Island Readers & Writers http://islandreadersandwriters.org Inspiring a Passion for Reading Wed, 22 Feb 2012 21:09:24 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 The Big Read 2012 http://islandreadersandwriters.org/blog/the-big-read-2012/ http://islandreadersandwriters.org/blog/the-big-read-2012/#comments Tue, 21 Feb 2012 17:08:50 +0000 shewitt http://islandreadersandwriters.org/?p=1392 A snowstorm marked the beginning and the end of “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” 2012 Big Read.  On Saturday, February 11 enthusiastic participants of The Big Read said good-bye to Huck, Tom, Becky and Aunt Polly with a delicious baked bean supper and dance featuring the music of The Big Moose Band with caller Chrissy Fowler.

Special raft centerpieces made out of twigs complete with lean-tos, a pirate flag and oars constructed by the Girl Scout Troop 1661 and Forrest and Sophia Watras adorned the tables. The Somesville Library Association children’s program exhibited wooden fence pickets  (donated by Ellsworth Building Supply) painted as part of their “Just for Kids” program.

Jan Coates, Executive Director of Island Readers & Writers welcomed guests and expressed her appreciation and gratitude to the many people who contributed to the success of The Big Read.

A rousing applause was given to chefs Victor Stanley, Howard Monroe and James Lindquist for preparing such a wonderful feast, Hannaford’s for donating food, The Big Moose Band for their music, and The Northeast Harbor Neighborhood House.

The Big Read, an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest, was made possible by a grant matched by the Diana Davis Spencer Foundation, BHBT, Island Readers & Writers, and private donations.

It’s been a fabulous literary adventure!

]]> http://islandreadersandwriters.org/blog/the-big-read-2012/feed/ 0 Games Night at the Southwest Harbor Public Library http://islandreadersandwriters.org/blog/games-night-at-the-southwest-harbor-public-library/ http://islandreadersandwriters.org/blog/games-night-at-the-southwest-harbor-public-library/#comments Fri, 10 Feb 2012 23:11:44 +0000 shewitt http://islandreadersandwriters.org/?p=1380 February 8, 2012
Games Night at the Southwest Harbor Public Library
in the spirit of the era of Tom Sawyer
Organized by Dick Atlee, Sarah Corson, and Linda Uberseder

 

A group of eighteen children and adults focused merrily on the materials, rules, and skills necessary for playing various old-time games. Favorite choices were jacks, marbles, dominoes, jackstraws, and handcrafted jigsaw puzzles. The final photo shows our version of the “tick-on-a-slate” game that Tom and Joe conjured up when bored at school. Other games attracting attention were ninepins, ball-in-a-cup, dancing man, humdingers, gee haw whimmy diddle, string games, Jacob’s ladder, and a marble track. At the end, the group gathered for a lively game of Button, Button Who’s Got the Button?
]]> http://islandreadersandwriters.org/blog/games-night-at-the-southwest-harbor-public-library/feed/ 0 Where is Tom Sawyer now? http://islandreadersandwriters.org/blog/where-is-tom-sawyer-now/ http://islandreadersandwriters.org/blog/where-is-tom-sawyer-now/#comments Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:50:38 +0000 shewitt http://islandreadersandwriters.org/?p=1365 Building on the mischievous nature of Tom Sawyer, program planners on Swans Island initiated its own “Where’s Waldo” program featuring Tom.  He could be anywhere – at the cemetery, library, ferry terminal, Odd Fellow’s Hall, Lobstermen’s Coop or just hanging out with friends.  The idea is to note and report where and when Tom was seen throughout the island.  I understand the winner will receive a special prize!

]]> http://islandreadersandwriters.org/blog/where-is-tom-sawyer-now/feed/ 0 Mrs. Abbott’s lesson of “duty before pleasure” http://islandreadersandwriters.org/blog/mrs-abbotts-lesson-of-duty-before-pleasure/ http://islandreadersandwriters.org/blog/mrs-abbotts-lesson-of-duty-before-pleasure/#comments Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:41:02 +0000 shewitt http://islandreadersandwriters.org/?p=1359 On Saturday, Maudie March aka Mrs. Abbott instructed students on her expectations for their orderly and respectful behavior and conducted a variety of lessons focusing on the theme “duty before pleasure.”  Students listened intently and quickly adjusted to the norms of the day. Then on Wednesday, Mrs. Abbott traveled by ferry to Long Island. Mrs. Abbott and games specialist Linda Uberseder were properly greeted by the students of Frenchboro School. They delighted in sharing a classroom experience in an historic setting reminiscent of the 1840s. The students did an excellent job memorizing and reciting poems and discussing stories from the McGuffy Reader. Following their lessons they joined Mrs. Uberseder for a rousing game of tag – learning games of the 1840s such as hoop rolling and “graces” – and tried their hand at tops, jacks, marbles and pick-up sticks and much more. All had a grand time.

Maudie March (aka Mrs. Abbott) at the Frenchboro School and at Mount Desert Island Historical Society's Old Schoolhouse and Museum

]]> http://islandreadersandwriters.org/blog/mrs-abbotts-lesson-of-duty-before-pleasure/feed/ 0 Smokey Joe McKeen http://islandreadersandwriters.org/blog/smokey-joe-mckeen/ http://islandreadersandwriters.org/blog/smokey-joe-mckeen/#comments Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:34:52 +0000 shewitt http://islandreadersandwriters.org/?p=1352 “Smokey” Joe McKeen brought the Northeast Harbor Library exhibit “Life Along the Union River”  to life with stories and music. This folk historian shared stories about the Union, Penobscot and Kennebec rivers through songs and recollections learned from “old timers” whose tales were passed down through the years. Smokey played two different guitars, a banjo, accordions, bones, jew’s harp, and harmonica.  Listening to the music and lyrics surrounded by the photographs and maps of the river transported the audience to the campfires of the logger with a heighten appreciation for the dangers and traditions of logging. Ties to Mark Twain and the Mississippi were artfully woven throughout the performance.

Smokey Joe McKeen

]]> http://islandreadersandwriters.org/blog/smokey-joe-mckeen/feed/ 0 Report from Swan’s Island http://islandreadersandwriters.org/blog/report-from-swans-island/ http://islandreadersandwriters.org/blog/report-from-swans-island/#comments Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:52:17 +0000 shewitt http://islandreadersandwriters.org/?p=1340

What a great event – The Big Read. We are big fans of the Big Read. We set sail over to Swan’s Island then over to Reel Pizza. Looking forward to the next event on Saturday.

Sally, Sam & Kate Hoff

]]> http://islandreadersandwriters.org/blog/report-from-swans-island/feed/ 0 Winterfest http://islandreadersandwriters.org/blog/winterfest/ http://islandreadersandwriters.org/blog/winterfest/#comments Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:41:49 +0000 shewitt http://islandreadersandwriters.org/?p=1333 Winterfest…. a late January community gathering in the Deer Isle-Stonington elementary school auditorium. It’s the place to be on a snowy Saturday, with fun things to do, friends to meet, great food  to eat, performances to watch, and books to discuss. IRW was present too, giving out books to young and old, and chatting about  Mark Twain and Tom Sawyer to neighbors. Our booth was alongside one from the local historical society and both of us featured  aspects of life on our island during the time of Tom Sawyer. Candace Hall, the librarian at our town’s public library, helped  kids with a Go Fish game like one the kids played back in the 1840s. The prize catch included miniature yoyos or marbles as well as a quote from Mark Twain glued to a paper ‘fish’. You can see from Candace’s jaunty hat, that our island people really get into these events!

Sallie Findlay

]]> http://islandreadersandwriters.org/blog/winterfest/feed/ 0 Candace Stover and The Big Read Maine 2012 http://islandreadersandwriters.org/blog/candace-stover-and-the-big-read-maine-2012/ http://islandreadersandwriters.org/blog/candace-stover-and-the-big-read-maine-2012/#comments Thu, 26 Jan 2012 01:21:40 +0000 shewitt http://islandreadersandwriters.org/?p=1312

Everybody’s talking about Tom Sawyer!  When you live in a small town, especially one that is located on an island, everybody knows what’s going on!

Earlier tonight Candace Stover facilitated a lively discussion at the Somesville Library focusing on landmarks in our village and what it means to really know a place, like Tom knew his community. We discussed childhood, independence, play, imagination, safety, and parenting among other topics. Candace did a wonderful job of helping us relate elements of the story to our own lives and community. View the video to learn more.

 

]]> http://islandreadersandwriters.org/blog/candace-stover-and-the-big-read-maine-2012/feed/ 0 Deer Isle – Stonington Big Read Kickoff http://islandreadersandwriters.org/blog/1280/ http://islandreadersandwriters.org/blog/1280/#comments Wed, 18 Jan 2012 20:50:02 +0000 shewitt http://islandreadersandwriters.org/?p=1280 January 17, 2012 KICKOFF

The Reach Performing Arts Center

Deer Isle- Stonington Elementary School

Students and community members were treated to an exciting introduction to Mark Twain and his book “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer”  by special guests, Huckleberry Finn and Dr. Barbara Snedecor from Elmira College.

Marvin Merritt played the role of Huckleberry Finn as part of The Big Read Kickoff.   Huck jumped out of the pages of Robert Bruleigh’s book “The Adventures of Mark Twain”  to introduce his friend Sam Clemens.  The video clip is an excerpt from that performance.

Marvin is an 8th Grader and has been in numerous theatrical productions at the Reach and the Stonington Opera House.  He has been chosen to play Mike TV in the Cabin Fever production of “Willy Wonka” in March.

Dr. Barbara Snedecor continued the story about the life of Mark Twain focusing on his love of rivers, steamboats and Quarry Farm where he wrote “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.”  Her presentation included slides of Sam Clemens early life, the Mississippi River and Quarry Farm the summer home of the Clemens family located in Elmira, New York.

Dr. Barbara Snedecor directs the Elmira College Center for Mark Twain Studies.  She has taught composition and literature at various colleges and universities and has published two novels and a variety of essays.  Her focus in Twain studies is autobiography, biography, and domesticity.  She is currently completing a book entitled Gravity:  Selections from the Letters of Olivia Langdon Clemens.

 

From Top to Bottom: Dr. Barbara Snedecor; Quarry Farm; Steamboat on exhibit at the Deer Isle-Stonington Elementary School; "Fabulous Fences and Wise Words" Exhibition at the Bass Harbor Memorial Library

 

]]> http://islandreadersandwriters.org/blog/1280/feed/ 0 The Big Read in Maine Communities! http://islandreadersandwriters.org/blog/the-big-read-in-maine-communities/ http://islandreadersandwriters.org/blog/the-big-read-in-maine-communities/#comments Thu, 12 Jan 2012 19:13:33 +0000 shewitt http://islandreadersandwriters.org/?p=1266

Jesup Memorial Library goes all out for The Big Read

PE teachers from MDI and Deer Isle gather at the Trenton Elementary School to learn mid-1800s games to teach to grades 3-4-5 as part of The Big Read.

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