Park Theatre Dedication of Restored 1941 Murals Set For Sunday May 19
"Monadnock Murals of The Four Seasons" return to their original positions in The Park's Auditorium.
JAFFREY, New Hampshire (May 13, 2024) In 1941, The Park Theatre was getting close to celebrating its 20th anniversary. The founder, Romolo Vanni, decided that the theatre would be upgraded with a balcony and more seating. He also felt he could add something distinctive to the theatre's auditorium by installing four large painted murals of Mount Monadnock. He asked that each mural be from a different town perspective and each depict one of the four seasons. These murals measure 9 feet by 17 feet and were stored and have recently been restored and replaced in the Eppes Auditorium of the new Park Theatre. The "Monadnock Murals of The Four Seasons" will have their official dedication this Sunday, May 19 at 4:00 p.m. Tickets for this fundraiser are $15.
The murals were painted by Carl Eric Nelson (1911-1975). Carl was a well-known commercial artist from Boston. He was employed by Jordan Marsh and acclaimed for the window design work he did for the renowned Boston department store. He had family in Wilton and would visit regularly. He did sign work for local businesses and the annual covers of the Wilton Winter Carnivals in the 1930s. Romolo Vanni became aware of his work and commissioned Carl to do the four murals in 1941.
The mural reinstallation dedication event will include food, drinks, live music, guest speakers, a video about the history of the murals, and finally, an encore screening of the documentary that premiered at The Park last year, MONADNOCK: The Mountain that Stands Alone.
The murals restoration and reinstallation project was made possible by gifts from the following organizations and individuals: Joan R. Ames Trust, CMH Foundation, Caroline & Clay Hollister, Jaffrey Historical Society, Kingsbury Fund, Deborah R. Knight Trust, Mascoma Bank, Putnam Foundation, Augusta Petrone, Susan Roston & Phillip Bailey, Betty Shea, and Terra Nova Trust.
Tickets for The Murals Dedication are $15. Purchase them at theparktheatre.org, in person, or by calling the box office at (603) 532-8888.
The Park Theatre performing arts center is located at 19 Main Street in downtown Jaffrey, New Hampshire, just 90 minutes from Boston, or 60 minutes from Worcester MA, Concord NH.
Coming Up at Nova Arts in Keene
"That Thing in the Spring" Happening May 16-19
From Thursday May 16 through Sunday May 19, the Thing in the Spring will be unfolding at Nova Arts in Keene NH; it's the 16th Thing, and the 3rd since it moved to Keene. Both weekend passes and single day tickets are available now at thethinginthespring.com and at Brewbakers / Terra Nova Coffee.
As usual, the Thing's programming offers audiences an eclectic curation of performances throughout the four day festival, as well as within just a single day. This way, no matter what someone is able to attend, there is a unique opportunity awaiting them. Each day on its own is an exciting combination of world renowned artists and regional acts; string four days of this together and what you have is a truly special resource for the Monadnock region.
This year's festivities begin with a kickoff party hosted by the folks at Cooper's Hill - they'll be making the trip to Keene and emceeing the show which features eight performances from groups spread all around New England. The evening is headlined by the region's own Modern Fools.
Friday has a lean toward jazz and avant garde music, featuring jazz trumpet legend Wadada Leo Smith, pioneering hiphop producer Prefuse 73, and capped off my avant garde guitar maestro Marc Ribot, as well as the Messthetics & James Brandon Lewis. The Messthetics feature the rhythm section of Fugazi, and Lewis is the biggest name on tenor sax currently, as well as a former MacDowell fellow.
Saturday will see the very first New Hampshire appearance by stoner / doom innovators Earth, as well as composer and master violist Jessica Pavone, favorites the Huntress and Holder of Hands, and psychedelic lifers Sunburned Hand of the Man. There will also be a deep poetry review & a book event with Chelsea Granger at Toadstool.
Sunday features Big Thief songwriter / guitarist / singer Buck Meek, as well as singer/songwriters Nina Nastasia, Jolie Holland, and Song Exploder helmer and the One AM Radio himself, Hrishikesh Hirway. There will also be a city bird walk led by the Harris Center, and celebration of the new book of Dan Blakeslee's rock posters!
This all amounts to around 35 bands on 2 stages all at 48 Emerald St, with backdrops by Nathaniel Russell, and a tap takeover by Post and Beam Brewing! We hope to see you there.
Financial Education Briefing Highlights Disappointing Progress in Massachusetts
After receiving "F" grade in financial education, state leaders call for equitable change
BOSTON - On Monday, May 6, 2024, State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg, State Senator Patrick O'Connor, Representative Ryan Hamilton, and the Office of Economic Empowerment hosted a policy briefing on financial education to highlight the current landscape in Massachusetts.
The briefing called attention to the long-term benefits of integrating financial literacy into school curricula. The program included a presentation by John Pelletier, Director of the Champlain College Center for Financial Literacy, which gave Massachusetts an "F" grade in its 2023 National Report Card on High School Financial Literacy.
While Massachusetts has always been a leader in education, innovation, and social progress, this grade illustrates the disappointing lack of personal finance requirements in the state's high school curricula. In the US, 25 states require a semester-long financial education course, including neighboring states Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire.
"The most equitable way to offer financial education is through our schools," said State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg. "We must do everything we can to level the playing field for all students in Massachusetts."
"One of the most important topics that we can be educated on regardless of our age is financial literacy," said Senator Patrick O'Connor (R-Weymouth). "Understanding the skills behind budgeting, applying for loans or credit, saving, and spending can pave the way to success and the attainment of future goals. Providing our youth with the knowledge that they need to understand personal finances and how to handle overall expenses is critical for their future success. I appreciate having Treasurer Goldberg as a partner on this legislation. Her leadership on financial literacy has been so valuable."
"The current patchwork system of courses on this topic furthers economic inequality in the Commonwealth, where underserved student populations are less likely to be exposed to financial literacy education at school or at home," said Representative Ryan Hamilton (D-Haverhill & Methuen). "By designating time in the classroom and experiential learning opportunities, Massachusetts can equip students, educators and parents with the knowledge and skills they need to better their financial futures."
Research presented during the briefing shows that lower financial literacy rates are associated with lower financial well-being. According to the most recent findings, people with very little understanding of personal finance are six times more likely to have difficulty making ends meet, three times more likely to be debt constrained, five times more likely to lack one month of emergency savings, and four times more likely to spend at least 10 hours per week dealing with personal finance issues.
Providing financial education for our students is essential to close the gaps that exist between those who have access to knowledge and resources, and those who do not. It is about giving every student, regardless of their background, race, and income level, an equal opportunity to thrive and prosper.
About the Office of Economic Empowerment
Treasurer Goldberg created the Office of Economic Empowerment with the deliberate goal of implementing a range of economic empowerment initiatives that include closing the race and gender wage gap, addressing racial equity, increasing access to financial education, and creating pathways to economically stable futures for all residents across the state.