Long News 1A

A R EPORT TO MEMBERS AND FRIENDS SPRING 2005 IN THIS ISSUE Amesbury Treasures and the House on Main Street . 2 Minnie A. Scott’s Reminiscence: Record of Acquaintance with Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science . 6 Longyear’s Portrait of Maurine R. Campbell on Exhibit in San Antonio . 8 In the Amesbury, Massachusetts, home of Sarah Bagley, Mary Baker Eddy found a quiet refuge for Bible study. In this house, she did some of her earliest writing on Christian Science. Today, the house is one of ten historic sites and museums that have joined together to form a group called “Amesbury Treasures.” Mrs. Longyear (second from left) and friends at the Bagley house at 277 Main Street in Amesbury. Photograph, circa 1920, Longyear Museum collection. Amesbury Treasures and the House on Main Street “L ongyear’s six Mary Baker Eddy Historic Houses are important landmarks in the history of Christian Science, each with its own story,” says Sandy Houston, Director of Museum Activities. “In the Amesbury, Massachusetts, home of Sarah Bagley, Mrs. Eddy found a quiet refuge for Bible study. Here she did some of her ear - liest writing on Christian Science.” Mrs. Eddy, known at the time as Mrs. Glover, lived in the house at 277 Main Street on two occasions: during the summer of 1868 Last year, a husband and wife who are Longyear members from and again in the early spring of 1870. Ohio toured the Museum’s Amesbury house with Sandy. They learned about the Amesbury Treasures and the group’s interest in The house dates to the later 1700s, possibly before the publishing a newsletter. The couple, who own a printing compa - Revolutionary War, and is one of ten historic sites and museums ny, generously offered to donate the printing of the newsletter. in this New England mill town north of Boston that have joined together to form a group called “Amesbury Treasures.” “Imagine how happy we at Longyear were to be able to support the Amesbury community by helping with this newsletter,” says “The Amesbury story spans over 350 years,” says Bethany Groff, Sandy. “And one of our Longyear staff members volunteered to Chair of Amesbury Treasures. “From the first European settlers design the piece. So an eight-page newsletter went to every who carved their homesteads out of the wilderness to industrial household in Amesbury in the spring of 2004 in time to pro - magnates whose factories lined the Amesbury waterways. It has mote the second Be a Tourist in Your Hometown Day. And the been the home of poets, patriots and puritans. The incredible only cost to the Amesbury Treasures group was the postage.” diversity of the town’s history is preserved in the Amesbury Treasures group.” Dee Carpenter, a Longyear member, has lived in Amesbury for about seven years. As she has come to know her neighbors, she Established in the late 1990s, Amesbury Treasures includes a vari - ety of historic sites and museums: Rocky Hill Meeting House; Lowell’s Boat Shop; Amesbury Carriage Museum; the John Greenleaf Whittier Home; the Macy-Colby House; Bartlett Museum; Salisbury Point Railroad Station; the Hat Museum; the Amesbury Improvement Association and Longyear’s Mary Baker Eddy Historic House. “Longyear joined the group after the most recent restoration of the Amesbury house was completed in November 2002,” says Sandy. “We took part in the first Be a Tourist in Your Hometown Day in May 2003 and welcomed seventy-five visitors to our little house. “The community had taken a great interest in the exterior restora - tion. In particular, there was a dramatic change in the house’s paint color from a deep red to a tan,” says Sandy. “So when the invitation went out to the residents of Amesbury to explore the historic treasures in their town, there was quite a response. People were eager to see the furnishings of the house, which have remained substantially unchanged since the mid-1800s. It was a great success.” Natalie Blake-Weber, Longyear Curatorial Assistant, welcomes eighth-graders to Amesbury’s History Days at the Mary Baker Eddy Historic House. 2 has become aware of the town’s pride in the Mary Baker Eddy Historic House. “Longyear’s recent preservation and restoration of one of Amesbury’s recognized treasures came at the moment John Greenleaf Whittier when the town was deeply involved in a community effort to (1807–1892) restore its historic downtown area,” says Dee. “When the n o i Longyear restoration began, our neighbors followed it closely, John Greenleaf Whittier, t a i c the American Quaker poet o commenting on its thoroughness and attention to detail, fre - s s and abolitionist, moved A quently voicing their approval. The restoration of the house on e m Main Street became an integral part of the town’s renewal. The from his birthplace in o H r e Haverhill, Massachusetts, i completion of the work has reinforced the community’s respect t t i for Mrs. Eddy, greatly strengthening their satisfaction in having to Amesbury in 1836. h W e h her share the town’s proud history.” Whittier was acquainted t y with Sarah Bagley, the b d “As we’ve gotten to know Amesbury, we’ve found other ways to e t owner of the house in u b i be active members of the community,” says Sandy. r t which Mary Baker Eddy n o The Mary Baker Eddy Historic House was invited to participate (then Mrs. Glover) lived in C in the town’s History Days in June 2004. Over two days, 180 1868 and again in 1870. Sarah’s sister, Emmeline, was eighth-graders visited the Longyear house; the John Greenleaf married to his cousin. Whittier Home; and the Bartlett Museum, a former school In the summer of 1868, Sarah Bagley took Mrs. Eddy to named in honor of Josiah Bartlett, a signer of America’s visit Whittier at his home. The poet had not been well Declaration of Independence. and, although it was warm day, he received his guests in Natalie Blake-Weber and Ruth Weaver, Curatorial Assistants at a closed room with a fire burning in the fireplace. Longyear, developed a program for the young visitors to the In his book Mary Baker Eddy: The Years of Discovery , Mary Baker Eddy Historic House. Students took on the charac - Robert Peel recounts the story of that visit: “When Mrs. ter of one of the Bagley family members. As they Glover remarked that the atmosphere outside seemed went through the house they answered questions better than inside, he [Whittier] replied irritably, ‘If from the perspective of their character. Jesus Christ was in Amesbury he would have to have “The students were introduced to Mary Baker Eddy brass-lined lungs to live here.’” and her significance in Amesbury’s history,” As Mrs. Eddy talked with Whittier, “… his face changed says Natalie. and, in her own words, ‘the sunshine of his former char - “There were hands-on activities for everyone,” acter beamed through the cloud.’ When she rose to go he adds Ruth. “Squire Bagley kept a diary, so one of went to her with both hands extended and said, ‘I thank the activites involved students creating their own you, Mary, for your call; it has done me much good.’” A diary entries with a quill pen and ink. And the neighbor noted that it seemed that Whittier had com - Bagley women did a lot of needlework, so some pletely recovered from his illness following Mrs. Eddy’s of the children made quilt squares out of paper to visit. 1 Mrs. Eddy refers to this healing in Pulpit and Press , illustrate this.” p. 54. “We wore period dress to keep the historical feel Much of Whittier’s poetry was religious, and over a to the day,” says Natalie. “Teachers and students hundred of his poems have been used as texts for alike told us that it gave them a fresh look at their hymns, nine of which are included in the Christian town’s history.” Science Hymnal. “It was thrilling to see the house used for an educa - ___________________________________________ tional event,” says Sandy Houston. “Of course, we 1. Robert W. Peel, Mary Baker Eddy: The Years of Discovery (Boston: are always aware of preserving our houses for future The Christian Science Publishing Society, originally published by Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1966), p. 223. Continued on page 4 3 Continued from page 3 generations, but we know that they have to be available and community to participate. We’re literally opening the door to an useful to the present generation too. And in Amesbury there audience genuinely interested in Mrs. Eddy and her contribu - is such enthusiasm for history, we don’t have to persuade the tions to the community.” I Longyear’s Mary Baker Eddy Historic Houses Longyear Museum owns and opens to the public six historic houses in which Mary Baker Eddy lived. For more information, including directions, visit www.longyear.org or call 800. 277.8943, ext. 100. Amesbury, Massachusetts 277 Main Street 1 Open May 1 – October 31 Sat. 10 am – 3 pm and by appointment Stoughton, Massachusetts 2 133 Central Street Open May 1 – October 31 by appointment Swampscott, Massachusetts 23 Paradise Road 3 Open May 1 – October 31 Mon., Wed. – Sat. 10 am – 4 pm; Sun. 2 – 5 pm; closed Tues. November 1 – April 30 by appointment Concord, New Hampshire 4 62 North State Street Open May 1 – October 31 by appointment Rumney, New Hampshire Stinson Lake Road 5 Open May 1 – October 31 Tues.

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