Past Grants Awarded

Identification of themes that come out of the Society's holdings and North Andover history that match the Massachusetts Frameworks curriculum; those materials will then be made accessible to teachers for use in classrooms.

Research on the architectural style and historical significance of municipal and commercial buildings in Norwood that were designed by architect William G. Upham between 1910 and 1930, in order to interpret their relevance to the town's civic identity and the landscape through public programming.

Public programming for an exhibit on Civil War archival materials, specifically those related to the deployment of local men to the war.

A multimedia performance based on the exhibit, "World War II Veterans' Voices." The performance will feature monologues from characters at a restaurant who provide personal oral histories of World War II. The performances will take place at the Mohawk Trail Regional High School and the Shelburne Falls Senior Center.

One-hour documentary on the 50th anniversary of the Peace Corps, its efforts in international peacemaking and service, and how the organization has changed since the 1960s.

Staging of the project, "One Play, One Community: Romeo and Juliet," which will involve a wide range of constituents in the production of Shakespeare's beloved classic. Multigenerational audiences throughout the community will be engaged via reading and discussion groups, classes, children's programs in local libraries, and a television broadcast.

Archeological dig for high school students at Sanford Tavern in Hawley. The project will uncover craft and cooking habits, as well as explore aspects of tavern life, in the early 19th century.

Teacher development workshops in Medford and Deerfield based on the film "Traces of the Trade", which chronicles the history of the slave trade in New England.

Creation, testing, and distribution of a curriculum for "Beyond Belief", a film that explores the aftermath of 9/11 through the eyes of American women whose spouses died in the tragedy as they travel to Afghanistan.

Two-day public symposium on Civil War history. The conference features many of the most notable names in Civil War scholarship and offers compelling workshops for attendees.

Community programming around an exhibit of 15 murals created by Iraqi and American children. The programming, which includes a play performance, film screening, panel discussions, and a dance performance, addresses such topics as the effects of violence on children and marginalized voices.

A three-part series on the use and misuse of religion in American political life as part of its annual summer program serving the hill towns of Western Massachusetts.

An interactive exhibit entitled "Extreme Sport: Jousting Then and Now," which will examine the role jousting had in Medieval times and explore the larger implications of the period's warfare and history. The exhibit features flip-books, virtual activities, and computer learning tools.

Creation of permanent signage that will educate the public about the historic value and significance of Stonehurst, a late 19th-century house owned by well-known reformers Robert Treat and Lydia Lyman Paine. The house and grounds were designed by H.H. Richardson and Frederick Law Olmsted, respectively.

Expansion of the horse and wagan tours training program and hiring of additional students to become living-history guides and perform public education tours about the area using horse-drawn hay wagons.

Development of a new exhibit that examines issues of environmental responsibility, communal living, sustainable agriculture, and other core values of the Shaker community.

Creation of a website and social media campaign for its public television series, The Columbia Expedition, which chronicles the exploration credited with jumpstarting the Massachusetts economy after the Revolutionary War.

Storytelling programs in 10 public high schools that will enhance intellectual skills and public speaking and culminate in a regional "story slam" competition.

Creation of two tours and a brochure about Frederick Law Olmsted's Franklin Park, known as the "Jewel of the Emerald Necklace."

Production of a trailer for a film that explores the concept of patriotism, with focus on the story of Carlos Arredondo, a Costa Rican immigrant whose oldest son Alexander died in combat in the war in Iraq.

A series of events designed to raise consciousness on the realities and impact of war, particularly those relating to the current conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq.

A series of panel discussions that will follow the performances of four plays during the company's Winter Festival: "Cymbeline","Antony & Cleopatra", and two contemporary plays, "The Hotel Nepenthe" and "Living in Exile". The grant will also subsidize free community performances and open rehearsals.

An educational forum directed at the city's youth concerning the life and work of David Walker, a pioneering figure in the abolitionist movement and precursor to Frederick Douglass.

A social media coordinator will expand awareness of the documentary film "Left on Pearl: Women Take Over 888 Memorial Drive, Cambridge", which explores 1970s feminist activism in Boston.

Development of the pilot segment of a film series for middle school classrooms that will use situations from popular movies to explore issues involving ethics and moral choices.

Development of a permanent multimedia, multilingual exhibit on the Bread and Roses Strike. The exhibit will be mounted at the Everett Mill, where the historic strike began.

Enhancement of the website and social media campaign for "The Banjo Project: The Story of America's Instrument", a film to premiere on PBS that traces the compelling intersections of art, the humanities, race, and class that the banjo represents.

Teacher workshops that train middle and high school educators to use a website that will allow them, and ultimately their students, to work with primary source documents from the Revolutionary War period.

Reinvention of the exhibition on the important, but unheralded, abolitionist politician, Henry Wilson. The exhibit will feature new interactive materials and become more accessible to children

Audio archive of 175 interviews concerning acclaimed writer and native son, Jack Kerouac. The project will result in a permanent oral history walking tour in Lowell.

Teacher training on the history of nonviolent movements. The program will show how such movements advance the cause of human rights and dignity as well as provide educators with tools to create better learning environments in their classrooms.

Two performance education programs designed for elementary and middle school children. The programs will be based on the plays" Freedom Train" (on the life of Harriet Tubman) and "Three Cups of Tea" (about Greg Mortenson's mission to build schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan).

Library reading and discussion program.

Inventory of the Coppola Collection of archival materials (1868-1908), a collection newly acquired from the Coppola family that will augment an exhibition at the E.N. Jenckes General Store, the Historical Society's museum.

Documentation and exhibition of Boston's GLBT History, to inventory the records of three transgender-related organizations as part of its Transgender Initiative.

Organization and inventory its textile collection, assess it for programming use, and identify clothing and accessories that represent styles commonly worn in the 1930s and 1940s. The work will result in an exhibit on the 1930s work of LIFE photographer Hansel Mieth.

Support for the public series, Remembering Galileo, including keynote speaker Dava Sobel.

Creation of a Google Earth map of the leather industry in Peabody from 1939 through the 1990s, when the industry folded.

The hosting of authors at the festival on October 16 in Boston.

A book about sailors in the U.S. Navy to accompany the exhibit, All Hands on Deck: A Sailor's Life in 1812.