Bicentennial events program John Greenleaf Whittier

86 Friend Street, Amesbury MA 01913
whittierhome@verizon.net 978.388.1337

[view larger painting with JGW poetry]

Still sits the schoolhouse by the road,
A ragged beggar sunning;
Around it still the sumachs grows,
And blackberry vines are running.

John Greenleaf Whittier

Programs

Whittier Home 110th Anniversary Programs

When John Greenleaf Whitttier died in 1892, Emily Binney Smith, a personal friend of Whittier and his niece, Elizabeth Whittier Pickard, had the foresight to see that the Quaker poet had left a great legacy to the town of Amesbury and that this legacy should not be lost. She called a meeting of the prominent women of the town in 1898 and formed an organization called “The Whittier Home Association” whose purpose was to perpetuate for all time the home in which the poet had lived for fifty-six years and had written the poems that had made him famous all over the world.
From past president Frances Dowd’s History of the Whittier Home: “The first official meeting of the Whittier Home Association was held in the Garden Room of the Whittier Home on the afternoon of February 2, 1898. After a few remarks, Mrs. Smith read selections from Snowbound. .”

After 110 years, the women of The Whittier Home Association continue to act as stewards for the preservation of the collections, structures and grounds of this remarkable man and strive to engage diverse audiences in the life-story of Whittier in his roles as Quaker, editor, politician, writer, and abolitionist.

We salute and congratulate all the past and current members for the dedication to the mission.

Program:

Why Read Whittier
(Newburyport Literary Festival)
Ben Pickard, author, professor and great-grandnephew of John Greenleaf Whittier, will discuss why we should read Whittier. Whittier is so often written about as an abolitionist, a politician, a woman's rights supporter, or a Quaker mystic, that his main achievement, as the writer of good, readable poetry is often ignored. Critically examining poems like Telling the Bees, Maude Muller, Ichabod, Abraham Davenport and Snow-Bound demonstrates his artistic ability and intrinsic literary achievement.

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Newburyport Public Library Program Room, Market St, Newburyport MA 01950
Saturday, April 26, 2:00 p.m.
Whittier Home, 978.388.1337
Free

Program:

Whittier's Idiosyncratic Relatives
(Newburyport Literary Festival)
Ben Pickard, author, professor, and great-grandnephew of John Greenleaf Whittier, says that this talk might as well have been titled "Fame and Its Effects on Relatives" or "The Price of Being Famous", as it examines how Whittier endured the public trials of being famous. In particular, it considers how fame and financial success affected his relationship with various nephews and nieces.

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Friends Meeting House, 120 Friend St., Amesbury MA 01913
Reception for the author at the Whittier Home, 86 Friend Street,
following the talk.
Sunday, April 27, 2:00 p.m.
Whittier Home, 978.388.1337
Free

Program:

Be A Tourist in Your Hometown
Enjoy special tours of the Whittier Home.

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Whittier Home, 86 Friend St., Amesbury MA 01913
Sunday, May 18, 12 noon – 4 p.m.
Whittier Home, 978.388.1337
Free

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Whittier Home’s Yard, Bake, and Plant Sale
Visit Whittier’s garden and buy some quality “junque,” homemade baked goods in the Whittier’s Cafe, and beautiful flowers and plantings for your garden.

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Whittier Home Garden , 86 Friend Street, Amesbury MA 01913
Saturday, May 24, 2008 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. - Shine or Rain
Whittier Home, 978.388.1337
Free

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Feast of the Laurels Poetry Celebration
Whittier and his friends celebrated the spectacular laurels at Maudslay Estate with a festival of poetry. We bring you the same festival. Bring your favorite poem to share and enjoy readings by the Powwow River Poets and others. Refreshments served.

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Maudslay State Park, 74 Curzon Mill Road, Newburyport MA 01950
Saturday, June 14, 4:00 p.m
Whittier Home, 978.388.1337
Free

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Tapestry of Voices Poetry Reading
Enjoy Whittier’s poetry and original poems by the famed Tapestry of Voices poetry group. Refreshments will be served.

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Whittier Home, 86 Friend St., Amesbury MA 01913
Sunday, August 10, 3:00 - 4:30 p.m.
Whittier Home, 978.388.1337
Free

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Whittier Hymn-Sing and Open House
Hymn-Sing at 5 p.m. at the Friends Meeting House, 120 Friend St. and
Open House at the Whittier Home, 2:00 – 5:00 p.m., 86 Friend St.,
Amesbury MA 01913 - Refreshments served.
Sunday, December 14, 2:00 – 5:00 p.m
Snow date - Sunday December 21, 2:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Whittier Home, 978.388.1337
Free