N O V E M B E R • 2 0 1 1
T he Humanities Council, the NH State Council on the Arts, the UNH Education Department and the Diversity & Inclusive Excellence Committee at UNH Manchester are co-sponsoring the screening of the documentary Acting Together on the
World Stage followed by a panel discussion led by Dr. Cynthia
Cohen, Director of the Program in Peacebuilding and the Arts at
Brandeis University and principal investigator for the documentary. Professor David Kaye, Chair of the Department of Theater and Dance at UNH, will also be a featured panelist. The event will be held on Thursday, November 10 at 6 p.m. in the auditorium.
This feature-length documentary highlights courageous and creative artists and peacebuilders working in con fl ict zones through Acting Together, a collaborative project of Brandeis
University and Theatre Without Borders.
From the schools and prisons of New Orleans to the community centers of Kabul, from theatres in Tel Aviv and
Ramallah, Kampala and Phnom Penh, and from plazas in
Belgrade and Buenos Aires, the fi lm explores how people have developed performance as a resource for peacebuilding, healing, and remembering in the aftermath of mass violence.
“Though the peacebuilders express themselves in many different ways and languages, they share a common conviction that human beings have the capacity to heal themselves from the violence of the centuries, and that meaningful reconciliation is not beyond reach,” said Cohen.
Bringing the fi lm to New Hampshire resulted from a collaborative effort by Judy Sharkey, Associate
Professor of Education and Associate Director of Teacher
Education at UNH; Terry Farish, director of the Humanities
Council’s Connections adult literacy program; and Catherine continued on page 11
by Kathy Smith, Program Director
I n April 2012, we bring Fences &
Neighbors , our three-year initiative on immigration, to a public conclusion by producing an original dramatic play based on the stories of New Hampshire’s immigrants and refugees, past and present.
This play, written by Genevieve Aichele,
Director of the NH Theatre Project, takes shape from the authentic voices and experiences of immigrants and refugees who have re-settled in New Hampshire over the past 100 years. It tells the stories of newcomers and our own ancestors
- immigrants who worked in the mills, built credit unions, became teachers and surgeons, made beds and swept fl oors.
They raised families, created businesses and organizations, became coaches, community leaders, and store owners.
The play will invite us to meet the new common man among us - Africans, South
Americans, Southeast Asians, Bhutanese
- and along with them, their stories of escape, survival, and homemaking in a new land.
What did they leave behind, and what did they take with them? How have they lived, what have they accomplished, and what is still left for them to do? What do they believe, what do they expect, and what will their children contribute to our way of life?
The play will deal subtly with these didactic questions and, we hope, generate thoughtful discussions around the state.
Through drama, perfect engine that it is for demonstrating complexity, ambiguity, and truth, we believe NH audiences will be reminded of their own immigrant pasts continued on page 10

NEW HAMPSHIRE HUMANITIES COUNCIL
NEW HAMPSHIRE
HUMANITIES COUNCIL
117 Pleasant St., Dolloff Bldg., Concord NH 03301
(603) 224-4071 • Fax 224-4072 www.nhhc.org
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Sylvia McBeth, Chair
Keene
Beth A. Salerno, Vice Chair
Saint Anselm College
William L. Chapman, Treasurer
Orr & Reno, PA
Cleve Kapala, Secretary
TransCanada
John D. Herney, Immediate Past Chair
Phillips Exeter Academy
Roberta “Mitzi” Barrett
Nashua
Mary-Jo Boisvert
Public Service of New Hampshire
Jane Christie
Kingston
Sally W. Crawford
Exeter
Dianne Kearns Duncan
Walpole
Lorne M. Fienberg
Law Of fi ce of Lorne M. Fienberg P.L.L.C.
Patricia Hicks
University of New Hampshire, Manchester
Robin O. Kenney
Peterborough
Kristina Lucas
NHTI - Concord’s Community College
Daniel M. Nelson
Dartmouth College
Bob Odell
New Hampshire State Senate
Tracy Schier
Hudson
Michael Timm
Granite Investment Group
Bryant F. Tolles, Jr.
Center Sandwich
David Watters
University of New Hampshire
Susan DeBevoise Wright
Sunapee
Ken Burns
Director Emeritus
STAFF
Deborah Watrous
Executive Director
Sue Butman
Of fi ce Manager
Anne Coughlin
Marketing Director
Lynn Douillette
Database Administrator
Jessica Eshleman
Development Director
Terry Farish
Connections Program Director
Susan Hatem
Grants Of fi cer
Judy McCarthy
Controller
Kathy Smith
Program Director
W hy was Humanities to Go (HTG) awarded the Business
& Industry Association’s 2011 NH Advantage Award?
Because HTG helps preserve New Hampshire’s special character and quality of life. Because more than 400 programs were presented in more than 156 communities in the past year. And because more than 18,000 people in NH attended
HTG programs to learn and talk about all kinds of topics from archaeology to contemporary issues, from music history to law, from literature to philosophy. To keep up with demand, the
Humanities Council will be completely revising, updating and republishing our catalog of public humanities programs in 2012.
We invite humanities scholars from around the region to start working now on new programs to be included in the catalog. Details can be found in the
HTG Request for Proposals on our website, www.nhhc.org. This year, proposals will be accepted exclusively through an online application process also accessed on our website.
Click on the box labeled “ Humanities to Go 2012 Program Proposals.” Proposals will be accepted through February 15, 2012. We will inform applicants selected to audition proposed programs by March 30. Auditions will be held at a Humanities Fair in early
June.
All proposed programs should have strong scholarship and humanities content. We are seeking proposals that directly connect to your recent scholarship, your teaching, writing, and research interests. Proposed talks should be interactive, informative and concise
(about 45 minutes plus 15 minutes for Q & A). Illustrations, maps, artifacts, videos/
DVDs/ fi lms, Power Point shows, and other media may be used in presentations as long as you arrange for any necessary technology. Please visit the Humanities to Go page of our website at www.nhhc.org to become familiar with our programming.
Our speakers can be faculty at colleges or universities. They also can be independent scholars with recognized expertise and authority, publication, and presentation experience. Most HTG speakers will have a Ph.D. or M.A. in a humanities discipline from a nationally-accredited college or university. Applicants must be experienced in public speaking or teaching, be genuinely interested in addressing and interacting with public audiences, and be available to travel around the state.
T he New Hampshire Historical Society is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its landmark headquarters building in
Concord, the Tuck Library, with a documentary depicting the building’s history.
Funded in part by a Humanities Council grant, the public premiere of “Tuck’s Gift” will be held on Saturday, November 26 , at 2 p.m. at the Historical Society’s Tuck
Library at 30 Park Street in Concord. The premiere is free and open to the public.
The fi lm will also air on New Hampshire
Public Television six times beginning on
November 21 at 9 p.m.
In the early 1900s,
Edward Tuck, a successful international fi nancier living in Paris, donated funds to build a new library for the Society. Tuck, a native of Exeter, was a generous philanthropist in New Hampshire and in France throughout his life. Tuck established the
Amos Tuck School of Business at his alma mater, Dartmouth College and made cash gifts that became the foundation of the Society’s endowment. Tuck called his involvement with the creation of the
Society’s library,
“perhaps the happiest inspiration of my life.”
For more information, call 228-6688 or visit www.nhhistory.org/ calendar.html.
2

NOVEMBER 2011
by Terry Farish, Connections Program
Director
T he Connections adult literacy program ran two pilot series with Community
Partners, Behavioral Health and Developmental Services of Strafford County.
Community Partners staff Meghan White and Jane Hamer told the Humanities
Council that many clients had read in school but were in need of a program that could bring reading and literature back into their lives as adults. Megan described reading as an empowering experience.
“Books have always been a way for me to fi gure out what I want. I hope it can be the same for the people we support.” Her goal for Connections : “I hope reading opens the door to a much bigger world than our clients currently have and the staff can learn a better way to facilitate conversations around books.”
Staff and clients embraced the Connections programs. With their commitment to bring books and reading to their clients, they contributed grant resources to enhance the book discussions. They developed handson activities that gave clients a deeper understanding of themes and a sense of books as useful to their lives. They selected books on New Hampshire history or by
New Hampshire authors. After reading A
River Ran Wild by Lynn Cherry about the
Nashua River, they took a trip to the Amoskeag Fishway; after reading Donald Hall’s
Ox Cart Man they visited Strawbery Banke in Portsmouth where the main character goes to market. Connections facilitator
Maren Tirabassi described a trip to a replica of the gundalow, a barge that once carried cargo down the Piscataqua, after clients read Marie Harris’ G is for Granite .
“Seeing it, walking aboard and hauling on ropes and lines made the words on the page live,” she said.
After the series, Jane Hamer said that
Connections allowed Community Partners staff to create a comprehensive program around the core: the four Connections books and discussions. She said that they were not done with their work with the curriculum. Next they are going to create a play based on Ox Cart Man .
Below Connections facilitator Maren
Tirabassi describes the discussion and celebration of A Symphony of Whales by
New Hampshire musician and author Steve
Schuch.
Learn more about Connections on our website at www.nhhc.org/Connections.php.
by Maren Tirabassi, Connections facilitator
“People have to work together.” Derrick says it, and it’s an insight he’s shared not once but many times. In the session two weeks ago he had noticed that descendents of the
Nashway Indians and English settlers worked together to clean up the Nashua River in Lynne Cherry’s book A River
Runs Wild .
“Not just people,” added Lesley. “Dogs – sled dogs pull together and in this story the dogs and the beluga whales work together, even though one’s in the water and one’s on the land. Of course, the people, too – the little girl with the dreams and people giving their food.” This week we are discussing Steve Schuch’s book A Symphony of Whales based on a true story about stranded beluga whales in the Senyavina
Strait who follow the sound of music to their freedom.
“Friends work together too, like we did swimming at Special
Olympics this weekend.” Melissa is wearing her medal from that event.
With blue paper the group had created a collage to represent the narrow channel depicted in the story in which whales had become stranded. We had cluttered the collage river with gray and turquoise ice fl oes and icebergs until the passage was nearly choked.
Linda reaches out to demonstrate Derrick’s idea of collaboration by pushing a paper cutout of the Russian icebreaker
Movska through the table-sized channel. Dale and I hum a little to represent the classical music on board the icebreaker that tempts the trapped belugas to follow the path to their freedom. We slowly move our white whales through the narrow opening we had created.
People who work together, read together, play together and sing together can be de fi ned as partners. The Connections program and Community Partners of Dover were able to do all these things. Two small groups, led by Hope Godino and myself, bonded over stories that illuminated New Hampshire history or were written by New Hampshire authors, as well as brainstorming stories that we might write, and crafting a paper memory quilt.
The conclusion of the nine weeks was a workshop followed by a concert led by Steve Schuch, classically trained violinist, singer/songwriter, storyteller and the award-winning author of
A Symphony of Whales . The concert included original songs and folk music from diverse cultures played on several instruments and the stories behind those songs – books yet to be written. Clients in the morning workshop earned a standing ovation for their singing and rhythm accompaniment.
To us in the Connections programs, the books offered windows on the world.
3

NEW HAMPSHIRE HUMANITIES COUNCIL
All the events listed in this Calendar are funded in whole or in part by the Humanities Council.
All Humanities Council events are free of charge except where noted.
Use this map to locate free programs being held in your area. Complete descriptions are listed chronologically in the following pages.
For the most up-to-date listings, visit our searchable calendar at www.nhhc.org.
North Country
Bath, November 4
Bethlehem, November 5
Berlin, November 16
North Conway, November 17
Lakes Region
Ashland, November 1
Laconia, November 1
Madison, November 3
Plymouth, November 8
Meredith, November 16
Ef fi ngham, November 18
Dartmouth/Lake Sunapee
Unity, November 12
Lyme, November 14
Lyme, November 17
Newbury, November 20
Lebanon, November 28
Seacoast
Fremont, November 1
Dover, November 2
Lee, November 2
Rochester, November 3
Madbury, November 8
Greenland, November 9
Exeter, November 9
Rye, November 29
Plaistow, November 29
Monadnock Region
Francestown, November 10
Milford, November 17
Hillsboro, November 17
Hillsboro, November 18
Hillsboro, November 19
Humanities to Go programs are made possible in part by the generous support of
Can’t fi nd your town?
Contact us at 224-4071 to learn how you can help bring a humanities program to your community.
Manchester, November 1
Nashua, November 3
Hollis, November 5
Chester, November 7
Canterbury, November 8
Salem, November 8
Manchester, November 10
Chichester, November 10
Concord, November 12
Brookline, November 15
Hollis, November 15
Nashua, November 15
Concord, November 26
Concord, November 28
Manchester, November 29
Scan with your smart phone to learn more about us!
4

NOVEMBER 2011
Calendar of Events • November 2011
1
Pelham
Tuesday, 6 p.m., Pelham Library, 24 Village Green
Overboard: A True Bluewater Odyssey of a New Hampshire Man’s Survival
In May of 2005 Captain Tom Tighe and fi rst mate Loch Reidy of the sailboat Almeisan welcomed three new crewmembers for a fi ve day voyage. Four days into their voyage a massive storm struck and Captain Tighe and Reidy were swept from the boat, carried away by huge seas. Using slides, Michael J. Tougias brings this story to life, following the desperate struggles of both the crew on the boat and the Captain and fi rst mate in the sea.
Contact: Corinne Chronopoulos, 635-7581
1
Laconia
Tuesday, 7 p.m., Laconia Public Library, 695 Main St.
Flashpoint by Linda Barnes
Library Journal hailed Flashpoint as an “intelligent mystery,” and
Publishers Weekly praised its strong sense of “turf.” As hard-edged private investigator, Carlotta Carlyle uncovers the truth behind the murder of an elderly client, and as a good-hearted woman, she deals with a homeless young friend, her hapless roommate, and an old boyfriend. This month’s discussion is led by Maren Tirabassi.
Contact: Deborah Ross, 524-4775 x15
1
Manchester
Tues., 6 p.m., UNH Manchester, 400 Commercial St.
China 2020: How Western Business Can In fl uence
Social & Political Change in the Coming Decade
Dr. Michael Santory, Professor of Business Ethics at Rutgers
Business School, will offer a vision of China’s future economic and political development and the powerful forces that could in fl uence these developments. This event is part of the Primary
Concerns lecture series, funded in part by a Humanities Council grant. It is free, but pre-registration is suggested. Register at www.wacnh.org/councilevents. Contact: 314-7970
2
Dover
Wed., 1 p.m., Wentworth Home, 795 Central Ave.
Popular Music During World War II:
Using Propaganda to Boost Morale
World War II brought about a government-sponsored drive to unify the country and increase morale both at home and abroad in the military. Over 2,000 songs relating to the war and home front efforts were written with those goals in mind. Focusing on these songs, Calvin Knickerbocker uses thirtyfi ve recording excerpts, some well-known and others obscure, to explore the historical era and the changes this music wrought in the culture. Hosted by
Wadleigh House. Contact: Maura Byrne, 742-7406
1
Ashland
Tuesday, 7 p.m., Ashland School, 16 Education Dr.
Witches, Pop Culture and the Past
In 1692 in Salem, MA, 19 people were executed and hundreds imprisoned during a witch hunt we still discuss today in everyday conversation, pop culture, and American literature. History, tourism, and performance collide when Salem tells its witch stories. ″ Truth ″ -- both moral and macabre -- vies with spooky thrills for its authentic place in history. Robin DeRosa, Plymouth
State University, presents this program which is hosted by the
Friends of the Ashland Library. Contact: David Ruell, 968-7928
2
Lee
Wed., 7 p.m., Lee Safety Complex, 20 George Bennett Rd.
Mary Todd Lincoln: An Unconventional Woman
As men marched off to fi ght in the Civil War, women sowed their own seeds of rebellion and independence. The First Lady was no exception; using little more than her wits, Mary Todd Lincoln battled diplomats and generals to a standstill. How did she do it? Sally Mummey portrays Mrs. Lincoln in this living history program. Co-hosted by the Lee Historical Society and the Lee
Public Library. Contact: 659-2883
1
Fremont
Tuesday, 7 p.m., Fremont Library, 7 Jackie Bernier Dr.
That Reminds Me of a Story: Yankee Humor and the New England Storytelling Tradition
New England has a rich and ongoing storytelling tradition from folklore to ″ Bert and I ″ to stories about your family, your life, or the town you live in. Rebecca Rule will prime the pump with stories she’s collected at small-town gatherings, often at historical societies and libraries, over the last ten years, plus a classic or two. Our ″ discussion ″ will be the stories that listeners offer up, and as one story leads to another -- humorous, serious, thoughtprovoking, or just plain entertaining -- we practice and preserve our stories and tradition. And laugh, a lot. Contact: 895-4801
5
3
Rochester
Thursday, 6 p.m., McClelland Elementary School,
59 Brock St.
Music in My Pockets: Family Fun in Folk Music
Singing games, accessible ″ pocket instruments ″ like spoons and dancing puppets, tall tales, funny songs, old songs and songs kids teach each other in the playground -- all ″ traditional ″ in that they have been passed down the generations by word of mouth
-- will be seen, heard and learned. Revisit 1850 or 1910 in a New
England town with Jeff Warner, when families gathered around the hearth, participating in timeless, hearty entertainment and, almost without knowing it, learning how America amused itself before electricity. Contact: Susan Richman, 868-2758

NEW HAMPSHIRE HUMANITIES COUNCIL
3
Nashua
Thursday, 7 p.m., Nashua Community College,
Gregg Hall, 505 Amherst St.
The Founding Fathers: What Were They Thinking?
In 1787 delegates gathered in Philadelphia to address a wide variety of crises facing the young United States of America and produced a charter for a new government. Mythology about the founders and their work at the 1787 Convention has obscured both fact and legitimate analysis of the events leading to the agreement called the Constitution. This program by Richard Hesse, UNH
School of Law, explores the cast of characters called “founders,” the problems they faced and the solutions they fashioned. Contact:
Donna Vilsmeier, 578-8900 x1518
3
Madison
Thursday, 7 p.m., Madison Library, 1895 Village Rd.
Saving the Mountains: New Hampshire and the Creation of the National Forests
In 2011, NH and the nation are celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Weeks Act, the law that created the eastern national forests. The
White Mountains played a leading role in events leading to the act.
Focusing on Concord’s Joseph B. Walker and the Forest Society’s
Philip Ayres, Marcia Schmidt Blaine, Plymouth State University, will explore the relationship between our mountains and individuals who worked to protect them. This event is part of the One Book,
One Valley project. Contact: Mary Cronin, 367-8545
4
Bath
Friday, 7 p.m., Bath Town Hall, 2 W. Bath Rd.
Our National Thanksgiving:
With Thanks to President Lincoln and Mrs. Hale
Sarah Josepha Hale tells the story of her thirty year effort to have Thanksgiving declared a national holiday. President
Abraham Lincoln enters at the end of her tale, to read his 1863
Thanksgiving proclamation. Sharon Wood portrays Hale and
Steve Wood portrays Lincoln in this living history presentation.
Contact: Bernie Prochnik, 747-3372
5
Bethlehem
Saturday, 1 p.m., Bethlehem Library, 2155 Main St.
Our National Thanksgiving:
With Thanks to President Lincoln and Mrs. Hale
See the listing for November 4 in Bath for a description of this program. Contact: Laura Clerkin, 869-2409
5
Hollis
Saturday, 7:45 p.m., Lawrence Barn, 28 Depot St.
That Reminds Me of a Story: Yankee Humor and the New England Storytelling Tradition
See the listing for November 1 in Fremont for a description of this program which is hosted by the Hollis Women’s Club.
Contact: Lori Dwyer, 465-3190
7
Chester
Monday, 7 p.m., Stevens Memorial Hall, 1 Chester St.
Banjos, Bones and Ballads
Traditional songs, rich in local history and a sense of place, present the latest news from the distant past. They help us to interpret present-day life with an understanding of the working people who built our country. Tavern songs, banjo tunes, and humorous stories about traditional singers and their songs highlight this program presented by Jeff Warner. Hosted by the
Chester Historical Society. Contact: Web Anderson, 887-4911
8
Madbury
Tues., 7 p.m., Madbury Town Hall, 13 Town Hall Rd.
Banjos, Bones and Ballads
See the listing for November 7 in Chester for a description of this program which is hosted by the Madbury Historical Society.
Contact: Richard Erickson, 749-9011
8
Plymouth
Tuesday, 7 p.m., Pease Public Library, 1 Russell St.
New Hampshire Towns and the Civil War
Jere Daniell, Dartmouth College, focuses on the home front, not the fi ghting, and describes both formal town actions and nongovernmental community responses. Speci fi c topics include rewarding men who enlisted; helping citizens avoid military service; ostracizing war opponents; organizing aid societies; celebrating military victories; and post war memorialization.
Co-hosted by the Plymouth Historical Society. Contact: 536-2616
8
Canterbury
Tuesday, 7 p.m., Elkins Public Library, 9 Center Rd.
That Reminds Me of a Story: Yankee Humor and the New England Storytelling Tradition
See the listing for November 1 in Fremont for a description of this program. Contact: Susan LeClair, 783-4386
For the most up-to-date listing of events, visit our web calendar at www.nhhc.org
6

NOVEMBER 2011
8
Salem
Tuesday, 7:30 p.m., Salem Museum, 310 Main St.
Liberty is Our Motto! Songs and Stories of the Hutchinson Family Singers
Originally from Milford, NH, the Hutchinson Family Singers were America’s most popular musical entertainers for much of the mid-19th century. They achieved international fame with songs advancing social reform and political causes such as abolition, temperance, women’s suffrage, and the Lincoln presidential campaign of 1860. Steve Blunt tells the Hutchinsons’ story and shares their music in this living history program, which is recommended for audiences age 10 and up. Hosted by the Salem
Historical Society. Contact: Beverly Glynn, 893-8822
9
Greenland
Wed., 6:30 p.m., Weeks Public Library, 36 Post Rd.
Traditional Matroyshka Nested Doll Making:
From Russia to New Hampshire
This illustrated presentation by Marina Forbes will examine the history of Matryoshka nested doll making in Russia, the rich folk tradition and symbolism of the doll’s appearance, and the link between doll making and other traditional Russian art forms.
The slide-show presentation will include a visit to a doll-making factory in rural Russia, a depiction of the stages in the doll making process, and hundreds of examples of the fi nest Matryoshka artwork available in Russia. Contact: Denise Grimse, 436-8548
9
Exeter
Wednesday, 7:30 p.m., Riverwoods, 7 Riverwoods Dr.
Familiar Fields: The Power of Community in the Work of Sarah Orne Jewett
This program by Marguerite Mathews and Greg Gathers is based on the life and work of the 19th century New England author.
The presentation explores issues of community as re fl ected in
Jewett’s stories, and the ways in which her regional portraits speak about both the essential New England character and universal experiences of geographic isolation, cultural insulation, and how individual identity is shaped and de fi ned by community.
Contact: Jeanne Wild, 658-3049
10
Francestown
Thurs., 6:30 p.m., Bixby Memorial Library, 52 Main St.
Native American History of New Hampshire
The Pennacook Indians were the largest and most powerful coalition of native people on the northern New England frontier during the 17th and 18th centuries. They, along with their Abenaki allies from Maine and Canada, held off Europeans for almost 90 years during a succession of ″ Indian Wars, ″ culminating in the end of the French and Indian Wars in 1761. During this time, Indians and colonists exchanged and encountered each other’s cultures, religions, trade goods, and even kinship. David Stewart-Smith presents this program. Contact: Carol Brock, 547-2730
10
Manchester
Thursday, 7 p.m., Location TBD
Whole Cloth Lecture — Experiences of
Contemporary African Women Immigrants:
Life Journeys in Pursuit of Aspirations
N’Dri Assie- Lumumba will deliver this talk as part of the Whole
Cloth project, funded in part by the Humanities Council’s Fences
& Neighbors initiative. Please visit www.sewingcon
fi dence.org for the location of this event. Contact: 209-6162
10
Manchester
Thurs., 6 p.m., UNH Manchester, 400 Commercial St.
“Acting Together” Film Showing and Discussion
See the article on page one to learn more about this event.
10
Chichester
Thursday, 7 p.m., Chichester Library, 161 Main St.
Faith and Fantastic Fiction
Middle Earth readers, leave your cloaks and hobbit feet. Come as you are to learn how fi ction expresses the religious imagination.
Examples for discussion will come from participants -- whether you’re a science fi ction reader or a fantasy fan of JRR Tolkien,
Philip Pullman, C.S. Lewis, or Madeleine L’Engle. Perhaps you are simply fond of Peter Pan, Alice, or Captain Nemo, or you are curious about the controversy surrounding J.K. Rowling’s Harry
Potter novels. No matter. Come and eat food for thought at this program presented by Maren Tirabassi. Contact: 798-5613
12
Concord
Saturday, 11 a.m., NH Historical Society, 30 Park St.
A Visit with Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln, portrayed by Steve Wood in this living history program, begins this program with a recounting of his early life and ends with a reading of the ″ Gettysburg Address.
″ Along the way he comments on the debates with Stephen Douglas, his run for the presidency, and the Civil War. In doing so, he challenges the audience to reexamine their knowledge of Lincoln’s views on slavery and abolition. Hosted by the Sons of the Union Veterans of the Civil War. Contact: Daniel Murray, 340-6571
The Humanities Council is accepting applications for our next
Humanities to Go catalog.
Find details in the article on page 2.
7

NEW HAMPSHIRE HUMANITIES COUNCIL
12
Unity Center
Saturday, 7 p.m., Unity Town Hall, 2nd NH Turnpike
Lizzie Borden Took an Axe, or Did She?
In 1892 Lizzie Borden, a 32 year old single woman, was of fi cially charged with the murder of her father and stepmother in Fall
River, Massachusetts. The events that followed the murder would stir the curiosity of people across the nation. After four of fi cial criminal proceedings, Lizzie Borden was acquitted of the murder.
The case is a mystery that has inspired documentaries, television movies, plays, musicals, poems, a scholarly journal, and law school case studies. This presentation by Annette Holba, Plymouth
State University, is designed to review the facts and explore evidence that some suggest point to Lizzie’s guilt and others say exonerate her. Hosted by the Unity Historical Society.
Contact: Roberta Callum, 863-3468
14
Lyme
Monday, 7 p.m., Converse Free Library, 38 Union St.
Saving the Mountains: New Hampshire and the Creation of the National Forests
See the listing for November 3 in Madison for a description of this program. Contact: Joanne Sohrweide, 795-2170
15
Brookline
Tuesday, 6:30 p.m., Brookline Public Library,
16 Main St.
Understanding the Movies: The Art of Film
Film is a powerful medium, generating billions of dollars and untold hours of entertainment around the world. Understanding how fi lm creates and delivers ideas and how it shapes and re fl ects popular attitudes adds to our appreciation of the cinematic experience. Increase your fi lm vocabulary and have fun discussing movies together at this program presented by Patrick Anderson,
Colby-Sawyer College. Contact: Sharon Cordero, 673-3330
15
Hollis
Tuesday, 7 p.m., Hollis Social Library, 2 Monument Sq.
Mother Ireland: A Memoir by Edna O’Brien
This is the fi rst in a four-part book discussion series titled
“Contemporary Irish Writers.” O’Brien describes growing up in rural County Clare, from her days in a convent school to her fi rst kiss to her eventual migration to England. Weaving her own personal history with the history of Ireland, she effortlessly melds local customs and ancient lore with the fascinating people and events that shaped her young life. The result is a colorful and timeless narrative that perfectly captures the heart and soul of this harshly beautiful country. This month’s discussion is led by Ann
Norton, St. Anselm College. Contact: Mary Ann Wesoly, 465-2411
15
Nashua
Tues., 7:30 p.m., Nashua Historical Society, 5 Abbott St.
That Reminds Me of a Story: Yankee Humor and the New England Storytelling Tradition
See the listing for November 1 in Fremont for a description of this program. Contact: Mary Kirkwood, 883-0015
16
Meredith
Wednesday, 6:30 p.m., Meredith Library, 91 Main St.
Our National Thanksgiving:
With Thanks to President Lincoln and Mrs. Hale
See the listing for November 4 in Bath for a description of this program. Contact: Erin Apostolos, 279-4303
16
Berlin
Wednesday, 7 p.m., White Mountains Community
College, 2020 Riverside Dr.
This House of Sky: Landscapes of a
Western Mind by Ivan Doig
This beautifully written memoir takes us to the small towns, valley ranches and wilderness of Montana where Doig grew up with his ranch-hand father and grandmother. A major character is the
Montana landscape itself. Doig’s coming-of-age story examines love, family and independence in both truly American and universal terms. This month’s discussion is led by Emily Archer.
Contact: Katie Doherty, 752-1113
17
Lyme
Thursday, 2 p.m., Lyme School, 35 Union St.
Music in My Pockets: Family Fun in Folk Music
See the listing for November 3 in Rochester for a description of this program which is hosted by the Converse Free Library.
Contact: 795-4688
17
Milford
Thursday, 7 p.m., Milford Town Hall, 74 Beech St.
Liberty is Our Motto! Songs and Stories of the Hutchinson Family Singers
See the listing for November 8 in Salem for a description of this program which is hosted by the Milford Historical Society.
Contact: Richard D’Amato, 673-2156
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8

NOVEMBER 2011
17
Hillsborough
Thursday, 7 p.m., Fuller Public Library, 29 School St.
The Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible
Voyage by Alfred Lansing
Sir Ernest Shackleton’s voyage in 1914 to explore the South Pole ended when his ship Endurance was crushed by ice. Lansing recounts this suspenseful survival adventure: the captain and crew survived for months on fl oating ice in the harsh Antarctic climate before escaping in a lifeboat. This month’s discussion is led by
Don Sieker, Southern New Hampshire University. Contact: Robin
Sweetser, 464-3595
17
North Conway
Thurs., 7 p.m., Church of the Nativity, Main St.
One Book, One Valley Author Visit
This is the culminating event in the One Book, One Valley project funded in part by a Humanities Council grant. Author Tom Ryan will discuss his book Following Atticus , answer questions from the audience, and sign books. His climbing partner, Atticus, will also attend. The project includes book discussions throughout the month at Mt. Washington Valley libraries in Ossipee, Tamworth,
North Conway, Ef fi ngham and Bartlett. For more information and a complete listing of events, visit www.onebookonevalley.
wordpress.com.
18
Hillsboro
Fri., 7 p.m., Hillsboro-Deering Middle School, 6 Hillcat Dr.
Benny Pierce play and discussion
See the article on page 12 to learn more about this event.
Contact: Tom Dunn, 568-5102.
18
Ef fi ngham
Fri., 7:30 p.m., Historical Society, 1014 Province Lake Rd.
Hill Country Abandonment: 19th Century Sandwich
The population of early 19th century Sandwich was prosperous and growing. Farmers, the vast majority of the population, produced a sizeable marketable surplus. However, just before the Civil War, the population of Sandwich (and much of New England) declined precipitously. Marcia Schmidt Blaine, Plymouth State University, explores how this community re fl ected a region-wide ″ abandonment ″ of hearth and home. Contact: Sheila T. Jones, 539-4071
19
Hillsboro
Sat., 7 p.m., Hillsboro-Deering Middle School, 6 Hillcat Dr.
Benny Pierce play and discussion
See the article on page 12 to learn more about this event.
Contact: Tom Dunn, 568-5102.
20
Newbury
Sunday, 2 p.m., Center Meeting House, Route 103
Our National Thanksgiving:
With Thanks to President Lincoln and Mrs. Hale
See the listing for November 4 in Bath for a description of this program. Contact: 763-9806
26
Concord
Saturday, 2 p.m., NH Historical Society, 30 Park St.
“Tuck’s Gift” Public Film Premier
See the article on page 2 for more information on this event.
Contact: 228-6622
28
Concord
Mon., 2:15 p.m., Havenwood Auditorium, 33 Christian Ave.
The Founding Fathers: What Were They Thinking
See the listing for November 19 in Nashua for a description of this program. Contact: Cathy Herman, 229-1185
28
Lebanon
Monday, 3 p.m., The Woodlands, 125 Mascoma St.
Our National Thanksgiving:
With Thanks to President Lincoln and Mrs. Hale
See the listing for November 4 in Bath for a description of this program. Contact: David Orr, 448-1723
29
Rye
Tues., 2:30 p.m., Webster at Rye, 795 Washington Rd.
That Reminds Me of a Story: Yankee Humor and the New England Storytelling Tradition
See the listing for November 1 in Fremont for a description of this program. Contact: Karen Johnson, 964-8144
29
Manchester
Tues., 6 p.m., UNH Manchester, 400 Commercial St.
Arab Spring: Prospects for Democracy
Lorne W. Carner, President of the International Republican
Institute and Kenneth Wollack, President of the National
Democratic Institute, will speak on the roots and causes of the
Arab Spring. This event is part of the Primary Concerns lecture series, funded in part by a Humanities Council grant. It is free, but pre-registration is suggested. Register at www.wacnh.org/ councilevents. Contact: 314-7970 continued on page 10
9

NEW HAMPSHIRE HUMANITIES COUNCIL
29
Plaistow
Tuesday, 7 p.m., Plaistow Public Library, 85 Main St.
The Guitar and the Devil: Music, Magic and Ritual Among Ecuadorian Indians
Music and ritual belief in supernatural forces play key roles in the eight-day festivities associated with the summer solstice and annual corn harvest in Ecuador. This program by Jose Lezcano,
Keene State College, illustrated with slides, recordings, and live performance explores the connections between ritual, music, and the supernatural, especially among indigenous Andean peoples.
Contact: LuAnn Blair, 382-6011
heard “again” in the voices and experiences of the “stranger.”
The play, combined with the post-play facilitated discussions will provide a dramatic moment in which to talk about identity, home, loss, survival, integration, and regeneration. It will be a moment in which to consider in a greater, more humane context, the common desires and impulses that bind us.
We will be working with equity actors and experienced community theatre actors. The sets and costuming will be simple, as will the lighting and sound. Agnes Charlesworth, musician, director, and composer who wrote original music for past NH Theatre Project productions of Lysistrata , Mother Courage & Her Children and
The Odyssey will direct the music, drawing on global rhythms and multicultural in fl uences. Our vision is to have live musicians
- keyboard, percussion and other individual instruments – accompany the play and to incorporate musicians who are immigrants to
NH themselves.
The tour includes ten performances to take place between April
13 and 23, 2012 . The fi rst three performances will be held in
Portsmouth at the NH Theatre Project (April 13-15). One of these performances will include a post-performance discussion with a facilitator selected by the Humanities Council. Seven additional shows will tour the state at seven separate locations during April
17- 23, with facilitated discussions following each performance.
These are the committed venues to date:
Gorham Town Hall, a newly renovated community gathering place, developing a region-wide strategy for presenting cultural programs. We think it is especially important to perform the play here, not only because the region lacks regular cultural offerings like this, but because residents are not as familiar with the integration experiences and intercultural challenges of newcomers settling in the southern parts of our state. Another partner will include Gorham Middle School, which incorporates an immigration project into its curriculum every year. We hope to work with the Middle School, the Arts Alliance of Northern NH, and Heritage Park to plan a night of ethnic food and a day-long oral history workshop in Gorham that will precede the play and build interest for it.
Red River Theatres will host the play in Concord for the ten existing and two just-forming young professional groups statewide in addition to a general audience. Stay, Work, Play is the umbrella organization for young professionals (10,000 strong) and is supported by the Governor’s Task Force on Young Worker Retention, Business NH, WMUR TV, the Union Leader , and the NH
Business Review . We plan a pre-performance reception in the
Red River lobby and a post-play discussion with a facilitator to be determined.
The audience for the Manchester School of Technology site will include predominately teachers, tutors, and ESL students from
Manchester, Nashua, and Derry as well as MST high school students. In a real sense these audience members have lived the dramatic content of the play. They have factored largely in our project for the last three years, building self- con fi dence, leadership capacity, and some economic independence as they have increased their fl uency and ability to interpret and translate cultural signs and values.
The Manchester Central High School auditorium will be open to teachers, students and parents from Manchester schools. Since more than 60 languages are spoken in the high school, we think it appropriate to hold a performance there where many of the attendees will recognize the “voices” on stage and will be able to engage in a lively post-play conversation.
We will also be at St. Thomas Church in Dover, hosted by the
Reverend Susan Garrity. It will be especially gratifying to hold a performance in Dover where so many Southeast Asians have settled, and to invite residents from the surrounding communities of Rochester and Somersworth, underserved areas as far as free cultural offerings are concerned. We are considering Salem or
Nashua as our fi nal venue.
In addition to the live performances, we will contract with a professional videographer to record the production in order to make it portable. The DVD will be available to schools and other groups and distributed as a public program through our traveling speakers’ bureau, which is free and open to the public.
We are committed to this project in particular for all the reasons we are committed to the humanities in general. The humanities are tools that allow us to think beyond headlines and beyond ideological reasoning. They help us to recognize and examine the complexities, values, and meaning that underlie our opinions and our choices.
What does it mean to be American? Should we grant asylum to everyone who seeks it? What do the changing demographics in resettlement areas mean for New Hampshire? How do we perceive our moral responsibility toward one another? Do we owe allegiance to a set of moral expectations when we become members of a particular society? How are immigrants today different from those who migrated here 100 years ago? What role does the concept of freedom play in why immigrants move to America and what they experience once they arrive? How would you describe the stereotypes active in American society today? How do traditions become embedded in individual identity and in culture?
These are some of the questions we hope will inspire a statewide dialogue on immigration and New Hampshire’s identity next year.
10

NOVEMBER 2011
The Humanities Council is deeply grateful for the support of the businesses and organizations that supported our 22nd Annual Dinner and to the many individuals who purchased tickets for this sold-out event. Learn more about our work and how you can help connect people with ideas at www.nhhc.org.
Our Lead Sponsor for 21 years Keynote Sponsor for 10 years
Reception sponsor Book sponsor
Dinner sponsor
Program sponsor
Technology sponsor Wine sponsor
Benefactors
Cambridge Trust Company
Citizens Bank
William L. Chapman
Dianne and Dayton Duncan
Hinckley, Allen & Snyder, LLP
McLane, Graf, Raulerson & Middleton, P.A.
NHTI - Concord’s Community College
Patrons
Orr & Reno, P.A.
Pax World Investments
Phillips Exeter Academy
Rivier College
St. Anselm College
O’Brian, Arts in Education Coordinator at the NH State
Council on the Arts. The screening of “Acting Together” at UNH
Manchester is one of dozens of screenings happening internationally during the fall of 2011.
“Cindy Cohen has been a consultant and friend to the
Connections program for many years,” said Humanities Council
Executive Director Deborah Watrous. “She has brought her wisdom and processes to build democratic learning communities to our programs. Our goal in bringing the ‘Acting
Together’ documentary to New Hampshire is to bring Cindy’s work home (where she lives), and to offer the model to artists, teachers and community leaders right here.”
This event will take place in UNH Manchester’s third fl oor auditorium located at 400 Commercial Street. Free parking is available after 5:30 p.m. in the lot located behind UNH
Manchester. Events will be cancelled if the college is closed due to inclement weather (snowline: 641-4100). More information is available on the college’s website, www.manchester.unh.edu.
11

T he Humanities Council has awarded a grant to the Hillcat Community Theatre for discussions that will follow two performances of a play about the personal tragedies that preceded and overshadowed Franklin Pierce’s presidency.
The discussions will take place immediately following performances on Friday,
November 18 and Saturday, November 19 at Hillsboro-Deering Middle School, at 6 Hillcat Drive. The performances take place at 7 p.m. and the discussions will begin at 8:30 p.m.
Benny Pierce is an original musical by Tom Dunn and Will Ogmundson about the
Pierce family and the tragedy that befell them just weeks before Franklin Pierce began his term as president. The play was commissioned and workshopped by Hillcat
Community Theatre.
Tragedy seemed to follow the Pierce family. Franklin and his wife Jane had three children. Two died in childhood. Then on Jan. 6, 1853, two months before the inauguration, the Pierces were in a train wreck and saw their third child,
11-year-old Benjamin, crushed to death. Jane became a recluse and throughout the administration declined to participate in public appearances. This original play explores the tragedy and its aftermath.
Friday evening’s discussion will be led by Alan Lindsay, Head of the Department of English at NHTI, Concord’s Community College. The discussion will focus on The Responsibility of Creative Works of Fiction to the Historical
Truth . Saturday’s discussion will be led by Ronald Jaeger, Professor Emeritus at Yale. He will lead a discussion on The Making of Myth: How Historical
Fact Can Become Myth Given the Combination of Collective Rural
Memory and Time . Optional donations will be accepted for admission to the play. The discussions are free and open to the public. For more information, contact 568-5102.
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224-4072 www.nhhc.org
117 Pleasant St.
Phone: (603) 224-4071
Fax: (603)
Concord, NH 03301-0375
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