March 29, 2024

Carpenter Museum Wins Gold Star Award

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     The Rehoboth Cultural Council is pleased to announce that the Carpenter Museum of Rehoboth has been selected to receive a Gold Star Award from the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC). This annual award is presented to individual artists and organizations who demonstrate “success in integrating the arts into the community.” The award winning project, “Remembering Rehoboth School Days”, was partially funded by a grant from the Rehoboth Cultural Council, an arm of the MCC.

     The MCC Gold Star Award recognizes projects that tell “the story of how culture contributes to the quality of life in cities and towns across Massachusetts.” This project reflects the pride Rehoboth has always demonstrated in offering a quality education to its students. “Remembering Rehoboth School Days”, a program organized by Barbara Spencer, Carpenter Museum Director with Curator, Laura Napolitano which narrates the history of Rehoboth schools from the days of the one-room schoolhouse.. From March through June, the museum offered several public events. A team of community volunteers assisted the museum in this endeavor. The kick-off event, “Tea with Louisa,” was held in March, at which a new exhibit, “Reading, ’Riting, and ’Rithmetic in Rehoboth,” was unveiled. In April, a coach bus tour of Rehoboth’s, one-room schoolhouse sites was offered to a very enthusiastic group of riders. The bus tour was led by retired teacher David Downs and included a stop at the Hornbine one-room schoolhouse where head schoolmarm Beverly Pettine spoke. In May, a “Teachers Talk Forum” moderated by retired teacher Bill Cute was held at Goff Hall. Retired administrators and teachers shared memories of their careers in Rehoboth. The culminating event, “Remembering Rehoboth Schools Family Day,” was held in June and featured old fashioned, hands-on activities enjoyed by the young and young-at-heart.

     The Carpenter Museum’s permanent gift to the community is a trove of archived oral histories with former students of the one-room schoolhouses: Frances Jones, Evelyn Bois, Harriet Swallow and Richard Chappell. Also archived are interviews with past teachers and administrators. The Peer Leaders group at the Dighton Rehoboth Regional High School conducted most of the interviews.

     The Rehoboth Cultural Council offers its congratulations to Barbara Spencer, the Carpenter Museum, and the dozens of volunteers who made this exemplary project possible. A reception to celebrate this award will be held at a future date.

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