2679_ABD 10/8/01 10:10 AM Page 1

Inside:

Making Use of History page 2

Monkey Dance page 3

Humanities Calendar page 7 Mass Recent Grants page 8 HumanitiesA Publication of the Massachusetts Foundation for the Humanities — Fall 2001

The Foundation’s Main Office MYTOWN: Moves to Northampton Leaders of the Future Learning the Lessons of the Past

An Interview with Karilyn Crockett by Amy Hoffman fter 15 rent-free years in South Hadley, on but when I asked Crockett, she explained that A the Mount Holyoke College campus, the modest brownstone in one of the few un- main office of the Foundation is moving. In the A gentrified pockets of Boston’s South End developing the tours’ content had been a compli- past year or two, both the Foundation and the houses MYTOWN, Inc.—the Multicultural cated process. The first step had been a commu- College began to feel pressed for more space. Youth Tour Of What’s Now. Karilyn Crockett, nity meeting, where residents identified places that We were off on a hunt for a new home. the group’s founder and director, occupies a were important to them and individuals who had It soon became clear that free space was fourth-floor office at the top of the stairs, sharing stories to tell. The MYTOWN guides used these almost certainly a thing of the past; we need- space with a reference library, a couple of com- suggestions as the starting point for their research. ed to find quarters that we could afford—and puter stations, and a ringing telephone. A group Often, when young people enter the program, enjoy. Once the MFH board decided that the of seven or eight young people conducts a lively their understanding of history is what they’ve been main office should remain in the western part meeting around a table in an adjoining taught in school—the colonial period, the of the state, Northampton, a cultural hub, was room, which is hung with lists hand- presidents, and other “great white the obvious choice. written on big sheets of newsprint. men.” Only through the process In March, Kerry Buckley, Director of His- Occasionally one or another of of exploring local archives and toric Northampton, and his board of directors them stops by Crockett’s desk conducting oral histories do offered the Foundation space in the Shepherd to ask a question or fill her in they begin to understand the House, one of three properties on the campus on their latest decision. connection between their city’s of Historic Northampton, the local historical MYTOWN has been history and their own lives. society and museum. Built in 1796 on a lot offering walking tours of the MYTOWN is unique. originally laid out in 1654, the house contains South End, researched and con- Nothing quite like it exists any- artifacts and furnishings from many genera- ducted by Boston youth, since where else, although a program tions, including souvenirs from the turn-of- 1995. Crockett says she met with inspired by it was recently started in the-century travels of Thomas and Edith Shep- some skepticism when she first pre- New Haven, Connecticut. This fall, herd, and reflects the family's changing tastes sented her idea for the youth-led tours Karilyn Crockett Crockett plans to begin disseminating and values. The front two rooms on the first to community residents and potential her brand of youth leadership training floor of the house remain in their historic state funders, who doubted whether street-smart kids through local history research to other parts of and can be toured by the public on weekends; would be appropriate guides for schoolchildren, Boston via the Neighborhood Partnership the Foundation’s offices will occupy the back tourists, and history buffs. But these days the Initiative, a collaboration between MYTOWN part of the first floor and the entire second tours are “almost too successful,” she says. So and the Bostonian Society, funded in part by the floor. many people want to take them that the organiza- Massachusetts Foundation for the Humanities. tion may hire a staff person just to keep track of Karilyn Crockett grew up in Dorchester and scheduling. attended Boston public schools through eighth I tagged along on a MYTOWN tour of grade. After high school at the Winsor School, she Columbus Avenue on one of the hottest after- went to Yale, graduating in 1995 with a BA in noons of the summer. Despite the 90 degree heat, anthropology. MYTOWN, she says, is her “first about a dozen intrepid walkers from the job out of college.” The idea for MYTOWN did Cambridge Center for Adult Education had gath- not originate in her academic training—“I’m not a ered at the A. Philip Randolph statue in Back Bay historian or a social worker,” she says—but rather Station when I arrived. Our guide jumped up on in her combined experience of programs like the bench at the base of the statue, which made a Outward Bound and a family that had never for- convenient podium from which to talk to us about gotten its roots. She realized that many young The Shepherd House, Randolph’s organization, the Brotherhood of people in Boston, especially those who are of color, new home of the Foundation’s main office Sleeping Car Porters, and the lives of the porters immigrants, or poor, are missing what was a fun- The Foundation board and staff are themselves, who settled in the streets around the damental part of her own upbringing: a sense of delighted with the new location. Being in train yards. Other stops on our walk included the home. downtown Northampton will increase both Tent City affordable housing complex, built as a I asked Crockett what she means by a sense our visibility and accessibility. An added plus is result of a protracted community protest; of home, and why it is so important. Why did she that the state’s humanities council will be Southwest Corridor Park, in an area once slated decide that this should be the focus of her entire housed in an historic building. (If you would to be “urban-renewed” into a 12-lane superhigh- program? like to learn more about Historic Northamp- way; and Wally’s Café, a venerable jazz club. At ton, visit www.historic-northampton.org.) various times, our guide said, the South End had Karilyn Crockett: My family is originally from The Foundation’s main office will be mov- been home to Underground Railroad conductor West Virginia. When I was growing up—and ing September 24-26, 2001. We hope for a Harriet Tubman, Martin Luther King Jr., and even now—my family life was full of stories of smooth transition. Our new contact informa- community activist and one-time mayoral candi- West Virginia, the Blue Ridge Mountains, the tion is: date Mel King. At the end of the tour, the walk- coal mines, farming, harvests. Through family ers thanked our guides, agreeing that what had stories and memories, I came to understand Massachusetts Foundation for the Humanities made the experience meaningful was the chance that West Virginia was a place that we knew 66 Bridge Street · Northampton, MA 01060 to learn from the residents themselves. and where we were known, a place of belong- 413-584-8440 · 413-584-8454 (fax) I assumed that the tours’ emphasis on con- temporary history was the youth guides’ choice, Interview continued on page 5 2679_ABD 10/8/01 10:10 AM Page 2

Making Use of History

by Edward Byers Main Office 66 Bridge Street Northampton, MA 01060 (413) 584-8440 Fax (413) 584-8454 David Glassberg, professor of history at the University of films actually interpret what they see and hear.” While the www.mfh.org Massachusetts Amherst, has set himself an ambitious goal— series was widely criticized by professional historians as an Metro Boston Office to understand how our collective sense of history has devel- overly romantic view of the Civil War, it connected power- 125 Walnut Street Watertown, MA 02472 oped and how it has been created and transmitted over time fully with a large audience of public television viewers. (617) 923-1678 Fax (617) 923-8426 in 20th-century America. By “sense of history,” Glassberg On one level, the success of The Civil War was due to STAFF means a way of looking at the past that is “at the core of who the fact that it was widely perceived as “quality television” Main Office, Northampton [we] are and the people and places [we] care about. ‘Sense that “stuck to the facts.” What that means, as the author David Tebaldi Executive Director of history’ reflects the intersection of the intimate and the correctly points out, is that viewers “saw nothing with [email protected] historical—the way that past events of a personal and pub- which they could disagree.” As a highly skilled filmmaker, Kristin O’Connell lic nature are intertwined, so that public histories often Ken Burns knew how to use words, images, and music to get Program Officer forcefully, and surprisingly, hit home.” audiences emotionally involved. But in Glassberg’s view, Resource Center Director To develop that understanding Glassberg identifies the overriding reason viewers loved the series was that they [email protected] three broad areas that need investigation. The first of these saw it through the lens of their own family histories. As one Anne Rogers Executive Assistant is the process by which some versions of history get institu- woman from Massachusetts wrote: “The film helped me [email protected] tionalized and communicated through museums, monu- gain insight into the character and personal Hayley Wood ments, and civic celebrations. More- priorities of my great-grandfather…who Administrative Assistant over, we also need to understand how was a Union army veteran.” The reception [email protected] those institutionalized versions interact the series received is rooted in Burns’s deci- Metro Boston Office with other versions passed between sion to combine the “stories of famous mil- Ellen K. Rothman friends and families. A sense of history itary figures and places with those of ordi- Associate Director [email protected] is also created and transmitted through nary families whom the audience could Amy Hoffman the marketplace of popular culture (TV, imagine as their own ancestors.” Development Officer novels, film, theme parks, etc.). Finally, Glassberg is at his best and most [email protected] our sense of the past is directly tied to our innovative when talking about the rela- Jesse Ruskin sense of place—“we attach histories to tionship between our sense of history and Administrative Assistant places, and the environmental value we our sense of place. He argues convinc- [email protected] attach to a place comes largely through ingly, for example, that the notorious BOARD OF DIRECTORS the historical associations we have with geographic mobility of the American President it.” people “has resulted not in a sense of Johanna Branson Massachusetts College of Art Glassberg explores our changing col- ‘placelessness’ as critics assert, but Vice-President/Treasurer lective sense of the past through a series of rather in an acute sense of attachment Ellen S. Dunlap case studies, several of which are based on to multiple places.” In the course of American Antiquarian Society projects funded by the Foundation. Each of conducting a project funded by the Clerk these essays, which began as papers for var- Foundation, Glassberg studied three Bruce Laurie ious conferences, points to the importance western Massachusetts communities— UMass/Amherst of politics, popular culture, or place in the “picturesque” Northfield, suburbanized Wilbraham, and the Chet Atkins Concord development and transformation of our public histories. Victorian-era McKnight section of Springfield. Maud Ayson In “Remembering a War,” Glassberg tells the story (or, Glassberg concludes that the classic New England Fruitlands Museums as he might say, “stories”) behind the seemingly pacifist ambience and appearance of places like Northfield is less Ricardo Barreto World War I monument in Orange, Massachusetts. As part the product of the colonial era than of a late 19th and early UrbanArts Institute of an urban renewal project, a war memorial park was creat- 20th century idealized version of past. As the idealized past Edward Byers ed that incorporated several traditional memorial elements became increasingly embedded in and expressed by popular Carlisle such as a cannon and plaques. By the culture, residents of these towns “sought to Dorothy Chen-Courtin Harvard 1930s, however, there were very different We use the various histories remodel where they lived in accordance “memories” of the war at play in Orange. with this ideal.” Equally important, John M. Dacey While the veterans feared that their “spe- we encounter in public in Glassberg notes, residents of the same Winchester cial position in town would be lost as the community (or neighborhood) experience David J. Harris intensely personal and Medford story of what they did in the war was for- and identify with that community in very familiar ways to understand George Krupp gotten,” there was a “veritable eruption” different ways. A resident’s perception of Newton of pacifist sentiment. Conflicting memo- who we are, where we live, and connection to a community result Polly Longsworth ries resulted in the erection of a statue from the interplay between distinctive Royalston and with whom we belong. depicting not a doughboy in all his mar- social networks and changes in a commu- Donaldo Macedo tial glory, but a returning solider “back in nity’s identity. Preservation plans that fail UMass/Boston the community.” The uniformed doughboy is seated and to acknowledge that the “meanings of a place are socially Ingrid MacGillis turned towards a book-carrying schoolboy dressed in 1930s created, multiple, and change over time” stand little chance Pittsfield knickers. of long-term success. Annette L. Miller Glassberg suggests that the Orange pacifists and the Glassberg ends Sense of History with a plea that his fel- West Newton Legionnaires shared more common ground than many his- low historians learn “to add the critical edge that they bring Cecily O. Morse Brookline torians recognize, but that does not mean they interpreted to the study of history while remaining sensitive to the more Cullen Murphy the meaning of the statue the same way. While pacifists saw emotional and familiar uses that the public has for it.” The Atlantic Monthly a doughboy educating youth about the horrors of war—the While admiring—indeed, to an extent even sharing— Bernadine Nash base is engraved with the words “It Shall Not Be Again”— David Glassberg’s experience of “the emotional power of the Radio One, Boston the veterans embraced the design because they saw it as a past,” I question his assertion that Americans care about Peter O’Connell “portrait of themselves in the community.” history so much “because it addresses fundamental, emo- Tsongas Industrial History Center Moreover, the monument’s meanings to the commu- tionally compelling questions about their past that they Chath pierSath nity were not fixed; they changed over time. In the years need to authenticate and confirm.” If he is right, the Lowell leading up to World War II, the Orange newspaper used the prospects are not good for historical writing about complex, Eliza Tan monument’s slogan to inveigh against U.S. involvement in sometimes disturbing, phenomena far removed from mod- Concord Europe’s affairs; once the United States joined the war, the ern Americans’ emotions and concerns. At least on this Lisbeth Tarlow Harvard University paper editorialized that “it shall be again if it is necessary to point, I suspect—and hope—he’s wrong. preserve our independence, our liberty, and our democracy.” THE HUMANITIES… Are what we do when we reflect upon our lives; During the Vietnam War, the memorial site became a When we ask fundamental questions of value, favorite gathering place for peace activists. ______purpose and meaning. The MFH conducts and Ken Burns’s enormously popular PBS series The Civil provides grant support for humanities projects designed to: foster critical inquiry; promote understanding of War is the focus of Glassberg’s discussion of the role of pop- Edward Byers, Senior Vice President of Marketing Metrics, has our diverse cultural heritage; and provide forums for ular culture in the development of our sense of history. a PhD in American history from Brandeis University. The the citizens of our state to engage actively in thoughtful public discourse about matters of individual choice Drawing on numerous conversations he had with the film- author of The ‘Nation of Nantucket’: Society and Politics in and collective responsibility. maker and hundreds of letters Burns received from viewers, an Early American Commercial Center, 1660-1820, he has The Massachusetts Foundation for the Humanities, Glassberg analyzes how “people viewing popular historical served on the MFH Board of Directors since 1999. a private, nonprofit, educational organization, receives funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency, and from private sources.

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N A QUIET SUNDAY in downtown Lowell, a group of children gathers for Julie Mallozzi’s O an afternoon of dance rehearsal. Cars pull up to the sidewalk and young people spill out: a jumble of bell bottoms, spiked hair, sneakers, back- packs, portable CD players, and platform shoes. Monkey The adult troupe leader, on the scene with keys, lets everyone into the large mill building that is now a charter school. Thus begins the weekly rehearsal Dance for the Angkor Dance Troupe, a traditional Cambodian dance troupe by Hayley Wood composed of Cambodian American children and teens. Documentary film- maker Julie Mallozzi has Mallozzi approached the Foundation halfway jects in the documentary, Sopheap Sou whose been filming the group for a into the process of filming her subjects. She American name is “Linda. Samnang Hor, who year and a half, focusing on requested funding to consult with scholars, produce dances the leading acrobatic monkey role in the the lives of three teenaged a trailer, and write a full production treatment that troupe’s famous Monkey Dance, also teaches sec- Julie Mallozzi dancers; the working title will be used in the next phase of fundraising. tions of boys, and older girls lead small groups of of the film is Monkey Commenting on the role of the humanities in con- younger girls. Mallozzi’s third subject, Sophy Leng, Dance, after a classical Cambodian dance that is the ceptualizing her project, she noted: has leading roles in the troupe’s dances and instructs signature piece for the troupe. younger girls. The troupe practices an emerging Part of coming up with this idea is humani- Mallozzi received a pre-production grant to trend in youth groups: it pays the dancers a nominal ties-related. Getting a grant from MFH and work on Monkey Dance from MFH in December fee for performing, and the members who teach the going through the process of writing the pro- 2000. She had recently completed Once Removed, younger children are also paid. This modest pay- posal and talking to scholars—it does make a documentary also funded in part by MFH, about ment helps make participation in the troupe a you separate yourself and think in a broader her trip to China to meet her mother’s family. She viable alternative to getting a job. The lure of the way about conceiving your project. When I’m first learned about Angkor Dance Troupe from a part-time job is strong; it’s one of the major deci- filming, [the humanities perspective] gives me news article on an eight-week youth program spon- sions that the teens in Mallozzi’s film negotiate. more general ideas to look for even though the sored jointly by the Lowell Police Department, the With a job comes some buying power, but getting a things I’m filming are detailed. . . . Otherwise Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Lowell and Angkor job generally means that one will not have time to I’m just filming and filming and filming, and Dance Troupe. The goal of the program was to steer participate in groups like Angkor Dance Troupe. what ties it all together? Where’s the story? young people away from gangs by encouraging their It’s not possible to consider the individual lives Why is this important? Why are we watching involvement with Cambodian dance. As she visit- of the young dancers without contemplating their these people? ed the troupe to observe the program, she realized it historical context as the children of refugees. was a small aspect of the troupe’s ongoing work of Mallozzi has lent her subjects video cameras to Angkor Dance Troupe is a testament of cultural sur- regular rehearsals and performances. The troupe is capture their day-to-day lives. Having taught class- vival in the aftermath of the Khmer Rouge genocide professional, one of the best-known Cambodian es in video diary, she felt that the style would appeal that nearly destroyed the artistic community of dance troupes in the country. They have performed to a young audience. The documentary will air on Cambodia. The directors of the troupe and the par- at Jacob’s Pillow, the Boston State House, and the PBS and Mallozzi also plans to distribute it to ents of the participating children have all endured White House, and the young dancers often speak at national youth programs in order to generate dis- the severe hardships that accompany fleeing geno- these events. cussions on value systems and connected life choic- cide. While it’s unclear how the young Cambodian As Mallozzi observed the troupe as a whole, she es. Mallozzi describes the style of the emerging doc- Americans perceive this legacy, there is no doubt began to envision an hour-long documentary film umentary as “very multifaceted, almost an Internet that their lives are influenced by it. Many young about young Cambodian Americans. She became style.” In addition to adding a particular style and people in Lowell’s Cambodian community have a interested in the troupe’s interpretation of the texture to the film, the teen-shot footage will pro- Monkey Dance. In their unique cross-cultural ver- vide content and drive the stories of the main sub- sion, the monkeys, played by boys, celebrate a bat- jects. Mallozzi hopes that the young people will be tle victory; classical dance movements and Khmer able to film some of their more personally challeng- music meld into break dancing and popular music. ing moments. It has been difficult to gain access to Initially intrigued by the blending of contemporary the moments of conflict in their lives, partly African American and Asian dance, Mallozzi began because of the natural dilemmas around gaining to focus on the identity issues of the dancers who access to the private world of family conflict. In incorporated aspects from many different cultures— addition, as Mallozzi puts it, “People often associate Cambodian, African American, Latino, white, and Cambodian, ‘at risk’ youth with gangs, and I didn’t Laotian—in their lives. want to make a gang film. But as a result I’ve cho- Mallozzi’s own experience, having a Chinese sen a group of kids who have made these positive mother and an Italian father and growing up in an choices, so their interface with those other issues is Ohio community with few ethnic minorities, sharp- a little happenstance. It’s a part of their lives but it’s ened her awareness of how culture informs identity. hard to find a way to delineate that fact. The way I She found, however, that cultural and racial identi- see it is that just outside their door are a lot of chal- ty is an ellusive theme. She observed, “Identity is lenges. They’ve made positive choices, but all something very hard to capture on film. It’s very around them are the alternatives.” interior, very personal. It’s not static—it does The alternative of being a part of Angkor change—but it changes in subtle ways that are hard Dance Troupe requires a high level of commitment to film.” Later she made a thematic shift in focus and discipline. Weekly rehearsals are four hours from the identity politics of her subjects to the com- long, and there are several performances a year. The peting value systems that they all negotiate. main instructors are Phousita Huy, Artistic Director Traditional Cambodian, American consumer, and former faculty member at the Royal University “white liberal,” and urban-gang value systems are of Fine Arts in Phnom Penh, and Tim Chan Thou, the four that Mallozzi has identified as being most the troupe founder and Coordinator. Tim Chan Phousita Huy guiding stretching exercises influential in the lives of her subjects. Thou is also the father of one of the principal sub-

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man—and current MFH board member—Chester Atkins) for their participation in the program. Cambodians continued to settle in Lowell because of the availability of low-skill factory jobs that did- n’t require English language skills, the relatively low cost of housing, and the already established com- munity. Diverse groups of immigrants have settled in Lowell since its founding as a textile manufactur- ing center. Today many distinct cultural and racial communities populate the city. Lowell, like most urban centers, is also gang territory. Gang violence is perceived to be subsiding, in part because of the efforts of community groups working collaborative- ly to provide creative options for young people. Angkor Dance Troupe is blessed with the lead- ership of adults who are deeply and personally con- Julie Mallozzi filming dancer Samnang Hor on his way to rehearsal nected to preserving Cambodian dance and a dia- logue between Cambodian and American culture. Speaking with Chhan Touch, husband of Phousita limited amount of time with their parents, many of New England has a population of a little over Fuy and the troupe’s former board president, during whom work different factory shifts or take home 105,000. According to the 2000 census, 17 percent the rehearsal, I learned that he came to the US work. Family dynamics are often affected by eco- are Cambodian: around 18,000 (unofficial estimates when he was 22 after having lived in a refugee camp nomic disadvantages. Last year Mallozzi visited are much higher: 20–30,000). One can only begin in Thailand. He put himself through college and Cambodia with Tim Chan Thou and his daughter to appreciate the gulf of difference Lowell repre- graduate school and is now a nurse practitioner at Linda. Several days into the trip Linda observed sented to a community of Cambodian refugees. In the Metta Health Clinic in Lowell. He spoke of his that the pace of the Cambodian life seemed more the mid-1980s, Lowell was designated by the feder- accomplishments and his commitment to the peaceful and family-oriented. She said, “If it al government as part of a Southeast Asian Refugee troupe with energy and conviction. He believes weren’t for the whole Khmer Rouge-Pol Pot thing, Resettlement Program. It became a destination for that discipline and structure bring out the best in I think my parents’ lives would have been better in 2,000 refugees, mostly Cambodian but also children. Implicit in the troupe leadership is the Cambodia than America.” Vietnamese and Laotian. The city received federal belief that one way to encourage healing and suc- Lowell, with its huge 19th-century textile mill support (due in part to the efforts of former cess in the world is to provide access to a tradition- buildings, canals, and decaying feel of old urban Governor Michael Dukakis and former Congress- al art form.

Bernadine Nash is President Committee during the fundraising for the Foundation News and CEO of Nash Com- State House Women’s Leadership Project. munications Corporation, Dorothy’s talents as a gourmet cook will also New Board Members which owns and operates be missed. WILD AM 1090, the only Ricardo Barreto is Director of African American- and fe- Polly Longsworth of Royalston served on the the UrbanArts Institute at male-owned radio station in MFH Program Committee and the Massachusetts College of the metro-Boston market. In 1989 Bernadine Institutional Development Committee, which Art. Ricardo has extensive created the WILD Scholarship Foundation Inc., she chaired during the past year. Polly prob- professional experience in a Boston-based nonprofit whose purpose is to ably attended more Foundation-funded pro- the administration of public support and promote the education of finan- grams than any other board member; board arts, visual arts, consulting and cially needy students. Bernadine received her and staff members alike learned a great deal teaching. As Program Officer for undergraduate degree from Boston University, from the insightful evaluations she wrote. Organizations at the Massachusetts Cultural an MS from Simmons College Graduate School Council from 1995-2000, he oversaw the distri- of Social Work, and her Ph.D. from the Cecily Morse of Brookline served on the bution of major operational funding for cul- Florence Heller School for Advanced Studies in Institutional Development, Membership, and tural organizations statewide. Ricardo Social Welfare at Brandeis University. She Nominating Committees. As a grant review- received his BA and MA in art history from holds a Business Management Certificate from er, Cecily was an effective advocate for the Oberlin College. Harvard Business School. interests of smaller, grassroots organizations that often have a difficult time competing David J. Harris, Executive Chath pierSath is Associate with larger, more well-established institu- Director of the Fair Housing Program Manager for tions. She also attended numerous funded Center of Greater Boston, GEAR-UP (Gaining Early programs. has been involved with Awareness and Readiness civil rights issues for over for Undergraduate Pro- Eliza Tan of Concord served on the 20 years; he is currently co- grams) at UMass/Lowell. He Evaluation, Institutional Development, and chair of the Greater Boston has worked with several non- Membership Committees. Whether review- Civil Rights Coalition. From 1976 to profit organizations focusing on the ing grant proposals or helping plan 1986, he served as a social science analyst with Cambodian community, HIV/AIDS education, Foundation programs and activities, Eliza the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights in and the environment. Chath's writing appears consistently brought the public perspective to Washington, D.C., and as a civil rights analyst in Children of the Killing Fields: Memoir of our deliberations. She was, in many respects, in the New England Regional Office of the U. S. Survivors, compiled by Dith Pran, and Prayers our “reality check.” Commission on Civil Rights. For most of the for a Thousand Years, edited by Elizabeth J. 1990s David was an investigator for the U. S. Roberts and Elias Amidon. He earned a BA The Foundation is profoundly grateful to Department of Housing and Urban from New College of California and an MA in Dorothy, Polly, Cecily, and Eliza. We will miss Development. He received his BA in sociology community social psychology from the Univer- them all. from Georgetown University and his Ph.D. in sity of Massachusetts Lowell. Chath serves on sociology from Harvard. the board of directors of the Lowell Office of Winner of Trip Cultural Affairs and the Cambodian Master Ingrid S. MacGillis was chair Performers Project. Kate Coon of Marshfield, MA was the winner of the English Department of the Foundation’s June 25 postcard draw- at Miss Hall’s School in Departing Board Members ing. Her prize is a three-day trip to London or Pittsfield from 1995-2001. Paris, generously donated by Michael Eizen- She taught German at Miss The Foundation will be losing the services of berg of eTrav. The Foundation sponsored the Hall’s School, Williams four outstanding members who will be rotat- post-card-mail-in contest in June 2001 to College, and Simon’s Rock ing off the board this fall after completing two encourage recipients to let MFH know if they College of Bard. Ingrid has also full terms. would like to receive a new quarterly elec- worked as a translator, specializing in 18th and tronic newsletter and to learn preferred cul- 19th century manuscripts of composers, musi- Dorothy Chen-Courtin of Harvard served on tural tour destinations. The Foundation cians, and music publishers. She received her the MFH Executive Committee for three years received over 1,000 entries by the due date of BA and MA from Mount Holyoke College. and ably chaired the Institutional Development June 22. Congratulations, Kate!

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Interview, continued from page 1 Roxbury. He talked to us about the history and School, which laid the ground for the legal fight development of Boston as an unfolding center of that would lead to busing. ideas, struggle, and victory. He talked to us about To understand these stories, the youth guides ing and meaning. This was home. The irony is that the history of the city beyond John Hancock and have had to think through what all the fighting and I had never been to West Virginia. I had never even Paul Revere. He talked to us about Boston’s histo- protesting was about. We ask them, “What would seen it, but clearly it was home. ry before and after colonial and Revolutionary you fight for? What would make you mad enough From my family, I learned that the ideas of times. And he talked to us about the Irish, Puerto to sit in and get arrested?” There is a lot of talk knowing and belonging are central to home. Do Rican, African-American, Russian, Lebanese, and about how apathetic young people are today. We you feel attached to this place? Does this place West Indian families who helped to shape the city have found that when you take the time to help include you? Home means that yes, there is a place as we know it. someone really understand a story—to encourage a for you. Unfortunately, Boston has not always You rarely hear about these people. Their strug- person to feel the emotion of that story—its teach- extended that message to its residents. The city’s gles and contributions have been rendered invisible. ing power is unleashed. At MYTOWN we do lots history is one big story of exclusion, displacement, Leaving these communities out of the historical of role plays, skits, and dramatic reenactments in and conflict—and attempts to overcome these record means we do not fully recognize them as a which youth guides relive experiences like being on things. This is also what makes Boston’s history so part of our heritage. This is dangerous. It is a dis- the Underground Railroad or arriving in Boston compelling as a teaching text for community build- torted view of how we got here and who is included from Ireland. Through the role plays and discus- ing. We have many, many examples of how people in our community. MYTOWN strives to expand sions, the youth guides make the connections and were nearly forced out of the only homes they knew, Boston’s telling of its own history by including eth- experience the “aha, that’s why this is a big deal” but then organized themselves to challenge the eco- nic and immigrant groups that are often overlooked moments. Often they are surprised and upset by sto- nomic and political forces that threatened them. and under-researched. ries of deliberate discrimination—jazz clubs that Many of the young people who come to History teaches us that what we experience only welcomed white patrons, hospitals that would MYTOWN say they don’t like Boston. The city now is the result of decisions made by people before not treat non-white patients. These true stories doesn’t have anything to offer them. They don’t us. These decisions create a sort of road map of how often inspire frustration and outrage. And they feel grounded in or connected to this place in any we got to this point—and also enable us to imagine should. way. They would never even think to refer to them- something different. What if Columbus had not When youth guides tell these stories with detail selves as Bostonians. stumbled onto America? What if there had been and conviction, the injustice becomes clear. The As long as this is the state of mind of the young greater religious tolerance in England? What if tours create safe public spaces for audiences of all people who live here, we can never hope to achieve there had not been a Nazi Holocaust? What if ages to deal with some of the most challenging and a civil society. A participatory democracy is con- Martin Luther King were alive today? What would difficult issues of our nation. There is no need to tingent on two things: 1) Each citizen feels a part our world be like? History gives us an opportunity preach; there is no need to belittle one ethnic group of a larger community that includes and directly to explore how choices and decisions are made. for the sake of celebrating another. There is only a affects her; and 2) Accurate information is shared to There is no guarantee that we will not repeat need to tell the story and to try to get it right. enable citizens to explore their options for action the mistakes of the past. All we can do is use our AH: Can you discuss how your experiences at and influence. MYTOWN’s programming is based talents and the wisdom of those who have gone Outward Bound and other leadership programs on the idea that understanding and reconnecting before us to face our daily challenges with openness influenced MYTOWN? with a sense of home is a crucial first step in helping and hope. the city’s young people create a truly democratic KC: Before starting MYTOWN, I worked at the AH: How has learning about South End history and community. Thompson Island Outward Bound Education giving the tours helped the young people of Our hope is that MYTOWN’s work will inspire Center for two summers. This Outward Bound site MYTOWN gain their own sense of home? our city to a higher, more inclusive vision of civic was unique because, at the time, its base population participation and prepare young people to lead us KC: They have an opportunity to add their family was primarily urban young people. Working there forward. and neighborhood stories to their larger under- showed me how experiential and team-based learn- standing of the city’s growth and change. These sto- ing can be transfered from ropes courses and boat AH: How did you pull all these ideas together— ries also help young people learn about the power of handling to solving problems in an urban setting. home, history, the needs of young people? local activism. When researching the history of her I also received a formal orientation to commu- KC: The seed of MYTOWN was an experience I housing development, one youth guide, Michelle, nity-based leadership through my participation in had one summer afternoon right before my senior was surprised to find out that her grandmother had Project REACH. Designed for black and Latino year of college. A longtime social justice champion, been instrumental in organizing the tenants to cre- college students living in Boston, Project REACH Greg Ricks, took me and a small group of college ate a housing cooperative. “I never thought of ordi- aimed to create a corps of community-based leaders. students on a walking tour of the South End and nary people doing things like that,” she said. “You We received training in group dynamics, power always think it’s famous people or civil relationships, and team building. We also met rights activists who protest or get arrested. Bostonians who were working to make a difference, I never thought my grandmother would like local business owners and community activists have been involved in something like who had committed themselves to making Boston’s that.” neighborhoods more livable and equitable. Project Michelle, like other youth guides, REACH taught me how important it is for activists talked about how surprised she was to real- to build networks and to see each other as essential ize that local, “ordinary” people like her resources for community building. could effect great change and make a dif- In my personal and professional experience, the ference just by doing what they think is best leadership development programs emphasize right in their neighborhood. This is one of independent, critical, creative thinking. For a long the great lessons local history can teach. time, this was believed to be independent work, but I am now convinced that, at its most effective and AH: How do the MYTOWN guides deal compelling, this kind of thinking is truly a group with Boston’s history of racism and conflict effort. Zadirah Johnson explaining how neighborhood residents among people of different ethnic and cul- pitched tents during the Tent City protest. tural groups, social classes, sexual orienta- AH: How has MYTOWN grown and changed over tions? I’m thinking par- the years? ticularly of issues like KC: MYTOWN evolved as we tried to address the busing and gentrifica- needs of the teenagers we were working with. Each tion, which are such a of the more than 100 young people MYTOWN has big part of the recent employed to date has made a lasting contribution to history of the South End. MYTOWN’s development. From our basic KC: Many of the stories approach to public speaking, to community service, shared on MYTOWN’s to social justice trainings—each feature of tours are stories steeped MYTOWN was added as a response to what young in conflict. They can be people said they were not getting in school but felt controversial, like they should be learning. In this way, we’ve devel- Puerto Rican tenants’ oped a youth-focused, youth-led program that organizing themselves to allows us to work with a broad range of young peo- save their neighborhood ple. Our three programmatic cornerstones are local despite the city’s efforts history, community service, and leadership develop- to “renew” it. Or Dr. ment. The young people have helped us create a King’s support of black Shauna Rigaud standing in front of Mel King's House talking about activism parents’ decision to boy- Interview, continued on page 6 and political organizing in Boston cott the Boardman

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Interview continued from page 5 Young people on a MYTOWN tour reading the inscription on the base of the A. Philip program that is structured enough to remain consis- Randolph statue. tent each season yet flexible enough to respond to a wide variety of participants from across the city, from those who are very academically motivated to those who are not.

AH: I notice that you said MYTOWN “employed” the young people. Why did you decide to pay the youth guides instead of having them volunteer? an alpha can be considered for a KC: For me, that was a “no-brainer”—although I promotion to the next leader- had some trouble convincing funders that the ship level. Each move, from guides should be paid. Most of the youth are from alpha to beta to gamma to delta, working-class and lower-middle-class families; many brings with it additional respon- qualify for free lunch at school. If MYTOWN did- sibilities that extend beyond n’t pay them, they could not participate. They knowing the information on the tour to supervising teach three neighborhood-based organizations in would have to find jobs. At this point, I think other youth guides, designing trainings, and manag- other parts of Boston about how to involve young everyone involved with MYTOWN “gets” this. In ing payroll. Each level of responsibility is intended people in projects that explore community history fact, recently a board member asked, “Isn’t it time to to strengthen the youth guide’s development of and contemporary issues. The projects will not nec- give them a raise?” competencies in four areas: leadership, communica- essarily be walking tours like MYTOWN’s. They tion, critical thinking, and knowledge of self. This could be exhibits, websites—whatever makes sense AH: Can you explain what you call the “phases” structure works well because it allows us to retain for a particular group. The initiative will give us the MYTOWN guides go through and the kinds of some of our strongest leaders while creating a peer opportunity to share the lessons and successes of our responsibilities they learn in each? management structure to organize and support the work. We are thrilled to be working with the KC: After MYTOWN’s first term, many young peo- youth guides’ daily work. Bostonian Society because of its ongoing commit- ment to using history as a way to bring our city ple wanted to come back, and since they knew more AH: Can you tell us about your new project, the together. The major grant from the Massachusetts about leading tours and researching information, it Neighborhood Partnership Initiative? made sense that they should be given more respon- Foundation for the Humanities is significant for us, sibility. This was the beginning of our four-tier lead- KC: In the first five years of MYTOWN’s existence, because it represents an endorsement of our partic- ership structure. A young person who is just begin- we have learned a lot about how the teaching of ular approach to gathering and sharing community ning with us is an alpha. Alphas are brand new local history can be an effective community educa- history. hires who don’t know much about Boston or tion and organizing tool. We’ve also learned how to MYTOWN. Their main task is to learn as much as develop leadership in teenagers. The Neighbor- Amy Hoffman is Program and Development Officer at they can in order to become effective tour guides. hood Partnership Initiative is a joint effort between the Massachusetts Foundation for the Humanities. After successfully completing one 200-hour term, MYTOWN and the Bostonian Society that will

Clemente Course Foundation Selected for Animating Democracy Initiative in the Humanities to expand mericans for the Arts has selected the Massachusetts Foundation for the Humanities, in part- to Boston and Worcester Anership with Florentine Films/Hott Productions, to participate in the Animating Democracy Lab, a program of the Americans for the Arts Animating Democracy Initiative (ADI). A total of he Bard College Clemente Course in the $1.2 million was distributed to 16 arts and cultural organizations around the country. The T Humanities, which the Foundation has spon- Foundation will receive $90,000. sored for two years at The Care Center in Holyoke The award will be used to complete production of the Florentine Films/Hott Production, (see the account of the graduation on page 10), will Imagining Robert: My Brother, Madness and Survival, funded in part by a major grant from the be offered this fall at two additional sites. The Foundation. Based on the book of the same name by Amherst writer Jay Codman Square Health Center, a multi-service Neugeboren, the documentary explores the relationship between Jay, a agency providing a broad array of medical, educa- prize-winning novelist and retired UMass/Amherst professor of English, tional, and community development programs, has and his younger brother Robert, who has suffered from schizophrenia for 38 been a major catalyst in the revitalization of its years. Once the film is completed, it will be used to stimulate dialogue in a Dorchester neighborhood. Youth Development series of community forums organized in all parts of the state in collabora- Gang, located in the Piedmont/Pleasant Street tion with the Massachusetts chapter of the National neighborhood of Worcester, offers a variety of edu- Association for the Mentally Ill. The purpose of the cational, advocacy, and community development forums will be to deepen participants’ understanding programs. The two agencies share a fundamental of the impact of chronic mental illness on families commitment to developing the skills and capacities Jay and Robert and communities, and how medical, social, and cul- of the people they serve, thereby helping them to tural responses to mental illness aggravate or amelio- improve their own lives and to build stronger com- Neugeboren, New York City, 2001 rate these effects. munities. This commitment made the agencies log- ADI is a four-year initiative supported by the Ford ical partners in the Clemente Course, which uses Foundation. Designed to advance the creation and/ or presentation of artis- study of the humanities as a means of helping eco- tic activity that enhances dialogue on important civic issues of our time and nomically disadvantaged people enrich their lives to promote understanding of the philosophical, practical, aesthetic, and and become more active participants in civic soci- social dimensions of civic engagement, the Animating Democracy Lab Jay and Robert ety. encourages experimentation and a testing of ideas and approaches to arts Neugeboren, Neal Dolan will direct the Dorchester course and humanities-based civic dialogue. Brooklyn, 1945 and teach the literature component. Dolan is a lec- Over two funding cycles, the Animating Democracy Lab has turer in History and Literature at Harvard, where he awarded grants to 32 different arts-based civic dialogue projects. The projects funded this year has won awards for both his teaching and his writ- were selected from 39 finalists, representing a wide range of arts and humanities disciplines, civic ing. Catherine Maddox-Wiley will serve as direc- issues, and aesthetic approaches. The awardees receive financial support and connections to other tor of the Worcester course and teach Writing and resources as well as an opportunity to document their projects in the Americans for the Arts’ Critical Thinking. Maddox-Wiley is a novelist with online national arts information clearinghouse. extensive experience as a teacher, counselor, and The ADL award recipients represent a wide variety of organizations, including theater academic administrator, most recently as Dean of companies, art museums, community cultural centers, a media arts center, a state humanities coun- Students at Clark University. cil, a local arts council, an opera company, a dance company, and an historical museum. They span The Clemente Course in Dorchester has re- the United States, from Alaska to Maine, from rural communities in California, Ohio, Minnesota, ceived support from the Clipper Ship Foundation, and Virginia, to neighborhoods in New York City, San Francisco, Pittsburgh, and Minneapolis. the Millipore Foundation and Tucker Anthony and The projects address a variety of contemporary issues, including racism, cultural identity, mental individual donors. health, economics, and ethical issues in biotechnology. Visit www.artsusa.org/AnimatingDemocracy for more information about the Animating Democracy Initiative and descriptions of the funded projects.

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Western Massachusetts Northampton: WHMP-AM 1400AM—Sundays, the millennium by the Massachusetts Segments may be about summer theater pro- 6:30 am Foundation for the Humanities. Each of the five grams in the Berkshires, the history of the The Role of the Arts in Urban Revitalization Pittsfield: WUPE 95.9FM—Sundays, 6:30 am books offers a critical assessment of a major Customs House in Boston, new Massachusetts A forum for local artists, city planners, the Arts Pittsfield: WUHN 1110AM—Sundays, 6:30 am area of human inquiry, endeavor, or concern welfare regulations, MCAS testing, or a discus- Walk committee, representatives of local com- and asks: “Where do we go from here?” The sion of a recent Supreme Court ruling. munity and cultural organizations, and the pub- status of politics and government, science, edu- Commonwealth Journal informs Massachusetts lic to consider the impact of the arts on urban Central Massachusetts cation, the environment, and social relations in residents about what is happening in, around, revitalization. Long Road to Justice America are examined by journalists, scholars, and to their state; or addresses national and When: November 2001, specific date and An exhibition exploring the experiences of Afri- and cultural critics, and fundamental questions international issues from a Massachusetts per- time to be announced can Americans in the courts of Massachusetts are raised about the nature and possibility of spective. The program is produced by WUMB Where: Heritage Park, Holyoke over three centuries. Sources include court re- further progress in these critically important Radio and the Massachusetts Foundation for Phone: (413) 559-5457 (Contact: Myrna cords, historical artifacts, and archives. Through areas. the Humanities at the University of Breitbart, Project Director) text, image, object, graphic design, and video- When: Alternate Wednesdays, September Massachusetts Boston. The host of tapes, the viewers will learn how our courts 19-November 14, 2001, 7:00-9:00 pm Commonwealth Journal is Barbara Neely. Science Ethics Lecture shaped—and were shaped by—the African Where: Reading Public Library, Reading Boston: WUMB 91.9FM—Sundays, 7:00 pm A lecture on the history of medicine under the American experience in Massachusetts. An Phone: (781) 944-0840 Boston/Framingham: WMEX 1060AM—Sundays, Nazis, given by Professor Robert Procter of Penn accompanying free teacher's guide developed by 6:30 am State University and sponsored by the Institute Primary Source is available on request (see web- Framingham: WSRO 1470AM—Sundays, for Science and Interdisciplinary Studies at Greater Boston site for details: www.atsweb.neu.edu/longroad/). 2:30 pm Hampshire College. When: Thursday, November 29–Friday, Workable Peace When: Fall 2001, specific date and time to January 25, 2001 Workshops accompanying a curriculum and pro- be announced Southeast Massachusetts Where: Worcester Housing Court/Worcester fessional development project on intergroup Where: Hampshire College, Amherst County Superior Court, Worcester conflict management for high school students Commonwealth Journal Phone: (413) 559-5582 and educators. The workshops are open to edu- A weekly, half-hour radio program featuring Commonwealth Journal cators interested in using elements of the cur- interviews with scholars, writers, cultural work- Project 2050 A weekly, half-hour radio program featuring riculum. For updates check the Workable Peace ers, and public officials examining topics and Youth-created theatre pieces focusing on the interviews with scholars, writers, cultural workers website: www.workablepeace.org issues of interest to Massachusetts listeners. social issues accompanying the 2050 demo- and public officials examining topics and issues When: Fall 2002, specific dates to be Segments may be about summer theater pro- graphic shift: when people of color become the of interest to Massachusetts listeners. Segments determined grams in the Berkshires, the history of the majority in the United States. may be about summer theater programs in the Where: The Consensus Building Institute, Customs House in Boston, new Massachusetts When: Saturday, November 10, 2001, Berkshires, the history of the Customs House in Cambridge welfare regulations, MCAS testing, or a discus- 8:00 pm Boston, new Massachusetts welfare regulations, Phone: (617) 492-1414 x24 (Stacie Smith) sion of a recent Supreme Court ruling. Where: Bowker Auditorium, University of MCAS testing, or a discussion of a recent Commonwealth Journal informs Massachusetts Massachusetts Amherst Supreme Court ruling. Commonwealth Journal Life After Sixty residents about what is happening in, around, Phone: (413) 545-9601 informs Massachusetts residents about what is Carolyn Heilbrun, author of The Last Gift of and to their state; or addresses national and Cost: $10 general public; $5 students and happening in, around, and to their state; or Time: Life After 60 and many other scholarly international issues from a Massachusetts per- seniors addresses national and international issues from books and mystery novels, will deliver the first spective. The program is produced by WUMB a Massachusetts perspective. The program is pro- lecture in a two-part series of public forums on Radio and the Massachusetts Foundation for The Goody Parsons Case: A Journey to the duced by WUMB Radio and the Massachusetts the opportunities and challenges of aging. the Humanities at the University of Seventeenth Century Foundation for the Humanities at the University When: Wednesday, October 10, 2001, Massachusetts Boston. The host of An exhibit centering on the life of Mary of Massachusetts Boston. The host of 7:30 pm Commonwealth Journal is Barbara Neely. Parsons, a seventeenth-century resident of Commonwealth Journal is Barbara Neely. Where: Harvard Memorial Church, Harvard Falmouth: WFPB 91.9FM—Sundays, 7:00 pm Northampton who was implicated in three dif- Fitchburg: WEIM 1280AM—Sundays, 11:30 pm University, Cambridge New Bedford: WBSM 1420AM—Sundays, ferent legal cases involving witchcraft. The Marlborough: WSRO 1470AM—Sundays, 2:30 pm Phone: (617) 497-8846 11:30 am exhibit will include artifacts, documents and Worcester: WAAF 107.3FM—Sundays, 5:30 am North Dartmouth: WSMU-FM 91.1FM Mondays, other objects associated with the Parsons fami- Worcester: WBPR 91.9FM—Sundays, 7:00 pm Economics: The Modern Mythology 8:30 am ly. An accompanying website contains a virtual John Kenneth Galbraith will deliver the the sec- North Plymouth: WPLM-AM 1390AM—Sundays, exhibit and provides information on the history ond public lecture in a two-part series address- 7:30 am of witchcraft in colonial New England. Northeast Massachusetts ing the general theme of "Life after Sixty." The Orleans: WFPB 1170AM—Sundays, 7:00 pm When: Exhibit: Spring 2002, specific dates City Lives: Senior Citizens of Lowell economy, for both individuals and the nation, Plymouth: WPLM 1390AM—Sundays, 7:30 am and times to be announced An exhibit featuring photographs and capsule will change dramatically as 60 million Baby Plymouth: WPLM 99.5FM—Sundays, 7:30 am Website available: Spring 2002 biographies of senior citizens born and still resid- Boomers retire over the next decade. Do our Provincetown: WOMR 92.1FM—call station for Where: Exhibit: Historic Northampton, ing in Lowell. contemporary economic models allow us to plan details Northampton Web: www.uml.edu/citylives for this demographic change? This forum will Website: www.historic-northampton.org address how individual quality of life will be Ends of Civilization: Taking Stock on the Eve of Phone: (413) 584-6011 Dickens and America: Lowell Public affected by economic forces. the Millennium Cost: $3 Performances When: Sunday, October 28, 2001, 2:00 pm A reading and discussion series developed for Public performances by Gerald Dickens, great- Where: Harvard Memorial Church, Harvard the millennium by the Massachusetts Long Road to Justice great-grandson of Charles Dickens, who visited University, Cambridge Foundation for the Humanities. Each of the five An exhibition exploring the experiences of Lowell in 1842. These performances, combining Phone: (617) 497-8846 books offers a critical assessment of a major African Americans in the courts of history, literature, and biography in a unique area of human inquiry, endeavor, or concern Massachusetts over three centuries. Sources one-man show format, will take place to com- The Artist's Role in Effecting Social Change and asks: “Where do we go from here?” The include court records, historical artifacts and memorate the 160th anniversary of Charles A lecture series investigating the various ways status of politics and government, science, edu- archives. Through text, image, object, graphic Dickens' Lowell visit. artists have been and can be involved in their cation, the environment, and social relations in design and videotapes, the viewing public will When: The Republic of My Imagination communities, both socially and politically. America are examined by journalists, scholars, learn how our courts shaped—and were shaped about Dickens' 1842 trip to America Speakers include S. A. Bachman, Howard Zinn, and cultural critics, and fundamental questions by—the African American experience in Thursday, April 4, 2002, 7:30 pm Marc Singer, and Shannon Flattery. are raised about the nature and possibility of Massachusetts. An accompanying free teacher's Mr. Dickens Is Coming! about Charles Web: www.bluhous.com further progress in these critically important guide developed by Primary Source is available Dickens' life and works Phone: (617) 879-7025 areas. on request (see website for more details: Saturday, April 6, 2002, 7:30 pm S. A. Bachman will address the artist's use of When: Alternate Thursdays, September 20- www.atsweb.neu.edu/longroad/). Where: Durgin Hall, University of media to effect change. November 15, 2001, 7:00-9:00 pm When: Wednesday, October 3–Wednesday, Massachusetts Lowell When: Wednesday, October 3, 2001, 6:00 pm Where: Sandwich Public Library, Sandwich November 28, 2001 Phone: (978) 934-4444 (box office) Where: Trustees Room, Massachusetts Phone: (508) 888-0625 Where: Pittsfield/Berkshire County Superior Web: www.jackprises.com College of Art, Boston Court, Pittsfield Cost: $8.50 general public, $5 seniors, Howard Zinn will speak on the historic and Statewide students free political impact of artists active in the social and Commonwealth Journal political realms. Scribbling Women A weekly, half-hour radio program featuring Long Road to Justice When: Wednesday, October 10, 2001, A new series of radio dramatizations of short interviews with scholars, writers, cultural work- An exhibition exploring the experiences of Afri- 6:00 pm stories by 19th and early 20th century American ers and public officials examining topics and can Americans in the courts of Massachusetts Where: Tower Auditorium, Massachusetts women writers, including "Afterward," by Edith issues of interest to Massachusetts listeners. over three centuries. Sources include court re- College of Art, Boston Wharton. Cassettes, lesson plans, and a dis- Segments may be about summer theater pro- cords, historical artifacts and archives. Through Marc Singer will show his film, Dark Days, and tance learning website will also be available. grams in the Berkshires, the history of the text, image, object, graphic design, and video- follow with a discussion about art. "Afterward" and other dramatizations will be Customs House in Boston, new Massachusetts tapes, the viewers will learn how our courts When: Wednesday, October 17, 2001, featured in RealAudio format on the website. welfare regulations, MCAS testing, or a discus- shaped—and were shaped by—the African 6:00 pm When: Curriculum, lesson plans, and play sion of a recent Supreme Court ruling. American experience in Massachusetts. An Where: Tower Auditorium, Massachusetts will be on site in Summer 2002 Commonwealth Journal informs Massachusetts accompanying free teacher's guide developed by College of Art, Boston Broadcast times: The series of five dramatiza- residents about what is happening in, around, Primary Source is available on request (see web- Shannon Flattery will discuss how an artist's tions (including "Afterward") will be and to their state; or addresses national and site for details: www.atsweb.neu.edu/longroad/). creative methodology can foster a community's distributed by National Public Radio international issues from a Massachusetts per- When: Monday, January 28–Friday, identity. beginning January 2002. Local sta spective. The program is produced by WUMB March 15, 2001 When: Wednesday, October 24, 2001, tion: WGBH-FM Radio and the Massachusetts Foundation for Where: Lawrence/Fenton Judicial Center, 6:00 pm Web: www.scribblingwomen.org the Humanities at the University of Lawrence Where: Trustees Room, Massachusetts Massachusetts Boston. The host of When: Monday, March 18–Friday, College of Art, Boston Cambodian Humanities Internet Curriculum Commonwealth Journal is Barbara Neely. May 3, 2001 On-line curriculum materials that use Greenfield: WGAM 1520AM—Sundays, noon Where: Lynn District Court, Lynn Commonwealth Journal Cambodian traditional arts to promote under- North Adams: WNAW-AM 1230AM—Sundays, A weekly, half-hour radio program featuring standing of Khmer culture in schools and com- 11:30 am Ends of Civilization: Taking Stock on the Eve of interviews with scholars, writers, cultural work- munities across the state. North Adams: WMMB-FM 100.1FM—Sundays, the Millennium ers, and public officials examining topics and When: January 2002 11:30 am A reading and discussion series developed for issues of interest to Massachusetts listeners. Web : www.cambodianmasters.org

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Southeastern Recent Grants Massachusetts, the Cape and Islands Greater Boston $25,000 to Plimoth $21,750 to Boston University for a five-day summer Plantation in institute for school administrators and teachers on Plymouth to bring integrating poetry into the public school curriculum two experts from at all levels, a program that will build on the success England to supervise of the Favorite Poem Project developed by former the reconstruction U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky. of a 17th century kiln and to under- $15,000 to the Public Media Foundation in Boston write related public for production of a radio dramatization of Edith programs and cur- Wharton’s 1910 short story “Afterwards,” and relat- riculum materials. ed educational and Internet components. Reconstructed 17th century Tardinico family, circa 1913, Boston, Massachusetts. Photo $901 to the wood burning kiln at Plimoth $15,000 to MYTOWN and the Bostonian Society to Thornton W. courtesy of the Center for Italian Culture at Fitchburg Plantation launch an innovative program designed to help Burgess Society in State College. three neighborhood-based organizations create East Sandwich for a youth-led projects that use public history to increase four-part book discussion series entitled A Natural $1,250 to the Institute for Science and Interdisciplinary citizen awareness and participation. Wilderness: American Nature Writers. Studies in Amherst for a public lecture exploring the ethical, scientific, and social-scientific dimensions of the $2,500 to Dance Umbrella in Boston for a post-per- $1,050 to the Sturgis Library in Barnstable for The use of medicine to advance Nazi goals under the Third formance panel discussion about the influence of American Dreams, a five-part book discussion series. Reich. dancer and choreographer Bill T. Jones on younger choreographers and on contemporary dance in gen- Northeastern Massachusetts $2,500 to Simon’s Rock College of Bard in Great eral. Barrington for a daylong symposium in honor of the $23,000 to the Cambodian Master Performers Program 80th birthday of poet Richard Wilbur: two panel discus- $2,500 to the Women’s Educational and Industrial in Lowell for development of a Web-based curriculum sions of Wilbur’s works by literature scholars, each fol- Union in Boston for two events focusing on a multi- on Cambodian music and dance traditions. lowed by an audience discussion, and a reading by media work of art portraying the domestic lives of Wilbur himself. women in the United States: a lecture by a scholar of $15,000 to the American Textile History Museum in women’s history, and a public conversation with the Lowell to support the planning of a traveling exhibition $9,700 to the Porter-Phelps-Huntington Foundation of artists. devoted to the history of handmade lace production in Hadley for a week-long summer institute that will train Ipswich from 1750 to 1840. middle school and high school teachers to do original $23,280 to the Consensus Building Institute in research and develop lessons using their findings. Cambridge to train and support high school humani- $10,000 to the University of Massachusetts at Lowell ties teachers in the use of a curriculum that uses his- for two free public performances by the actor Gerald $7,500 to Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival in Lee to support torical events to examine the ethical aspects of inter- Charles Dickens, great-great-grandson of the novelist, in lectures and discussions in conjunction with dance per- group conflict and to develop students’ civic skills conjunction with a conference commemorating the formances. and values. 160th anniversary of Charles Dickens’s visit to Lowell. $2,500 to the Sophia Smith Collection at Smith College $24,405 to Primary Source in Watertown to support $2,493 to the Lowell Council on Aging to create an in Northampton for a week-long teacher institute that a summer curriculum development institute for pub- exhibition in a downtown store window of photographs will engage middle school and high school teachers in lic school teachers, followed by piloting and evalua- and text focusing on the lives of fifteen elderly resi- original archival research, using the papers of eight tion of instructional materials and activities, on the dents, and an accompanying chapbook of biographies. twentieth-century women activists, and help them history of African Americans in the United States. design classroom materials based on their findings. $2,500 to the Andover Historical Society to develop an $2,500 to the Zamir Chorale of Boston in Newton for interpretive plan for its 18th century blacksmith shop. $2,500 to Hancock Shaker Village in Hancock for three a two-part symposium about the history of women’s programs designed to inform the public about the participation in Jewish music as singers and com- $2,500 to the Groton Historical Society to hire a scholar development of this “living history” museum: a free posers. to research the papers and possessions of 19th century public forum, a summer-long exhibition, and a laminat- Groton resident George S. Boutwell and present ideas ed guide to selected objects, describing how each one for reinterpreting the Society’s permanent Boutwell came into the collection and how it contributes to an exhibit. understanding of Shaker history and culture.

Central Massachusetts Outside Massachusetts

$15,000 to the Center for Italian Culture at Fitchburg $2,000 to the Classical Association of New England State College for a project that will compile an oral his- (CANE) in Hanover, New Hampshire to underwrite the tory of the Italian-American communities of Fitchburg costs of partial tuition scholarships for Massachusetts and Leominster and culminate in a public program and teachers attending the CANE Summer Institute on exhibition. Roman culture.

$1,000 to the Worcester Public Library for After Frost for a six-session reading and discussion program on late Round Stone Barn restoration, 1968. Banji Odusami, a MYTOWN tour guide, describing twentieth-century American poetry. Courtesy of Hancock Shaker Village the design and use of Titus Sparrow Park. Western Massachusetts

$25,000 to the University of Massachusetts/New World Theater in Amherst for a summer retreat in which a culturally diverse group of young people will work with scholars and performers to explore issues related to projected demographic shifts in the population of the U.S. and create performance pieces based on their conversa- tions.

Why do we save things? What memories and mean- $2,500 to the Hitchcock ing do they hold? A visitor to the Old State House Center for the studies a display of items that women have saved — Environment in Amherst snipped curls of babies’ hair, “my grandmother’s for a public reading by teeth,” a key to a backgammon game with a note say- nature writer Richard ing “doesn’t seem to work” — collected by artist Nelson. Merry Conway and Noni Pratt. Juxtaposed against the 18th and 19th century artifacts in the surrounding cases, these familiar objects from the recent past help visitors see that every artifact holds a story and per- sonal meaning.

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o I have a friend who should know about the Foundation. Please add her/his name to your Fire & Roses mailing list.

o Please send me Grant Guidelines (for Major and Mini-Grants). ne of the finalists Please send me information about the following: Ofor the first o annual Massachusetts o Reading & Discussion Programs Book Award for non- o Scholar in Residence Program fiction is Fire & Research Inventory Program Roses: The Burning of o the Charlestown Con- I am a humanities scholar and would like to participate in Foundation-supported public vent, 1834 by Nancy o humanities programs. Please contact me. Lusignan Schultz

(The Free Press, ______2000). Using let- ters, diaries, news- Name paper reports, and court documents, Schultz tells the dramatic but ______little-known story of the destruction of the Ursuline Convent by a mob of Protestant men. Title The result is a book of exemplary historical schol- ______arship that reads like a suspense novel. Professor of English at Salem State College, Schultz did Organization much of her research while participating in the Scholar in Residence program co-sponsored by ______the Foundation and the Bay State Historical League. In l997, she teamed up with artist Nancy Address Natale to create Lifting the Veil: Remembering the ______Burning of the Ursuline Convent, an exhibit of his- torical materials and related works of art at the Somerville Museum. Named by the Boston Globe ______as one of the ten best exhibits of 1997 in New England, Lifting the Veil was funded by a major grant from the Massachusetts Foundation for the City Humanities. Background on both the book and ______the exhibit can be found at www.fireandroses.com. State Zip

______

Massachusetts Center Telephone (H) (W) E-mail ______for the Book to Mail this form to: Massachusetts Foundation for the Humanities, 66 Bridge Street, Northampton, MA 01060 or Present Awards fax to: (413) 584-8454

The first annual Massachusetts Book Awards, spon- sored by the Massachusetts Center for the Book, will be presented on the evening of Friday, Novem- ber 2, at the Boston Public Library. Six awards will Grant Categories be given. One will recognize an organization or individual who has made a significant contribution New guidelines and applications for the following grant programs are available by returning the to the Massachusetts book community. The others response form above, telephoning the Foundation, or by downloading materials from our web site. will honor works published during the year 2000 in Northampton: (413) 584-8440/ Metro Boston: (617) 923-1678/ www.mfh.org each of five categories: Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Children’s Literature, and Children’s Picture Books. You must be a nonprofit organization, or have a nonprofit fiscal sponsor, to qualify for support. To be eligible for the Massachusetts Book Award, a work must be published in Massachusetts, be writ- Small Grants ten or illustrated by a Massachusetts resident, or These grants are awarded for up to $5,000. Application deadlines are the first of every month focus on a Massachusetts theme. Each winner will except August. Draft proposals are due two weeks before deadline. Notification is within three receive $1,000 and opportunities for readings and weeks. book-signings throughout the Commonwealth. A benefit reception will be held before the ceremony. Major Grants The panel of judges includes Wil Haygood, a These grants are awarded for amounts over $5,000 and up to $15,000 outright (up to $25,000 Boston Globe staff writer whose books include The challenge). Application deadlines are April 1 and October 1; draft deadlines are four weeks in Haygoods of Columbus: A Love Story; reporter and advance of the application deadline. K-12 major proposals are due January 15; draft deadline is broadcaster Christopher Lydon; Amherst College four weeks in advance. English professor William H. Pritchard, an eminent literary critic and biographer; and Rosanna Warren, Reading & Discussion Programs a distinguished poet and translator who is Univer- These grants are awarded for up to $1,000 for first-time applicants. A catalogue of program sity Professor of the Humanities at Boston Univer- themes and a directory of experienced discussion leaders are available from the Foundation. sity. To promote the finalists, the Center for the Scholar in Residence Program Book is sending information to all of the state’s pub- This collaborative program with the Bay State Historical League enables scholars to conduct orig- lic libraries and to bookstores and news outlets, as inal research that advances the interpretation and presentation of history in historical societies, well as distributing discussion guides. MCB is also museums, historical commissions, and libraries. Grants provide stipends of $2,000 to scholars and soliciting and posting responses to the books on its up to $500 to host organizations to defray administrative costs. Application deadlines in 2001-2002 website: www.massbook.org. are November 15 and April 15. Call BSHL at (781) 899-3920 for application forms. For further information on the awards, or to be put on the MCB mailing list, contact Sharon Research Inventory Grants Shaloo, Director of the Massachusetts Center for Small historical organizations may apply for a Research Inventory Grant (maximum of $1000) to the Book, at 413-545-2029 or by e-mail at mass- support the costs of conducting inventory projects designed with specific research questions in [email protected]. mind. There are five deadlines per year (January 1, March 1, May 1, July 1, and September 1). This is a collaborative program administered by the Bay State Historical League. Call BSHL at (781) 899-3920 for application forms.

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Nonprofit Organization U S Postage Paid 66 Bridge Street Strategic Mail Northampton, MA 01060 www.mfh.org

Address Service Requested

Holyoke Clemente Course Holds Graduation

n the evening of Friday, June 23rd, a moving Anne Teschner welcomed the guests, followed by O graduation ceremony at Holyoke’s Wisaria- writing teacher Barbara Tramonte, who spoke elo- hurst celebrated the achievement of the nine quently about each student’s distinctive achieve- women who had just completed the Bard College ment and contribution to the class. Course director Clemente Course in the Humanities. The course, Kent Jacobson acknowledged the dedication of the which will begin its third year this fall at The Care five faculty members. Most powerful, though, were Center in Holyoke, is a free, year-long, college-level the voices of the graduates themselves. Selinia program in five humanities disciplines, taught in Vazquez, the senior member of the class, spoke for community settings by college faculty. The students the graduates in describing the year’s experience; are people whose economic circumstances have lim- and the whole group joined in presenting amusing Holyoke Clemente Course graduates, from left: ited their educational opportunities. Administered individual awards to the faculty. Laurie Martineau, Selinia Vazquez, Debra nationally by Bard College, the course is coordinat- The graduates designed the next part of the cer- Tamburro, Damaris Santiago, Latoya Davis, Rose ed in Massachusetts by the Massachusetts Founda- emony to honor those who had inspired and sup- Treat, Surilynn Vazquez, Amarylis Torres. In front: tion for the Humanities, which also provides major ported them through the course. As each graduate’s Diamond Davis, Damond Davis (Absent: Melinda fundinge. Holyoke’s Clemente program is unique in name was announced, a family member or friend Ortiz.) the nation in that it is offered exclusively for came forward to present the diploma: Surilynn women. Vazquez’s mother, who had traveled from Puerto As a pianist played in the background, the Rico; Selinia Vazquez’s two grandsons; Damaris the year before and had been invited by Jacobson to Music Room of the mansion gradually filled with Santiago’s sister. As Jacobson rose to read a final try again this year. Noting that “you don’t get many family members and guests of the graduates, includ- poem, graduate Rose Treat came forward and asked second chances,” she thanked him for his faith in ing a number of small children. In all, over 70 peo- to say a few words of her own. She began by her, then paid tribute to each teacher and to her ple attended. Care Center Executive Director recounting how she had dropped out of the course classmates.

Three Worlds of Peru: The Andes, the Rainforest and the Capital City February 15-24, 2002

A traveling humanities seminar sponsored Maldonado, we board a flight for our last two by the Massachusetts Foundation for the After two days of exploring Machu nights in the capital city of Lima. We’ll visit Humanities and directed by Professor Picchu, with local guides and on our own, we Plaza de Armas, where Lima was founded in David Scott Palmer, Chairman of the return to Cuzco for a flight to Puerto 1535 by Francisco Pizarro and the epicenter Department of Political Science at Boston Maldonado, situated at the confluence of the of Lima’s religious and political life. Here University mighty Madre de Dios and Tambopata rivers. we also will learn about modern Peru, which For two days we will immerse ourselves in the has recently undergone profound and $2829 plus taxes and registration fee rainforest, traveling on foot and by canoe. promising political changes. Registration deadline November 15, 2001 We’ll be dazzled by the colorful and exotic Three Worlds of Peru will be an unforget- flora and fauna, and hope to glimpse the table journey in the company of MFH Join a small group (12 to 24 travelers) of endangered giant river otter. A visit to a Executive Director David Tebaldi and friends of the humanities for another excit- native community and a slash and burn farm is Professor Scott Palmer, chairman of the ing and intellectually engaging voyage of dis- included. Political Science Department at Boston covery and dialogue. We begin our journey We will stay at the Posada Amazonas University, co-founder of BU’s Latin with two days in Cuzco, a great city high in lodge. A favorite of “eco-tourists,” Posada American Studies program and co-chairman the Andes (over 10,000 feet) that blends Amazonas is built adjacent to the Ese’eja of the BU Summer Program in Peru. Scott Incan and Spanish culture. From Cuzco, we Indian community using native architectural will be accompanied by his wife, Diane, a take a train through the Sacred Valley of the techniques and local materials, principally civic educator who is also fluent in Spanish Incas, the Urubamba Valley, to the mystical wood, palm fronds, wild cane and clay. It does and has made numerous trips to Peru. mountaintop of Machu Picchu. The hikers have running water, but no electricity. The registration deadline is November among us will have the option of walking the After returning by canoe to Puerto 15, 2001. To ensure a place, register now by Inca Trail, from Kilometer 104 making a $395 deposit. To to Puerta del Sol, where they register, or to see a detailed will come upon the spectacular itinerary, reading list, flight and ruins of Machu Picchu from pricing information, go to high above. (See www.rain- www.etravjourneys.com god.com/angus/ (Journey Code=llama), or call Gallery/Photos/SouthAmerica/ the Northampton office (413- Peru/IncaTrail for a fascinating 584-8440) and speak with virtual tour of the Inca Trail.) David Tebaldi.