THE HISTORIAN: Scarsdale Historical Society Newsletter, December 2006-Februrary 2007

Edited by Judith A. Handelman

Mar. 24 Benefit Dinner Honors Volunteer Firefighters, Hardy

At our 2007 Spring Benefit Dinner, on Saturday, March 24 at the Fenway Golf Club, we will honor Scarsdale's Volunteer Firemen and Edward Hardy, former Historical Society Board of Trustee Member and Treasurer.

The Volunteer Firemen will receive the Community Service Award. Hardy, who also served on the Village Board of Trustees, will receive the Civic Award.

Receiving the award for the Scarsdale Volunteer Fire companies will be Company No. 1 President Carl Peluso, Company No. 2 President Jim Buck and Company No. 3 President Greg deSousa. Scarsdale's Fire Chief Thomas Cain and other volunteer firefighters are expected to be on hand for the celebration.

Saturday Morning Programs Will Return in January

The Battle Cry of Freedom will ring within the walls of the Scarsdale Historical Society when our January Saturday morning series returns for its 3rd year! We will continue to develop the themes of freedom and local democracy, explored at last year’s series, with another round of joyful and hands-on encounters with history through song, storytelling and re-enacting.

We will kick off our series on January 6 with the ever-popular Jonathan Kruk. A master story-teller, Jonathan (in historic costume) will regale our audience with stories about the fight for freedom in our country including all new stories (never heard before in Scarsdale!) about the Battle of White Plains - including details about the role of our own village in that struggle! On January 13, acclaimed singer and Carnegie Hall performer

Linda Russell will perform an all new set of songs that explore how our nation’s fight for freedom expressed itself through song. Ever want to march around in a revolutionary war uniform and fire a musket? On January 20 and 27, we will learn about history through re-enacting. Bring the whole family to learn about the real life of re-enactors and to meet “Scarsdale Patriot Samuel Crawford”. Not only will he tell us about the revolution in Scarsdale, but he will also explain how we all can help preserve our village's heritage!

Look for details of the series in the Scarsdale Inquirer and plan to be at the Society every Saturday in January at 10:30 a.m. Bring your family to a warm encounter with history to enliven a winter’s day. It’s a great way to start off the year! This series is supported through a grant from Samson Capital Advisors. To learn how your corporation can become a society sponsor, call our executive director Cindy Krossman at 723-1744.

“Documents that Shaped America” Exhibition

Our current exhibition, “Turning Points, Documents that Shaped America”, will run through January 19, 2007. Some of the objects will remain on display during the next exhibition, “Lincoln, Slavery and the Civil War” (see page 2).

This exciting exhibition includes the first exact facsimile of the Declaration of Independence, John Adam's Legal Notebook Leaves, letters written and signed by George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin, a full early printing of the U.S. Constitution, and first and second drafts of the Bill of Rights.

In addition to documents, many historic newspapers, maps and photos are on display. One newspaper, the

The Providence Gazette and Country Journal, Sept. 29, 1787, has the full text of the Constitution on page 1 and parts of pages 2 and 3, concluding with signatures in type of George Washington and the other 38 delegates.

The Constitution is followed by the September 17, 1787 Resolution of the Constitutional Convention "That the preceeding Constitution be laid before the United States in Congress Assembled," and then by the Letter of September 17, 1787, transmitting the Constitution to Congress, both signed in type by George Washington.

Another exhibit is a letter signed by George Washington as president-elect, to Annis Boudinot Stockton (widow of New Jersey Signer Richard Stockton), March 21, 1789.

In it, Washington responds to a letter of congratulation and praise from Mrs. Stockton, whose letter termed Washington "most revered and respected of men" and noted that nothing can enhance Washington's "well-earned fame . . . except this one sacrifice. . . by becoming the head of a government that you and you only seem to be marked out by Providence as the point. "

Next Kaller Exhibition: Lincoln, Slavery & Civil War

Seth Kaller’s second exhibiton “Turning Points: Lincoln. Slavery and the Civil War”, will be tailored to coincide with Black History Month and Lincoln’s birthday. It will open at our Museum on Thursday, Feb. 1.

Featured will be a facsimile of the Emancipation Proclamation (the original is on loan to Penn State U.), signed by Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863.

Also among the fascinating objects will be an 1830 bill of sale for a 15-year-old slave girl; contemporary printed accounts of the 1840 trials following the Amistad uprising; an 1858 autographed letter by John Brown, written two days after revealing his plan to raid the Federal arsenal at Harper’s Ferry and a December, 1862 letter signed by Abraham Lincoln, about three regiments captured during the Civil War.

Annual Meeting: Trustees Elected, Fall Lecture Delivered

At our October 18 Annual Meeting, Nominating Committee Chairman Randy Guggenheimer announced the slate of Trustees for the Class of 2009, who were elected by the members in attendance: Linda Blair Doescher, Howard Blitman, Eric Rothschild, Robert Donati and Ralph Della Cava.

Seth Kaller delivered the Fall Lecture, "Turning Points: Documents that Shaped America", based on his exhibition currently on view at our museum. It included a display of important and fascinating original documents.

Curator’s Corner by Mimi Sherman

A significant forward-looking change for our collections is the physical reorganization of one corner of the library. The new computer station -- never imagined 30 years ago, but absolutely necessary today -- has an up-to-date computer, the current version of PastPerfect collections management software and an internet connection. At last, information about the objects in our collections can be better managed and research work done on site. All books on the library shelves have spine numbers and the double-checking of these numbers against cards has begun. Two new volunteers are now helping with this: Harriet Rosen is working to produce a shelf list so that the pamphlet/-magazine collection can be accessed; Barbara Bather is helping to produce an (overdue) inventory of the collection, starting with the objects on display in the Cudner-Hyatt House.

All books on the library shelves have spine numbers and the process of double-checking these numbers against cards has begun. Two new volunteers are now lending hands to all of this. Harriet Rosen is working to produce a shelf list so that the pamphlet/magazine collection can be accessed. Barbara Bather is helping to produce an (overdue) inventory of the collection, starting with the objects on display in the Cudner-Hyatt House.

Follow-up: Jim Boulden

In our last issue, we carried an article by Jim Boulden, a descendant of the Pophams and Olssens of 17- and 18-century Scarsdale. He recently e-mailed us to report: “I should be back in Scarsdale for a few hours in early January. I will be be travelling around with my wife and kids and will stop by to see, hopefully, a new tombstone at Scarsdale [St. James the Less] for which I am paying. I am having a stone for the two vaults, Bleecker and Popham, to list six or so of my immediate ancestors who are in the vault but have no stone above. It will also have a nice descripton for William Popham, as he is the most famous person buried in the churchyard. . . it’s sad to me that William, his son William S. and my [Olssen-Bleecker] great-grandparents have no stone.”

Darcy, Casey win Fall Foliage Race

On a sunny, cool afternoon, more than 140 runners and walkers -- and 30 dogs! -- from throughout the metropolitan area enjoyed the Society's 26th Annual 5K (3.1 miles) Fall Foliage Run and 20th Annual 2.5K (1.55-mile) "Walk for Fun" on October 15.

David Darcy, 29, of New York City, was the first runner to cross the finish line, with a time of 19:40. Eileen Casey, 31, of New York City, was the female first place-finisher for the second consecutive year, in 20:00. The winners of the 26th Annual Stanley Newhouse trophies, the first Scarsdale male and female Masters (50 and over), were Tom Warren, 57, in 21:20 and Joyce Vastola, 53, in 24:36. Winners of the third annual Kids-and-Dogs 2.5K race were Ian Hutchinson, age 9, and "Rose".

In addition to the top winners, the first three male and female finishers in each age category received awards. All runners' times are available at the Scarsdale Historical Society office, 723-1744; the top 3 in each age group are listed on our website, www.ScarsdaleHistory.org.

Thank you, Race Volunteers!

From the Village of Scarsdale: Deputy Mayor Carolyn Stevens, the Police Department, Vicki Laoutaris of the Recreation Department.

Our wonderful volunteers: Marie & Michael Cavataio, Susan Chancellor, Geralyn & Nicole Della Cava, Bill Doescher, Sam Englander, Gloria, Michael & Tom Forte, Tom Giordano, Maureen Hart, Adam Krajchir; Carolyn, Rohan & Sivan Mehta, Margarita, Ally & Lucas Meyer, and Rita & John Sweeney.

And a big thank-you, as always, to all of our generous Sponsors!

Support Our Annual Fund!

This time of year brings our Annual Fund solicitation. Your tax-deductible Annual Fund contribution will help us continue to enrich our charming community and:

· Reach more than 1,800 school children with our education programs and workshops

· Preserve the Cudner-Hyatt House and 1828 Quaker Meeting House

· Install exhibitions

· Provide use of the Society library and archives

· Continue to catalog and care for the objects in our collections

· Provide on-site consultations with a knowledgeable staff

With your support, we will be able to reach these goals, continue to expand our programs and to carry out our mission as an educational institution. Since January 1973, when we received our charter from the New York State Board of Regents, we have grown by leaps and bounds. Every year we carefully review our goals to determine what we have accomplished, what we still need to do, and what new projects and tasks we can undertake in the coming year to make the Society a better place to serve the community.

The Society wishes you and yours happy and healthy holidays! For your convenience, an Annual Fund card is enclosed; please return it with your check to The Scarsdale Historical Society, 937 Post Road, Scarsdale NY 10583. Thank you in advance for your contribution.

Dates to Remember

“Documents that Shaped America” Exhibition

Runs through January 19, 2007; Monday-Friday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., weekends by appointment

“Turning Points: Lincoln, Slavery & the Civil War” Exhibition

Opens Thursday, Feb. 1, 7-9 p.m.

Grapefruit pick-ups: Monday-Friday, Dec. 11-15, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Saturday Morning Family Programs, all at 10:30 a.m.:

January 6, Story-teller Jonathan Kruk

January 13, Singer Linda Russell

January 20 and 27, re-enacting history

Future Workshops for Children:

Jan. 15, Martin Luther King Day

Feb. 19-22, Presidents’ Day and Winter Recess (For detailed information, call the Society or watch for flyers from your child’s school)

Spring Benefit Dinner-Dance Saturday, March 24, 7 p.m.

Honoring Edward Hardy and Scarsdale Volunteer Firefighters

Condolences

The Society mourns the untimely passing of our longtime member Frank J. Miller. We send heartfelt condolences to his family and friends.