As part of the Carmine Guica Young Historians (CGYH) program, the Cavendish Historical Society (CHS) provides teachers, students, families and the community with information on town, state and national history for the month ahead.
GENERAL INFORMATION
• If you have questions, want to arrange for a program or need more information, call 802-226-7807 or e-mail margocaulfield@icloud.com
• To learn more about the various programs that CHS offers for students and community, as well as opportunities close to Cavendish, go to the Resource Page.
• The CHS Cares Closet, located next to the steps of the Museum is free, open 24/7, and offers a wide array of things to do, read etc. for both children and adults.
THERE’S ALWAYS TIME FOR CIVICS: Vermont’s cartoonists have created a new illustrated guide. “Freedom and Unity: A Graphic Guide to civics and Democracy in Vermont.” It’s a collaborative project between the Vermont Secretary of State’s Office, the Center for Cartoon Studies, and the Vermont Humanities Council in an effort to make politics more understandable for everyone. Easy to read, it provides an overview of VT history, including 1st peoples, and it goes into detail for things like Town Meeting. Download a copy or purchases copies by clicking here.You can purchase print copies at the Norwich bookstore.
HOLIDAY WORKSHOPS: In December, CHS runs a series of workshops for all of the grades at CTES featuring a different country and Winter Solstice traditions.
Teachers: Please let me know if you want to do this on one day This year we will be studying the Ukraine through its folktales, Father Frost and the legend of the spider. Below are the activities planned for each class:
K-1 The Mitten is a common folktale for Ukrainian families to read during the holidays. Students will watch the video and decorate white mittens that can be used as ornaments.
2-3rd: Sunflower ornaments The sunflower is the national flower of the Ukraine. It’s a symbol of peace and hope, and admired for how it turns to face the sun. The oil extracted from the plant is one of the most widely used oils in the world, being used for frying, roasting, margarine and salad dressings.
4th: 8 pointed star ornament The eight pointed star appears very frequently in Ukrainian art, as it represents the sun god Dazhboh, and foretells good fortune.
5t: Spider and web ornament
6h Pysanky. While the Pysanky egg is most frequently thought of as an Easter tradition, many Ukrainians now celebration the winter holidays with ornaments made with this technique. Students will be given an egg to decorate with Ukrainian patterns using paints and markers. This video shows how the eggs are decorated.
HISTORICAL DATES FOR DECEMBER
Dec. 1 1955: The birth of the modern American civil rights movement occurred when Rosa Parks was arrested in Montgomery, Alabama, for refusing to give up her seat to a white man and move to the back section of a municipal bus. Interview with Rosa Parks
Dec. 2, 1859: Abolitionist John Brown was executed for treason following his raid on the US Arsenal at Harper’s Ferry.
Dec. 6, 1865: The 13th Amendment to the US Constitution was ratified abolishing slavery.
- St. Nicholas Day This has been a tradition in Holland for centuries. This video includes all the traditions as well discusses current concerns about certain aspects of the holiday.
Dec. 7, 1941: The US Naval base at Pearl Harbor, HI was bombed, killing nearly 3,000 Americans. The US declared war on Japan the next day. Original Pearl Harbor News Footage
Dec. 11, 1918: Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn was born in Russia. The 1970 Noble Prize winner in literature and the Templeton Prize winner in 1983, Solzhenitsyn lived in Cavendish for 18 of the 20 years he was exiled from Russia. While here he wrote the Red Wheel. CHS has a book for 4th-7th graders The Writer Who Changed History: Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. If there is interest in having a group of students read the book and discuss it, we can arrange for a Zoom discussion.
Dec. 13:Saint Lucia’s Day
- 1773: The Boston Tea Party
Dec. 18-Dec. 26: Happy Hanukkah. Hanukkah is a Jewish festival commemorating the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire. Also known as the Festival of Lights. The Story of Hanukkah for Kids
If you would like a dreidel for your student/class, please contact us as we have plenty. They come with directions.
Dec. 21: Winter Solstice (the shortest day of the year) National Geographic video
Dec. 25: Merry Christmas
- Washington crossed the Delaware
December 26-January 1 - Kwanzaa, an African American family observance established in 1966 celebrating traditional African harvest festivals, focusing on family unity, with a community harvest feast on the seventh day. Kwanzaa means "first fruit" in Swahili. Learn more about Kwanzaa by watching What is Kwanzaa and How is it Celebrated
Dec. 31st: New Year’s Eve
CHS's Annual Appeal Campaign
CAVENDISH HISTORICAL SOCIETY
P.O. Box 472 Cavendish, VT 05142
margocaulfield@icloud.com 802-226-7807
www.cavendishhistoricalsocietynews.blogspot.com
www.facebook.com/PhineasGageCavendish
www.pinterest.com/cavendishvt/historical-cavendish/
www.thewriterwhochangedhistory.com
November 25, 2022
Dear Friend:
Chances are that you follow one of the many outreach efforts of the Cavendish Historical Society (CHS) and therefore know it’s been a busy year, with new programs, amazing young historians, and uncovering hidden aspects of Cavendish history. What we haven’t had a chance to post is that the Cavendish Stone Church belfry and roof were repaired in October. We can breathe a sigh of relief as winter rain, snow and wind are now upon us.
One of my favorite parts of the summer, was the emergence of a group of Cavendish boys that call themselves, “Wild Boys,” because they are teaching themselves how to live off the land. In grades 2-5 at Cavendish Elementary, they’re part of CHS’s Young Historian’s program. In August, they asked if I’d open the Museum so they could see Phineas Gage’s skull. We ended up doing a special mid-week program for them. They became regular Sunday visitors, asking terrific questions and wanting to participate in other CHS programs. It’s incredible to see a new generation of historians forming, and we hope to have new programs for them and other curious kids the summer of 2023.
Even though the Museum is closed for the winter months, there is still a lot happening, not only with Young Historians, but with archival work. While we need all the donations we can get, please look at the ways below you can help with volunteer activities and let us know, using the numbers above, if you can help
You can play an integral part in CHS by:
• Donating to the annual appeal campaign (see attached form), specifying how you want your contribution to be used.
• Renewing your annual membership.
• Volunteering to help with our various programs. We are currently in need of volunteers to help with the archives; identifying WWII patches for the Brenda Gregory project; organizing archives; serving on the board and planning fundraisers.
• Donating gently used items to the CHS Closet (please call or e-mail, we’ll make arrangements to pick up items).
• Sharing family Covid journals and items that can be archived for future generations.
Wishing you a joyous holiday season, and a safe and happy New Year.
Sincerely,
Margo Caulfield, Director
