|
|
| 2010 Calendar of Upcoming Events | | Saturday, April 10 at 7:30 at the ELKS Lodge 720 3rd Ave. Grinnell | Come to the Spring Fling Swing and Polka Dance (and waltzes too) featuring the Lynville Sully Swing Band and Some Polka Guys playing continuous music for dancing to benefit the Museum and anyone who likes to dance! Admission $5.00 | First weekend in May | Gillian Hemme will present a play based on interviews with 15 local women, expressed in monologues of three characters. The program strongly relies upon text, but also includes songs and movement/dance. (Length about 40 minutes) |
₪₪₪₪₪₪ Events at and on behalf of the Museum have included: Since Gabriel, brass instruments have symbolized Christmas music. The museum's 2009 entry in the Festival of Trees featured genuine instruments as old as the museum itself. The tree was prepared by Frank Heath. |  |
The Museum, decorated for the holidays, hosted a gala open house during the Jingle Bell Holiday on December 4, 2009, with live music at 6:30 p.m. by the Too Many Strings Band and special music by Frank Heath playing his saw. On the front porch guests could partake of roasted chestnuts and cider from an old-fashioned chestnut cart.
- Fourth of July Parade 2009 to the theme: "Teach our Children Well"
- Barb Lease made the period dresses worn by the children.
- Note the pot-bellied stove that would have been present in a Victorian school room.
| 
|
Davis School third graders toured the museum and carriage house to learn about life in early Grinnell. They played games of the early 1900s, listened to stories; sang songs, and ate hand-cranked ice cream. (May 8, 2009)
Becky Bessinger, museum intern during the summer of 2007, presented a program on the history of wedding dresses, in which she reviewed gender and material culture from a local perspective. Becky used samples from the museum's collection to demonstrate how material objects reflected and reasserted gender roles within the Grinnellian family.
S. A. Cravath, editor and proprietor of The Grinnell Herald, viewed the frontier village with a Mark Twain sense of humor, capturing it in the newspaper with concise comments. Guests, relived the year 1883 in social history as Betty Moffett and Frank Heath read excerpts from January to December, with organ interludes on the museum's Mason and Hamlin organ, played by Pat Saxton. (March 8, 2009)
Jingle Bell Holiday: The museum was decorated for Christmas and visitors enjoyed live music by the Four Tones Quartet, the Too Many Strings Band, and Sara Hamilton. Roasted chestnuts and cider were enjoyed on the porch. (December 5, 2008)
As part of the college and community celebration honoring World War II veterans, the Museum presented "The War in Their Words," a program featuring letters, memoirs, and music of Grinnell World War II veterans. In addition, the museum's World War II collection was on display. (November 8 through November 16, 2008).
The Grinnell Historical Museum produced the winning entry in the 4th of July Parade of 2008, non-commercial division, with a float carrying the 1879 Randolph Header lovingly restored by Museum President Howard McDonough, and Museum volunteers Crosby, Phyllis Meredith, Carol Molison and Carol Nielsen in vintage attire. Chris Nippe is seen in the background.
Howard McDonough driving the float
The Museum had a special display of uniforms, memorabilia, and memoirs from wars that occurred during the 1800s and 1900s. (April, May 2008. These items can still be seen on the lower level.)
Davis School Third Graders toured the Museum and learned about life at the turn of the century, heard about Billy Robinson and the underground railroad; they sang songs, cranked ice cream and played games of the period. (May 2008)
Emily Guenther read excerpts from two essays, Gold Stars and Background Checks, about her experiences teaching formal poetry at the Newton prison. She also read poems and essays by her students. (April 2008)
High School student essay reading contest, sponsored by the Optimists Club. (March 2008)
Sarah Hamilton sang Christmas carols, supported by members of "Too Many Strings". The Museum was decorated for Christmas, and hot cider and roasted chestnuts were served for the annual Jingle Bells Holiday celebration. (December, 2007)
Grinnell author J. Harley McIlrath read selected stories from his work. His stories involve rural characters living in the Grinnell-Newburg area of his youth. His stories have appeared in the North American Review, the Cream City Review, the Wapsipinicon Almanac and elsewhere. (November, 2007)
Author Ralph Savarese discussed his book, "Reasonable People: A Memoir of Autism and Adoption" (September, 2007)
"Stitches in Time" a vintage fashion show from the Victorian era through the Great Depression, with a demonstration of textile conservation–a project funded by Grinnell College under the Mini-Grant program. (June, 2007)
Kun-Hong Lu, a Grinnell College alumna, presented a talk and demonstration on Taiji (known in the West as Tai Chi) Taiji, which originated in ancient China, is a holistic practice that integrates martial arts, physical health and meditation. It has been practiced widely throughout the world for its unique style of graceful movements and its value in stress management and healing. (April, 2007)
Johnny Reb: The Story of a Confederate Soldier Performed in confederate uniform, by Bridget Brandt (April, 2007)
2006 Performances: A concert by Jeannie Chenette and Claudia Anderson's harp and flute. Music by Young at Harps, a recital by Jeannie Chenette's harp students
Favorite Hymns sung by Sarah Hamilton A program of Spirituals by Randye Jones A talk on Harriet Tubman by Tommy Haas String recital by students of Nancy McFarland Gaub Reading of original works by local children's authors Janet Carl, Lynn Cavanagh, Sue Drake and Marty Purcell Julia Young on "the Mysterious Mumford" A cello concert by Jean Libbey Two organ recitals on the newly restored pump organ by Elizabeth Hays and company. Excerpts from diaries and journals of men and women who settled this area of Iowa Christmas Music Gala Pump Organ concert with Elizabeth Hays and Friends Jingle Bell Holiday" with roasted chestnuts at the Museum (every November/December)
| |
|