Society News

Fall 2007
A Big Round of Thanks to volunteer fence painters

A big round of thanks goes out to everyone who donated their time to paint the Historical Society’s fence. Fortunately, the weather was beautiful both Sundays and we completed two coats of stain on the fence. Thank you to Joe Ponti, organizer and Buildings & Grounds Committee Chair, and Jim Batchelder, Leo Green, Joanne Landers, Sally Matson, Doug Mitchell, Betsy Powers, Jim Sellers, Bill Schneller, Scott Slaughter, Lynn Smiledge,
Karen Wakeling, Mia Zopes, and Elena Zopes.

Thank you also to White Street Paint in Lawrence for donating six gallons of stain.

Fall 2007
New AHS Office Manager

The Andover Historical Society welcomes new Office Manager Carrie Midura to the staff.
Midura has a degree in English literature studies from the University of Massachusetts at Lowell. She has worked with the Concord Museum in Concord, Mass. and is the proprietor of Cherry Dawson, Milliner, a business specializing in the study and reproduction of historical clothing. We’re looking forward to working with Carrie on many new projects.

Summer 2007
Farmers' Market a Success

On Andover’s first Farmers’ Market, summer 2007, was a smash hit. The Farmers’ Market is a collaborative effort between the Andover Historical Society and Susannah and Libby Poland, a mother-daughter team who started working on an Andover Farmers’ Market about the same time the Historical Society did. We are fortunate to have Susannah and Libby as partners on this exciting new adventure, and were delighted to have Boston Hill Farm, Brox Farm, Middle Earth Farm, Valley View Farm, and the Swiss Bakers as regular vendors at the 2007 Market.

Plans are already in the works for Andover’s 2008 Farmers’ Market. If you have any feedback on the 2007 Market or ideas for the 2008 Andover Farmers’ Market, we welcome your input. Please email us at info@andhist.org, and include “Andover Farmers’ Market” in your subject line.

May 2007
Andover Heritage Award to Mr. James D. Doherty

On Thursday, May 17, 2007, the Andover Historical Society bestowed its second annual Andover Heritage Award on Mr. James D. Doherty at a reception at the Lanam Club in Andover. The Andover Heritage Award was created in 2006 to recognize extraordinary people who have contributed outstanding service over an extended period of time to the Andover Historical Society and the greater Andover community; have promoted interest in the history and heritage of Andover; and have encouraged others to do the same. 2006 Andover Heritage Award winners were Diane and Ray Hender.

February 2007
Andover Historical Society Welcomes New Museum Educator

The Andover Historical Society welcomes new Museum Educator Sarah Sycz to the staff.
Sycz has a Museum Studies Certificate from Tufts University and a B.A. in History from the University of New Hampshire. Previously, Sarah worked at Strawbery Banke Museum in Portsmouth, NH, in a number of roles including Education Coordinator, Site Manager and Museum Teacher. We're looking forward to working with Sarah on the Society's education program goals.

December 2006
Andover Historical Society Welcomes New Curator

The Andover Historical Society welcomes new Curator Andy Grilz to the staff. Grilz holds a Graduate Certificate in Museum Studies from Harvard University and a B.A. in Museum Administration and History from Boston University. Prior to his new position with the Andover Historical Society, Grilz worked as Assistant Curator for the Museum of Science, Boston, and consulted with the Birdcraft Museum in Fairfield, Connecticut, the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History, and The Chuck Jones Foundation in Irvine, California.

Andover Historical Society’s “Cash in on History” Raffle
September 2006 Interim Prize Drawing

Andover Historical Society Volunteers Mel Clevesey (l) and Sonja Murphy (r) help Charlie Murphy draw the first interim prize winner in the Andover Historical Society’s “Cash in on History” Raffle. September interim prize winner Linda Patenaude of Methuen, Mass., received A Day in Newport, Rhode Island. Winning interim drawing tickets will be returned to the pool for subsequent interim drawings in October, November and December. The grand prize of half the total raised, up to $10,000, will be drawn January 13, 2007. Tickets are $40 each or three for $100, and can be purchased at the Historical Society and through Board members. A maximum of 699 tickets will be sold.

Printable raffle ticket order form (PDF)

Julie Mofford Leaves AHS

Director of Education and Research Juliet Haines Mofford will leave the Historical Society at the end of August to move closer to her family. Julie has worked with the Historical Society as a staff member, consultant and volunteer since the 1970s. As Director of Education and Research, Julie oversaw the Andover at Work in the 1820s program, participated in interpretative and strategic planning, wrote and produced historical plays on Andover’s history, and wrote her most recent book Andover, Massachusetts: Historical Selections from Four Centuries. “It’s a bittersweet departure,” said Julie, “I love the work I do here.” She will be greatly missed by all.

Gifts and Bequests Support AHS
     by Don Robb, Development Chair and Elaine Clements, Executive Director

Over the past nearly 100 years, our members and supporters have made substantial gifts to the Andover Historical Society that have allowed us to establish and endowment fund to support our mission: to maintain a museum and library where artifacts of local historical significance are collected, preserved, exhibited and interpreted. and to provide a wide range of educational programs and services for individuals and groups of all ages in order to encourage a greater appreciation for and understanding of local history and related preservation issues.

The Historical Society would be a different place without their generous support.

For instance, five years ago, AHS member May Shorten Bell left an endowment bequest of over $400,000 to the Historical Society. Her gift allowed us to maintain our programs and services despite the downturn in the stock market that devastated so many non-profit organizations. Moreover, her gift will continue to support the Historical Society's mission for decades to come.

More recently, beloved woodworking instructor John Ross left a $5,000 donation to the Historical Society. His gift was used to defer the cost of the new interpretive plan that will guide future education, interpretation, public programming and exhibits at AHS.

In 2005, the family of long-time volunteer Louise Roberge requested that in lieu of flowers, memorial gifts be made to the Historical Society where Louise spent so much time and effort working with the collections and library and archives. We are very grateful to Louise's family and friends who donated nearly $2,000 which was used to purchase tables and chairs for AHS programs and events.

Clearly, Memorial and honorary donations are one important way to support the Historical Society. If you wish to make a substantial gift to the endowment fund your gift will grow with investment and help ensure the future of the Society.

A bequest is the simplest form of planned giving. To make a bequest, you add a codicil to your existing will and in so doing reduce the taxes on your estate.

When reviewing your will, we hope you will consider the Andover Historical Society is your plans. To discuss this, please contact Director Elaine Clements directly or through your attorney. Your thoughtfulness now will provide support for years to come.

Educational Programs Expand
     by Juliet Haines Mofford, Director of Education and Research

Douglas Mitchell is the dynamic chairperson of the Life Long Learning Committee which brainstorms, evaluates and assists on programs for all ages.

This Fall, with Andover High School teacher and committee member Mary Robb, the Society presented a successful 10 week course in Andover history for local teachers earning Professional Development credits. Curricula and activities developed by participants on selected topics, as required, will be available in our library. Andover High students continue to earn credits, logging their hours on individual projects as they develop valuable skills in research and museum practice.

Time Travelers, the history through crafts after school program for 8-12 year olds, is in its 4th successful year. Children view examples from the AHS collections, then create their own papier mache vessels, reverse glass paintings, marbelized books, or fabric valentines. Most artists who exhibit in our Contemporary Andover Artists Series teach workshops. St. Augustine's student Cassie Coravos and Andover High School students Katia Chapman and Marlena Ferstenberg regularly assist, as they do at Halloween Happenings, and other events.

The eight-panel exhibit Slavery, Anti-slavery and the Underground Railroad, traveled to six more schools and media centers this year. Lucy's Acre: A Place in Time, a traveling exhibit, curated by Barbara Brown and Gene Winter, developed in conjunction with the Robert S. Peabody Museum, with support from the Andover Cultural Council, uses tools of archaeologists and historians to tell the story of a former slave, her owners and neighbors. In the 1940s archaeologists Adelaide and Ripley Bullen discovered Lucy Foster's early 19th century home site. This exhibit includes photographs of artifacts found at the site, facsimiles of historic documents, and a CD.

Teachers can rent a classroom play about the 1692 Andover witch hunt, The Judgment of Martha Carrier. Hands-on History boxes are available so that teachers can use reproductions of artifacts to recreate the daily life of children in early New England or simulate 19th century school lessons. Reproductions of artifacts in these kits are used with tours of pre-schoolers, home-schoolers, and special needs students on-site. Retired teacher Sheila Eckoff and other Lifelong Learning Program members occasionally visit classrooms to teach 5th graders research techniques using old newspapers and almanacs. Many teachers and scout leaders use our self-guided walking tour brochures, combining them with local history, creative writing, architecture, or photography projects. New walking tours have been developed for Shawsheen Village and "Printers' Row." Contact Julie Mofford if you are interested in joining this Committee or in helping to facilitate a Lifelong Learning Program.