Thursday, November 19, 2009

Hats From Scraps: Upcoming Cavendish Historical Society Events

The Cavendish Historical Society (CHS) chose the 1930’s as its theme for the year due to the current economic situation. At the upcoming Holiday Fair on September 28, 9-2 pm at the Cavendish Town Elementary School, you can see how members of CHS have “reused and recycled.”

Hats from Scraps are made from bits and pieces of left over fabric and fleece. There are even some holiday stockings made in the same manner.

In the 1930’s, socks were often knitted using either wool or cotton. When the socks had been passed downed and darned so often that they no longer could be worn, they would be cut up and reused. Some were used in mops-cotton socks for wet chores and wool for dry mopping. Another handy item was cutting the socks into loops and using them to weave potholders. Students from the Young Historians program, who are studying town and farm life in the 1930’s, have been making potholders, but not from old socks. Thanks to a donation from the Vermont Country Store, the students have looms and cotton loops.

In addition to handmade items, the Fair is a good time to give the gift of Cavendish, by purchasing copies of old photographs, including the 1927 Flood panoramic photograph, as well as books and note cards.

On December 5 (Saturday), the Young Historian’s program, a project of CHS and the Cavendish Elementary School, is sponsoring a “Re-Make it for the Holidays” workshop. All three crafts provide an opportunity to recycle paper. These include paper beads; gift boxes made from old greeting cards and Iris Folding. The latter is a way of using folded pieces of paper to make interesting pictures and cards. Developed by a Dutch photographer in the early 1900’s, the patterns give the appearance of a camera shutter closing.

The cost of the craft workshop is $5 and includes all materials. The workshop will be held from 10-noon in the multi purpose room at the Cavendish Elementary School.

For more information about these events, e-mail margoc@tds.net or call 802-226-7807.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Green Mountain Folklore Society

At the recent Annual Meeting of the Cavendish Historical Society, one of the members talked about The Green Mountain Folklore Society Founded in 1948 by University of Vermont English Professor Leon Dean, the non profit organization is working to collect, preserve and make available the folklore of Vermont.

Folklore can include customs, ceremonies, crafts, clothes, entertainment, proverbs, tall tales, writing, and songs. Each year, The Society holds a "Gabfeast," where people come and share stories and folkways. In addition, Green Mountain Whittlin's is published yearly and includes some of the stories from the Gabfeast, as well as ones submitted during the year.

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Proctor Cemetery Tour 10/11/09

The Annual Cemetery Tour will be held tomorrow, Sunday, October 11. We will touring the Proctor Cemetery in Proctorsville. This will be the first time that many will see the cemetery. Note how the graves with the Irish names are off to one side. The Irish came to the area to work on the railroads.

The tour will be lead by Carmine Guica, who has completed the genealogy for many people in the cemetery. He not only has stories about the famous, but more often as not, the infamous.

The tour begins at the Cavendish Historical Society Museum at 2 pm. Wear comfortable shoes and be prepared for a short hike up to the cemetery.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Young Historians Program Oct 7 and 14

Today the Young Historians at the Cavendish Town Elementary School meet for the second time. We will be making paper beads and listening to music from the 1930's. Each student will be given materials so they can make enough beads for a bracelet or necklace. The stringing will take place at the YH meeting on Oct. 14.

Paper bead making was very popular in the 1930’s. It was a way to make something from scraps of paper, including newspaper. Just about any paper will do, with the exception of crepe and tissue paper. For a special present, beads from broken necklaces and bracelets would be added. While there are templates, special papers and a variety of videos on this topic, keeping it simple is the best. You can wrap the paper around straws, wire, skewers or anything else that leaves a hole. To make sure the bead comes off whatever type of rod you use, don’t start applying glue until you have already starting rolling the bead. Glue sticks work just fine. Once you have made some beads, they can be strung on any type of cord or wire. You can even make some fun animals using pipe cleaners. Below are on-line resources:

How to Make Paper Beads
How-To Make Recycled Paper Beads, Threadbanger Video

Monday, September 21, 2009

Senior and Young Historians Programs

Today begins the Senior Historians program and Wednesday is the launch of our Young Historians Program. We will be meeting with residents and former residents of Cavendish who are now in the Gill Home in Ludlow. Today's program will include helping to identify people in photographs and to talk about life in Cavendish in the 1930's.

The Young Historians program is open to 3-6 graders at the Cavendish Town Elementary School. Seventeen students have already enrolled in the program, which meets during recess on Wednesdays. Our theme for the year is the 1930's. This coming Wednesday, the students will have hands on experience with radios and record players from that era thanks to Dan Churchill and his business, Commercial Radio. Want to know more about the music and the Golden Age of Radio? You can listen to Old Time radio shows, including "The Shadow," and enjoy the music of the 1930's online.

A side note-we learned that the name of the school came from Bob Snarski. The current school replaced the Proctorsville School. In 1972, after the Duttonsville School was closed, and the students were merged with the Proctorsville School, the principal Bob Snarski, stressed that the school was no longer just the Proctorsville School, but rather the Cavendish Town Elementary. Bob grew up in Cavendish and not only graduated from the Duttonsville School, but did his student teaching there as well.

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Haunted Houses in Cavendish

With the falling leaves, and cooler temperatures, Halloween, ghosts and goblins start being discussed. Recently, we've been asked questions about the Dutton House. Is it or was it haunted?

The Salmon Dutton House was built in 1782 on what is now the Cavendish Green. In 1950, having not been occupied in 40 years, the house was moved to Shelburne Museum. You can watch a video of what Museum staff have to say about their experiences with the house. Some staff members wont step foot in the house because of experiences they've had. Who might have been the child they've heard or the man that one staff member has seen?

During the recent Duttonsville School Reunion, Dan Churchill, the owner of the building, describes how he'll be working and hear what appears to be children playing and laughing in what was once the 3-4 grade classroom. When he opens the door, no one is there. His Aunt, who taught at the school, would never come to visit him in his new home, saying the building was haunted.

Please e-mail us your stories about haunted houses in the Cavendish area.

Friday, August 21, 2009

Reunion and Young Historians Program

Aug. 23 is the DuttonsviIIe SchooI Reunion, from 1-5 at the schooI off of Route 131.

The Cavendish Historical Society, in conjunction with the Cavendish Town Elementary School and the Vermont Fiber Arts Society, is pleased to announce a Young Historians program for the Cavendish School in September for grades 3-6. This program is being funded in part by the Wendell M. Smith Foundation.

Meeting at least once a month, the program takes place for approximately a half hour on Wednesdays mid-day. Using the children’s recess time, provides an opportunity for all interested students to participate.

In keeping with the Historical Society’s theme of the 1930’s, the students will learn about the food, fiber arts, and day to day life from this period. They will also help to undercover the towns past, through oral histories and genealogy.

Volunteers are needed to help with all aspects of the program. People who are interested in volunteering, or want to learn more about the program, should call 802-226-7807 or e-mail margoc@tds.net