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Letter to the editor: deCordova/TToR integration should go forward

To the editor:

On Saturday, March 23, we will gather for our annual Town Meeting. Town Meeting matters. It is the legislative body for our town. It is in this legislative body where discussion, debate and ultimately decisions (votes) take place that will govern our town for the coming year. As in other legislative bodies, during discussion and debate, amendments may be offered and voted on. This is why citizens who are registered voters must be present to cast a vote.

This year, the town will be asked to support a major change to an institution that has been an integral part of the town’s life since 1950 — the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum.  Originally the estate of the late Julian de Cordova (1851-1945), it was gifted to the town in 1930 to be a public museum of art after Julian’s death. This gift has proved both a blessing and a curse for the town. The curse lies in the fact that Julian crafted a problematic will and did not provide for the ongoing support of this property and art collection. Over the decades, different boards and administrators have sought to find ways to maintain the museum and park. 

The town has been the beneficiary, as we have enjoyed innovative installations, a beautifully maintained (and expanded) facility, art classes, music programs, unique outdoor art, all in a stunningly landscaped setting. All this has been supported primarily by a few very generous donors, museum membership, and programs, with no financial support from the town. Valiant efforts by various boards, most recently led by Linda Hammet Ory, have not been able to “right the ship.” Continuing in the current structure, was unsustainable. Something had to change.

Under Ory’s leadership, the deCordova has found an enthusiastic potential partner, The Trustees of Reservations (TToR), to carry on the mission of the sculpture park and museum. TToR will bring not only financial backing and administrative support, but more importantly, a commitment to mission. TToR has years of experience in managing properties similar to deCordova (the Crane Estate, Fruitlands, etc.).

The deCordova the governance structure would be changed to include TToR. The governance of the museum is established through its bylaws, which can only be amended through town meeting vote.  We will be asked to vote on this change. Click here for more information.

From a Lincoln resident’s perspective, the experience of deCordova will remain the same.  Any major changes will be required to go before the Board of Selectmen and the town. The vote before the town is an opportunity to secure the future of this cherished property and institution while adding no financial burden to the town.

The leadership of the town — led by Selectman James Craig, the working group who crafted the agreement, the town’s administrative leadership led by Town Administrator Tim Higgins, the administrative leadership of the deCordova, deCordova director John B. Ravenal, and the leadership of the deCordova Board of Trustees and Overseers, Linda Hammet Ory — deserve our thanks and a vote of support for the proposed integration at our upcoming Town Meeting

Sincerely,

Sara Mattes
71 Conant Rd.

Letters to the editor must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Letters will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Letters containing personal attacks, errors of fact or other inappropriate material will not be published.

Letter to the editor: support deCordova measure at Town Meeting

To the editor:

I’d like to ask for your support and vote affirmatively at Town Meeting this Saturday for the proposed integration between deCordova and The Trustees of Reservation.

My wife and I have had the wonderful opportunity to be involved in both organizations, she on the board of deCordova and I on the board for The Trustees. Through this mutual engagement, we know both organizations share overlapping purposes in seeking to connect people to special places of cultural and natural importance and inspire unique experiences that improve quality of life. Being part of The Trustees will secure deCordova’s future and create a long-lasting, strong financial future for our beloved institution.

if you haven’t been able to attend one of the many open forums, you can read more details on this proposed integration in this online FAQ, or simply drop me a note and I’ll be happy to connect. We all lead busy lives, but please take a moment this Saturday morning to come out and offer your vote for deCordova. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Bob Mason
207 Old Concord Rd.

Letters to the editor must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Letters will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Letters containing personal attacks, errors of fact or other inappropriate material will not be published.

DeCordova prepares for 2019 Biennial opening

One of the pieces that will be featured in the deCordova Biennial: Eva Lundsager, “Invitation 29” (2018). Photo by Clements Photography and Design.

The deCordova and Museum building is temporarily closed as it installs deCordova New England Biennial 2019, which opens on April 5. The exhibition will feature works of art and newly commissioned installations by 23 New England-based artists, showcasing the dynamism, variety, and quality of art making in the region.

Featuring work across diverse media including painting, sculpture, video, photography, fiber art, and ceramics, the Biennial will occupy all galleries of the museum and extend into the Sculpture Park with new site-specific commissions. It will be on view through September 15, 2019. An accompanying publication and a full slate of public programming and performances will enrich the show’s presentation.

The 2019 deCordova Biennial artists are Mildred Beltré, William Binnie, Bradley Borthwick, Jenny Brillhart, Eli Brown, Carl D’Alvia, Anoka Faruqee and David Driscoll, Ken Grimes, Yoav Horesh, Erin Johnson, George Longfish, Eva Lundsager, Jonathan Mess, Zoe Pettijohn Schade, Jordan Seaberry, Alexandria Smith, Sheida Soleimani, Emilie Stark-Menneg, Chanel Thervil, Stephen Tourlentes, Elizabeth Tubergen, and Bhakti Ziek.

Exhibition organizers are Sarah Montross, curator; Sam Adams, Koch curatorial fellow; Elizabeth Upenieks, curatorial assistant; Martina Tanga, former Koch curatorial fellow; and Scout Hutchinson, former curatorial assistant. 

While the museum building is closed, the deCordova is offering half-price admission to the Sculpture Park. The museum will reopen April 5 when the Biennial goes on view to the public, but the Cafe and Store will be open daily with normal hours during this time.

Play highlights Lincoln woman’s role in American Revolution

Palmer Faran holds a copy of “Heroine of the Battle Road.”

A newly digitized short play, available royalty-free on a town website, dramatizes the little-known role of Lincoln’s Mary Hartwell in the dramatic events that began the American Revolution.

The idea for the play, Heroine of the Battle Road, came about “because I’ve always been interested in the lives of ordinary people caught up in the events of history—those who fell through the cracks. Ordinary people were an important part of that,” said author and Lincoln resident Palmer Faran.

Mary Hartwell was the wife of Samuel Hartwell, a farmer and a Lincoln Minute Man. On the evening of April 18, 1775, she played a crucial role in passing the word about the British troops marching from Boston. Fast-forward to the early 1990s, when Mary Ann Hales suggested to her friend Faran, a veteran of Houghton Mifflin and American Heritage, that she write something about Mary.

After doing some research with the help of Lincoln town historian Jack MacLean, Faran realized there wasn’t enough material for a biography of Hartwell, so she wrote the story as a short play that could be read and performed in schools. Hales — a librarian and the owner of the Cottage Press in Lincoln — published Heroine of the Battle Road as  paperback in 1995. The play was carried by the Minute National Historical Park and by several stores in Concord and Lincoln.

The cover of “Heroine of the Battle Road.”

In 1996, the play was performed at the Lincoln School, “and it was very much a successful community effort,” Faran said. Eventually the book went out of print, and work began on making it available to a larger audience via an online version. Jim Cunningham (like Faran, a Lincoln Historical Society board member, scanned illustrations and formatted the book (retyped by Celina Zanjewski) for the LHS website.

On Patriots’ Day in April, people will once again recall how Paul Revere was captured in Lincoln — but they can also learn how Mary Hartwell was a crucial link in the chain, warning Lincoln Minute Men Captain William Smith about the advancing British as her husband rode off to prepare for the coming fight.

As Mary Hartwell’s grandson George proudly notes in Heroine of the Battle Road, “The Lincoln Minute Men were the first to arrive at Concord and the North Bridge. That was because of Grandma.”

News acorns

Learn first-hand about ranked-choice voting

Learn how ranked-choice voting could improve the fairness and effectiveness of elections when Jim Henderson, a board member of Voter Choice Massachusetts, leads a session on Sunday, March 10 at 3 p.m. in Bemis Hall (rescheduled from January 20). Coffee and tea will be served starting at 2:45. The presentation will include a simulation using the growing array of hopefuls for the Democratic presidential nomination for 2020.  

Update on deCordova/TTOR integration

There will be a public forum on the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum/The Trustees of Reservations integration plan on Wednesday, March 13 from 7–9 p.m. in the Town Office Building. Representatives of the town, deCordova, and the Trustees will offer a status report, including a preview of the bylaw amendments that will be voted on at the Annual Town Meeting on March 23.

Book talk with Amy Bass benefits Birches School

Amy Bass, author of One Goal: A Coach, A Team, and the Game That Brought a Divided Town Together, will give a talk and book-signing on Tuesday, March 19 from 7–8:30 p.n. on Brooks auditorium. The book tells the story of how the Lewiston, Maine community and its newly arrived Somali immigrants came together on the soccer field to capture the first state soccer championship in city history.

Click here for more information about this event, which is presented by the Birches School in sponsorship with the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust, the Parks & Recreation Department, and Lincoln Youth Soccer. Proceeds will benefit the financial aid fund at the Birches School.The event is free and open to all, but a $15 donation is suggested to go toward Birches School financial aid fund. Copies of the book are $10 when purchased online until March 18 at www.birchesschool.org and will be sold for $15 at the event.

Seniors invited to enjoy music with Magic Garden’s youngest

The Magic Garden Children’s Center invites Lincoln seniors to volunteer in their new Music Together classes with infants and toddlers aged 2 months to almost 3 years old on Tuesday mornings from 9:30–10:30 a.m. in the Stone Church. Volunteers will assist the children as they enjoy the music and activities. Please contact Lori at Magic Garden at 781-259-8161 for more information, or call the Council on Aging at 781-259-8811 to volunteer.

 

News acorns

Purcell group performs “The Tempest”

The Purcell Society performs “The Tempest.”

“Live in Lincoln Center” proudly presents the Henry Purcell Society of Boston and the Poets’ Theatre in an original adaptation of Shakespeare’s The Tempest at the First Parish in Lincoln’s stone church on Sunday, March 24 at 3 p.m. Suggested donation of $40 payable at the door, though any amount is appreciated

John Dryden and William Davenant’s 1667 version for the London stage was the inspiration for the music by Baroque-era composers Matthew Locke, John Banister, and Pelham Humfrey. This presentation, produced by Jessica Cooper and music-directed by conductor and harpsichordist Ian Watson (music director at the First Parish in Lincoln) has added selections from Purcell’s incidental theater music. The score will be performed on historical instruments alongside newly created narration by renowned scholar and poet Laurence Senelick.

Lenten events at local churches

St. Julia/St. Joseph

  • Lecture series — “Themes of Sacred Scripture” with Fr. Bob Branreuther from March 13 to April 17 from 10–11:30 a.m. in the St. Julia/St. Joseph Parish Center (374 Boston Post Rd., Weston).
  • Book discussion — The Biggest Lie in the History of Christianity by Matthew Kelly on Wednesday, March 13 from 7:30–8:30 p.m. in the Parish Center.
  • “The Light Is On” — Sacrament of Reconciliation on Wednesday evenings, March 13 to April 10 from 6:30–8:00pm in St. Julia Church.
  • Lenten prayer circle — prayer baskets are located in both St. Julia Church and St. Joseph Church in Lincoln. You can also sign up for a day to pray for these intentions.   

First Parish in Lincoln

The First Parish in Lincoln (FPL) is offering a five-week Adult Learning Program for Lent on Thursdays, March 14, 21, 28, April 4 ,and 11 from 12:30–2 p.m. in the FPL Garrison Room (14 Bedford Rd.) Join Rev. Jenny Rankin, interim minister, for “Lenten Journey,” a faith sharing group for a pilgrimage through Lent. Each class will be structured with some “solo time” and some group sharing, as we spend time with different contemplative practices (prayer, meditation, Bible study, lectio divina, silence, writing).  We will also be reading selections from Pilgrim Road: A Benedictine Journey through Lent by Albert Holtz.

Please call the church office by Wednesday, March 6 to sign up for all dates (781-259-8118 x110 and leave a message with your name, email address, and phone number) or email gert@fplincoln.org. You will be notified by March 11 as to whether there are enough participants for the class to run. Attendance at each meeting is expected, but please e-mail jenny@fplincoln.org if this is not possible. You do not have to be a member of First Parish in Lincoln to join; all are welcome.

St. Anne’s

Please see the February 25 edition of News acorns.

LOMA night features Decatur Creek

Friends of the Lincoln Public Library and LOMA (Lincoln Open-Mic Night) present Decatur Creek on Monday, March 11 in the Lincoln Public Library’s Tarbell Room. The event runs from 7–10 p.m., and Decatur Creek will perform a half-hour set starting around 8:30. The New Hampshire-based combo regularly appears at music festivals such as Keene and Antrim, coffeehouses and markets.

Admission is free and refreshments are provided. Performers can sign up at the event or email Rich Eilbert at loma3re@gmail.com for a slot. There is a sound system with mikes and instrumental pickups suitable for individuals or small groups.

Lincoln Quilters display their work

There will be an opening reception for “A Quilted Look at Lincoln,” a quilt show by the Lincoln Quilters running through April, on Tuesday, March 5 at 2:15 p.m. in Bemis Hall. The Lincoln Quilters are a group of nine Lincoln women (Anne Crosby, Nancy Constable, Tricia Deck, Linda MacNeil, Margaret Olson, Lucy Sachs, Kate Sacknoff, Jane Solar, and Dilla Tingley) who began meeting five years ago to inspire each other, share their creations, and develop new pieces as a group.

Quilts in this show were created from Lincoln scenes that each artist chose to represent. Proceeds from the sale of the quilts will be donated to the Lincoln Food Bank. The group has made quilts for organizations such as Camp Sunshine, a Maine camp for children affected by life-threatening illnesses, as well as fund-raising events. After a recent show at the Lincoln Public Library, eight quilts were auctioned to benefit charities chosen by the successful bidders.

Council on Aging activities in March

Trad jazz concert
March 1 at 12:30 p.m.
No need to travel to New Orleans or New York when what you’re looking for is to be found right here when the Lincoln Traditional Jazz Band is in the house at Bemis Hall on Friday, March 1 from 12:30–1:30.

Lincoln Academy with Bijoy Misra: nature and spirituality
March 4 at 12:30 p.m.
Come to Bemis Hall on Monday, March 4 at 12:30 p.m. when Bijoy Misra discusses “Nature and Spirituality.” Is nature spiritual? Does nature thrive on struggle for existence or provide a room for all? Are all objects equal in their existence? If an object in nature is equal to another object, then why does one survive not the other? Misra will examine these age-old questions from the perspectives of our own life and experiences. He will examine traits in humans as to our own nature and our own built-in spirituality. He will look through the philosophers and the scriptures for their insight into equality. He will examine whether spirituality lives in our own perception of the other object. The COA provides beverages and dessert. The lectures last about an hour, including a question and answer period. Participants are welcome to stay after the program to continue their discussion. All ages welcome.

Artists’ coffee with the Lincoln Quilters
March 5 at 2:30 p.m.
Join the Lincoln Quilters on Tuesday, March 5 at 2:30 to celebrate their exhibit in the Bemis Hall Gallery in March and April. The Lincoln Quilters are nine Lincoln women including Anne Crosby, Nancy Constable, Tricia Deck, Linda MacNeil, Lucy Sachs, Kate Sacknoff, Jane Solar, and Dilla Tingley. Drawn together by their shared interest in quilting and fiber arts, they began meeting monthly five years ago to inspire each other, share their creations, share suggestions on personal projects, and develop new pieces as a group. They generally have a group project going that stimulates and challenges each member and her creativity. Besides donating quilts for fundraising events, they have made quilts for organizations in need such as Camp Sunshine. They recently had a show at the Lincoln Library gallery where eight quilts were auctioned to benefit the charity of choice of the successful bidder. Many of the pieces in the show at Bemis will have Lincoln themes. Proceeds from the sale of these quilts will be donated to the Lincoln Food Pantry.

The many faces of sadness
March 7 at 10 a.m.
As we age, we may experience sadness in many forms. It may be due to the loss of loved ones, changes in our activity patterns, and for some, isolation which can increase our vulnerability to depression. Claire Gerstein, LICSW, will facilitate a group to give people the opportunity to talk about these issues in a supportive environment. The free six-week group will meet Thursdays 10-11:30 starting March 7 at Bemis Hall. [Read more…] about Council on Aging activities in March

News acorns

Actress to portray Abigail Adams

Abigail Adams, wife of a president, mother of a president, and sister of the captain of Lincoln Minutemen, will be portrayed by Sheryl Faye in a one-hour show on Sunday, Feb. 24 at 2 p.m. at Bemis Hall. The show is sponsored by Friends of the Council on Aging and the Lincoln Historical Society as a tribute to Harriet Todd. (Note: the “Ford Flappers, and Fitzgeralds” session scheduled for the same day has been postponed until Thursday, March 7 in Bemis Hall.)

Evensong, Climate Justice Ministry film at St. Anne’s

The St. Anne’s choir.

On Sunday, Feb. 24 at 5 p.m., St. Anne’s will present a service of choral evensong, a beautiful Anglican liturgy in which the word of God is illuminated by music. The choir will chant the psalm and prayers, and offer the mystical “Collegium Regale” settings of the “Magnificat” and “Nunc Dimittis” by Herbert Howells.

There will be a showing of the film “The Devil We Know” at St. Anne’s Episcopal Church on Tuesday, Feb. 26 as part of the church’s ongoing series of films on climate justice. “The Devil We Know” is the story of how a synthetic chemical used to make Teflon products contaminated a West Virginia community. But new research hints at a much broader problem: nearly all Americans are affected by exposure to non-stick chemicals in food, drinking water, and consumer products. A representative of the Toxics Action Center will discuss the organization’s work. A simple vegetarian soup supper will be served at 6:30 p.m. and the film will begin at 7 p.m. Donations will be accepted to help with the cost of screening rights.

South Sudanese program seeks volunteers

The South Sudanese Enrichment for Families program is looking for volunteers for its Saturday Bridges program, which brings together Sudanese children, parents, local students, volunteers, and professionals for enrichment programming during the academic year. Offerings include:

  • Preschool with pre-literacy and early literacy support for 3-4 year olds
  • Outdoor experiential education at Drumlin Farm for elementary and middle school students
  • Infant care
  • Adult workshops covering topics including parent-teacher conferences, Individual Educational Plans (IEPs), how to find resources in the community to support families, and how to look for signs and symptoms of trauma.
  • Personalized tutoring for adults

The program runs on Saturdays from 1:30–5:30 p.m. on March 16, April 6, April 27, and May 11 in the Hartwell pods. Orientation training for all volunteers will be held on Wednesday, March 6 at 7 p.m. at 10 Meadowdam Rd. in Lincoln. For more information, see www.SSEFBoston.org and email Keith Johnson at kjohnson@lincnet.org.

Cross-cultural film workshop for kids

A free cross-cultural filmmaking workshop for students aged 12–14 interested in collaborative movie-making with a twist will take place on Saturday, March 16 from 12:30–4:30 p.m. at the Flint Farmstead at 39 Lexington Rd. in Lincoln. Facilitated by Tom Flint and Japan’s only youth filmmaking organization, Children Meet Cinema, students team up for a filmmaking experience that allows them to explore the magic of cinema and create their own version of a famous film. The experience will consist of collaborative discussions, shooting, editing, screenings, and more. Space is limited to eight participants. For questions or registration, contact Flint at tflint@alumni.risd.edu or 617-930-1560.

Film: “Anton Chekhov’s The Duel”

The Lincoln Film Society presents “Anton Chekhov’s The Duel” (2010, in English) on Thursday, March 7 at 6 p.m. Escalating animosity between two men with opposing philosophies of life is played out against the backdrop of a decaying seaside resort along the Black Sea coast, leading to a duel as comically inadvertent as it is inevitable. Directed by Dover Kosashvili.

Events for parents of 8th-graders

“Life at L-S,” a parent-to-parent conversation about the 8th-to-9th-grade transition with Lincoln School Principal Sharon Hobbs and L-S veteran parents and administrators, will take place on Monday, March 4 (rescheduled from February due to snow) from 7–8:30 p.m. in the Hartwell multipurpose room. The program will focus on extracurricular elements of a busy high-schooler’s life so families have contextual knowledge prior to the L-S course selection process in March. There will also be an information session and building tour for middle-school parents on Thursday, March 7 from 7:30–8:30 p.m. For more information, contact Carole Kasper at carolemkasper@gmail.com or Hobbs at SHobbs@lincnet.org.

Discussion on Modernism in Lincoln

Please join us on Sunday, March 24 from 4–6 p.m. at the Lincoln Public Library to listen to a recent interview with Doug Adams about his relationship with Walter Gropius — part of an ongoing effort to record oral histories of Lincoln residents with interesting connections to modernism. Adams will be on hand for informal discussion afterwards.

Library books beckon readers with tantalizing outfits

The display inviting library patrons to “fall in love” on a blind date with a book.

Sometimes a book isn’t just a book — it’s a promising blind  date or a ticket to a faraway land.

Since Valentine’s Day, the Lincoln Public Library has been offering a selection of “mystery books” — not whodunits, but rather books concealed in wrapping paper with only a couple of clues to help you decide whether this could be the book for you. They’ll be on offer until midweek.

Meanwhile, since this is school vacation week, the library is also offering prepacked bags with DVDs, books, and CDs focusing on particular destinations such as Florida, Italy and even outer space, even if this is a “staycation” for you. Reference librarian Laura Paryl, who’s been wanting to do this for a while, picked out and assembled all the materials.

As for the “mystery books,” the only clues for potential readers are genre, year of publication, and names of a couple of other “if you liked X” titles. Reference librarian Robin Rapoport chose them based on books that were successful at other libraries that have done similar “Blind Date with a Book” displays. Though she hasn’t read all the books on display, “there are definitely some personal favorites in there,” she said.

Rapoport eventually plans to post a list of the titles to relieve the suspense experienced by those who tried to judge a book by its cover (or wrapping paper), as well as response cards to find out what books people really enjoyed or didn’t.

Clarification

In the February 14 “News Acorns” item about an art show in Wayland, the name of Lincoln artist Dilla Tingley was inadvertently omitted from the list of Lincolnites who are exhibiting. The original post has been corrected.