Carpenter Museum Receives Anawan School Memory

The Carpenter Museum is happy to share with The Rehoboth Reporter’s readers a response to an invitation to share memories of Rehoboth’s past. These would include memories of attending Rehoboth schools. You can find the original invitation on page 5 the Reporter’s October issue.
Jeanne A. sent her memories about Anawan School between the years of 1943 and 1948.

Jeanne remembers the “Record Hop” dances she and her classmates had at the school. Because they had the dance lessons in gym class, everyone was prepared to take part in these events. Ice cream was made during class time to have for the intermission refreshments. They enjoyed the waltzes, polkas, “broom” dances, girls’ choice, boys’ choice, the Virginia Reel, and others. It was a lot of fun for all.

Jeanne also remembers teacher Dorothy L. Beckwith being very strict, but a smart lady. She taught the students music in the fifth grade. In junior high, Miss Beckwith taught algebra, science, home economics, and sewing. Sewing knowledge came in handy when dresses for the operetta had to be made. The girls all made their own dresses for the show. The Pirates of Penzance (originally a comic opera that premiered in 1879 in NYC by Gilbert & Sullivan) was a big hit. Miss Beckwith purchased the material for the dresses. It was very impressive with the same floral pattern, but with background in pastel colors: pink, yellow, blue, and aqua varieties.

Thank you, Jeanne A. for your submission. These are sweet memories and it’s the details like those above that offer a sense of our history, how life was in the past, and our influences today.

If you’d like to submit your memories of time living in Rehoboth, send us a paragraph or two about your memories. You can email them at genealogy@rehobothantiquarian.com or mail them to the Carpenter Museum, 4 Locust Avenue, Rehoboth, MA 02769.

Thank you again Jeanne!
Lende McMullen, Research Manager
E. Otis Dyer, Jr. Research Center
Carpenter Museum, 4 Locust Avenue, Rehoboth, MA 02769
www.Genealogy@RehobothAntiquarian.org/ 508-252-3031