Historic Cherry Hill
Contents -- June 2010
- From The Desk Of The Director
- Education Department News
- The Chronicles Of Curating
- Volunteer News
- Profiles Of Commitment
From The Desk Of The Director
Historic Cherry Hill's Hudson 400 family event, "Where the Past BEATS the Present: The Cherry Hill Family's View of Their Hudson River Heritage" was honored with a Certificate of Commendation from Museumwise (formerly the Upstate History Alliance) at its annual conference in April, held jointly with the Museum Association of New York. The event, developed by Education Director Rebecca Watrous, explored the issue of history versus nostalgia through interactive games, theatrical performances and reenactments to appeal to a diverse audience. The outdoor event provided a unique perspective on both Cherry Hill's history and the statewide 2009 Hudson-Fulton Quadricentennial celebration. One reviewer of the project noted that the event was "a wonderful community event that features a very impressive, innovative program which is accessible and interesting for all ages and focuses on an often ignored aspect of history - nostalgia!"
In other museum news, Curator Deborah Emmons-Andarawis has been accepted to the prestigious Attingham Summer School in England, which will be held in Sussex, Sheffield and Bedfordshire, England from July 1Ð20th. The school was founded in 1952 by Helen Lowenthal OBE and Sir George Trevelyan, Bt and is named after Attingham Park in Shropshire, a property of the National Trust which served as the site of the summer program from 1952 to 1983.
During the session, Deborah will attend lectures and visit numerous English country estates and gardens, learning about conservation, architecture, and the collections of the houses, including fine and decorative arts. Deborah previously participated in two Winterthur Institutes in Decorative Arts. All of these programs will inform her development of a new graduate level course for the University at Albany-SUNY's Public History program which will be taught at Cherry Hill's Edward Frisbee Center for Collections & Research.
By the time readers receive this newsletter, we anticipate being under contract for the long-awaited sill repair and window restoration! This summer will be a great time to consider coming for a behind-the-scenes restoration tour, which is offered on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons.
Finally, the past several months have been a time of transition at Cherry Hill. It is with great sadness that I report that Arlene Mencarelli, Administrative Assistant for over 25 years, died in March. No one was more passionate about, or supportive of, Historic Cherry Hill. And after many years of service, Program Assistant Linda Dunkerley resigned her part-time position this spring. Both Arlene and Linda are greatly missed by board, staff and volunteers.
We are happy to report two new staff appointments. Mary Doehla, already a staff member in the capacity of Manuscript Specialist, has taken on additional duties as the Communications Coordinator, and Aine Leader-Nagy, who also worked previously in the capacity of Facilities Support Assistant, has taken on additional duties as Program Assistant.
Education Department News
By Becky Watrous
Visit to the house - Structural damage activity:
Students from Bell Top School became "posts" which
held up beams carrying too much weight. (above)
Visit to Collections Center - Bell Top students
examined remains of carpet beetles and used tweezers
to remove the dead bugs from non-collection
carpet samples. (below)
Reception - Albany School of Humanities
students present skits about the Cherry
Hill family and servants. (above)
Albany School of Humanities students play
a guessing game, testing the audience's ability
to identify "museum enemies" - water, weight,
humidity, insects, light or chemicals. (below)
What The Kids Are Doing These Days
Beginning in February, Cherry Hill partnered with the Albany School of Humanities (Albany City Schools) and Bell Top Elementary (East Greenbush School District) to participate in a unique partnership program. The collaborative program, The Cherry Hill Case Partnership Program: Investigating and Preserving Evidence, was partially funded by a grant from Teaching the HUDSON VALLEY and involved 126 fourth graders, seven classroom teachers, and eight Cherry Hill staff and volunteers.
The Partnership program used the museum's restoration process as an unusual teaching opportunity. Activities began at the schools with an outreach program introducing the historical investigation of six Cherry Hill household members from the mid-1800s. Students then visited the museum to further investigate the lives of the Cherry Hill people and learn how historical evidence - the house and family collections - is preserved and how the restoration will solve various preservation problems. Afterwards students created projects on what they learned and presented their work to parents, and museum staff and volunteers at school receptions in May.
The Future of HCH School Programs
In May, educators from throughout the Capital District met with HCH staff to discuss the museum's plans for shifting from on-site to off-site school programming. Topics included effective ways to reach teachers, school funding for cultural programs, and suggestions for how museum programs best fit into the curricula. Participants also gave valuable feedback on HCH's upcoming programs. One goal of the session was met: to create interest in forming an advisory group, providing advice and advocacy.
Welcome Aboard!
Since Aine Leader-Nagy became the new part-time Program Assistant in March she has hit the ground running, learning and presenting The Cherry Hill Case Outreach Program to fourth grade classes at Pleasant Valley Elementary in Schenectady and Forts Ferry Elementary in Latham, designing a special version of the Architecture Hunt for Families, a Saturday activity at the museum, assisting in education planning and serving as the department's "Tech Specialist". With a Masters of Arts degree from the Public History Program at the University at Albany-SUNY and education experience at the Waterford Historical Museum and Cultural Center, Aine brings many talents and a fresh perspective to the position.
The education department also welcomes Siobhan Schugmann, whose first visit to the museum with her University at Albany-SUNY Public History class made enough of an impression that she decided to come back as the full-time education intern for the summer. Her internship combines research with hands-on teaching and education prop fabrication. Her research for the Hudson River Trading Game will be especially helpful in placing Cherry Hill's first resident Philip Van Rensselaer in context with other 18th century merchants and sloop owners in the area and ensuring the game meets learning standards in fourth and fifth grade economics and math curricula.
What's Next?
Cherry Hill's Hudson River Trading Game is going out into the community this summer and will be part of the family activities at the 8th Annual Waterford Heritage Day on Saturday, July 24th 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Garrett Field (Burton Ave.) in Waterford, NY. Waterford was an active sloop trading port in the 1800s, since its trading pier was located at the northern-most navigable point on the Hudson. Philip Van Rensselaer, first generation Cherry Hill family member, was an 18th century Hudson River merchant and sloop owner and the trading game is inspired by his experiences. Come learn more about New York sloop trade history at one of the active ports on the Hudson and try your luck as a river merchant!
[contents]The Chronicles Of Curating
By Deborah Emmons-Andarawis
The Great Trunk Project
Pheromone-bated glue traps teeming with tiny winged creatures - some still laboring in futile flutter - are an alarming feature for collection storage areas at any museum. And yet, there they were, month after month, moths by the hundred. Clearly, all was not well in Cherry Hill's garret storage.
Not that this was exactly "news." The Edward Frisbee Center for Collections and Research was built because "all was not well" in the garret. The weight of collections stored in the attic was literally crushing the historic house, and collections were packed in such concentration as to be practically inaccessible. Since its 2003 opening, collections have been gradually moved from the garret and other parts of the house to the Frisbee Center, and problems, including infestations, have been dealt with as they have been discovered. In 2007, former Curator Erin Crissman spearheaded an IMLS-funded preventive conservation project in which 4,000 textiles - many infested - were surveyed, frozen, vacuumed, and permanently rehoused in the Frisbee Center.
In 2010, the saga continues. I determined that Cherry Hill's 63 trunks should be the next collections subgroup to be moved from the garret to the Frisbee Center. The remarkable trunk collection spans all five of Cherry Hill's generations, from Philip Van Rensselaer's hide-covered document box to Emily Rankin's Northampton-stamped trunk, once filled with all the necessities for a young lady at "Miss Capen's" finishing school. The collection also includes Herbert Rankin's WWI military trunk and Solomon Van Rensselaer's campaign trunk from his early days in the Indian Wars - emblazoned "Capt /S Van Rensselaer/US LD" (United States Light Dragoons) on a brass name plate, and signed on the paper-lined interior, "Solomon Van Rensselaers property 1794." Adding a personal touch to her trunk, Arriet Van Rensselaer's leather covered container is signed three times, dated 1797, and once inscribed, "Arriet Van Rensselaer owns this Albany."
This document box was owned by first generation
Cherry Hill owner Philip Van Rensselaer.
However remarkable, the trunks were in pretty rough shape - and they were a major source of infestation. Covered in deerskin, horse hair, and leather, the protein-rich trunks became the sustenance of umpteen generations of moths and carpet beetles. For the trunks' own preservation, and to safeguard other collections, I had to address the infestation. Over the course of nine weeks, a valiant crew including myself, other museum staff, board members, volunteers, and interns surveyed and photographed the trunks, wrapped them in polyethylene sheeting, carried them down two flights of stairs, and finally delivered them to a rented industrial-size freezer, temporarily parked in the driveway of the Frisbee Center. Now rendered bug free, the trunks reside at the Frisbee Center. Notably the moth count in the garret is way down.
[contents]Volunteer News
Volunteer Recognition day was held on June 5, 2010 and despite some harrowing weather conditions during the ride home, the day trip to Salem, Massachusetts, with its stop at the Peabody-Essex Museum and lunch overlooking the ocean, was a success! Board Member Carole Huxley was presented with the Helen Mynderse Volunteer Award recognizing her outstanding contributions to the Museum. Cherry Hill sends its heartfelt thanks to the many volunteers who give so unselfishly of their time and energy to help Cherry Hill achieve its preservation, research and educational mission.
Above left: 2010 Helen Mynderse Volunteer Award Recipient Carole Huxley
Below left: Volunteers toured the Peabody-Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts
Profiles Of Commitment
Mike Beiter, current President of the Board
of Trustees and founding member of the
Cherry Hill Bequest Society.
Mike Beiter is the current President of the Board of Trustees for Historic Cherry Hill. He started out as a volunteer for the museum, working in the gardens and slowly increased his commitment to Historic Cherry Hill, serving on the Advisory Board, then serving as a full Board member, culminating in his position as Board President. Mike is also a founding member of the Cherry Hill Bequest Society. When asked why he decided to join the Society, Mike explained, "Having been involved with Cherry Hill for over twenty years, I've seen the incredible educational programs that the museum offers to area schools as well as the research potential available to students at the graduate and undergraduate levels. It is a historic jewel that the Capital District is fortunate to have and I want to ensure its operation and growth for future generations."
The Cherry Hill Bequest Society recognizes individuals who choose to provide for Historic Cherry Hill in their wills. Through 2010, all those wishing to join the Cherry Hill Bequest Society will be considered Founding Members. Founding members will be recognized in Historic Cherry Hill's written and electronic promotional materials and a special plaque will be mounted in the Edward Frisbee Center dedicated to the Cherry Hill Bequest Society. For more information please call the Museum at (518) 434-4791.
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