Dear Lincolnites,
I am asking for your vote for my re-election as a Trustee for the Bemis Free Lecture Series.
The Bemis Free Lecture Series began in 1892. It was held in Bemis Hall, which was built by Lincoln entrepreneur George Bemis. It was common for wealthy men of his era to leave a legacy of buildings, and George Bemis was no exception. Not only did he build the hall to be a town office and meeting place, but he also built the second floor to be a lecture and performance space, and he endowed a lecture series.
The lecture series was modeled after the Chautauqua movement of his time, which aimed to bring entertainment and culture to the masses. The Bemis Trust charge for the lectures states that the series was “to bring education and edification to the citizens of Lincoln.” The ordinary folk of Lincoln were to enjoy what previously had been reserved only for a wealthy and elite society. The endowment for the lecture series was doubled in 1982 by the bequest of native son John Todd, and the charge was expanded to include “entertainment and recreation.”
The series has hosted Robert Frost, Archibald Cox, John Kenneth Galbraith, Julie Taymor, Imago Theatre, Grace Paley, Dr. Benjamin Spock, the Steel Band of Blue Hill, Maine, a basketball clinic run by Dave Cowens, Mission: Wolf, Margaret Mead, Julia Glass, Michael Fitzgerald, and many others of great note.
These past two years have proved a serious challenge for an organization that has been known for live events. So, like many others, we pivoted to a webinar format. In celebration of Juneeteenth, the Bemis Lecture Series and the Lincoln Historical Society hosted a virtual event with Professor Elise Lemire, who grew up in Lincoln and is author of Black Walden: Slavery and Its Aftermath in Concord, Massachusetts. Dr. Lemire’s presentation was titled: “Slavery in Lincoln: Reckoning with Our Past, Planning for a More Honest and Inclusive Future.” The live discussion was recorded and made available through Lincoln’s online video archive as well as YouTube. The YouTube video has already been viewed by over 670 people. Clearly, the Bemis Free Lecture Series has a wide reach!
We hope to return to live events as early as this summer and look forward to seeing you there!
If you have any questions, comments, and/or suggestions, please contact me at 781-259-04231 or samattes@gmail.com. Again, I ask for you vote on Monday, March. 28.
Sincerely,
Sara Mattes
71 Conant Rd.
“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.
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