A publication of Mass Humanities Fall 2011

The Information Sage

In This Issue Mass Humanities Executive Director David Tebaldi talks to our annual symposium panelist and writer Virginia Heffernan on just where the rabbit hole of the Web is taking us. Mass Humanities News page 2 David Tebaldi: You have a Ph.D. in English carries something like eye contact, recognition and literature from Harvard. What was your area a smile—humanness—which is, paradoxically, what The Cuba Seminars of specialization? Were you contem- people most fervently traffic in within the shimmer- page 4 plating an academic career at ing cyberworld of the Internet.” In what ways are that time? more “human” than more traditional Recent Grants page 5 forms of communication? Virginia Heffernan: Upcoming Events My dissertation is on VH: I’m not sure what’s true of all social media, but and Exhibits American naturalist fiction; it’s true that you never know where humanness can page 6 it used a methodology achieve value. Manual slips of needles on records, that was briefly, thrillingly or dust on vinyl, are what some audiophiles identify FAIR Expansion page 7 known as the New Economic with “warmth” and contribute to the impression Criticism. I tried to discover that vinyl is more human than .mp3 technology. how the dynamics of price Cell phone calls, to me, mangle and inhibit hu- inflation inform novels writ- man voices and silences so violently that they ten in boom/bust times. are interesting only insofar as they’re efficient… I absolutely thought I’d unlike analog calls, which—at least to teenagers be an academic. and sweethearts—used to be filled with breath and Annual Fall Symposium I did, though, timbre and the exhalation of smoke and suspense. take a year off Humanness. I asked Nicholson Baker not long and worked as ago, since he writes about sex and technology, if he Cyberspace and Civic Space a fact-checker at thought there was beauty and range to sexting, and . he told me there absolutely is. The Influence of the Internet on Our Democracy Even after I went back to Harvard, DT: Critiques of digital media seem to fall into two This year, Mass Humanities takes on the I kept working camps: utopian and dystopian, with the dystopians World Wide Web for its eighth annual public as a journalist to far outnumbering the utopians. What do you think symposium, held on Saturday, November 19, supplement my about this? Is it just that disaster stories sell so at Boston College. teaching fellowship, much better than feel-good stories? and then to subsi- Afterward, our annual benefit dinner will feature dize my dissertation VH: There’s a great deal of suffering and anxiety Virginia Heffernan as the featured speaker. writing. around the question of what will happen to analog Heffernan, who began writing for The New totems (like books) as well as predigital jobs (like York Times in 2003, is currently the Internet DT: In a recent photo editors). These artifacts and jobs defined our columnist for its Sunday Magazine. As she column about emotional and intellectual lives as well as our liveli- states in her forthcoming book, to be titled, that seems hoods. Sometimes digitization feels like we’re hav- Magic and Loss: The Pleasures of the Internet: to have generated ing our hearts and brains transplanted, and we’re “Tentatively, avidly or kicking and scream- a robust response losing our jobs at the same time. Zombie movies ing, nearly two billion of us have taken up from readers, you are enjoying a renaissance. No wonder there are residence on the Internet, and we’ve adjusted make an interesting dystopian visions around. I feel that acutely. And to its idiosyncratic ways...This transformation observation: “the this pain is not going to pass, any more than the of everyday life includes moments of magic, Facebook greeting pain involved in other self-styled revolutions passed. and an unavoidable experience of profound loss.” Continued on page 3

For more information, see page 8 Mass Humanities News

Mass Humanities 66 Bridge Street Northampton, MA 01060 tel (413) 584-8440 fax (413) 584-8454 Welcome to Four New Board Members www.masshumanities.org

With a hearty welcome to those listed below also comes a pang of loss, as we bid fond farewells to STAFF several outstanding individuals who are dedicated to the public humanities in Massachusetts: Ricardo David Tebaldi Barreto, recently retired director of the Urban Arts Institute; Madelaine Márquez of Hampshire College; Executive Director Bhasker Natarajan of Liberty Mutual; Thomas Trimarco of O’Neill and Associates, who has joined the [email protected]

Mass Humanities Advisory Board; novelist John Sedgwick; and Keith Vezeau of the National Guard Pleun Bouricius Museum and Archives. assistant director [email protected]

Elliott Bostwick Davis is John Leila W. Kinney is Executive Abaigeal Duda Moors Cabot Chair of the Art Director of Arts Initiatives at development assistant [email protected] of the Americas Department the Massachusetts Institute of at the Museum of Fine Arts, Technology in the Office of Deepika Fernandes fiscal officer where she oversees the Mu- the Provost. She works with [email protected] seum’s extensive collection of art the List Visual Arts Center, the from North, Central, and South MIT Museum, the Creative Anne Rogers Systems Manager America, including one of the world’s pre-eminent Arts Council and the Council for the Arts to [email protected] collections of American paintings, decorative advance the arts agenda at MIT in the areas of Rose Sackey-Milligan arts, and sculpture. Before coming to the MFA, at strategic planning, communications, resource program officer the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, development, and cross-school collaborations, [email protected]

Elliot was responsible for American, British, and particularly with the School of Humanities, Arts, John Sieracki contemporary art in the Department of Drawings and Social Sciences and the School of Architec- Director of Development and Prints, curating numerous exhibitions ranging ture and Planning. She serves on the Advisory and Communications Editor of mass humanities from Winslow Homer and Mary Cassatt to W.P.A. Committees of the List Visual Arts Center, the [email protected] Color Prints and the installations of baseball cards MIT Museum, and the Catalyst Collaborative at Brendan Tapley from the Burdick Collection. In 1999, Elliot joined MIT. Leila is an art historian and first joined the Communications Officer the American Paintings and Sculpture Department faculty at MIT in the History, Theory, and Criti- [email protected] to complete work on “Art and the Empire City: cism section of the Department of Architecture, Melissa Wheaton New York, 1825-1861.” The accompanying cata- where she specialized in 19th- and 20th-century Administrative Assistant and logue, of which she was a co-author, was selected French Art with an emphasis on media in transi- Grants administrator [email protected] by the New York Public Library as one of the 25 tion, arts institutions, and artists engaged with most important books published in the year 2000. modernism and mass culture. Hayley Wood senior Program Officer Elliot is a trustee of the North Bennet Street School [email protected] in Boston and a councilor for the American Anti- Kathleen C. Stone is a quarian Society. lawyer focusing on business Mass Humanities promotes the use of history, literature, philosophy, and the and commercial litigation. other humanities disciplines to deepen Ronald B. Hertel is Managing Formerly a partner in a our understanding of the issues of the day, strengthen our sense of common Director-Investments of the Hertel large law firm and in-house purpose, and enrich individual and & Konish Wealth Management counsel in a bank subsid- community life. We take the humani- ties out of the classroom and into the Group at Wells Fargo Advi- iary, she now maintains community. sors. He is a Certified Financial a solo practice. She has taught courses on Mass Humanities, a private, nonprofit, Planner and a Certified Invest- American law in several countries—Slovenia, educational organization, receives fund- ment Management Analyst. Bulgaria and the Czech Republic—with the ing from the National Endowment for the Humanities; the Massachusetts His business focuses on individual family wealth goal of fostering respect for the rule of law Cultural Council, a state agency; and management services, corporate 401k plans, and in all societies and increasing foreign under- private sources. not-for-profit organizations. He was named one of standing of the American system. She is a Boston Magazine’s 2006 Top 20 Advisors and one hearing officer for the Board of Bar Overseers, of the top-ranked advisors in America by Research the regulatory body for Massachusetts law- Magazine in 2005. A graduate of the University of yers. Kathleen also serves as a trustee of the Vermont, Ron was inducted into UVM’s Athletic Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology, a Hall of Fame, served as co-chair on the Alumni private two-year college in Boston. She is the Fund 2002-2003, and was awarded the UVM immediate past president of The Boston Club, Follow us on distinguished Service Award in 2004. He is past and previously was elected to the Council of president of the Friends of the Winchester Public the Boston Bar Association where she also and Library and the Winchester Jaycees. co-chaired the Solo and Small Firm Section. Facebook! 2 The Information Sage, continued from page 1 “... the Internet I’m not in either camp. But I would advise everyone to do as yogis Kids should be shown how tell us and “sit with our feelings.” If digitization frightens or bores to master the digital world makes a good case you, a reaction that seems more meaningful might lie in these that’s around them and for itself as a place practices: in the revival of vinyl and papermaking, in DIY culture, then be given the tools to in the new run on live music, in foodie culture. get critical distance from for prayers.” it. DT: In a recent opinion piece in your newspaper, the critic Neal Gabler, a dystopian, bemoans the fact that knowing, or collect- DT: What do you think ing information, has supplanted thinking. He goes on to say that of the often mentioned analogy between Google and a public social networking sites “engender habits of mind that are inimi- utility? Do you think Google ought to be regulated? cal to the kind of deliberate discourse that gives rise to ideas.” Do you agree? VH: I think two things: I believe Google genuinely is mission- driven—not evil; and I believe Google has too much power. VH: No. Gabler argues that we are in a bona fide Dark Ages. I don’t For all its mission, Google will not opt to check its own power; believe this, but I respect the pain no entity ever does. But competitors, as hard as that is to imagine board of directors in it. Far from devaluing ideas, the at a time when Bing is a punch line, might yet catch up to it. The CHAIR tech world has priced ideas—and ecosystem of the Internet can change very quickly. Bing is already Susan Winston Leff I mean ideas that would look coming up with richer answers to some queries than Google does. Vice chair Ben Birnbaum like ideas to Gabler—so sky-high You should try it, if you haven’t. The social networks have taken boston college lately that Marshall McLuhan (a on the operations of search in many ways, too. I now look for Treasurer Gabler hero) probably wouldn’t people on Facebook, and “what people are saying” on Twitter; Kenneth Vacovec Vacovec, Mayotte have made it through the door at I might have used Google for these in the past. We might get an & Singer, LLP TED. TED peddles ideas at least as oligopoly in search, where we now have a functional monopoly. Clerk charismatic (and only sometimes Cynthia Terwilliger citizens bank as thin) as Norman Mailer’s big It’s my strong preference to let the free market take this one, but ideas and “the end of ideology,” that’s mostly because the antitrust noise around Google sounds Kathryn Bloom communications consultant which Gabler cites as products of like resentment. I’m not sure where I stand on Google’s purported Lois Brown the heyday of real thinking. Not to violations of the Sherman Act, or its parallels with Microsoft in mount holyoke college mention big life-changing algorithms 1995. These investigations strike me as expressing not ethical David Bryant and code and design ideas, which are concerns but the concerns of competitors. the trustees of reservations all too many to mention in the last James Burke Hinckley, Allen & Snyder LLP two decades. DT: And Wikipedia. In a recent conversation with a brilliant Elliott Bostwick Davis historian, I mentioned that a well-known story she repeated about Museum of fine arts DT: Do you think digital media pres- the death of William Henry Harrison is tagged as apocryphal in Ronald Hertel Wells Fargo Advisors ents opportunities or only challenges his Wikipedia entry. Her utter disdain for Wikipedia as a reliable Leila Kinney to education, especially K-12 educa- source of information was palpable. Massachusetts instutute of technology tion? Do digital media promote any Lucia Knoles important cognitive skills? VH: There’s a line in a poem by Louise Bogan, about Don Juan, assumption college that comes to mind when I think about faith and doubt. It’s this: James Lopes VH: I don’t believe I can lift out skills “What the wise doubt, the fool believes. Who is it, then, that love new bedford whaling museum from experiences any more than I deceives?” Bogan’s idea, I think, is that you can be deceived by Jeffrey Musman Seyfarth Shaw, LLP could lift out messages from media or faith (when you believe something that turns out not to be true) Nancy Netzer thoughts from language (à la Wittgen- but you can also be deceived by doubt (when you doubt some- boston college stein). So while chess apps really do thing that turns out to be true). I find it fascinating that the accred- Sonia Nieto university of massachusetts teach young kids to play chess—move- ited historian believes a story that Wikipedia doubts. amherst ment of pieces, strategy, repose—much Mervan Osborne This stand against Wikipedia is an inversion of the old anti-digital beacon academy faster, and with fewer tears than a line that the Internet is a credulous place, filled with superstitions Kent dur Russell classroom teacher can, who cares if museum of russian icons kids learn chess? Unless it’s fun. In and conspiracy theories and all kinds of baloney. At this moment, Lisa Simmons which case, it’s okay that chess apps to [your] historian, the Internet is filled with misleading doubt. Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism are just fun, too. John Stauffer The resistance to Wikipedia is an interesting block that journal- But the main thing is not to use ists, historians, academics, and educators ought to interrogate. Kathleen Stone technology to teach certain skills just I generally ask that writers and academics register as editors at Attorney at Law because they’re heartwarming to adults Wikipedia. As long as the Google algorithm puts Wikipedia at Suzanne Frazier Wilkins the partnership, inc. who grew up analog. It’s also important the top of search results, and as long as Google controls search, G. Perry Wu not to avoid teaching a technological it’s urgently important that as many people from as many differ- staples, inc. skill just because it seems heart-sinking. ent backgrounds as possible register as Wikipedia editors. No one Continued on page 4

2 3 Think Cuba is out of the question? Think again.

This winter, explore the Violet Isle with Mass Humanities. Trips in February and March. Details at www.masshumanities.org. Mass Humanities has been licensed by the U.S. government to bring working groups of 20 Americans to Cuba for the purpose of observing and encouraging the further development of Cuban civil society. Here’s what our recent Cuba travelers are saying:

“I truly cannot imagine a better- “[Our guides] planned, more invigorating made our trip to trip to Cuba. In eight event- Cuba the most re- packed days we explored and warding travel ex- experienced this deliberately perience we have controlled culture sitting off ever had. The caliber and depth of America’s flank, where prog- their knowledge, conveyed through ress has essentially stood still lectures and insightful conversa- for half a century.” tions along the way, was inspiring!” “This trip was outstanding and Cuba will stay with me “Not a day has gone by since we always. The tour had the returned to the snowfalls of Mas- right blend of city and town, sachusetts that I haven’t remem- and travel across the island. bered with longing the tropical The beach stay was a won- breezes of our trip. What I think derful time to recharge and about several times a day are the a rare opportunity to see beauty of the Cuban landscape

an undeveloped Caribbean and cities, the richness of the Photos taken by recent seaside. I was glad to see Cuban culture, the hope of the Cuba travelers Cienfuegos as a contrast Cuban people, and the warmth of to Havana, in terms of the the new friends who shared our preservation of buildings.” adventures. Yes, we HAD to go. You do, too.”

The Information Sage, continued from page 3 ought to complain about Wikipedia if they’re not working on it. VH: It doesn’t take much to imagine? Yes, it does take much! I That’s the representation that the Internet affords us, while taxing never would have thought of it, and I’m impressed. I hope you’ve us in many other ways. been to GoDaddy and locked down “digital afterlife dot com” by now, and made some Sand Hill Road calls. DT: I heard recently about a Web site called “If I die dot org” where you can store messages and documents that will be sent or Very early in the life of the Web, Timothy Leary, who was then accessed only after you die. I heard about another Web site that dying, said he could live forever on the Web, as long as his Web scans and stores all your tweets and predicts (rather badly for the site survived. For years, people have been leaving messages for moment) what your next tweet will be. It doesn’t take much to the dead on the Internet—on guestbook sites, on Facebook, on imagine combining these two technologies so that people can com- blogs and message boards. But people always need places to park municate with “you” after you die. Throw all your digital commu- their prayers. As a mysterious, placeless incarnation of a kind of nications (blogs, Facebook, etc.) into the mix. The combined Web massive collective consciousness, the Internet makes a good case site could even create an avatar of you based on every digital image for itself as a place for prayers. Like the night sky or the wind. of you that exits in cyberspace, and make it change over time as It’s not that I think Web eschatology is “cool,” exactly. I think it’s you “age.” This kind of thing would have seemed so far out there natural, somehow. just a few years ago and now it seems like, “Oh, yeah, that’s cool.” Is it cool?

4 5 Several of the grants fall under special categories:

CCCC: Crisis, Community, and Civic Culture RIG: Resaerch Inventory grant Recent Grants ENA: Engaging New Audiences SMOG: Social Media Outreach grant

Berkshires $10,000 to Discover Roxbury for $10,000 to Old Deerfield Produc- $10,000 to the New Bedford Whal- $10,000 to Jacob’s Pillow in Becket an oral history project on jazz in tions to mount three full-scale per- ing Museum to support “Cuffe’s to organize a social media campaign Roxbury and its role in developing formances of TRUTH: A New Folk Kitchen,” an interactive audio in support of its new documentary several ideas and tactics that influ- Opera about the Life of Sojourner exhibit on the life and work of Paul on the legendary history of the enced the Civil Rights Movement, Truth. Examining the life of the Cuffe, an 18th-century whaler of organization and its influence in the to be presented on trolley tours fascinating abolitionist and suffrag- Wampanoag and African-American world of dance SMOG ENA ist, the opera will be presented in descent who started the West India the Pioneer Valley, accompanied by Trading Company. Cuffe, who $10,000 to the Jewish Federation $10,000 to Save the Harbor/Save educational programs for audiences. became one of the wealthiest men in of the Berkshires in Pittsfield to add the Bay in Boston to support an ed- CCCC the emerging nation, used his power youth and community engagement ucational program on the archaeo- and influence to fight against slavery programs to “Follow the Thread,” logical interpretation of beachcomb- Metrowest Boston and for civil rights. CCCC a multimedia exhibit that chronicles ing, specifically when canvassing for $9,964 to Historic Newton to the key contributions of the Jewish treasures on Spectacle Island, the mount an interactive exhibit on the $7,500 to Stonehill College in immigration movement to historic site of a former garbage dump for conflicts and rioting around the Easton to create “City of Cham- fashion and the ready-to-wear indus- the city of Boston and now a park 1854 capture, trial, and extradition pions: A Portrait of Brockton,” a try. The programs will accompany and recreation area ENA of the enslaved Anthony Burns, sociological collaboration between the exhibit’s installation in Lee, as part of the reinstallation of its students and townspeople that will Lawrence, and Gloucester. ENA Central Masschusetts Underground Railroad exhibit. result in an exhibit of banner-sized $5,000 to CultureLEAP in Worces- CCCC portraits of Brockton residents hung Boston ter to help bring Isaiah Thomas: in the city center. A written guide $1,500 to The Boston Fire His- Patriot Printer, a one-man living Northeast authored by local students will ac- torical Society to organize and history performance, to all fifth $10,000 to the Lawrence History company the installation. CCCC inventory the collections of Charles graders in the 34 public elementary Center to implement an interactive, Kenney, a former Boston firefighter schools in Worcester. The show multimedia exhibit on the famous who has spent decades researching introduces students to Thomas, Bread and Roses Strike of 1912. the Cocoanut Grove Fire RIG who published the early newspaper The exhibit will not only analyze called The Massachusetts Spy, and the strike but also its longstanding $5,000 to the Cambridge Historical founded the American Antiquarian implications in terms of workers’ Society to develop vignette perfor- Society in 1812. rights, unemployment, unions, and mances for this year’s Cambridge- the state of Lawrence today. port History Day celebration on Connecticut River Valley CCCC themes such as immigration, race $1,500 to The Cummington Histor- and ethnic identity, and urban ical Commission, to inventory their Southeast development collection of artifacts and docu- $10,000 to the Center for Indepen- ments pertaining to the antislavery dent Documentary in Sharon for the $5,000 to the Chinese Historical movement, resulting in an exhibit production of a film trailer forFirst Society of New England in Boston at Kingman Tavern in 2012, along Down: The History of American for a series of lectures and discus- with a permanent online exhibit and College Football, which will become Above: A graveyard at Historic sions on Chinese-American history driving tour RIG a four-part series on the subject of Deerfield and its influences in the region. The college football that also provokes series will be supplemented with $1,500 to The Hatfield Historical debate on the controversies of sport, Below: Photo from the We Shall Not Be Moved exhibit exhibits of unusual artifacts from Society to inventory their collection race, and masculinity. SMOG the Society’s archive. of artifacts and documents relating to Polish immigration to Hatfield $10,000 to City Life/Vida Urbana in the first half of the 20th century in Jamaica Plain to support the RIG installation of We Shall Not Be Moved, a traveling exhibit that $4,690 to Historic Deerfield to profiles the people and communities support the creation of a printed embroiled in the current housing trail guide to the 1704 French and and foreclosure crises, and examines Indian raid on Deerfield, as seen the humanistic questions these crises through the eyes of the various raise CCCC participants

5 Unless otherwise noted, events Upcoming MH-Funded Events and Exhibits are free and open to the public.

Greater Boston Central Massachusetts Northeastern Massacusetts

Cyberspace & Civic Space: The Impact of Extreme Sport: Jousting Then and Now Lowell and The Civil War—First Bood: the Internet on Our Democracy This exhibition explores the historical, psycho- Lexington of 1861 Mass Humanities’ annual symposium will bring logical, and cultural imiplications of this once Exhibit on the Civil War featuring stories of together some of the nation’s most prominent and future sport with parallels to contempo- the Lowell men and women who served on the scholars and writers, activists and innovators for rary activities and attitudes, utilizing authentic battlefield and at home. Hours: Tues-Fri 9-5; Sat- a series of public conversations on this increas- exhibits from the Higgins Armory Museum’s Mon 1:30-4:30. Sponsored by Lowell Historical ingly important topic. More details on page 8. outstanding collection of medieval and Renais- Society, Lowell National Historical Park, and When: Saturday, November 19, sance artifacts. Three special components of the University of Massachusetts Lowell. 12:30—5:00 pm exhibition include a hands-on “heft-a-lance” When: Through Monday, October 31 Where: Heights Room, Corcoran Commons, interactive that allows visitors to investigate how Where: TMogan Cultural Center, Boston College, Chestnut Hill a lance really worked; an interactive computer- 40 French Street, Lowell Web: www.masshumanities.org based quiz, a series of laminated, wall-mounted Phone: (978) 934-4998 Phone: (413) 584-8440 flip-books to explore particular aspects of jousting and jousting equipment and a “Virtual Joust” computer game, based on Wii technology. Southeastern Massacusetts When: Ongoing through April 28, 2012 Paul Cuffe: A Man Before His Time Where: Higgins Armory Museum, View the new Paul Cuffe Kitchen Gallery, an 100 Barber Avenue, Worcester exhibit about this 19th-century sea captain of Web: www.higgins.org Westport. Phone: (508) 853-6015 When: Ongoing Cost: Free with museum admission of $10 Where: New Bedford Whaling Museum, Portrait of (members free) 18 Johnny Cake Hill, New Bedford Paul Cuffe, possibly painted Web: www.whalingmuseum.org by Chester Phone: (508) 997-0046 Harding, c. 1813. Connecticut River Valley Courtesy of Frederick Douglass Then and Now The William Reese Company 5CLIR Sesquicentennial Symposium: Readers from the Attleboro Community will Civil War Causes and Consequences participate in a communal reading of Frederick Public symposium featuring keynote speaker Eric Douglass’s 1852 speech, “The Meaning of the Foner of Columbia University, Pulitzer Prize-win- Fourth of July for the Negro,” followed by ning author of The Fiery Trial: Abraham Lincoln discussion. Anyone may volunteer to become a and American Slavery, on “Lincoln, Emancipa- reader by contacting Iona Bonneville at vgbsr@ tion, and Race in America.” The symposium is verizon.net at least one week before the event. designed to bring to the general public issues of Local sponsors include: Attleboro Commission the Civil War era that have modern resonance, on Human Rights, Martin Luther King Commit- specifically race, states’ rights, and cultural tee, Attleboro Historical Commission, Attle- changes of the period. boro Preservation Society and Attleboro Public When: Friday, October 14, 5:30 pm through Library. Light refreshments will follow Saturday, October 15 When: Saturday, October 15, 2:00—5:00 pm Where: Mahar Auditorium, University of Where: Second Congregationalist Church, Massachusetts Amherst Park Street, Attleboro Web: www.5clir.org Phone: (508) 853-6015 Phone: (413) 585-3756 Cost: Symposium free, $10 for reserved box lunch

Poster advertising the The hands-on “heft-a-lance” 5CLIR symposium installation of the “Extreme Sport” exhibit

6 Events and Exhibits are listed online at www.masshumanities.org

Reading Is Fundamental

We want to instill a love of reading—and all the life skills that come with that love—in even more children this fall, so our popular program, Family Adventures in Reading (FAIR), has expanded this October to several new libraries throughout the Commonwealth (see below). We hope you’ll participate! FAIR’s goal is to bring children and adults together to enjoy entertaining and thought-provoking presentations of outstanding picture books. Each 90-minute session includes an engaging interactive presentation by a professional storyteller, is followed by a brief, lively introduction to some aspect of library services, and concludes with socializing over light refreshments. The books are selected for their artistic excellence and narrative appeal, draw on a variety of cultural traditions, and lend themselves to exploration of character-building concepts such as courage, fairness, and persistence. The program has elicited powerful reactions from storytellers and families alike. They cite its unusual ability to model how, in a too busy world, we can stop for a moment, connect, consider, and grow. During her years as a FAIR storyteller, Karen Chace says she has witnessed “families unite and new friendships form. The positive repercussions of the program extend far into our communities and beyond.”

Fall 2011 Spring 2012

Beaman Memorial Public Library Parlin Memorial Public Library 8 Newton Street, West Boylston 410 Broadway, Everett 12:30-2:00 pm 11:00-12:30 pm October 15, 22, 29, November 5, 12, 19 March 3, 10, 17, 24, 31, April 7

Buckland Public Library Haverhill Public Library 30 Upper Street. Buckland 99 Main Street, Haverhill 10:00-11:30 am 2:00-3:30 pm October 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, November 5 March 3, 10, 17, 24, 31, April 7

Athol Public Library Sturgis Library 568 Main Street, Athol 3090 Main Street, Centerville 1:00-2:30 pm 10:00-11:30 am October 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, November 5 March 10, 17, 24, 31, April 7, 14

Thomas Crane Public Library Holyoke Public Library 40 Washington Street, Quincy 335 Maple Street, Holyoke Top: FAIR Storyteller Onawume Jean 2:00-3:30 pm 1:00-2:30 pm Moss reads during a FAIR session. October 15, 22, 29, November 5, 12, 19 March 24, 31, April 7, 14, 21, 28 Above: A family participating in FAIR

Attleboro Public Library Framingham Public Library 74 North Main Street, Attleboro 49 Lexington Street, Framingham 1:00-2:30 pm 2:00-3:30 p.m. October 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, November 5 March3, 10, 17, 24, 31, April 7

FAIR Storyteller Motoko Non-profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID 66 Bridge Street, Northampton, MA 01060 Permit #1528 masshumanities.org Spfld, MA

Save the Date Annual Fall Symposium

Panelists: Mike Klein, June Cohen, Evgeney Morozov, Kate Crawford, Joe Trippi, Amber Case, and Siva Vaidhyanathan Cyberspace and Civic Space Panel 2: The Social Impact of the Internet Kate Crawford, writer, composer, and author of Adult Themes The Influence of the Internet on Our Democracy Virginia Heffernan, New York Times media columnist and author of Magic and Loss: The Pleasures of the Internet (forthcoming) Saturday, November 19, 12:30–5:00 pm Siva Vaidhyanathan, cultural historian and Heights Room, Corcoran Commons author of The Googlization of Everything (and Why We Should Worry) Boston College, Chestnut Hill Campus Moderator: Cullen Murphy, editor-at-large, Vanity Fair

Register online at www.masshumanities.org; free of charge. Session 3: The Cultural Impact of the Internet Hiawatha Bray, technology writer for the Boston Globe Panel 1: The Political Impact of the Internet Amber Case, cyborg anthropologist Mike Klein, co-Founder and CEO of the Sunlight Foundation June Cohen, executive director and producer, TED Media Evgeney Morozov of Stanford University, author of The Net Delusion, Chris Csikszentmihályi, director of the Center for Future Civic Media The Dark Side of Internet Freedom at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Eli Pariser, former executive director of MoveOn.org and author of Moderator: Charles Kravetz, general manager, WBUR-FM The Filter Bubble: What the Internet is Hiding from You Joe Trippi, political strategist and author of The Revolution Will Not Be Televised: Democracy, the Internet, and the Overthrow of Everything Following the symposium: Moderator: Callie Crossley, host of WGBH’s The Callie Crossley Show Connect~Reflect~Engage Dinner To Benefit the Public Humanities in Massachusetts Featuring Virginia Heffernan Details at masshumanities.org

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