by

The Pilgrim: A mission to the world

Authored by Caleb Daubenspeck

The Board pictured above contains the logo suggestions for The Pilgrim missions’ letter sent from the Pilgrim Fellowship Inc. as a monthly ministry update to their supporters. The phrase “Into all the world” was added to the logo in 1959.

In November 1959, E Schuyler English, editor, and president of the Pilgrim Fellowship addressed his supports, encouraging them to give towards the ministry and missions. “For nineteen centers, since our Lord told His apostles to be witnesses concerning Him to the uttermost part of the earth, one generation after another has followed the apostolic Christians in carrying the Gospel to those in darkness throughout the world” (English, E. Schuyler 1959b, 4). The small monthly letter sent out to supporters provided the supporters an opportunity to engage with missions around the world. In an earlier newsletter, English suggested that there are three ways that people can participate in missions to the poor and oppressed; those who can go, those who can support, and all can pray (English 1959a, 2). The newsletter allowed people to engage with missions overseas in personal missions and financially through gifts. 

Continue reading →
by

Creative Clubhouse at the Lakeside Library: The Art of Kindness

Authored by Lisa Most

Taken during a Creative Clubhouse art workshop held by the Lakeside Library on February 25, 2020, this photograph shows a group of adults with disabilities crafting their own kites.

The Creative Clubhouse, founded by Library Technician Eric Jones in August 2016, is a group of adults with varying levels of abilities who meet twice per month at the San Diego County Library in Lakeside, California to explore their creative talents through art.

Continue reading →
by

The Harris Sisters: One Story of Many in the Fight for Freedom

Authored by Ashley Kardys

This is a photo of a postcard that was donated to the Otis Library Collection in 2018 and uploaded to the Library’s public Flickr account. The exact year of the postcard’s creation is unknown but estimated between 1787 – 1876. This postcard depicts the Norwich location were two historically famous sisters, the Harris sisters, originally grew up before becoming a profound abolitionist and teacher.

Slavery in the United States has a long and documented history but this photo aids in highlighting  a very personal story, one of thousands, that helps to shed an intimate light on the life of two local Connecticut African American sisters and a Caucasian woman. This pairing of women was astronomical in paving a new and free path in the New England states for the education of African Americans. This image depicts a neighborhood along the river in Norwich, Connecticut, circa 1787-1876, where two African American sisters, Sarah Harris (1812 – 1878) and Mary Harris (1816 – 1899) began their heroic lives. In 1833 Sarah Harris was the first young African American woman to be admitted into what was previously an all-white school for girls run by a Quaker abolitionist and teacher, Prudence Crandall.

Continue reading →
by

Newton Female Seminary – Equal, Accessible Education for All

Authored by Pamela C. Zacher

Cover page of the Third Annual Catalogue of Newton Female Seminary, for the 1856-1857 academic year. Printed by Francis Hart, Printer and Stationer, New York, NY

America’s Antebellum period brought with it a fervor to see its women educated, despite previously held beliefs that women’s education was not as important as men’s (Sweet 1985, 41). Thus, a movement began to provide quality education for the nation’s females, that would be available for women of all socio-economic classes, would be of quality parallel to that offered to men, and expand beyond etiquette and instruction in domestic duties. “Feeling the call of God to educate women, America’s Evangelical denominations…with passionate engagement built female seminaries” (Sweet 1985, 41).

Continue reading →
by

August Wilson and the Amplification of Black Stories on Broadway

Authored by Roseanne Pensabene

Brown, Mary E. (2020), Collage of Playbills (l-r), Seven Guitars, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Jitney, Fences, The Piano Lesson, and Two Trains Running, all written by August Wilson. From the Harris Papers archive, Marymount Manhattan College, Manhattan, New York. Courtesy of Mary E. Brown.

August Wilson was a wildly lauded playwright in the 1970s and 80s, and used his abilities to share the stories of the struggles African Americans faced and the responsibility to make sure those voices were heard and that they had a place in the theater. Stories of Black Americans were told by Caucasians, which is problematic in of itself, as indicated in Wolfe (1998) “No people can gain authenticity by either accepting others’ judgment of them or looking to others for approval” (4). Wilson exhibited the Vincentian value of respect by giving a platform and awareness to struggles that were so often hidden and ignored (St. John’s University 2017). He also made sure to give opportunities to African Americans within the theater community with the creation of Pittsburgh’s Black Horizons Theater.    

Continue reading →
by

Knowledge is Power

Authored by Melissa Nadzan

This is the Ocean County library’s banner for April’s Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) book display. This display will have resources that can be utilized, along with books and information compiled from sources that can help sexual assault victims move on with their lives.

According to the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN), “Every 73 seconds an American is sexually assaulted” (RAINN 2018). On top of that Kimble states, “It may sound incredible that only around 23 percent of survivors report such crimes to police, but it’s true” (2018). Survivors of sexual violence will not always come forward for a number of reasons including, their own shame, not understanding the process, or lack of support. The display personifies support, empathy, and gives survivors access to county resources that are available and information on how to pursue criminal charges in court. 

Continue reading →
by

The Orphan Train Rides Again

Authored by Suzanne Lemmon

The Orphan Train, 1997, Dance Program

The Orphan Train Ballet premiered in 1997, and has since been a part of Covenant Ballet Theaters repertory of story ballets performed for K-12 students of the NYC area. This non- profit arts in education dance company not only entertains and educates, but keeps history alive for thousands of children through the art of ballet (Covenant Ballet Theater 2020). 

Continue reading →
by

Joan Didion’s The Year of Magical Thinking: A Story of Grief and Compassion

Authored by Elizabeth Hodges

This is an autographed poster advertising the 2007 play The Year of Magical Thinking starring Vanessa Redgrave. The autographers include Vanessa Redgrave, director David Hare, and Joan Didion (Autographed poster of The Year of Magical Thinking 2007).

“Life changes fast. Life changes in the instant. You sit down to dinner and life as you know it ends. The question of self-pity” (Didion 2007a, 3). In December of 2003, Quintana Roo Dunne, daughter of writers Joan Didion and John Dunne, fell into septic shock after contracting pneumonia. On December 31, 2003, after visiting their daughter in New York’s Beth Israel North Hospital, Didion and Dunne sat down to dinner (Didion 2007a, 6-7). Shortly after they began eating, Dunne suffered from a major heart attack and died. Dunne’s death marked the beginning of a year that would change Joan Didion’s life. After a number of traumatic hospitalizations in 2004, Quintana developed acute pancreatitis and died August 26, 2005 (Meter 2005).

Continue reading →
by

The Crown Jewel of Callanwolde

Authored By Julia Titak

The Aeolian Organ located in the Ballroom of the Callanwolde Mansion of Druid Hills, Georgia.

In Druid Hills Georgia, near the Emory University campus, is the Callanwolde Mansion. The history of this Mansion does not include just the walls. The building begins when Charles Howard Candler bought a piece of land in Druid Hills, Georgia. He went on to build the Callanwolde Mansion. The most interesting fact about the building of this Mansion is not that it has seven bedrooms and six bathrooms. The sheer number of bathrooms would stun anyone during that time due to the cost. However, inside the mansion is where one finds Candler’s crown jewel, the Aeolian Organ.

Continue reading →
by

Tartuffe: A Hypocritical Holy Man

Authored by Kelly Blabolil

Covers of programs of production for Tartuffe that were found in a folder of the William Harris papers at Marymount Manhattan College.

Tartuffe by Molière was originally written in French and first performed on May 12, 1664. It was performed at Palace of Versailles in France. Being that it was Molière’s most famous theatrical comedy, it was adapted and performed all over the world throughout the last four centuries. 

Continue reading →