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On The Road With The Lewis Hine Project
Since
October of 2006, I have been making presentations, with pictures, about the Lewis Hine Project at schools, colleges, libraries,
museums and other venues all over New England. Here’s where I’ve been and a few notes about each visit. I will
update this page as new events occur, and post upcoming appearances.
Coming soon! I will be making a presentation at
the New England Historic Genealogical Society, in Boston, Mass. It will be at 2:00 pm, on Saturday, June 22, 2013. The event
is open to the public and will be held at 99-101 Newbury Street. For more information, call 617-226-1226. Email education@nehgs.org, to reserve a space.
MARCH 2013: Simsbury Historical Society, Simsbury, Connecticut
I made a presentation about my stories of child laborers, including Dora Nevins, a newsgirl who was photographed
in Hartford, Connecticut, about 15 miles from Simsbury.
FEBRUARY 2013: Phillips Academy, Andover, Massachusetts
I
made a presentation about my stories of child laborers that were photographed in Lawrence, Massachusetts, four months prior
to the historic Bread & Roses Strike in 1912. Phillips Academy is a prestigious co-educational boarding school for students
in grades 9-12. There were over 150 students in the audience. I was delighted to share my work with these bright and inquisitive
young men and women.
NOVEMBER 2012: Abraham Lincoln Elementary School, Oak Park, Illinois
Actually, I
didn't drive or take a plane from my Massachusetts home to Illinois. I travelled via the miracle of Skype (audio only). A
group of energetic and curious fifth graders asked me questions, as part of a class project about Lewis Hine and child labor.
I inadvertently told them that I had celebrated my birthday the day before, so they surprised me with a rousing chorus of
"Happy Birthday" at the end of our cyber visit. Click on the photo of the students to enlarge it.
NOVEMBER 2012: University of Massachusetts Lowell
I spoke for nearly two hours to about
45 students from two classes, in a large lecture hall with stadium seating and a huge screen on which to project Lewis Hine's
great photos. This was a wonderful event.
NOVEMBER 2012: Smith College Campus School
This was my fifth visit to Tom Weiner's sixth
grade class. My first was in 2007. Great students, great teacher.
NOVEMBER 2012: Loomis Village, South Hadley, Massachusetts
I gave a presentation to residents
of Loomis Village, a lovely retirement community. One of the women in the audience told me that when she was a little girl
in Wisconsin in the 1930s, she had to work as a raspberry picker in the summer, despite being under the legal age.
NOVEMBER 2012: Lawrence, Massachusetts
I gave a presentation about the Lawrence child
laborers to the annual meeting of the Massachusetts Society of Genealogists. It was gratifying to show and tell my stories
to a large crowd of people who are genuinely interested in history.
OCTOBER 2012: Drury High School, North Adams, Massachusetts
I talked to three of
Melissa Quirk's English classes about my stories of the child laborers photographed at the Eclipse Mill in North Adams.
July 2012: Holyoke Heritage Museum, Holyoke, Massachusetts
This was my second a presentation at the Holyoke Heritage Museum, again sponsored by Western Massachusetts Jobs With Justice.
April 2012: Weston Middle School,
Weston, Massachusetts
I presented three one-hour programs
about the child laborers in North Adams, Massachusetts to several hundred sixth, seventh and eighth graders. This is a very
fine progressive public school with an excellent arts curriculum. It was a great day.
April 2012: Everett Mill, Lawrence,
Massachusetts
I spoke to an audience of over 80 people at
the opening of my exhibit of the stories of child laborers photographed in Lawrence, Massachusetts more than 100 years ago.
The city is celebrating the centennial of the landmark Bread & Roses Strike that occurred there in 1912. Many of the descendants
of the children in my stories were present at the event. Click the link below to see more information about my exhibit.
Exhibit in Lawrence
April 2012: Wistariahurst Museum, Holyoke, Massachusetts
I made a presentation at Wistariahurst, the former home of the Skinner
family, owners of many factories in Holyoke and vicinity in the early days of the Industrial Revolution.
December 2011: Smith College
Campus School, Northampton, Massachusetts
This is my fourth
visit to Tom Weiner's sixth grade class since 2007. They are studying child labor, and they are already experts. It's always
a pleasure to meet these very bright students.
November 2011: Lowell National
Historical Park, Lowell, Massachusetts
I presented some
of my child labor stories to about 40 elementary and secondary school history teachers, and discussed how immigration and
child labor are connected. I also talked about non-traditional methods I have used for teaching history in some special projects
I have been involved with in the public schools. That's three times in Lowell in the past six weeks. I am getting to know
my way around the city.
November 2011: Lowell National
Historical Park, Lowell, Massachusetts
I made a presentation,
which was sponsored by the Tsongas Industrial History Center, as part of their Moses Parker Lecture Series. It was very well
attended. While in Lowell, I visited the American Textile History Museum.
October 2011: Montgomery, Massachusetts
I presented a program about the child laborers to a large
group of people in a beautiful town building built in 1849. The evening began with an old-fashioned chicken pot pie supper.
It was an enjoyable event.
October 2011: Lowell, Massachusetts
I made three one-hour presentations on October 6 to residents of various
senior housing facilities. The folks were mostly Lowell natives who once worked in the textile mills themselves. They were
very interested in my stories, and were eager to share their memories.
September 2011: Drury High School,
North Adams, Massachusetts
I talked to Melissa Quirk's ninth-grade
English class about my stories of the child laborers photographed at the Eclipse Mill in North Adams. The students subsequently
wrote poems inspired by those children, and read them at an event at the Eclipse Gallery.
August
2011: Museum L-A, Lewiston, Maine
An excellent crowd attended my presentation at Museum L-A in Lewiston, Maine. Located in the former Bates Mill, a huge
cotton mill, the museum is a magnificent collection of information and artifacts detailing the history of manufacturing and
French-Canadian immigration in Lewiston, and in Auburn, its sister city along the Androscoggin River. I presented a slide
show and told some of my stories of sardine cannery workers in Eastport, Maine, and textile workers in New England. I also
showed all 13 photographs that Hine took in Lewiston in 1909.
Museum L-A is different (and better) than most museums I have seen of this type. The staff and volunteers have worked
very hard to focus on the lives of the workers, instead of concentrating on the manufacturing pioneers who built the factories.
Visitors can see fascinating examples of cotton mill machinery and tools, which sit on the heavy, worn wooden floors of the
factory. What impressed me most were the photographs of former workers, and the large archive of oral histories of these workers.
Museum L-A lovingly celebrates the hard-working, resilient and brave men, women, boys and girls who built one of New England's
most important centers of industry. As frequent visitors to Maine, my wife and I plan to return to the museum many times.
You can see more about the museum at www.museumla.org.
One of the stories I told was about
Napoleon Camire, one of three child laborers who were photographed together at the Amoskeag Mill in Manchester, New Hampshire.
He moved to the Lewiston area after he married, and lived the rest of his life there. A dozen of his descendants attended
the event. You can see Camire's story, and my new Lewis Hine In Lewiston project at the links below.
Story of Napoleon Camire
Lewis Hine In Lewiston
June 2011: Winchendon,
Massachusetts
More than 100 people, including dozens of
descendants of Winchendon child laborers, attended an exhibition of the 40 photos that Lewis Hine took in this town 100 years
ago. I gave a slideshow presentation about the stories of some of these children. The event took place at the Winchendon Senior
Center, located in the historic building once occupied by Murdock High School, where some of the child laborers and many of
their descendants attended school. The event was filmed by documentary filmmaker Steven Borns. Thanks to the Winchendon Historical
Society and the Winchendon Courier for sponsoring this event.
June 2011: Kemp-McCarthy Museum,
Rowe, Massachusetts
I gave a presentation about the children
that Lewis Hine photographed in nearby North Adams, Massachusetts. I also talked about the history of North Adams. There was
a large crowd. The museum, located in a former school, houses an amazing collection of artifacts from this beautiful rural
town near the Vermont border. Visit the link below for more information about the Rowe Historical Society.
Rowe Historical Society
JANUARY 2011: Westhampton Memorial Library, Westhampton,
Massachusetts
There was a great crowd. The library is located in a historic house, and features craftsman-style
furniture and beautiful views from the big windows. What a treasure for this lovely little town! See more about it at the
link below.
Westhampton Memorial Library
DECEMBER 2010:
Smith College Campus School, Northampton, Massachusetts
This
is my third visit to the sixth grade class in the past four years. This year's class has been studying child labor, and they
know their stuff! A delightful visit.
NOVEMBER 2010: North Adams Public
Library, North Adams, Massachusetts
I made a presentation
about the child labor photos in North Adams at the annual meeting of Friends of the North Adams Public Library.
OCTOBER 2010: North Adams Museum
of History and Science, North Adams, Massachusetts
An exhibit
of my child labor stories in North Adams is at this great local history museum, and I made a presentation to a sizeable crowd.
One member of the audience was surprised to learn that she is related to one of the child laborers.
AUGUST 2010: Peavey Library, Eastport, Maine.
I visited Eastport for four days, made a
presentation at the library, and did some research. Read all about at the link below.
99 Years After Hine: Visiting Eastport
MARCH
2010: Hillsboro-Deering Middle School, Hillsboro, New Hampshire
I made my third presentation to classes at this school. It's a beautiful 95-minute drive from my home, and the students
are bright and ask good questions. This has been a thoroughly enjoyable experience.
MARCH 2010: Teaching American History Program Conference,
Fitchburg State College, Massachusetts
I made presentations for two groups of history teachers, and suggested some similar research projects for students,
in order to get them involved in local history. More than 100 teachers gather here every year for this workshop.
DECEMBER 2009: Hillsboro-Deering Middle School,
Hillsboro, New Hampshire I made my second presentation
to classes at this school. It was another good session with plenty of questions and comments. I have been invited to visit
again this March (2010).
AUGUST 2009: Hillsboro-Deering Middle School, Hillsboro,
New Hampshire
I made a presentation
to about 75 students from the seventh and eighth grades. I got lots of questions and comments, and it was a nice trip to this
lovely little town. The beautiful school was built recently. I also had a tasty lunch at the friendly Hillsboro Diner, a classic
1961 Kullman diner, with a dining room added on.
JUNE 2009: Hastings-On-Hudson, New York
Lewis Hine lived in Hastings from 1914, until his death in 1940. I made a 90-minute presentation to the Hastings
Historical Society's annual meeting. There were over 50 people in the audience. It was exciting to be in Hine's adopted home
town and to talk with persons who have considerable knowledge about his impact on the community. I even saw the house he lived
in, which is still a private residence. I took a picture of it. See the link below.
Lewis Hine's house
MAY AND JUNE 2009: North Adams Public
Schools, North Adams, Mass
This was quite a gig. In the space of two weeks, I gave presentations to all seven of the fifth grade classes in
the city, each lasting 60-90 minutes. On June 3, I did three in a row. It was exhilarating but exhausting, because the students
were entirely engaged, asking dozens of questions. Since they are in the age group of most of the child laborers I talked
about, they easily identified with their stories. I hope these children never lose their enthusiasm and curiosity.
APRIL 2009: Gallery 51, North Adams, Massachusetts I had a full house! Thanks to Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts for sponsoring
this event at their great downtown art gallery. It was thoroughly enjoyable evening.
FEBRUARY 2009: Greenfield Community College,
Greenfield, Massachusetts I made a two-hour presentation for a Senior Symposia class. There
was a large turnout of 47 students. Among the Lewis Hine photos I showed were those taken in area towns and cities: North
Adams, Northampton and Winchendon. One of the students came up to me after the event and identified himself as Joe Manning
(no relation), of nearby Northfield. We exchanged business cards.
December 2008: Smith College
Campus School, Northampton, Massachusetts This was my second visit to the sixth grade class.
These students were just as informed and enthusiastic as last year’s. There were lots of questions and strong and insightful
opinions. It was a delightful, if very short hour.
September 2008:
Springfield Museums, Springfield, Massachusetts This was a terrific venue. There are four great museums on this site. My presentation
was at the Museum of Fine Arts, and about 75 to 80 people attended. A woman in the audience came up to me after the presentation
and showed me copies of some Hine photos taken in Winchendon, Massachusetts, a town about 75 minutes from where I live. She
said that she thought one of the girls in the photos was her great aunt, and she asked me to look into it. I jumped at the
chance, and have since poured myself into another exciting adventure. See link to the Winchendon project on the Lewis Hine
Project home page.
April 2008: Endicott College,
Beverly, Massachusetts Professor Todd Wemmer, who created the Lost and
Found Photos project, invited me to talk to one of his classes. The students were eager participants, and stuck around for
an extra 25 minutes. My wife and I stayed overnight, compliments of the college, and had a great lunch at the Salem Diner,
just across the bay from Beverly. See www.lostandfoundphotos.org
April 2008: Mosier
Elementary School, South Hadley, Massachusetts The third grade class I worked with was a joy. They really knew their stuff! I started
off by asking them if they had a job. A dozen hands went up right away: “I take out the garbage” – “I
dry the dishes” – “I feed the dog” – “I vacuum.” So I asked them if they did this
job 12 hours a day, with 15 minutes for lunch, six days a week, like the child laborers in the photos. They got the point.
After class, one boy told me I look like Lewis Hine. This is the third time this happened. At this point, I am beginning to
believe it.
March 2008: Henry Sheldon Museum,
Middlebury, Vermont My wife and I drove three hours to this lovely
old colonial town, about 45 minutes south of Burlington. The night before, they had a serious ice storm, but everything worked
out fine. One of the audience members was Mary Williamson, a niece of Lewis Hine, who lives nearby. It was a thrill to meet
her. Once again, someone told me that I look like Hine.
March 2008: Hampshire College,
Amherst, Massachusetts I showed slides from my Lewis Hine Project and
led a discussion about researching old photographs. Hampshire is known for its unique academic programs, and is the alma mater
of the great documentary filmmaker Ken Burns.
February 2008: Chesterfield
Historical Society, Chesterfield, Massachusetts This
tiny hill town 20 miles west of Northampton has a very active historical society. They were friendly and welcoming, and I
got to share a community supper with them.
January 2008: Forbes Library,
Northampton, Massachusetts Thanks to an article I wrote about my project in
the local newspaper, and some great publicity generated by the library, I was greeted with an overflow crowd. I was stunned
at the beginning when someone in the audience said that I look like Lewis Hine. The next day, I got an email from a woman
who had attended. She told me that she was so moved by my project, that she wanted to volunteer her assistance in transcribing
my taped interviews with descendants. Thanks, Seunghee, for being my first staff member.
December 2007: Smith College
Campus School, Northampton, Massachusetts I talked to sixth grade students who are studying
child labor. These wonderfully bright children are taught by Tom Weiner, a gifted and innovative educator. This was one of
the liveliest and most rewarding events I have attended.
November
2007: Holyoke Heritage Museum, Holyoke, Massachusetts
A well-known non-profit organization, Western Massachusetts
Jobs With Justice, arranged a presentation at the beautiful Holyoke Heritage Museum, a very appropriate venue, since Holyoke
was one of the great industrial cities in New England in the 1800s. It was the home of one of the first great canals in the
country, and one of the centers of the paper industry.
November 2007: Bent-Northrop
Memorial Library, Fairfield, Vermont Most of the audience members were middle school
students who had recently read Counting On Grace, the book inspired by the Lewis Hine photo of
Addie Card. My brother and his wife, who live in nearby Burlington, were in attendance.
June 2007: Rockridge Retirement
Community, Northampton, Massachusetts Many of the audience members had worked in their
younger days at the area’s silk mills, so they had plenty of comments. It was fun, and the location was only two miles
from my house.
May 2007: Mt. Anthony Union
High School, Bennington, Vermont I made presentations to three double classes, in
the town just up the road from Pownal. It was a real workout, since I had only one 20-minute break for lunch, and woke up
that morning with a terrible case of laryngitis. But the students were terrific, and I got through it.
April 2007: Pownal Historical
Society, Pownal, Vermont I was the speaker at the annual meeting. This is
the town where Addie Card was born and raised. My search for her life story represented the first Hine photo I researched.
That story is posted on this site, and was obviously a very popular part of my presentation.
February 2007: Lenox Library,
Lenox, Massachusetts This event was organized by the Berkshire Institute
of Lifelong Learning, which is affiliated with Berkshire Community College. It was very well attended, and I enjoyed it very
much.
October 2006: Worcester State
College, Worcester, Massachusetts I was invited by a professor in the history department
to speak to one of his classes. The college is quite a place, having grown by leaps and bounds over the past few years. One
of the students had been a child laborer in the Latin American country where she grew up.
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