Historical Society Newsletter September - November
2007
Judith A. Handelman, Editor
Society Board
Approves Plans to Sell One
By Bill Doescher, President
Like many not-for-profits these days in the county and throughout the nation -- including Colonial Williamsburg -- the Society finds itself in a position where it is real estate rich and cash poor. After several meetings of serious debate and discussion, the Board, operating as fiscally responsible stewards of the Society, decided that this unfavorable imbalance had to be corrected sooner rather than later.
Over a period of six months, several options were considered and developed by a special fact-finding committee appointed by the president. The committee's final recommendation, to sell one 50x150 lot on Lee Road behind the Cudner-Hyatt House, was presented to the Historical Society Board of Trustees at its July meeting. The Board voted unanimously to approve the sale.
It is anticipated that the sale of this one lot, in addition to continued fundraising and membership drives, will allow the Society to be fiscally solvent for several years to come, as well as to continue to be one of the Village's major cultural institutions devoted to preserving the community's historical memory and disseminating that history in one form or another.
To ensure that the Society was following acceptable legal
and business practices regarding the sale, the committee consulted with an
outside lawyer to determine how different investments and/or divestments should
and must be handled to comply with the bylaws of the Society and the laws of
the State of
With that and other information in hand and with the Board's approval, the Society hired Eliot Senor to survey the entire property in preparation for an application to the Scarsdale Planning Board.
The Society plans to ask for approval of a subdivision in order to sell the one lot. Although approval for a variance was granted to the Society by the Board of Appeals in 1974, it is no longer valid. This may necessitate an application to the Board of Appeals before the Planning Board can consider the subdivision proposal.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fall Foliage Race
Oct. 14 -- Including Kids and Dogs!
A
popular new feature will again be included in our 27th Annual Fall Foliage Race
and 21st "Walk for Fun" on Sunday, October 14: a Kids’ and Dogs’ Run. The
2.5K (1.55-mile) Walk and the 2.5K Kids’ and
Dogs’ run start at 2:30 p.m., and the 5K race at 3 p.m., rain or shine,
at the I.H.M. parking lot. Registration forms will be sent to members and all
previous entrants. Extra forms can be obtained at Society headquarters and from
most race sponsors. The pre-registration deadline is Monday, October 8. Until
then, entry fees will be $15 for adults, $13 for under-18's.
Race-day registration, for an additional $2, will be accepted at the Society,
At post-race ceremonies, John Sweeney trophies will be presented to the man and woman who finish first overall, and awards to the first three Run finishers in each age group. Stanley Newhouse trophies will be awarded to the first Scarsdale Master (50 & over) male and female 5K run finishers. Ribbons will be presented to all walkers.
Sponsors include the Scarsdale Recreation Department, Scarsdale Police Department, Bagel Baron, Coca Cola/Dasani, Coldwell Banker, DeCicco Marketplace, Efficiency Printing, Equinox, the Forte family, Hartsdale Veterinary Hospital, Adam Krajchir -- Race with Purpose, Metro Sports Magazine, Prudential Centennial Realty, Scarsdale Antiques Running Club, Scarsdale Chamber of Commerce, Scarsdale Improvement Corp., Scarsdale Spencer Pharmacy, Scarsdale Youth Soccer Club, Dr. Robert Silverman, Sotheby’s International Realty, Starbucks, Trader Joe's, Weinberg Nature Center, Westchester Road Runners, Wilson & Sons Jewelers, and volunteers from the Arthur Manor and Drake-Edgewood Neighborhood Associations.
The Cudner-Hyatt House will be open on race-day. The Weinberg Nature Center Zoo will also visit. For additional information, or to volunteer, phone the office, 723-1744.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Blake Bell to Present
Fall Lecture Oct. 18
“ Digitizing History: A Town Historian Preserves and Shares the History of NewYork” is the topic of our Fall Lecture, to be presented by Blake Bell on Thursday, Oct. 18, 8 p.m. at the Scarsdale Library’s Scott Room. His talk will be preceded by a brief business meeting, including the election of trustees.
Blake Bell is Pelham’s Town and Village Historian. He also
serves on the Boards of Trustees of the Westchester County Historical Society
and the Society of the National Shrine of the Bill of Rights, at
The author of numerous books and articles about the history of the Pelhams, he has presented papers on the subject to several scholarly conferences and meetings. He is also the author and publisher of the award-winning “Historic Pelham” website, which contains more than 2200 pages and numerous images devoted to the history of Pelham.
Professionally,
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Society-Kaller Exhibition on Hyatts Opens
Nov. 15 with Wine Tasting
The Society and Seth Kaller will
present “In the Times of the Hyatts”, a joint
exhibition, this Fall. The Society will contribute
Hyatt family letters and objects from its collections; Kaller
will exhibit historic documents from the years of the Hyatt family's residency
at the Cudner-Hyatt House (1836-1972). It will open
at the
Kaller, of Seth Kaller Inc., of
Watch your mail and the Scarsdale Inquirer for details!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Society Receives WAC
Grant
The Society was very grateful to receive a Basic Support Grant of $5,375 from the Westchester Arts Council at the WAC's Grants Ceremony on June 27. The grants are supported with funds from Westchester County Government.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Grapefruit
Our 25th Annual Sale of Ruby Red Grapefruit will be in November! Order forms will be mailed in late October. The 20-pound boxes, of 18-22 grapefruits each, will be available for pick-up December 10-14, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., just in time for holiday gift-giving.
Prices will be included in our November mailing. The deadline for orders is Thursday, Nov. 30.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Society will hold a Thanksgiving Workshop for children on Monday, November 12, (Veterans Day) 10 a.m. - noon. Please call Adrienne at 723-1744 for reservations and more information. Watch your mail for fliers announcing the dates of more workshops!
--------------------------
Dutch Bulb Delivery
Please note our “Dutch Bulb Delivery Service”! The
Society will deliver your bulbs, ordered in our Spring
2007
-----------------------------------------------------------
Condolences
The Society mourns the passing of long-time members Harry Henshel, Frances Horowitz and Leavitt Pope. We also mourn the passing of Liz Claiborne, a long-time benefactor through her contributions to the Irving Sloan Education Fund of the the Liz Claiborne and Art Ortenberg Foundation. We send heartfelt condolences to their families and friends.
-------------------------------------------------------
WHAT? YOU’RE NOT A
MEMBER?
On behalf of the Scarsdale Historical Society, our Board of Trustees and our staff, I cordially invite you to become a member. Membership benefits include: Free admission to Cudner-Hyatt House and 1828 Quaker Meeting House Museum; Use of Society Library and Archives; Private receptions for exhibition previews; Spring & Fall Lectures; Discounts on Holiday Workshops for Children, registation for Fall Foliage Race, Kids’ & Dogs’ Run, Dutch Bulb & Grapefruit Sales; Knowledgeable staff, board & volunteers available for on-site consultations.
"The Past is Our Future", and judging from the success of our education programs this year, we have reached countless students, Day Campers, Girl and Boy Scouts, Brownies and visitors from the greater Westchester area. Your membership will surely assist us to meet the many challenges ahead, including:
·Underwriting the cost of our annual exhibitions
·Serving thousands of students who participate in our education programs
·Reactivating our Oral History Program, training volunteers to be involved in "saving the memories" of our older citizens
·Preservation and restoration of the Quaker Meeting House and the Cudner-Hyatt House
·Offering high school and college students internships in the Education Department, and training them in museum skills
·Hosting more
than 200 day campers from the
Please join and share in the activities which we plan each
year! The Society, a real asset to the entire area, preserves the West-chester and
Stop by to see our progress or just to take a look back in time. To our current and loyal members: a great big THANK YOU for your support.
Cindy L. Krossman,
Executive Director
----------------------------------------------------------
Dates to Remember
Fall Foliage Race & Walk
Sunday, October 14; Walk, Kids’ & Dogs’ Run 2:30 p.m., Race 3 p.m.
Dutch Bulb DELIVERY
October 1-5; WE WILL DELIVER TO YOUR HOME;
Phone 723-1744 if you prefer to pick up
Annual Meeting and Fall Lecture
Thursday, October 18,
8:15 p.m.,
Blake Bell: “Digitizing History”
Grapefruit
Starts Nov. 1; Order deadline Nov. 30. Order forms will be mailed last week of October; pick-ups Dec.10-14, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
“In the Times of the Hyatts” Exhibition opening, Wine-tasting
Thursday, November 15, 7-9 p.m.
Thanksgiving Workshop
Monday, November 12, 10 a.m. - noon