations and officials from around RI gathered under the tent outside the Pullen School House for an awards ceremony where the Rhode Island Foundation presented its 2017 Community Grants.  Pictured is Kathy Hartley, with Hearthside docents to the right.                Photo by Susan Gonsalves


In its first public opening, Hearthside docents Ellie,  Joey and Anna Carr, Kirk HIndman and  Christine Maino welcome visitors into the school house.   Photo by Susan Gonsalves.
We were not only excited to learn of our successful grant application, but also delighted that our school house project was selected to be showcased among all the projects in a ceremony at Chase Farm Park announcing the grants. 

The event took place on a very hot and sticky morning, July 12th.  It was a wonderful opportunity to introduce our historic sites to officials from corners of Rhode Island.  And needless to say, everyone was impressed with all that Great Road has to offer, and the recent developments to make it even more of a destination for enjoying and discovering history!

FOX HUNT TAKE TWO: 
RESCHEDULED TO SATURDAY, SEPT. 16

PURCHASE TICKETS NOW - LIMITED SPACE AVAILABLE
The Fox Hunt that had been cancelled on June 11th due to wet grounds has been re-scheduled to Saturday, September 16th.    The event takes place at Chase Farm Park, next to Hearthside, at 671 Great Road.  

This Downton Abbey-inspired event is a look back at this popular sport in Victorian England, which happened to be quite popular around here too at the time.  

Plan now to join us for the pageantry of a traditional fox hunt complete with a lavish picnic luncheon buffet, our Edwardian costumed docents and bagpipe music to welcome you, a lecture about the history of the fox hunt, and as a special keepsake for you a photograph with the hounds, horses and riders in their formal attire.  Bring your spouse, your friends, or come alone to this most unique event, all while supporting our mission of preserving history!

  The event is being co-sponsored by the Tanheath Hunt Club.  This event is a fundraiser for Hearthside and has limited seating.  Tickets are $45 (special discount price of $35 for our current members).   The event runs from 10:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. and may be purchased by sending an email to Hearthside indicating number of tickets, or by calling the museum at 401-726-0597 and leaving a message.

You'll never know when the opportunity to participate in such a fox hunt will come along again.  Don't miss out on the chance to attend this one!  
    SAVING HISTORY BY TEACHING HANDWRITING?
Hearthside to Launch Classes in Cursive Writing
Imagine looking through an old family chest and discovering a stack of letters, maybe love letters written by your great grandparents.  You open them but you can't read them.  It appears to be a foreign language.  Figuring that there's no use keeping them if you can't read them, you toss them in the wastebasket.  Gone forever.  That scenario is something that is happening now.  And it's happening because most kids are not learning cursive writing in school.  It has gone away because of the newfound importance placed on learning keyboarding for computers instead.   What are the ramifications of this?  Simply, without being able to write cursive, kids can't READ cursive.  Without reading cursive, they will never know what historical documents, letters, and journals are about. It all will look foreign to them. And yes, they will throw these materials away because they won't know if they are important, or not.

When we formed Friends of Hearthside 16 years ago, it was with a mission to preserve history.  Little did we envision that some day that would actually mean having to preserve a skill such as handwriting.  But we strongly believe this is one of the most important issues facing us right now.  As critical as trying to hold up a building, in fact!

So Friends of Hearthside is launching a series of classes in handwriting geared toward kids ages 8-12.  The classes will be taught at Hearthside by retired elementary teachers who have a good many years of experience in teaching cursive writing to students that age.  The first series of one-hour classes will begin on Tuesday, Oct. 3rd and run twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays, concluding before Thanksgiving.  The cost will be $15/week.                 . 

We believe that many kids ARE interested in learning how to write.  Those who learn this ancient skill will have an added advantage over other kids who don't learn it, especially when they grow up as they will be among the few who have this rare skill. Who will be our future archivists?  Who will interpret our historical documents 20 years from now?  

To enroll in the class, contact Nancy Poon, Hearthside's Educational Initiative Coordinator, by  email  as soon as possible.  Space is limited to 8.
COMING SOON
Watch for These Upcoming Events Coming Soon



Great Road Day
Sat. Sept. 23
 11:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.

Our Annual Great Road Day is part of Smithsonian's Museum Day with  free admission to Hearthside and many other sites along Great Road. Colonial cooking demonstra- tions outside over a fire pit is featured at Hearthside,black- smithing demonstrations at the Hannaway Blacksmith Shop, a rare opportunity to visit the 1812 Moffett Mill, and a first look at the Pullen School House at Chase Farm Park.

Other sites include the Arnold House, the Saylesville Friends Meetinghouse, the Blackstone Valley Historical Society, the Mt. Moriah Lodge, and the Valentine Whitman House.


  Validating the Afterlife:  A        Special Evening with                 Roland Comtois               Thursday, Sept. 28
     6:30-8:30 p.m.
Renowned spiritual medium Roland Comtois returns to Hearthside for an intimate evening in the music room.  Roland will receive messages from the other side to share with those who seek healing from the loss of a loved one.  Following the presentation, refreshments will be served, and an opportunity for informal conversation with Roland.  Tours through the house will conclude the evening.  Limited to 30 guests.  Members given first availability to purchase tickets starting Aug. 28.
Victorian Dinner Party
Fundraiser
              Sat. Oct. 7
          6:30-10:00 p.m.

An exclusive dinner party featuring a unique menu that might have been served at Hearthside in its earlier years.  Served in the music room around one large table, all in candlelight.  Chefs explain the origin of the various menu items between courses.  Limited to 22 people.  The annual dinner party is a fundraiser for Hearthside.  Hold the date and watch for announcement soon for ticket sales.
 
  1904 WORLD'S FAIR - 2017 VERSION
  Most Successful Event to Date!  Well Over 1,000 Visitors Come to Hearthside on July 23rd!
This year's World's Fair was a  really BIG deal , in so many ways.  We had well over 1,000 attendees, the largest number of participating businesses and organizations, and greater support.   But what really made it a big success was the reaction from our fairgoers.  It truly was a step back to simpler times with old-fashioned fun and so much to learn about all the "new" inventions that were coming onto the scene at the time.  

The thank you list is also very big.  Our major sponsors included Navigant Credit Union, The Valley Breeze, Cinemaworld, Alphagraphics, and a very good friend who wishes to remain anonymous.  We took out an ad in The Valley Breeze to thank those who participated.  You can Click for Thank You Ad to appreciate just how much support we got from throughout the community with gifts.  Additionally, a number of businesses took out advertising in our program booklet providing even further support, while gaining some exposure.

Of course the event simply could not happen without the dedication and hard work of so many volunteers....some 80 of them on the day of the event!  I cannot list everyone but you know who you are and how much you played a role in our success.  

I do want to give special recognition to a select few however.  Our planning committee who worked diligently from January to July, headed up by World's Fair guru Seth Hamilton, who lived the 1904 World's Fair day and night for months and brought the event to life with his creative talents.  Each committee member contributed in various ways to make sure it was even better than last time:  Jenna Alessandro, John Scanlon , Kirk Hindman , Rhonda Chadwick , Christine Maino , Tara Anderson , and Doris Cotnoir .  Also Joe Pereira for being the "face of the event" as emcee, and for behind the scenes help in preparations were Bill Hartley , J anet Heberlein , Dana Heberlein, Bob & Linda Lundgren , Deb Paulo , and Julie Kenney .  Helping us out a good deal on the day of the event was Alex Brown for expertly handling all our A/V needs for the two stages.

A special note of appreciation for the extraordinary amount of work in soliciting and coordinating volunteers goes out to Michelle Scully.  Not only did Michelle do a great job with the volunteer staff, but she took on the job of actually traveling to St. Louis to get a first-hand look at all the sights we were including in our exhibit and compiled a slide presentation showing what these places looked like now.  Her host was Mike Truax of the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair  Society who was her tour guide and provided her with exclusive access to his personal collection.   Mike also provided a great deal of assistance to us in our research and made it possible for us to produce a booklet about the 1904 World's Fair, to which we added Rhode Island's history at the Fair.  The booklet is for sale in our Gift Shop, and the slide presentation will be posted on our website soon.  We hope both of these will help keep the history of the 1904 World's Fair alive.   

And finally a sincere thank you to our amazing photographers who captured the whole thing in some wonderful photos:  Susan Gonsalves, Dave Cruz, Justin Baro, and Bill McManus.

Hearthside's 1904 World's Fair tribute was our own history-making event!  It will return in 2019.                                                                                                                                               
SCENES FROM THE WORLD'S FAIR - JULY 23, 2017
The Generations Barbershop Quartet entertained the crowds and particularly this young fairgoer (and volunteer) Inara Gardner.
                                  Photo by Susan Gonsalves

Mary Poppins popped in to visit!
Photo by Susan Gonsalves

Brass music was performed by the Sultans of Sax.  
Photo by Susan Gonsalves
Rich Langlois kept crowds captivated with his historical knowledge and impressive display of early electrical devices, including an original Edison lightbulb that actually came from one of the palaces at the World's Fair.  
                    Photo by Susan Gonsalves
 
Art was a prominent feature at the St. Louis Fair and so Hearthside had artists who set up their easels and painted the scenes in front of them. Jerry Aissis of Cumberland chose to do a watercolor of Hearthside.
                              Photo by Justin Baro

There was a large presence of Native Americans at the St. Louis Fair.  Hearthside had the Eastern Medicine Singers perform some of their cultural singing and drumming.
                              Photo by Susan Gonsalves



Informational panels covered all sorts of topics. This one about Racism at the Fair was read intently by this young visitor.
                      Photo by Susan Gonsalves
Photography at the turn of the century was black and white, but color was added by hand painting the images.  As part of the story about photography at the Fair, a display of hand-colored stereoscope cards showed a wonderful array of Fair images.  
Photo by Susan Gonsalves

At the St. Louis Fair, there were over 1,000 sculptures made from a substance called "staff" which was a temporary material.  Hearthside featured both living and real statues, along with a lecture and all-day demonstrations of sculpting using staff.     
Photo by Susan Gonsalves

             
What?  Belly-dancing in 1904?  Yes, it's true.  The middle Eastern dancers were quite the attraction in St. Louis, 
and at Hearthside!
Photo by David Cruz

The first Summer Olympics in the U.S. were held at the 1904 World's Fair.  There was only one sport that women were allowed to compete in and that was archery.  Demonstrations of archery were held throughout the day at Hearthside.  
                         Photo by Susan Gonsalves

The Pike at the 1904 World's Fair was a mile-long avenue of entertainment of all sorts.  Hearthside featured a circus type show that kept young and old captivated with the tricks.  
                                Photo by Bill McManus
Imagine going up in a Ferris Wheel that was 20 stories high and held 2,100 people.  That really was the size of the Ferris Wheel in St. Louis. Ours was just 4 1/2 feet high but was a really close working replica of the real thing.  
                           Photo by Susan Gonsalves
Emcee Joe Pereira juggled two stages for making introductions of both performers and presenters in the non-stop offerings in the Entertainment Tent and Lecture Tent.  
Photo by Susan Gonsalves


          
Pedicab service shuttled visitors who wanted to experience a little of what the fairgoers in St. Louis would have had with the rickshaws that shuttled them around the grounds.  The grand arch over the driveway was an attention grabber, but also was like a portal to the past for all who came to experience 1904.         
                                                                                                    Photo by David Cruz

One of the major sponsors was the RI Manufacturers Association.  They also set up a tent to display some of the goods manufactured in RI and talked with visitors about little known products that come from RI today.  Stefan Pryor, RI's Commerce Secretary, delivered the actual speech given at the St. Louis Fair by Samuel Nicholson who talked about how great RI was and its manufacturing.  
                                      Photo by David Cruz

The automobile was new at the turn of the century and the fascinating collection of 1904 RI license plates and other memorabilia from that time were displayed by Don Asselin.  
                                    Photo by David Cruz

    
Things at the St. Louis World's Fair were really big, so we had to have a really big guy to tower over everyone.  Thanks to Maurice from Circus Dynamics for juggling, stiltwalking, and all the tricks he performed during the Circus Show! 
Photo by Susan Gonsalves
          
Anna Carr headed up our Children's Activity Area where even the youngest visitors found games they could play.
                         Photo by David Cruz




A major feature of this year's Fair included the Dragon Dance, performed by the team from Bryant University's Confucius Institute.  
Photo by David Cruz

Everyone loves to dress up for fun pictures so our Snap a Photo booth was busy all day where one of the World's Fair palaces provided the perfect background to show off feather boas, hats, canes and mustaches.  
Photo by David Cruz

One is a fake snake but the other is real, along with the reptile climbing up this young boy's shirt.  Exotic animals were featured at the St. Louis Fair, so our Fair had a sampling for our visitors to see and touch.  
Photo by David Cruz

Guests got to try their hand at Chinese calligraphy at the Confucius Institute tent.  
Photo by Susan Gonsalves

Rhode Island was the featured exhibit in the dining room, including the Rhode Island Building, the Visitor Log Book where Rhode Islanders signed in when they went to the Fair, and panels about the awards we won. 
Photo by David Cruz


Antique automobiles were featured on the front lawn, including a  1909 EMF and a 1914 truck from the American Textile History Museum, where Hearthside's weaving equipment collection just came from.
Photo by Justin Baro

Back by popular demand was the Jim Key show, where people learned about the world's smartest horse, another attraction that was featured at the St. Louis Fair.  
Photo by David Cruz

Bruce Young brought his personal collection of 1904 phonographs and records, filling the library with sounds of original recordings from 1904 including "Meet Me in St. Louis."  
Photo by David Cruz
Rhonda Chadwick with the display of weaving equipment from the Talbot collection.  Rhonda recently completed her job at the American Textile History Museum as an archivist and has joined as a volunteer at Hearthside.  She served on the World's Fair planning committee and also gave a presentation about the World's Fair grand prize winner Gorham Silver and the Gorham family.
Photo by Susan Gonsalves

 MEMBERS GET ADDED ADVANTAGES

Free tour admissions and event discounts are certainly great benefits, but probably the most beneficial advantage our members enjoy is exclusive accessibility, such as the opportunity to get tickets to attend the session with renowned spirit medium Roland Comtois coming up in September or the American Girl Doll Christmas Party.  With only 30 seats available at these events, our members will get the first chance to purchase these hot tickets.  If there are any tickets left once the sale has been made to our members, then sales will open to the public.

With a reciprocal arrangement with other museums, our members are also offered free tours at certain other attractions.   Basic membership starts at a mere $25 with benefits for one adult; or with family level at $50 for two adults, and contributor at $75 and up. The higher the level, the greater your membership benefits extend and the more support you provide to offset our operating expenses.  Every little bit counts!

Click here to  Join as a Member Today and start enjoying your benefits right away.   We appreciate your much-needed support...we couldn't exist without members!   
As they say, there's always something happening at Hearthside...now more than ever!
  
Sincerely,

Kathy Hartley                                                       
Founder, President & CEO
Friends of Hearthside, Inc.
 

The mission of the Friends of Hearthside, Inc. is to preserve, protect, promote, and interpret the heritage of the Hearthside Homestead (b.1810) and the Great Road Historic District through living history programs and events.