Worcester Natural History Society, Records, 1825-1970 Mss. Boxes W Mss
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AMERICAN ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY MANUSCRIPT COLLECTIONS NAME OF COLLECTION: LOCATION(S): Worcester Natural History Society, Records, 1825-1970 Mss. boxes W Mss. octavo vols. W Mss. folio vols. W Mss. oversize vols. W Mss. oversize boxes W SIZE OF COLLECTION: 7 manuscript boxes; 138 octavo volumes; 27 folio volumes; 3 oversize volumes; 1 oversize folder SOURCES OF INFORMATION ON COLLECTION: SOURCE OF COLLECTION: Gifts of the Worcester Natural History Society, May 1931 and November 1932, Octavo Volume #3 gift of Eugene L. Schwab, October 1948, additional donation from the Worcester EcoTarium, February 2015. COLLECTION DESCRIPTION: The Worcester Natural History Society was first formed in 1825 as the Worcester Lyceum of Natural History and united with the Worcester Lyceum in November 1829. The Society has been known by various names throughout its history: Worcester Lyceum of Natural History (1825), Worcester Lyceum (1829), Worcester County Lyceum and Library Association (185), Worcester Lyceum and Natural History Association (1866), Worcester Natural History Society (1884), the Worcester Science Museum (1960), the New England Science Center (1986), and, currently, the Worcester EcoTarium (1998). The general aim of the organization was to promote the knowledge and investigation of natural history. Its activities included a series of lectures, the establishment of a circulating library, and the sponsorship of debates. In 1882 the Society opened its natural history museum to the public and from 1885 to 1893 it ran a natural history summer camp on Lake Quinsigamond. The boys’ camp featured both day and overnight options, and consisted of various outdoor activities, field excursions, and military-style physical fitness training, as well as lectures taught by Society faculty. From 1856-1859, the organization held the library of Dr. John Green (1784-1865) which was given to the city of Worcester in 1859 to establish the Worcester Public Library. In addition, the Young Men’s Library Association (YMLA) and the Young Men’s Rhetorical Society were affiliated with the Society in the 1850s. The YMLA included the liberal religions denominations excluded by the YMCA. Founders included Edward Everett Hale (1822-1909) and George Frisbie Hoar (1826-1904). Officers included Edward Everett Hale, Nathaniel Paine (1832-1917), and Thomas Wentworth Higginson (1823-1911). During the twentieth century, particularly under the presidency of Richard C. Potter, the Society expanded its aims and services to include a variety of programs and buildings for children, educational camps and lecture series for teachers and professionals, including the Piedmont Center, Rice House, Aldrich Astronomical Society (1932), the Nature Training School (1942), and the Daniels Forestry School (1950). The Daniels School of Forestry and Conservation was founded in 1950 following the Daniels family’s gift of property in Rutland to the WNHS. It began as a single-building day school with the aim of educating students in the practical and theoretical foundations of forestry and environmental work. In 1952, the Daniels School began hosting overnight summer camps, and accepted girls to the day school (until 1956). The school maintained a partnership with Nichols Junior College, whose students received accreditation in conservation and also served as instructors to the younger students. Financial constraints reduced the offerings of the school until its eventual closure in 1962. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, community organizations like the American Legion, Kiwanis, and Junior League were active in fundraising and promoting the Society and its events. For many years Ella Louise Brown Horr (1854-1928) was the curator and Herbert D. Braman was the secretary of the Society Clayton Stone was a dedicated naturalist and ornithologist from Lunenburg, Massachusetts. Stone was affiliated with the WNHS as a member, lecturer, and contributor of taxidermied specimens. His writings include annotated indexes of bird sightings (1901 and 1934), which were expanded into his 1937 mimeographed book, “Fifty Years with the Birds of Lunenburg.” He continued to be an active observer and writer until his death in 1944. Edward Howe Forbush was a prominent naturalist and ornithologist who was appointed WNHS curator of ornithology at age 16, and was involved in establishing their specimen collection and running the Natural History Camp. In 1896 Forbush was one of the founders of the Massachusetts Audobon Society, and in 1908 was appointed the State Ornithologist of Massachusetts. His research specialty was “economic ornithology,” the study of how bird species affect and are affected by agriculture, he was also instrumental in game and conservation legislation. After his death, the Forbush Bird Club was founded in Worcester in 1931, which continues to promote New England birding. After his death, the Forbush Bird Club was founded in Worcester in 1931, which continues to promote New England birding. Richard C. Potter was the director of the WNHS from 1946-1985. He was influential in developing the Nature Training School, the Piedmont Center, and the Daniels School of Forestry. He also authored multiple ongoing columns in various local publications and on local radio. The Society’s records include constitutions, by-laws, annual reports, correspondence, photographs, scrapbooks, meeting minutes, library records, cash books, roll books, financial records, daybooks, visitors’ books, library catalogs, and radio transcripts; meeting minutes, reports, and lists of officers for the YMLA; and correspondence and annual reports for the Daniels Forestry School. The records also include correspondence, drafts and notes for published work, scrapbooks, and other material from prominent researchers including Clayton Stone, Edward Howe Forbrush, and Richard C. Potter. One photographic album of natural history camp, primarily cyanotypes; 9 mounted photographic prints of activities at the Daniels Forestry School; one photo from the natural history camp; one mounted albumen photograph of Charles E. Burbank and cadets moved to Graphic Arts. AMERICAN ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY MANUSCRIPTS DEPARTMENT Worcester Natural History Society, Records, 1825-1970 CONTENTS LIST Manuscript Folder Date Contents Box Worcester Lyceum and Worcester Natural History 1 Society, 1873-1911 1862-1911; Notebook listing members of the Society 1 1889-1890 Notebook of the natural history camp Notes about the president of the Society, Dr. William 2 H. Raymenton (1853-1937) and the natural history camp Constitution and By-Laws of the Worcester Juvenile 3 Lyceum (organized 1829), with list of members June 1905 Copy of the Worcester Magazine, with article on the 4 Society 5 1873-1885 Raymenton Correspondence, including postcards 1883-1885 Raymenton Correspondence, including many letters 6 from Samuel Swett Green (1837-1918) 1886-1906 Photographic prints of camp participants and Society 7 members, primarily taken at the natural history camp at Lake Quinsigamond Worcester Natural History Society Papers, 1825- 2 1930 1880-1905 WNHS Natural History Camp, pamphlets and records 1 including attendance, supply lists and budgets WNHS Natural History Camp, photographic prints of 2 grounds, campers, staff, and activities around Lake Quinsigamond 1825-1905 Clayton E. Stone Papers, notes and writings: Notes on Five Common Cephalozias 3 Notes on Orchids of Worcester County Bird-watching notes (See also Octavo Volumes 98-108.) Clayton E. Stone Papers, poetry and creative prose: “A Day in the April Woods” 4 “A Farmer and His Birds” “Shell Drakes” Clayton E. Stone Papers, draft of “Fifty Years with the Birds of Lunenburg.” 5 6 1919-1920 E. H. Forbush State Ornithological Records 1931-1933 MA State Department of Agriculture Ornithological 7 Reports 1928-1952 E. H. Forbush Biography and Forbush Bird Club 8 Material Insect Cases: A Key to Their Identification by Richard 9 Headstrom Curator of Entomology Worcester Natural History Society Administrative 3 Records, 1870-1960 1 1870-1879 Officers, By-laws, Annual Reports 1885; 1900 Memorial for Gregory Sanborn 2 “Flora of Lake Quinsigamond” 1940-1943 Volumes of the Worcester Natural History 3 Association Quarterly 4 1943-1953 Worcester Natural History Society Annual Reports 1946-1956 Officers and members of the Director’s Council and 5 committees 6 1950-1965 General administrative papers and publications 1949-1955 W. P. Parker Nature Training School Reports, 7 curriculum and files 1950-1956 WNHS Extension and Children’s Services Piedmont Center (see also Folio Volume 10) 8 Rice House Nursery School 9 Teacher Education Program 10 October 1960 Building Dedication and Open House 11 1944-1959 Director’s Council programs and publicity Worcester Natural History Society Administrative 4 Records, 1946-1960 1 1946-1959 Director’s Council general administrative files 2 1949-1959 Director’s Council garden pilgrimage 3 1950-1960 Director’s Council plant sales 1949-1950 Richard C. Potter Correspondence His correspondence in folders 4-7 is primarily 4 concerned with fundraising and budgetary allocations, as well as some personal correspondence and event planning. 5 1951 Richard C. Potter Correspondence 6 1952 Richard C. Potter Correspondence 7 1953-1954 Richard C. Potter Correspondence 5 Daniels Forestry School, 1950-1964 1950-1957 Founding information, City of Rutland land grants and 1 issues 2 1953-1967 J. Harris Woods Gifts 3 1950-1957 Financial records, gift correspondence, timber contract 4 1958-1962 Financial records, gift correspondence 5 1953-1961