On May 21, the Mattapoisett Museum’s Education Committee and Curator Connor E. Gaudet were delighted to present “Women’s Day” to the fifth graders of Old Hammondtown Elementary School. The Museum and OHS teachers Katherine Trudell, Amy Casi and Stacy Barrows collaborated to develop a program of workshops to dovetail with their unit of study on women’s rights.
The morning began with a presentation, “Women Leaders,” from Select Board Chairman Jodi Bauer and Lois Ennis, Mattapoisett’s town clerk from 1966 to 2000. Both explained what the job entailed and gave examples of things they did.
Bauer explained how she listens to citizens and tries to handle their concerns to the best of her capabilities. She talked about opening the Mattapoisett Bike Path, the creation of a parking lot at the Hammond quarry, and the repaving of the basketball courts at Center School.
Ennis explained the process of voting to students, using documents to illustrate it. She talked about her years as the president of the Massachusetts Town Clerks Association and how she facilitated the town’s transition from paper records to computers.
Connor Gaudet, Katherine Gaudet and Robbin Smith presented the workshop, “How to Interpret Artifacts.” Using PowerPoint, Gaudet explained primary and secondary resources, and how to evaluate them using a four-step process: Observation, Reflection, Questioning and Further Investigation. Using a World War I Navy uniform from the museum’s collections, Gaudet modeled how to take notes using the four-step process.
Then groups of four students were given an artifact related to women’s rights to explore and evaluate through the process. Students eagerly jumped at the chance. After washing hands and hearing how to handle antique artifacts, they engaged in being historical detectives themselves!
One group had a photo from the 1890s of three people riding bikes on Church Street in Mattapoisett, one of whom was a woman wearing pants. An astute student inferred, “she is taking a stand by wearing pants and riding a bike to say she can do it like any man can.”
There was a bathing suit designed by Annette Kellerman, who was once arrested wearing one of her bathing suits that was deemed scandalous because it showed too much skin!
Another group of students held a commemorative rubber stamp created by Mary Ransom, the first female postmaster of Mattapoisett.
Finally, a group had the List of Mattapoisett Women Voters from 1920, the first year women were able to vote. After taking notes on their artifacts, students shared what they had learned with the class, and Connor Gaudet provided additional information where needed.
Concurrent with this group, Gail Roberts, Carole Clifford and Pauline Hamel presented “Mattapoisett’s Important Historical Women” to another fifth-grade class.Roberts and Clifford engaged students with anecdotes about Mary Ransom, Florence Eastman, Huybertie Hamlin, Cecil Clark Davis, and Elizabeth Barstow Stoddard, who all championed women’s rights through their work, art, nursing, writing or social engagement.
Then students were handed a short biography of creation of a parking lot near Hammond Quarry, each woman telling “the rest of her story.” After reading through it and highlighting important facts, students shared what they had learned and answered the questions, “Why was this Mattapoisett woman important to history? and “What part did she play in championing women’s rights?”
At the end of a productive day with these curious, avid learners and student historians, the Mattapoisett Museum looks forward to their visit to the museum on Thursday, May 30, to learn more about Mattapoisett history from Curator Connor E. Gaudet and complete the 5th Grade Treasure Hunt.
Carole Clifford and Jenn McIntyre will give the students a walking tour of the Mattapoisett Village to share points of interest with them to enrich their understanding of Mattapoisett’s history and storied existence.
Editor’s note: Katherine Gaudet, M.Sp.Ed., is an educational consultant and the mother of Mattapoisett Museum Curator Connor E. Gaudet. It is believed that this foray by the Mattapoisett Museum into local public education is a first.
Mattapoisett Museum
By Katherine Gaudet, M.Sp.Ed.
This is wonderful !! An entire curriculum project designed to enrich students learning with hands on activities. They were able to talk to women who took over positions that were traditionally male only, and learn about redearch tecniques, another field that was dominated by men, and women actually had to prove themselves to receive the recognition they earned.
I was impressed with how the program brought in town history, and was not controlled by the state board of education. This was a meaningful experience unique to these students and not tied up with can and can’t do the state. When these children lokk back on their elementary education this will stand out as a Bright Positive Memory.
Kudos to the adults who made the effort to build and carry ouy the lesson
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