History Happenings
April 2016
The History Center's Electronic Newsletter
CONTACT US
(607) 273 - 8284 | www.thehistorycenter.net
Rod Howe | Executive Director | Director@TheHistoryCenter.net | Phone: x 222
Donna Eschenbrenner | Archivist | Archives@TheHistoryCenter.net | Phone: x 224
Carole West | Educator, Eight Square Schoolhouse | EightSquare@TheHistoryCenter.net | Phone: x 229
Kayla Sewell | Event Coordination & Visitor Services | Community@TheHistoryCenter.net | Phone: x 227
Karen Binder | Bookkeeper & Administrative Services | Admin@TheHistoryCenter.net | Phone: x 225
Executive Director Corner
Dear Friends,
Do you have a family calendar?
Every morning I look at the one that my cousin Sue maintains (thank you Sue!) to see what name(s)
might be noted on that day. It starts with Leo and Lula (Knettles) Nobles (my maternal grandparents,
pictured above with their children). Leo was born in 1891 and Lula in 1894 and they were married in
1915. The calendar contains birth dates, anniversaries, dates of death and family trees. Leo and Lula
lived a long-time on Esty Street in Ithaca (another cousin
still lives in the house). Their legacy to-date: 6 children, 22
grandchildren, 48 great grandchildren, 48 great great
grandchildren and 9 great great great grandchildren. I enjoy
hearing my uncle, aunt and mom telling stories of growing
in Ithaca and their experiences in the 1920's, 1930's and
1940's.
May your family celebrate its generations. The History
Center's April 6th kick-off to our 2016 Generation to
Generation series promises to be both fun and meaningful.
Rod Howe
Executive Director
GENERATION TO GENERATION
Encouraging Connections
through Variations on Pancakes
Wednesday April 6, 2016 - 6:00 PM
Kendal at Ithaca - 2230 N. Triphammer Rd., Ithaca
We All Have a Story to Share...
What would it mean to tell your story? How might the experience change you?
How might it enrich others? What would it mean to have this exchange across
cultures and generations - between parents and children, the middle folks, and
the elders? In those intergenerational spaces lie insightful lessons about life,
love, defeat, and transformation. These are meaningful stories that inform and
entertain.
On April 6, prepare to delight in the human experience.
Join us for a memorable evening with Paula Younger,
story practitioner and founder of pancakemoments™,
as she shares her thoughts on the distinctive power of
pancakes and their connection to the wonder narratives
that lie within all of us.
Come enjoy a variety of delicious pancakes, from
crêpes to arepas, provided by the Carriage House Cafe, Coltivare, Purity Ice
Cream, ¡Bici-Cocina!, and Kendal at Ithaca.
Click here to visit The History Center's website for more information.
A Taste of the Menu:
Carriage House Cafe
French Crepes with Cinnamon Spiced Apples and Dark Chocolate Ganache
Coltivare
Blinze with Pate de Fruit and a Riesling Caramel Sauce
Purity Ice Cream
Lemon Ricotta Pancakes topped with Lemon Curd and Blueberries
¡Bici-Cocina!
Arepas de Maiz Peto con Hogao
Kendal at Ithaca
Hash Brown Fritatta with Sausage and Bacon
About the GENERATION TO GENERATION Series:
By attending this event, you will be supporting The History Center's GENERATION TO GENERATION
series. Over the course of seven months, this series will provide an intentional focus on
intergenerational connections. Oral history and genealogy training sessions, an intergenerational
program on "Collecting and Sharing Stories through Maps and Photographs," a collaboration with the
Dorothy Cotton Institute that will seek to build connections of those involved with social change within
and across generations, exhibitions that encourage conversations across the life span, Eight Square
Schoolhouse events, and heritage tours are a few key programs and events that make up this series.
The History Center's "Generation to Generation" tag line resonates with our mission statement, and is
a central theme in our education and research center initiatives. This GENERATION TO
GENERATION series is an invitation to all of you to reflect on your place in this community, and your
interactions and connections with multiple generations.
Tickets:
Tickets are $46/person for this 4/6 event. Ticket sales end on April 2nd. You can purchase your ticket
at The History Center (401 E. State St., Suite 100), over the phone with a credit card (607-273-8284 x
227) or from a History Center trustee.
Event Map:
Bookstore Highlight
Sol Goldberg's Kids and Other Important People
Sol Goldberg's photos capture the lively doings of
youngsters and adults in his Upstate new York home town at play, at work, in fun, in serious moments.
For the decade 1956 to 1965 when Goldberg was staff
photographer for the Ithaca Journal, his award-winning
pictures brought humor, drama - even make-believe - to
photojournalism. One hundred of these images make Kids
an entertaining and revealing look into a gentler period in
the life of one community.
Get 15% off this book when you mention this newsletter!
Also available in the bookstore....
In Memoriam: Cemeteries of Tompkins County dry-mounted images for sale. Directly from the
exhibition, these large and small images, in gray scale and color, are of a variety of cemeteries,
tombstones, and more found throughout the county!
Exhibitions
Current Exhibition
Come Play With Us
Early Toys from the Collection
April 1 - August 20, 2016
Play is as natural to us as breathing. We begin playing with our
first sight of a smiling face and wiggling fingers, and keep at it
long after we are old enough to become parents and
grandparents ourselves. Toys and games enhance our play,
making it richer and more complex. This interactive exhibition
features some of the many toys and games from The History
Center's collections. Modern examples meant for hands-on
exploration will accompany the artifacts to be featured.
Photographs from the Sol Goldberg Collection will be on display
as well, highlighting his whimsical portrayal of local people in
their playful moments. This exhibition will examine the way play
has changed - and stayed the same - over the years. It is a
celebration of play and childhood, for the child in all of us.
New Display
Exploring Tompkins County
A Municipality Display Case
Opening Friday April 1, 2016
This display case is a collaborative effort between The
History Center and the municipal historians of Tompkins
County. Currently on display is a history of the Cargill
Rock Salt Mine in Lansing.
Content loaned by Louise Bement, Town of Lansing
Historian.
Upcoming Events
Friends of Robert H. Treman State Park Annual Meeting
Thursday March 31, 2016 - 5:30 PM (at The History Center)
The Friends of Robert H. Treman State Park will be holding their annual meeting at The History Center.
Stop in for updates from the park as well as a presentation by Tony Ingraham titled "The Changing
Face of Taughannock Falls."
First Friday Gallery Night - Exhibition Opening!
Friday April 1, 2016 - 5:00 to 8:00 PM (at The History Center)
Join us between 5:00 and 8:00 PM for the grand opening of Come Play With Us: Early Toys from the
Collection. Tour the gallery and discover historic toys from our collection and explore our modern toys
ready for play. View images of photographer Sol Goldberg featuring his whimsical portrayal of local
people in their playful moments. Light refreshments will be served.
Encouraging Connections through Variations on Pancakes
Wednesday April 6, 2016 - 6:00 to 8:15 PM (at Kendal at Ithaca)
Join us at Kendal for The History Center's spring fundraiser! Enjoy a presentation by Paula Younger
on pancakemoments™ and delight in variations on pancakes, from crêpes to arepas, provided by the
Carriage House Cafe, Coltivare, Purity Ice Cream, ¡Bici-Cocina!, and Kendal at Ithaca. Tickets $46 for
this 4/6 event! See more details above or visit the Encouraging Connections webpage.
Second Saturday Game Day!
Saturday April 9, 2016 - 12:00 to 4:00 PM (at The History Center)
The History Center is pleased to announced the "Second Saturday Game Day!" series. Done in
conjunction with Come Play With Us: Early Toys from the Collection, The History Center will set-up
board games, card games, and other table top games in the gallery every second Saturday from April
9th through August 13th. Join us for our first installment on Saturday, April 9th! #ComePlayWithUs
Ithaca Fringe Festival Performances (at The History Center)
Thursday April 14 - 7:30 to 8:30 PM
Friday April 15 - 7:30 to 8:30 PM
Saturday April 16 - 1:00 to 2:00 PM (Workshop 2:15 to 3:00 PM)
Sunday April 17 - 1:30 to 2:30 PM
In its entirety, the Ithaca Fringe Festival will have seven acts at five venues this year! Join us at The
History Center for the act A Night to Towanda.
I n this sequel to their award-winning "Road to Towanda" the hapless crew of Flower City Vaudeville
arrives in Towanda to premiere their brand new show - new acts, new comedy, new shenanigans.
Unfortunately when their truck broke down they left most of their props behind.
But wait! The
custodian at the American Legion Hall promises he can round up everything they need before the
curtain goes up. Bursting into the Legion Hall with thumbs chaffed from hitchhiking, they hear...
"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Flower City Vaudeville!"
Exploring the Power of Play throughout Your Life
Saturday April 23, 2016 - 2:00 PM (at The History Center)
This thought-provoking presentation, with the exhibit "Come Play With Us" as a backdrop, will cover
the importance of play in childhood development and on early education, the importance of free play
for development, the impact of technology on playful exploration during adolescence, the reluctance of
adults to play and how this impacts their well-being and the impact of retirement on older adults and
how the process of aging can impact a person's ability to play. The presenters will bring rich
experience, research, and practical application to the program. There will be an interactive component
as participants will have the opportunity to identify meaningful activity that they are or have been
engaged in across the lifespan.
Cassie Robenolt
A teacher at the Cornell Child Care Center since 2009; attended SUNY Empire and received her degree
in Human Services and then a Master's in Early Education.
Jill Petty
A teacher at the Cornell Child Care Center since 2010; attended Ithaca College and received her
degree in Sociology with a concentration in early education.
Janice Elich Monroe, Ph.d.
Associate Professor and Chair, Recreation Therapy Clinical Supervisor at the Center for Life Skills at
Longview, Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies Ithaca College.
Generation to Generation Oral History Capacity Building Series
Tips and Perspectives on Conducting Oral Histories: A Conversation with Gould Colman
Tuesday April 26, 2016 - 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM (at The History Center)
Beginning in 1961, Gould Colman enlisted memory to document human interests and activities.
Subsequently, wide ranging subjects were investigated in cooperation with Cornell faculty members,
graduate students and others, mostly in New York State but many times farther afield. Nearly a
thousand tape recorded conversations are being preserved as audio records and transcripts (one
project having generated over 20,000 pages) in the Cornell Library's Rare Book and Manuscript
Division.
At this event Dr. Colman will discuss oral history practices and possibilities and respond to audience
questions such as: Why do you avoid the word "Interview?" Whose assistance proved the most
valuable to you? What was your biggest mistake?
Gould Colman Former Cornell University Archivist (1972-1995); Author of many books on Cornell
University history
Your Oral History Program - Making it Happen! - From Ideas to Actions
Tuesday May 24, 2016 - 1:00 to 2:30 PM (at The History Center)
Ramona Kacyvenski Vestal Museum Director; Secretary and member of the Vestal Historical
Society
Sharing Our Stories: Collecting the Oral Histories of LGBT Older Adults
Tuesday June 28, 2016 - 1:00 to 2:30 PM (at The History Center)
Lisa Holmes Director, Tompkins County Office for the Aging; Founder of Telling Our Stories: A
Project of the Tompkins County Working Group on LGBT Aging
Eight Square Schoolhouse Summer Camp
Digging Into Carrie's Diary
Is your child interested in history? Consider sending them back in time to The History Center's Eight
Square Schoolhouse week long living-history summer camp, Digging Into Carrie's Diary.
Dates & Hours of Sessions
Monday through Friday, July 18 - 22, 2016, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Type of Camp
Day Camp
Ages
Co-ed Ages 9 - 13
(maximum number of participants = 12)
Location
Eight Square Schoolhouse
1748 Hanshaw Rd., off Route 13 North, Town of
Dryden
Price
$225.00 for full week
$195.00 for full week for 2 or more siblings
Payment Due
July 8, 2016 (at the latest)
Registration Ends
July 1, 2016
Program Activities
Nineteenth century activities based on the 1869 diary of Carrie Manning, a local thirteen year old from
the Town of Ithaca with an emphasis on period foods, herb gardening, sewing & textiles, genealogy,
nature walk, music, art, period games and journaling. Each day will also focus on Eight Square
archaeology, specifically as it relates to the daily theme. Children will be able to excavate on site with
a local archaeologist leading the dig!
Contact and Organizer:
Carole West
Address: 401 E. State St., Suite 100, Ithaca, NY 14850
Phone: (607) 273-8284 ext. 229
E-mail: EightSquare@TheHistoryCenter.net (preferred method of contact)
To Register
Contact Kayla Sewell at Community@TheHistoryCenter.net or call (607) 273-8284 Ext. 227
There are currently no scholarships available for the camp. There will be no supervision of children
before and after the camp. As much as The History Center strives to be accessible to all, our 19th
century Eight Square Schoolhouse is not accommodated for the handicapped and disabled.
Information About Carrie Manning
It is generally believed that Carrie's family farm, cleared in the early 1800's by her grandfather, was
where East Hill school currently stands (on Winthrop Drive) and the one room school she attended is
now a dentist's office on Triphammer Road.
Carrie had two sisters, Mary and
Emma, but no brothers. She was a
'teenager', but didn't know it! Her diary
entries can be categorized into several
common themes, including, but not
limited to :
School
Family/Friends
Births/Deaths
Sewing Crafts
Home Chores
Farm Chores
Baking/Cooking
Music/Leisure
The topics above are the ones that our camp days will revolve around. We believe that the
archaeology component we are adding to the camp helps to flesh out the reality of what life was like
for students and children in the 19th century, and also lends a unique and unexpected component to
the camp. Of course being on the Eight Square site itself is also a unique component to this camp!
The last hour of every day will be spent tying in the day's activities to what could potentially be found
on the site by archaeologists, and what the children might potentially find as they dig on the site.
Carrie died on January 1, 1875, when she was 19 years old, most likely of consumption. She is buried
in Pleasant Grove Cemetery near Community Corners. Her mother died 6 years later and was buried
next to Carrie. After her death, Carrie's sister Mary kept the diary, and when Mary died in 1898 it went
to her daughter Ruth.
Just before she died in 1955, Ruth gave the diary to William Heidt, Jr. who edited and published the
diary in 1956, with the intention of making it available to students in local schools. The copy of the
abridged diary that each student will receive during this camp is from the fourth printing.
Wharton Movie Studios
Upcoming Events and Exhibition
The Biggest Little Fashion City: Ithaca
and Silent Film Style - Exhibit Opening
April 8, 2016
Wharton Studio Museum is excited to be collaborating on this
multimedia exhibit on fashion of the silent film era curated
by Cornell's Costume & Textile Collection and the Dept. of Fiber
Science & Apparel Design. The exhibit focuses on international film
star, dancer and fashion designer Irene Castle and features original
pieces of clothing worn by Castle along with a WSM-produced
display about the historic Wharton Studio.
Where: Cornell University Human Ecology Building Lobby
Exhibit Dates: from April 8th through August 15th
Opening Reception: Friday, April 8, 4:30-6:00pm
From the Collection
"Fire Grenade" Fire Extinguisher
Fire is the greatest foe that has alarmed mankind for
centuries. In early England, people turned to the fire
extinguisher grenade, which was a bottle made of thin
and fragile glass designed to be thrown on a fire,
breaking easily in order to spew its contents to
quench the flames. Because of this unique use, the
grenades were designed to be light and easily
handled. These grenades could be found in homes,
hotels,
factories,
schools,
trains
and
other
commercial buildings around the turn of the 20th
century.
This glass bottle has a tightly stopped opening and
contains a carbon tetrachloride solution. Standing 6
inches tall with its round body 3.5 inches in diameter,
the bottle pictured is a great example of talented
glass blowers. Manufactured by Harden's Hand
Grenade,
this extinguisher would have been used
circa 1871 to 1883.
The fire grenade works by robbing the fire of its oxygen. Various fluids were tested in the grenade and
the most effective one discovered was carbon tetrachloride. In more recent years, it has been found
that this chemical, when inhaled, can cause many respiratory problems. The liquid was then changed
to salt water in most cases. Made in many colors and unique shapes, most grenades are embossed
with the name of the manufacturer such as Harden's, Hayward's, Babcock, Harkness, Little Giant, and
Cornet, to name a few.
These beautiful and useful glass products were gradually replaced by the metal fire extinguisher we
know today. Even though the glass fire grenades were made to be broken and destroyed, there are
enough examples remaining in very old homes and historic commercial buildings to attract great
interest in this bit of history.
Sources: Bob and Phoebe Adams, www.insulators.com/go-withs/firegren.htm
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