FW: PPS March E-Newsletter

In This Issue Preservation Education Events Meet the President Community Notes Quick Links Become a Member PPS Website Preservation Nation Upcoming PPS Events March 17 March Lecture March 18 & 19 March Lecture Program June 5 31st Festival of Historic Houses Support our work! Support PPS by mailing us your Eastside Marketplace receipts! A percentage of each dollar goes to support PPS programs. To learn more, e-mail PPS. March 2010 News MARCH LECTURE  "Place/Displace: Providence and the Twentieth Century" presented by R. Tripp Evans, Ph.D Wednesday, March 17   See "Education" section below or visit our website for more information. Registration encouraged. Preservation 2010 Most Endangered Properties List The nomination period for the 2010 Most Endangered Properties List closed on February 24. Thank you to everyone who nominated a property this year. The PPS Planning and Architectural Review Committee and the board of trustees will now commence their review of the nominated properties. The finalists will be announced at a public press conference in May. In bringing attention to the plight of these properties, our goal is to foster action - by making people aware of the issues, motivating constructive responses, and connecting resources to those properties that most need them. Stay tuned for the announcement of the 2010 Most Endangered Properties List in May. 2009 Most Endangered Properties List Update: Grove Street School February 3, 2010 marked the three-year anniversary of the illegal partial demolition of Grove Street School. Built in 1901 as a grammar school, it is included in the Industrial and Commercial Buildings District (ICBD) and is also listed as a contributing resource to the significance of the Broadway-Armory National Register District. Grove Street School was on PPS's Most Endangered Properties List in 2002, 2003, 2007, 2008, and 2009. On February 3, 2007, the owners of Grove Street School began demolition without a permit in violation of a stop-work order. The police managed to stop the process before demolition was complete, but the damage was done. This case has been tied up in the legal system for years, allowing the partially demolished building to sit exposed to the elements. In July of 2009, the State Supreme Court placed the building in the city's hands and the city subsequently ordered the owners to stabilize it. The owners, citing costs, appealed this ruling. The Providence Building Board of Review requested additional cost estimate information and will consider the owners' appeal at a meeting scheduled for March 11, 2010 at 3:00 p.m. For more information, call the Building Board of Review at (401) 421-7740. Help Save "Save America's Treasures!" Important funding for preservation is in jeopardy: the recently-announced federal budget proposal would eliminate two key preservation programs - Save America's Treasures and Preserve America. To learn what you can do, visit the website of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Two local examples of Save America's Treasures funding at work are pictured below. The Providence Athenaeum The Providence Performing Arts Center Providence School Facilities Report Update The architectural and engineering firm Fanning Howey conducted a study of Providence school facilities during the summer of 2009. Preliminary findings are available on the Providence Public Schools website. Community meetings to review final data and preliminary recommendations took place during the last week of January 2010 and the first week of February 2010. Seven schools were recommended for closure. On February 22, Superintendent Brady announced a revised recommendation to delay the closing of Windmill Elementary School and Feinstein Elementary School at Sackett Street until a task force studies how to restore neighborhood schools at the elementary level. He also recommended keeping Bridgham Middle School open. The School Board is scheduled to vote on the recommendations at its meeting on March 8, 2010. Revitalization Project for West Broadway Neighborhood  The West Broadway Neighborhood Association (WBNA) has begun construction on a $1.5-million project at 1577 Westminster, the site of a former used-car lot. WBNA is working with the Urban Greens food co-op to open a location there. Spurwink Supported Living Inc. plans to build seven rental units on the two top floors of the building.  Watch the interview with WBNA Executive Director Kari Lang to find out more about this exciting project.  Education March 17 Lecture "Place/Displace: Providence and the Twentieth Century" "Place/Displace: Providence and the Twentieth Century," by R. Tripp Evans, Ph.D., will discuss the International Style, Modernism, and the current Green Building movement in our lovely city. It will be held at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 17 in the Providence Career & Technical Academy Auditorium, 91 Fricker Street. The entrance to the auditorium is on Cranston Street; parking is available nearby. This lecture is free to PPS members, and $10 for non-members. Registration is encouraged; please visit our website or contact Kathleen McAreavey. R. Tripp Evans is Associate Professor of American Art and the Chair of the Art and Art History Department at Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts.  He earned his B.A. in Architectural History from the University of Virginia and his M.A. and Ph.D. in the History of Art from Yale University. March Lecture Program March 18 - 19 20th Century Buildings of Providence Lectures and site visits on Thursday, March 18 and Friday, March 19 will explore the visually distinct buildings that appeared along Providence streets in the 1900s. Lecturers include Ned Connors, Sara C. Emmenecker, Dave Kessler, Jason Martin, Ira Rakatansky, Roberta Randall, Christine Malecki West, and Wm. McKenzie "Mack" Woodward discussing topics such as "Providence Buildings in the 20th Century," "Providence Historic District Commission & Modern Buildings," "Downtown Providence Buildings from the Recent Past," "A Visit with Providence's Premier Modernist Architect," and "Navigating Through the Federal Historic Tax Credits." Attendees will also get a tour of a cutting-edge 21st-century-design residence under construction with an award-winning architect who will explain green building techniques. Space is limited! Advance registration is required: $100 for PPS members; RI licensed realtors may earn six Continuing Education Credits at a registration fee of $150; members of AIA-RI may earn ten Learning Units at a registration fee of $150.  To register, please contact Education Coordinator Kathleen McAreavey.   Children's Heritage Education Tours Open for Booking Bookings are now being accepted for our Spring 2010 Children's Heritage Education Tours, which are led from Monday through Friday at 10:00 a.m., Monday, April 5 through Friday, June 11. The tours offered this spring are: ~ College Hill Tour, 1636-1775 - Roger Williams and the Settlement of Colonial Providence focuses on grade four. ~ Downtown Tour, c. 1800 - Present - The Rise of the West Side focuses on grades six through twelve.  ~ "Avi" Tour - Something Upstairs, 1800 - A Literary Journey to the Past focuses on grades five through seven.  ~ H.P. Lovecraft as Preservationist, 1920s Benefit Street focuses on grades ten through twelve.  ~ "Avi" Tour - The Man Who Was Poe, Mid-1800s Providence focuses on grades five through seven.  ~ The Crest of College Hill:  A Late 19th Century Victorian Journey focuses on the third grade.  Please spread the word at your children's and grandchildren's schools. Teachers may contact Education Coordinator Kathleen McAreavey at kmcareavey@ppsri.org or (401) 831-7440, ext. 103. Special Request for the PPS Research Library PPS is seeking a copy of Buildings on Paper: Rhode Island Architectural Drawings 1825-1945 (1982) by William H. Jordy and Christopher P. Monkhouse, to add our Research Library.  This would be a great resource for the staff, interns, and visiting researchers. Please contact Education Coordinator Kathleen McAreavey if you have a copy you would like to donate. Downtown Providence Featured in the Washington Post Click here to read the enthusiastic article. Events Winter Bash a success! The 2010 Winter Bash brought together hundreds of people to celebrate our citywide preservation efforts on Saturday, February 6, in a raw space inside the building at 100 Westminster with beautiful Kennedy Plaza and State House views. This year's theme was Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Latin-rock sensation Santa Mamba was back to heat things up, and United BBQ provided some fabulous refreshments. For more information and to view photos from the event, click here. 31st Festival of Historic Houses June 4 and 5, 2010 PPS will present its 31st Annual Festival of Historic Houses on June 4 and 5. The festivities will begin with a Patrons' Party at one of the most beautiful houses on the East Side on June 4 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. On June 5, PPS will present its traditional house tour, featuring some of the most unique houses in Wayland Square, from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Please stay tuned for updates as the committee continues to formulate this not-to be-missed event. Meet the President Vance Freymann, President 2010-2012, was first elected to the board of trustees in December 2004.  As a trustee, he has been active in membership, development, and preservation work. He also served as the PPS representative on the Mayor's Working Group on Historic Preservation. Most recently, Vance initiated and chaired the Business Membership Committee and co-chaired the Planning & Architectural Review Committee.     Professionally, with more than twenty years of experience in the design and construction industry, Vance is Director of Project Development at Consigli Construction Co., Inc.  A significant portion of Consigli's work involves restoration of historic structures.   He is co-founder and board chairman of the ACE Mentor Program of Rhode Island, which is devoted to introducing inner-city high school students to career opportunities in architecture, construction, and engineering.  In addition, he is a member of the Board of Advisors for the Department of Applied Social Sciences at Boston University and serves as co-chair of the BU Alumni Club of Rhode Island.   Vance received a B.A. in History from Northwestern University and a M.A. in Urban Affairs and Planning from Boston University.  He and his wife, Anastasia Luby, live in the Wayland Square neighborhood.  Community Notes Community Forum on the Future of West Side Public Schools Tuesday, March 2, 7pm - 8:30pm West Broadway Neighborhood Association 1560 Westminster Street, Providence Residents of Providence's West Side with an interest in having high-quality schools in the neighborhood have been invited by the school department to help shape the direction for schools in the neighborhood, including West Broadway Elementary School (recommended for reopening in 2011). Carleton Jones of Providence Schools will be in attendance. Discussion will be facilitated by Mike Ritz of Leadership RI. (Image: Peter Goldberg) Second Annual Senator Claiborne Pell Lecture Mayor David N. Cicilline will host the second annual Senator Claiborne Pell Lecture on Arts and Humanities on Tuesday, March 9 at 7:00 p.m. at Trinity Repertory Company.  The symposium, Cities, Bicycles and the Future of Getting Around, will explore how bicycling can transform the urban experience. The panelists will be renowned popular musician and avid cyclist David Byrne; Samuel Zipp, Assistant Professor of American Civilization and American Studies at Brown Univeristy; and Thom Deller, Director of Planning and Urban Development for the City of Providence. (Image: Gothamist.com) The event is free but ticketed. For box office hours and directions, call (401) 351-4242. For more information on the lecture, contact (401) 421-2489 x456. Family Learning Sundays Second Sunday of every month January - May at 2:00 p.m. Providence Public Library presents its 2010 Family Learning Sundays series, beginning January 10. Bring your family to enjoy varied opportunities to seek new knowledge - together - at the Library. For information, call (401) 455-8025 or visit www.provlib.org. 25th Annual Rhode Island Statewide Historic Preservation Conference Saturday, April 24, 2010 Little Compton and Tiverton   The 25th Annual Rhode Island Statewide Historic Preservation Conference presents "Preservation Is Local" in Little Compton and Tiverton on Saturday, April 24.  Robert McBride, Founding Director of Rockingham Arts and Museum Project (RAMP) and Vermont Advisor for the National Trust for Historic Preservation, will deliver the keynote address.   The 2010 conference will showcase projects funded by RIHPHC's Preservation is Local Grant program as well as other initiatives from around the state. Field trips will explore the varied landscapes and diverse architecture of the Sakonnet Peninsula.   Registration is $40. For more information about the conference, organized by the RIHPHC, please visit www.preservation.ri.gov/conference, or contact Conference Coordinator Janet Balletto at (401)732-1009 or janetballetto@cox.net. Conference programs will be available in early March.  The mission of the Providence Preservation Society (PPS) is to improve the quality of life in the city of Providence through historic preservation and the enhancement of the built environment. PPS is a nonprofit membership organization, exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and is recognized as a charitable organization.

RI Historical Society -- March Events

 

Saturday, March 13, 11:00 a.m.
Tour departs from the
John Brown House Museum
52 Power Street, Providence               
To R.S.V.P.: Dalila Goulart
(401) 331-8575 x45 or programs@rihs.org
 
Celebrating H.P. Lovecraft: A Literary Walk
Today’s walking tour celebrates the life and work of Providence native and author Howard Phillips Lovecraft to mark the anniversary of his death. Acknowledged genius of occult and horror fiction, Lovecraft wrote his “Providence stories” between 1924 and 1935. They provide the basis for this walk. $12 per person; tour lasts ninety minutes.

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Sunday, March 14, 1:30 p.m.
Museum of Work & Culture
42 South Main Street, Woonsocket
Free Admission, To R.S.V.P.: Ray Bacon
(401) 769-9675 or rbacon@rihs.org
 
Ranger Days
Greg Rubano is an avid collector of baseball items. His talk will focus on Woonsocket’s own Napoleon Lajoie who pioneered the American League, set several baseball records, and is sometimes called the League’s first Superstar. His collection on Lajoie includes musical scores, newspaper clippings, photos, baseball cards, and advertising products honoring “the Big Frenchman.” Rubano lives in Smithfield, RI and is currently writing a book on Lajoie. The afternoon will also include songs interpreted by classic jazz singer Jean O’Donnell.

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Thursday, March 18, 6:30 p.m.
Gallery Night
John Brown House Museum
52 Power Street, Providence
Free Admission, To R.S.V.P.: Dalila Goulart
(401) 331-8575 x45 or programs@rihs.org
 
If These Walls Could Talk… African Alliance of Rhode Island
There are over 75,000 Africans from 40 African countries living in Rhode Island today. The African Alliance of Rhode Island (AARI) was formed to promote unity within these communities. AARI also advocates for the rights of Africans in RI, educates the public, and facilitates the smooth integration of African immigrants into American society. Julius Kolawole, current president of the AARI, will speak on the organization, its history, and its work and important role in the growing African community. Kolawole is Senior Operations Engineer for National Grid Electric Corp and serves on the board of the Providence Public Library.

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Sunday, March 21, 1:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Museum of Work & Culture
42 South Main Street, Woonsocket
For more information: Anne Conway
(401) 769-9675 or aconway@rihs.org
 
Salute to Spring Celebration!
The Museum of Work & Culture is delighted to host its annual “Salute to Spring,” this year celebrating Francophonie Week. The event marks the end of the annual appeal and the raffle will be drawn. The grand prize is a trip for 2 to Washington, DC. The popular Franco-American entertainer Josee Vachon will perform, and two history presentations “Les Filles du Roi” and “Out of Character” can be seen during the afternoon. Meat pies and French pastries will be served. Tickets are $15 per person, please reserve admission in advance. Doors open at 1:00 p.m.
 
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Saturday, March 27
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
RIHS Library
121 Hope Street, Providence
To Register: Natasha Brooks
(401) 273-8107 x12 or libprograms@rihs.org
 
Family History French Canadian Style
In the 1800s, one third of Quebec's population left Canada for mill villages in Rhode Island and elsewhere in New England. By 1900, sixty percent of Woonsocket's population was French-Canadian and it was the most French city in the United States. In this seminar, Patty Vigeant Locke will present resources and strategies for researching your French Canadian ancestors. She will also discuss French aliases and methods of breaking through some of the brick walls commonly encountered. Patty is chairperson of the Research Department at the American French Genealogical Society. $20, $15 for members. Limited to 20 participants, please register in advance.

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Sunday, March 28, 1:30 p.m.
Museum of Work & Culture
42 South Main Street, Woonsocket
Free Admission, To R.S.V.P.: Ray Bacon
(401) 769-9675 or rbacon@rihs.org
 
Ranger Days
Sylvia Ann Soares directs “By the Sweat of Our Brow,” dramatic readings based on the oral histories collected from longshoremen of the International Longshoremen’s Association Local #1329 (Providence and New Bedford). Their diverse experiences are poignant, humorous, sweet and bitter.
 
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Museum of Westminster Street
Friday 3/5, 11:30am – 2pm
Saturday 3/6, Noon – 4pm
Free and open to the public!
Since December, a store window in downtown Providence, RI, has contained an exhibit called Westminster Stories, a diorama telling stories of people and buildings on two blocks of Westminster Street. This March, the project will culminate in a spectacular, three-dimensional museum exhibit - on the street itself.

Says co-organizer Andrew Losowsky "By creating a museum in the middle of a busy street, we are encouraging a greater understanding about what and who is around us. So the next time someone walks down here, they'll say 'oh yeah, that's the place this guy works, or that building used to be.' By sharing the information in an unusual way, we hope people will feel closer to the city and what's in it."

The museum's labels will be placed on street furniture, buildings, inside stores, on the sidewalk - even on people, who have volunteered to be labeled for the event. The labels are the results of historical research and more than 150 interviews with people on Westminster Street. A special 'Museum of Westminster Street gift store' will also be created.

For more information: Andrew Losowsky, andrew@losowsky.com, 401-338-3172.
                                                    www.westminsterstories.com <http://www.westminsterstories.com/>  

 

RI Historical Society -- Upcoming Events

Monday, February 22 – Friday, April 30
Museum of Work & Culture
For more information: Ray Bacon
42 South Main Street, Woonsocket
(401) 769-9675 or rbacon@rihs.org

Gallery: “Celebrating Women’s Struggles”
Learn the cultural history of the labor movement and the struggles and achievements of women in the movement as captured in a variety of labor union posters from around the world. The Gallery will be exhibiting posters from the collection of Stephen Lewis, of the Service Employees International Union, LOCAL 509. Sponsored in part by the Lawrence, MA Cultural Council.
 
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Sunday, February 28, 1:30 p.m.
Museum of Work & Culture
42 South Main Street, Woonsocket
Free Admission, To R.S.V.P.: Ray Bacon
(401) 769-9675 or rbacon@rihs.org
 
Ranger Days
Janice Farnham, R.J.M., will discuss the role of Catholic education in the Blackstone Valley. Farnham, a nun and native of Woonsocket, has taught many years in the area schools. Her presentation will examine the arrival and evolution of Catholic education and its impact in the Blackstone Valley.
 
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Saturday, March 13, 11:00 a.m.
Tour departs from the
John Brown House Museum
52 Power Street, Providence               
To R.S.V.P.: Dalila Goulart
(401) 331-8575 x45 or programs@rihs.org
 
Celebrating H.P. Lovecraft: A Literary Walk
Today’s walking tour celebrates the life and work of Providence native and author Howard Phillips Lovecraft to mark the anniversary of his death. Acknowledged genius of occult and horror fiction, Lovecraft wrote his “Providence stories” between 1924 and 1935. They provide the basis for this walk. $12 per person; tour lasts ninety minutes.

Naomi Shihab Nye coming to Providence March 11th

Remarkable/outstanding poet Naomi Shihab Nye is coming to Providence on Thursday, March 11, 2010 at 7:00 pm - Moses Brown, Alumni Hall, free and open to all.

I heard Naomi back in November 2008 in Washington, D.C., and she literally changed my life.  It was her words that inspired our RAISE YOUR VOICE: Examining Culture, Clash, Community and Change project (funded by RICH), and then Moses Brown really helped by hosting Naomi's visit.  To see more about the project visit our blog at http://www.raiseyourvoiceexamining.wordpress.com.

If you can help us spread the word around Rhode Island, we'd be most appreciative - invite students, friends, family, colleagues - do not miss this event!

RI Historical Society -- Upcoming Events

Thursday, February 18, 6:00 p.m.
Aldrich House
110 Benevolent Street, Providence
Free Admission, For more information: Dalila Goulart
(401) 331-8575 x45 or programs@rihs.org    
 
George Washington: Lessons in Leadership
In anticipation of George Washington’s Birthday on the 22nd, we welcome author Gerald Carbone to speak on his new book Washington: Lessons in Leadership. The biography of Washington's military career shows how an infant army that could not feed nor clothe itself, was built into a fighting force that was able to take down the world's strongest army. Carbone makes the case that despite losing more battles than he won, Washington earned his place in the pantheon of great generals featured in Palgrave Macmillan's "Great Generals" series. Books will be available for purchase and signing after the lecture.

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Friday and Saturday,
February 19 & 20
John Brown House Museum
52 Power Street, Providence
For more information: Barbara Barnes
(401) 273-7507 x62 or bbarnes@rihs.org
 
Special Floral-Themed Tours at the John Brown House Museum
This weekend, the John Brown House Museum will be offering house tours with a floral theme. These special tours will be offered in collaboration with the annual Rhode Island Spring Flower and Garden Show being held at the Rhode Island Convention Center the same weekend. Tours begin at 10:30 a.m., 12 noon, 1:30 p.m., and 3:00 p.m. The special tour fee for this weekend is $5 per person, free for members.

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Saturday, February 20
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
RIHS Library
121 Hope Street, Providence
To Register: (401) 273-8107 x12
 
Book Love: A History of Bound Books and their Care
Have you ever wondered how to identify and care for the old books on your shelf? In part two of our Preservation Series, RIHS Printed Collection Librarian Phoebe S. Bean will present an illustrated discussion on how to best care for your books for long-term preservation. Topics covered will include the history of binding styles with a particular emphasis on American trends, how to identify the parts, construction and date of a book, and book damage and conservation projects. $8 for members; $12 for non-members. Limited to 15 participants, please register in advance.

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Monday, February 22 – Friday, April 30
Museum of Work & Culture
42 South Main Street, Woonsocket
For more information: Ray Bacon
(401) 769-9675 or rbacon@rihs.org

Gallery: “Celebrating Women’s Struggles”
Learn the cultural history of the labor movement and the struggles and achievements of women in the movement as captured in a variety of labor union posters from around the world. The Gallery will be exhibiting posters from the collection of Stephen Lewis, of the Service Employees International Union, LOCAL 509. Sponsored in part by the Lawrence, MA Cultural Council.
 

RI Historical Society -- February Events

 

Sunday, February 14, 1:30 p.m.
Museum of Work & Culture
42 South Main Street, Woonsocket
Free Admission, To R.S.V.P.: Ray Bacon
(401) 769-9675 or rbacon@rihs.org
 
Ranger Days
Civil War re-enactors and Museum volunteers Paul and Denise Bourget will relate the story of Brigadier General George Sears Greene, a native Rhode Islander, and forgotten hero of Gettysburg, and of Mary Jane Safford, M.D., best known for her nursing efforts on the battlefield.

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Thursday, February 18, 6:00 p.m.
Aldrich House
110 Benevolent Street, Providence
Free Admission, For more information: Dalila Goulart
(401) 331-8575 x45 or programs@rihs.org    
 
George Washington: Lessons in Leadership
In anticipation of George Washington’s Birthday on the 22nd, we welcome author Gerald Carbone to speak on his new book Washington: Lessons in Leadership. The biography of Washington's military career shows how an infant army that could not feed nor clothe itself, was built into a fighting force that was able to take down the world's strongest army. Carbone makes the case that despite losing more battles than he won, Washington earned his place in the pantheon of great generals featured in Palgrave Macmillan's "Great Generals" series. Books will be available for purchase and signing after the lecture.

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Friday and Saturday,
February 19 & 20
John Brown House Museum
52 Power Street, Providence
For more information: Barbara Barnes
(401) 273-7507 x62 or bbarnes@rihs.org
 
Special Floral-Themed Tours at the John Brown House Museum
This weekend, the John Brown House Museum will be offering house tours with a floral theme. These special tours will be offered in collaboration with the annual Rhode Island Spring Flower and Garden Show being held at the Rhode Island Convention Center the same weekend. Tours begin at 10:30 a.m., 12 noon, 1:30 p.m., and 3:00 p.m. The special tour fee for this weekend is $5 per person, free for members.

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Saturday, February 20
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
RIHS Library
121 Hope Street, Providence
To Register: (401) 273-8107 x12
 
Book Love: A History of Bound Books and their Care
Have you ever wondered how to identify and care for the old books on your shelf? In part two of our Preservation Series, RIHS Printed Collection Librarian Phoebe S. Bean will present an illustrated discussion on how to best care for your books for long-term preservation. Topics covered will include the history of binding styles with a particular emphasis on American trends, how to identify the parts, construction and date of a book, and book damage and conservation projects. $8 for members; $12 for non-members. Limited to 15 participants, please register in advance.

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Monday, February 22 – Friday, April 30
Museum of Work & Culture
42 South Main Street, Woonsocket
For more information: Ray Bacon
(401) 769-9675 or rbacon@rihs.org

Gallery: “Celebrating Women’s Struggles”
Learn the cultural history of the labor movement and the struggles and achievements of women in the movement as captured in a variety of labor union posters from around the world. The Gallery will be exhibiting posters from the collection of Stephen Lewis, of the Service Employees International Union, LOCAL 509. Sponsored in part by the Lawrence, MA Cultural Council.
 
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Sunday, February 28, 1:30 p.m.
Museum of Work & Culture
42 South Main Street, Woonsocket
Free Admission, To R.S.V.P.: Ray Bacon
(401) 769-9675 or rbacon@rihs.org
 
Ranger Days
Janice Farnham, R.J.M., will discuss the role of Catholic education in the Blackstone Valley. Farnham, a nun and native of Woonsocket, has taught many years in the area schools. Her presentation will examine the arrival and evolution of Catholic education and its impact in the Blackstone Valley.
 
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Abraham Lincoln Returns to Providence in Premier Event

To commemorate Lincoln’s birthday, Roger Williams National Memorial presents “An Evening with Abraham Lincoln” on Friday, February 12, 2010, 6:45pm at the First Baptist Church in America, 75 North Main Street in Providence. The event is free and open to the public. For information please call: (401) 521-7266. This special event brings back Robb Dimmick in his tour de force re-enactment, which sold out last February.



Dimmick has performed his one man show for 26 years throughout the eastern seaboard and has distinguished himself as one of the most authentic portrayers of the 16th president. The Providence Journal says, “Dimmick plays Lincoln warts and all.” The nation’s foremost Lincoln scholar, the late John Hope Franklin, calls Dimmick’s presentation, “A wonderful, wonderful Abraham Lincoln.” And the Argus-Champion declares, “Dimmick's Lincoln is a man of half-stooped stature, trying to shoulder the weight of the world.” This presentation has particular historical resonance, as Roger Williams, for whom the National Memorial is named, was the founder of The First Baptist Church in America.



Contact: Jennifer Gonsalves: (401) 521-7266

What Does It Mean To Work Together?

What Does It Mean To Work Together?

What is the value of cooperative work?
What is the value of individual achievement?
How does the university encourage or discourage intellectual collaboration?

Tuesday, February 9
4-5:30pm
Rm 411, J. Walter Wilson

Please join Royce Fellows Hana Kawai '10.5, Gabriela Alvarez '11, and Emily Taylor '10 for a conversation featuring their research on conflict resolution, education, and sustainable food. This panel will be moderated by Dean Besenia Rodriguez. Refreshments will be provided.

FW: PPS February E-Newsletter

In This Issue Preservation Education Events Volunteer Opportunity Community Notes Quick Links Become a Member PPS Website Preservation Nation Upcoming PPS Events February 6 Winter Bash March 17 - 19 Spring Lecture June 5 31st Festival of Historic Houses Support our work! Support PPS by mailing us your Eastside Marketplace receipts! A percentage of each dollar goes to support PPS programs. To learn more, e-mail PPS. February 2010 News PPS Winter Bash Saturday, February 6 8:00 p.m. - midnight Join us at 100 Westminster St. in downtown Providence for the season's hottest preservation celebration! Preservation Call for Nominations: 2010 Most Endangered Properties Deadline February 19, 2010 PPS is now accepting nominations for the 2010 Most Endangered Properties List. Each year, we assemble this list to highlight historic resources that are endangered by threats like neglect, deterioration, demolition, development, insufficient funds, and adverse public policy. The purpose of this list is to generate interest in and support for the preservation of these significant properties; educate the public about the benefits of historic preservation and the unique historic properties in our city; and work toward solutions with property owners, developers, and other interested parties to bring about positive changes in each property. We rely on you to help identify threatened resources in Providence. To nominate a property, fill out this form and return it to PPS by February 19, 2010. For additional information, call Kathleen Styger, Preservation & Advocacy Coordinator, at (401)831-7440 or visit our website. Providence School Facilities Report Update The architectural and engineering firm Fanning Howey conducted a study of Providence school facilities in the summer of 2009. Preliminary findings are now available on the Providence Public Schools website. Superintendent Tom Brady has recommended closing seven schools, but has also recommended the reopening of West Broadway Elementary. Community meetings to review final data and preliminary recommendations took place during the last week of January and are continuing for the first week of February. Call (401) 456-0686 for the times, dates and locations of these meetings. The final recommendations will be presented to the School Board in February 2010 at a date to be determined. Education PPS 2010 Spring Lecture March 17 - 19 20th Century Buildings of Providence In anticipation of the coming spring, plan to join us for a series of lectures transitioning from the PPS Fall Symposium topic of the American Renaissance and Providence to a discussion of the International Style, Modernism, and the current Green Building movement in our lovely city.  Our keynote lecture, "Place/Displace: Providence and the Twentieth Century,"  by R. Tripp Evans, Ph.D., will take place at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 17 and is free to PPS members, $10 for non-members.  Lectures and site visits on Thursday, March 18 and Friday, March 19 will explore the visually distinct buildings that appeared along Providence streetscapes in the 1900s. Among the lecturers will be Ira Rakatasky, EAIA, a dedicated practitioner of Modernism in Providence, and Principal State Architectural Historian Wm. McKenzie Woodward.  Registration for Thursday and Friday is $100 for PPS members.  Rhode Island licensed realtors may earn six continuing education credits at a registration fee of $150.  Space is limited.  To register, please contact Education Coordinator Kathleen McAreavey.    Children's Heritage Education Tours Open for Booking Bookings are now being accepted for our Spring 2010 Children's Heritage Education Tours, which are led from Monday through Friday at 10:00 a.m., March 29 through June 11. The tours offered this spring are: ~ College Hill Tour, 1636-1775 - Roger Williams and the Settlement of Colonial Providence focuses on grade four. ~ Downtown Tour, c. 1800 - Present - The Rise of the West Side focuses on grades six through twelve.  ~ "Avi" Tour - Something Upstairs, 1800 - A Literary Journey to the Past focuses on grades five through seven.  ~ H.P. Lovecraft as Preservationist, 1920s Benefit Street focuses on grades ten through twelve.  ~ "Avi" Tour - The Man Who Was Poe, Mid-1800s Providence focuses on grades five through seven.  ~ The Crest of College Hill:  A Late 19th Century Victorian Journey focuses on the third grade.  Please spread the word at your children's and grandchildren's schools. Teachers may contact Education Coordinator Kathleen McAreavey at kmcareavey@ppsri.org or (401) 831-7440, ext. 103. Special Request for the PPS Research Library PPS is seeking a copy of Buildings on Paper: Rhode Island Architectural Drawings 1825-1945 (1982) by William H. Jordy and Christopher P. Monkhouse, to add our Research Library.  This would be a great resource for the staff, interns, and visiting researchers. Please contact Education Coordinator Kathleen McAreavey if you have a copy you would like to donate. Events PPS Winter Bash Saturday, February 6 8:00 p.m. - midnight Join PPS at its seventh Winter Bash at 100 Westminster Street overlooking Burnside Park and Capital Center in Downtown Providence on Saturday, February 6, 2010 at 8 p.m. The Bash will bring together hundreds of people from across the region. Featuring fabulous entertainment, specialty drinks, a full cash bar, and food available for purchase from United BBQ - this is the event everyone will be talking about through the year! This year's theme is Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Plan to dance the night away with Santa Mamba as we transform this empty space into a magical evening not to be missed. For more information or to purchase tickets, click here. Annual Meeting & Preservation Lecture Thursday, January 21, 5:30 p.m. The Beneficent Congregational Church was the site of the 2009 Annual Meeting on January 21.  This magnificent domed structure, ca. 1810, is the oldest building in downtown.  It remains in active use as a meeting house as well as for church purposes. After the meeting, the bravest among the more than 200 meeting attendees followed church volunteers on a climb into the dome.      Architectural historian and author Will Morgan presented the Preservation Lecture, highlighting unique aspects of Providence's physical identity.    Two recognitions awarded annually were announced. The Volunteer of the Year was Jack Welch, a longtime docent; accepting the award on his behalf were Kathy Norton, Jack's neice, and Kevin Welch, his son. Trustee J.P. Couture received the President's Award for exceptional service in initiating and co-planning the Fall Symposium, the first in a series of adult education events that will continue this year. Volunteer Opportunity PPS is seeking volunteers to help out at our Winter Bash, coming up on Saturday, February 6 at 100 Westminster Street in downtown Providence. The always-popular event runs from 8:00 p.m. until 12:00 midnight. The attire is casual cocktail. For more information, click here. Community Notes A View from College Hill:  William J. Brown, The Life of a Free Man of Color in Rhode Island Please join a public discussion moderated by Ray Rickman on Wednesday, February 10, 5:30 pm, Old Brick Schoolhouse, 2nd floor, 24 Meeting Street. Call 421-0606 to register. Family Learning Sundays Second Sunday of every month January - May at 2:00 p.m. Providence Public Library presents its 2010 Family Learning Sundays series, beginning January 10. Bring your family to enjoy varied opportunities to seek new knowledge - together - at the Library. For information, call (401) 455-8025 or visit www.provlib.org. An Evening with Abraham Lincoln February 12, 6:45 p.m. First Baptist Church in America 75 North Main Street Providence, RI  02903 Robb Dimmick returns in his tour de force reenactment following his sold-out appearance last year! Sponsored by Roger Williams National Memorial. 25th Annual Rhode Island Statewide Historic Preservation Conference Saturday, April 24, 2010 Little Compton and Tiverton   The 25th Annual Rhode Island Statewide Historic Preservation Conference presents "Preservation Is Local" in Little Compton and Tiverton on Saturday, April 24.  Robert McBride, Founding Director of Rockingham Arts and Museum Project (RAMP) and Vermont Advisor for the National Trust for Historic Preservation, will deliver the keynote address.   The 2010 conference will showcase projects funded by RIHPHC's Preservation is Local Grant program as well as other initiatives from around the state. Field trips will explore the varied landscapes and diverse architecture of the Sakonnet Peninsula.   Registration is $40. For more information about the conference, organized by the RIHPHC, please visit www.preservation.ri.gov/conference, or contact Conference Coordinator Janet Balletto at (401)732-1009 or janetballetto@cox.net. Conference programs will be available in early March.  The mission of the Providence Preservation Society (PPS) is to improve the quality of life in the city of Providence through historic preservation and the enhancement of the built environment. PPS is a nonprofit membership organization, exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and is recognized as a charitable organization.

RI Historical Society -- February Events

Sunday, February 14, 1:30 p.m.
Museum of Work & Culture
42 South Main Street, Woonsocket
Free Admission, To R.S.V.P.: Ray Bacon
(401) 769-9675 or rbacon@rihs.org
 
Ranger Days
Civil War re-enactors and Museum volunteers Paul and Denise Bourget will relate the story of Brigadier General George Sears Greene, a native Rhode Islander, and forgotten hero of Gettysburg, and of Mary Jane Safford, M.D., best known for her nursing efforts on the battlefield.

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Thursday, February 18, 6:00 p.m.
Aldrich House
110 Benevolent Street, Providence
Free Admission, For more information: Dalila Goulart
(401) 331-8575 x45 or programs@rihs.org    
 
George Washington: Lessons in Leadership
In anticipation of George Washington’s Birthday on the 22nd, we welcome author Gerald Carbone to speak on his new book Washington: Lessons in Leadership. The biography of Washington's military career shows how an infant army that could not feed nor clothe itself, was built into a fighting force that was able to take down the world's strongest army. Carbone makes the case that despite losing more battles than he won, Washington earned his place in the pantheon of great generals featured in Palgrave Macmillan's "Great Generals" series. Books will be available for purchase and signing after the lecture.

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Friday and Saturday,
February 19 & 20
John Brown House Museum
52 Power Street, Providence
For more information: Barbara Barnes
(401) 273-7507 x62 or bbarnes@rihs.org
 
Special Floral-Themed Tours at the John Brown House Museum
This weekend, the John Brown House Museum will be offering house tours with a floral theme. These special tours will be offered in collaboration with the annual Rhode Island Spring Flower and Garden Show being held at the Rhode Island Convention Center the same weekend. Tours begin at 10:30 a.m., 12 noon, 1:30 p.m., and 3:00 p.m. The special tour fee for this weekend is $5 per person, free for members.

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Saturday, February 20
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
RIHS Library
121 Hope Street, Providence
To Register: (401) 273-8107 x12
 
Book Love: A History of Bound Books and their Care
Have you ever wondered how to identify and care for the old books on your shelf? In part two of our Preservation Series, RIHS Printed Collection Librarian Phoebe S. Bean will present an illustrated discussion on how to best care for your books for long-term preservation. Topics covered will include the history of binding styles with a particular emphasis on American trends, how to identify the parts, construction and date of a book, and book damage and conservation projects. $8 for members; $12 for non-members. Limited to 15 participants, please register in advance.

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Monday, February 22 – Friday, April 30
Museum of Work & Culture
42 South Main Street, Woonsocket
For more information: Ray Bacon
(401) 769-9675 or rbacon@rihs.org

Gallery: “Celebrating Women’s Struggles”
Learn the cultural history of the labor movement and the struggles and achievements of women in the movement as captured in a variety of labor union posters from around the world. The Gallery will be exhibiting posters from the collection of Stephen Lewis, of the Service Employees International Union, LOCAL 509. Sponsored in part by the Lawrence, MA Cultural Council.
 
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Sunday, February 28, 1:30 p.m.
Museum of Work & Culture
42 South Main Street, Woonsocket
Free Admission, To R.S.V.P.: Ray Bacon
(401) 769-9675 or rbacon@rihs.org
 
Ranger Days
Janice Farnham, R.J.M., will discuss the role of Catholic education in the Blackstone Valley. Farnham, a nun and native of Woonsocket, has taught many years in the area schools. Her presentation will examine the arrival and evolution of Catholic education and its impact in the Blackstone Valley.