Scribbler II: Winter 2015

Upcoming CHS Events

• February 28 (Saturday): Annual Meeting, 5 pm at the Gethsemane Episcopal Church Parish Hall, located off of Depot Street in Proctorsville. Please bring a dish for a potluck supper. Following the dinner and a short meeting, there will be a Hands on History community workshop on the Irish in Cavendish. The workshop will include making a St. Brigid’s cross, a traditional activity that takes place among the Irish in February, as well as learning to draw and make various Celtic knots. This event is free and open to the public.

• May 31 (Sunday): Opening day of the Cavendish Historical Society Museum. The museum will be open every Sunday from 2-4 pm until Columbus weekend.

• June 27 (Saturday): Annual plant sale at the Museum grounds.

• July 25 (Saturday): Fifth Annual Cavendish Town Wide Tag Sale

• Sept. 13 (Sunday): Annual Phineas Gage Talk and Walk, 2 pm at the CHS Museum.

For more information about these and other events, please use the contact information listed above.

Dating Your Cavendish Photographs

Have a picture of Cavendish and not sure about the date? Here are some tips to help get you started:

• The type of photography used can help to date a photograph. For example, Daguerreotypes were common between 1839-1870, while cabinet cards were popular from 1866 to 1906 and the Tintype was used from 1856 to the WWWII era. Check the Internet to learn more about dating your photograph.

• Check the back and front of your photograph for the photographer’s imprint, which will often list the location of their studio. Check on line for the various lists of Photographers, which will give you the years the studio was operational.

• Check the setting of the photograph. If it was taken in one of the villages, electric poles were installed in 1909 in Cavendish village and Whitesville. Route 131 in Cavendish was paved in the 1930s and by 1940 it was possible to drive to Springfield on paved surface. However, areas east of Cavendish on 131 were not paved until the 1950s. If your photograph has a car or two in it, and you don’t know the year, check on-line. Look for household items, street signs etc. The Cavendish Historic timeline is available on line at our blog and can offer other information to help with identification.

• Photographs from the 19^th century were formal affairs, so hairstyles and clothing can provide important clues. Pay attention to waist size and styles, necklines, skirt lengths and widths, dress sleeves and fabric choices. Keep in mind that while people wanted to look their best, Cavendish was not a wealthy town so styles would not have changed as rapidly as they would have in cities. There are a variety of websites that provide information and photographs of fashion by decade.

Preserving Your Photographs for Future Generations

 With the arrival of smartphones, Instagram, e-mail and Facebook, more photographs are taken and shared today than at any time in history. How many times have you said, “Let me show you the pictures” and then spent five minutes searching your phone saying, “I know they’re in here somewhere.” If you can’t find them now, how will your descendants find them 100 years from now? Even if you don’t think they will be interested, chances are a future great grand child, niece or nephew will enjoy seeing your photographs.

CHS receives photographs all the time. Those without identifying information are just not useful. This is particularly true for many portraits. Help future historians and genealogists by labeling your photographs today.

Step I: Label all your photographs, print or otherwise. Identify who the people are in the photograph; when, where and why it was taken and other information about the event. If you have prints, store them in archival quality sleeves and books. These materials are easily available on-line and in stores.

Step 2: Identify where you are keeping all your digital photographs- camera, computers, websites and movable items such as CDs and memory cards. Make sure all of these pictures are labeled as noted in step 1.

Step 3. Edit-which photos are the most important and best capture a person, place or event. No one is going to appreciate sifting through 100 photographs that look pretty much the same.

Step 4: Organize the photographs by giving descriptive file names. Create a directory/folder on your computer and store photographs there. Be sure to follow Step 1.

Step 5: Make copies and store in several locations. While a copy can remain on your computer, tablet or laptop, back up with DVDs, CDs, portable hard drives, thumb drives or Internet storage. Store copies in different locations, including where you keep your important papers. Check photographs at least once a year.

Step 6: Every five years, upgrade photographs to current digital technology. The eventual replacement of technology is inevitable. Just as one would have difficulty finding the equipment to play a wax cylinder from the late 1800s, so too will your descendants find it difficult to deal with a CD, which is already being replaced with iCloud.

President’s Report for 2014

The Roman statesman Cicero summed up the importance of why we study history and the need for organizations like the Cavendish Historical Society (CHS) when he wrote, “History is the witness that testifies to the passing of time; it illuminates reality; vitalizes memory; provides guidance in daily life and brings us tidings of antiquity.”

Through community support, grants and volunteers, CHS continues to serve as the keeper of town history by providing the following:

• Maintain a half million dollars worth of town property (Museum and Stone Church) including interior, exterior and grounds. These two properties are among the oldest buildings in town.

• On going restoration of gravestones in Cavendish Cemeteries. This past year summer the Revolutionary Cemetery was cleaned. The sixth grade students participate in this program, which we believe helps to reduce the type of cemetery vandalism that occurs in other towns.

• Workshops and programs for every student at the Cavendish Town Elementary School throughout the school year, with the goal that by the time students graduate, they know their town’s history and have a sense of stewardship. In December, every grade participated in Russian Christmas, where students learned about early immigrants from Russia and Eastern Europe who came to work in the Gay Brothers Mill.

• Websites that are used by people all over the world. Almost 27,000 users have logged onto the CHS blog, with the areas of most interest being the Civil War era, Phineas Gage and Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. The new Pinterest website on Historical Cavendish http://www.pinterest.com/cavendishvt/historical-cavendish/ and Researching Your Cavendish Roots http://www.pinterest.com/cavendishvt/researching-your-cavendish-roots/ are also very popular. We continue to post photographs of Cavendish on Facebook, www.facebook.com/cavendishvt not only to learn more town history, but also as a way to keep those who have left, for college and jobs, connected.

• An increase in tourism. This past year we had visitors from France, Russia and Canada to see the Solzhenitsyn exhibit and many come from surrounding states for the annual Phineas Gage walk.

• Changing exhibits and programs at the CHS Museum, which is open from Memorial Day weekend through Columbus weekend.

• Continuing source of information- genealogy as well as historical- for residents, business and those interested in various aspects of Cavendish history.

                                      Cavendish Historical Society Board

Dan Churchill

Jen Harper

Bruce McEnaney

Kem Phillips

Gail Woods

Margo Caulfield Coordinator

BECOME A MEMBER, RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP, DONATE: If you have not joined the Cavendish Historical Society, need to renew your membership, and/or would like to be a volunteer, please complete the form below and sending a check, payable to CHS, to CHS, PO Box 472, Cavendish, VT 05142. All contributions are tax deductible.

Name: _______________________________________

Address: _______________________________________________

Phone Number: _____________________    E-Mail: ____________________________

Membership Level

__ Individual Member $10        ___ Senior Member 65+ $5  ___ Sustaining Member $500

__ Household Member $15      ___ Contributing Member $250                                

Volunteer

___ I would be interested in serving, as a volunteer .I would be interested in serving on the following committee(s):__ Program Planning          __ Fundraising            __ Building (Museum)

__Archives                    _ Budget         ­­–– Cemetery    __ Hands on History

Donations are always welcome and can be designated as follows:

__ For general purposes               __ Educational Programs           __Publications

__ Archeological Activities             _ Museum & Archival             __ Special Events

__ Rankin Fund                           __  Williams Fund                          __ Hands on History

__ Other (please specify)                        __ Cemetery Restoration       

CHS Annual Meeting and Irish Hands On History Workshop

The Annual Meeting of the Cavendish Historical Society (CHS) will take place on Saturday, Feb. 28, 5 pm at Gethsemane Episcopal Church’s Parish Hall, located off Depot Street in Proctorsville.

The evening activities will include a potluck supper, followed by a short meeting and a Hands-on-History Workshop, starting at about 6:30. The workshop will feature a brief history of the Irish in Cavendish and an opportunity to make a St. Brigid Cross and various Celtic knots. 

The Irish had been coming to America well before the “potato famine,” but immigration picked up considerably in the 1840s. Many came to Vermont and Cavendish from Canada and by 1850, the largest foreign-born group in the state were the Irish. Considered the lowest of the low, the men built the Vermont railroads, while the women worked in the mills and on the farms. It was the Irish in Cavendish that established the Catholic Church in Proctorsville.

The St. Brigid’s Cross is made by the Irish on February 1 and placed on the door inside the house to protect against evil, fire and hunger. The distinctive cross, made from woven rushes, dates back to the 5^th century.

The Celtic knot, sometimes referred to as the mystic knot or the endless knot, appears frequently in Irish art and ornamentation. During the workshop, participants will learn how to draw one style of knot and create another with paper.  

This event is free and open to the public. For more information: margoc@tds.net or 802-226-7807

Letter from Gov. Ryland Fletcher

One Room Schoolhouse Activities

Tarbell Hill One Room Schoolhouse in Cavendish

The Cavendish Historical Society (CHS) recently conducted a program for the Cavendish Town Elementary School (CTES) third graders on one-room schoolhouses. In addition to making their own chalkboards, the directions provided below, which they will use for math classes the next few weeks, the students also played “baseball” and “Sevens.” Special thanks to workshop volunteer Pang Ting and to Bob Naess who supplied the wooden boards the students used

Make your own chalkboard: Mix 1 part non-sanded grout to 8 parts paint (1 Tablespoon to ½ cup latex or acrylic paint) and paint a piece of plywood. It’s better to do two coats if possible. After it’s dry, lightly sand. While any color paint can be used, to get a more traditional “chalkboard” color, use black and white paints.

Hand Clapping Game “Sevens”

Russian Christmas at CTES: Directions and patterns

4th Grade Star Tree

On Dec. 22, the Cavendish Historical Society spent the day with the Cavendish Town Elementary School students teaching them not only aspects of Russian history and how it relates to town history,  but enjoying special treats from Svetlana Phillips, and learning various arts and crafts projects with Margo Caulfield and Pang Ting. Thank you to our volunteers for making this day so special. 

Everyone was too busy listening, creating and eating to take pictures, except for the one Pang Ting took of the completed fourth grade project.

As promised for students and staff a like, here are further directions for making the items from the Cavendish Town Elementary School’s Russian Christmas:

Matryohska Dolls: The kindergarten made these in two sizes using the pattern found on-line (we whited out the NOEL and didn’t use the legs) By taping a shape of the doll taped to the back, they’ll stand. Lots of other styles and patterns (including a nutcracker) are available at Decoupage Du Noel Russe.

Christmas cards made in the style of Gzhel pottery (blue on white).  The first graders used stencils and cobalt blue paint on white card stock to create beautiful Christmas cards. Stencils were made using paper punches and the left over card stock from cutting out the Matryohska dolls.

Snowflakes and Snowflake Ballerinas: The third grade learned to make sixpointed paper snowflakes and some used them to create SnowflakeBallerinas. 

5 Pointed star in one snip decorated in Russian Gzhel patterns and used to form a Christmas Tree. Using the Five Pointed Star inone Snip the 4th graders made a five-pointed star that they stenciled and decorated in the style of Gzhel pottery. The dried stars were then hung in the hallway to form a Christmas Tree.

Christmas trees that are gift containers: The pattern is available on-line, but you’ll need to scroll down to see it. You can make the containers any size. Punch holes in the sides of a larger one and put an LED light inside.

Five-Pointed Start Made with Twigs: Use five twigs (or whatever else you have handy) and make sure they are of equal size.

Lay them so they are parallel to one another | | | | |

Tie or use small rubber bands so they look like this \/\/\

Lay the one /\ over the other and you should see the 5 pointed star shape appear. Tie off the remaining loose ends and you will have a five-pointed star.

Depending on how you wish to use it, wrap ribbon around the connecting points. 

Paper Trees: The staff room was decorated with paper cut trees, snowflakes and other items. To make the trees, download the pattern.  After you’ve printed your tree pattern cut in half, using the guidelines at the top and bottom lengthwise. Fold two sheets of 81/2 X 11 paper lengthwise. On the folds, line up the template and hold in place with paper clips and cut out. While the directions call for sewing the two trees together, tape or a glue gun will also work. If you are having trouble downloading a template, e-mail margoc@tds.net for a copy in PDF.