Another museum season is upon us! As we look forward to an array of upcoming events and programs, I’d like to reflect on some of our accomplishments.
This past year Friends expanded our Spring Lecture series into A Symposium, Lives and Legacies: Prudence Crandall’s African-American Students. The Symposium was held Saturday May 9, 2015. The panel featured Jennifer J. Rycenga, PhD., Julie P. Winch, PhD., and was moderated by Robert P. Forbes. It was an exciting day as over fifty guests, including descendants from the Crandall and Harris Families, learned more about the impact the students and the school had locally and globally.
In honor of late board member Susan Kenney, the Susan G. Kenney Memorial Scholarship for Outstanding Community Service for a graduating 8th grade student at Dr. Helen D. Baldwin School was established. We continue to purchase archival supplies for the museum’s collections and provided hospitality for museum programs.
This year we teamed up with the Canterbury Lion’s Club for a Ham and Bean Dinner. This event was one of our major fundraisers to support our upcoming Spring Lecture Series, No Small Courage, 2016 A Symposium, Lives and Legacies: Prudence Crandall’s African-American Students Part 2. The Symposium will be held Saturday May 21st, in the Canterbury Community Center. The Symposium will feature Afua P. Cooper PhD., Jennifer J. Rycenga, PhD., and Carla Peterson. PhD., who is a Marshall Family descendant (which included Gloriana Catherine Marshall, one of Prudence’s students), and Robert P. Forbes. It is the Friends good fortune to have our Lecture Series sponsored by not only YOU, our members, but once again by CT Humanities!
I thank you for your continued support as we honor the legacy and mission of Friends and Prudence Crandall through our programs and activities. I hope to see you on Saturday, May 7th for our Annual meeting at 10:00 am. State Rep Doug Dubitsky will be speaking.
Please send in your dues before the meeting, so you will be eligible to vote for officers. Individual membership is $20; Family/Grandparent–$35; Sustainer–$100; Associate–$250; and Lifetime–$1,000.