Postings From Priestley · PDF filePat Martino Seth Rohrbach Volunteer Coordinator JoAnn Long...
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The University of Huddersfield, marking the 175 anniversary of the University, is moving away from the largely descriptive names (e.g. West Building or Central Services) of many of the buildings. Instead, buildings will be re- named for important figures connected to areas of the University’s work. Science and West Building, among the first of the buildings to be re-named, has become the Joseph Priestley Building. An information board displayed in each building provides background details on each of the figures. Newsletter of The Friends of Joseph Priestley House Postings From Priestley House Number 67 Spring 2017 www.josephpriestleyhouse.org 570-473-9474 Friends oF JosePH Priestley House 4 P.O. Box 226 Northumberland, PA. 17857 2017 season Bits From Britain – Buildings named/renamed For JosePH Priestley March 12 -- November 19 Except Easter Sunday & Mother’s Day Visitors Center Open 1-4 p.m. Tours given at 1, 2 & 3 sPecial events July 26, 27 & 28 Summer History Camp Theme: Colonial Life in Northumberland with the Priestley Family Pre-registration required Fee - $30 per camper Saturday, August 5 & 6 Descendents’ Gathering A two-day event planned to celebrate the descendents of Joseph Priestley Sunday, August 6 Oxygen Day Open from 1 to 4 p.m. Dr. Priestley’s Demonstrations at 1:30 & 3:00pm Free Admission September Annual Meeting of the Friends Of Joseph Priestley House Location and time to be determined Sunday, November 5 Heritage Day Open from 1 to 4 p.m. Dr. Priestley’s Demonstrations at 1:30 & 3:00pm Free Admission The University of Birmingham named their new business center the Joseph Priestley Building on November 2, 2016. The Joseph Priestley Building is home to around 400 staff from the institution’s support services. Attending the opening ceremony was Charles Maurice Petty- Fitzmaurice, 9th Marquess of Lansdowne. His home is Bowood House, which includes the preserved laboratory where in 1774, Joseph Priestley, then tutor to the 1st Marquess’s two sons, discovered oxygen. Joseph Priestley Building at the Science took the stage at the Alvina Krause Theatre in January, but it wasn’t science that had the most impact on the volunteers who attended The World Premier of Gunpowder Joe during those performances. Politics and the timeliness of the political topics intertwined within the text of the play, topics like immigration and the role of the press in politics, captured the attention of some of our Joseph Priestley House volunteers. “While the entire play was captivating, I was most impressed by the social issues. The topics of Priestley being an immigrant, the idea of ‘fake news’ in the press, and the polarity of the press in the time period were just like the issues we are seeing today,” observed Colleen Ruths. “The play opened my eyes to . . . the Aliens and Sedition Act.” For Brooke Dearman “the play masterfully brought in William Cobbett and the role of the inflammatory press, which happens to parallel eerily the current state of politics in America.” It was the “timeliness of the political topics” which appeared multiple times in volunteer responses to this BTE production. gunPowder Joe aFter tHe ligHts By Deborah Bernhisel But audience members did not always agree when it came to Joseph Priestley’s portrayal on stage. For Ron Blatchley, Joseph Priestley was “nicely portrayed as idealistic and intellectual, immune to the practical advice of his friends and family and tone-deaf to the threats of his enemies.” And Patrick Martino felt the play really captured “a true gentle man who cared about the world around him.” But for Brooke, Joseph Priestley received “a humanizing historical facelift on stage.” She saw the portrayals of the other characters as more balanced than that of Priestley. It would seem that Joseph Priestley continues to be an enigma, even more than 200 years after his death. The very fact that the volunteers in the audience came away with strong reactions to both Priestley and his historical context speaks to the power of Anthony Clavoe’s play and the BTE cast’s interpretation. “All in all, I was quite impressed,” observed Brooke. And Colleen echoed this praise of the production when she wrote, “The Priestley play should be mandatory watching for all students of American history.” Charles Maurice Petty-Fitzmaurice, 9th Marquess of Lansdowne (fourth from left) joins dignitaries at the opening of the Joseph Priestley Building at the University of Birmingham. summer 2017 time traveler ’ s PassPort Program Priestley House is again participating in the Heritage Alliance Time Traveler’s Passport Program. The 2017 program offers twelve Heritage Sites in the Susquehanna River Valley where visitors are guaranteed to learn something new about the region’s history! Travelers who visit at least five of the participating sites will be entered in a drawing to win a $500 prepaid credit card for an overnight stay in Philadelphia, plus four complimentary tickets for both the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Franklin Institute. Passports are available at participating sites and at: www.VisitCentralPA.org/2017Passport. in memoriam: rutH eleanor mccorkill It is with sadness that we learned of the death of Ruth Eleanor McCorkill in May 2017. McCorkill has been an active volunteer at Joseph Priestley House since 1991. She was the museum’s Volunteer of the Year in 1997 and received the Outstanding Service Award of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission in 2013. Her enthusiasm for this historical site in her beloved home community has been unflagging. She was one of an original group of women who hand sewed costumes and created exhibits for the Elizabeth Ryland Priestley bedroom. Her devotion to the museum has endured; she has been there in person, in costume, as our front door greeter during special events. Her personal addition to costumed events has been the creation of a miniature doll character, Merry-Merry, an attraction that especially charms young children who visit. Ruth McCorkill with Merry-Merry. History camP at Priestley House This year’s History Camp at Priestley House will be held on July 26, 27 & 28 from 9-Noon. The cost is $30 per participant and is limited to 20 students. Any child in K-5 th grade is welcome to participate. The leaders of this year’s camp are Jo Ann Long and Lorie Becker. This year’s theme is “Colonial Life in Northumberland with the Priestley Family.” Registration can be made through the website or in person at the Priestley House any Saturday or Sunday between 1-4 pm or emailed to Jo Ann Long at [email protected]. Payment may be made on July 26 or in person at the time of registration by cash or check. Checks should be made payable to Friends of Joseph Priestley House. Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission Tom Wolf, Governor ~ Nancy Moses, Chair ~ James M. Vaughan, Executive Director
Transcript of Postings From Priestley · PDF filePat Martino Seth Rohrbach Volunteer Coordinator JoAnn Long...
The University of Huddersfield, marking the 175 anniversary of the University, is moving away from the largely descriptive names (e.g. West Building or Central Services) of many of the buildings. Instead, buildings will be re-named for important figures connected to areas of the University’s work. Science and West Building, among the first of the buildings to be re-named, has become the Joseph Priestley Building. An information board displayed in each building provides background details on each of the figures.
Newsletter of The Friends of Joseph Priestley House
Postings From Priestley House
Number 67 Spring 2017 www.josephpriestleyhouse.org 570-473-9474
Friends oF JosePH Priestley House
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P.O. Box 226 Northumberland, PA. 17857
2017 season Bits From Britain – Buildings named/renamed
For JosePH PriestleyMarch 12 -- November 19Except Easter Sunday &
Mother’s Day
Visitors CenterOpen 1-4 p.m.
Tours given at 1, 2 & 3
sPecial events
July 26, 27 & 28Summer History CampTheme: Colonial Life inNorthumberland with the
Priestley FamilyPre-registration required
Fee - $30 per camper
Saturday, August 5 & 6Descendents’ GatheringA two-day event planned
to celebrate the descendentsof Joseph Priestley
Sunday, August 6Oxygen Day
Open from 1 to 4 p.m.Dr. Priestley’s Demonstrations
at 1:30 & 3:00pmFree Admission
SeptemberAnnual Meeting of the Friends
Of Joseph Priestley HouseLocation and timeto be determined
Sunday, November 5Heritage Day
Open from 1 to 4 p.m.Dr. Priestley’s Demonstrations
at 1:30 & 3:00pmFree Admission
The University of Birmingham named their new business center the Joseph Priestley Building on November 2, 2016. The Joseph Priestley Building is home to around 400 staff from the institution’s support services. A t t e n d i n g the opening c e r e m o n y was Charles Maurice Petty-Fitzmaurice, 9th Marquess of Lansdowne. His home is Bowood House, which includes the preserved laboratory where in 1774, Joseph Priestley, then tutor to the 1st Marquess’s two sons, discovered oxygen.
Joseph Priestley Building at the
Science took the stage at the Alvina Krause Theatre in January, but it wasn’t science that had the most impact on the volunteers who attended The World Premier of Gunpowder Joe during those performances.
Politics and the timeliness of the political topics intertwined within the text of the play, topics like immigration and the role of the press in politics, captured the attention of some of our Joseph Priestley House volunteers. “While the entire play was captivating, I was most impressed by the social issues. The topics of Priestley being an immigrant, the idea of ‘fake news’ in the press, and the polarity of the press in the time period were just like the issues we are seeing today,” observed Colleen Ruths. “The play opened my eyes to . . . the Aliens and Sedition Act.” For Brooke Dearman “the play masterfully brought in William Cobbett and the role of the inflammatory press, which happens to parallel eerily the current state of politics in America.” It was the “timeliness of the political topics” which appeared multiple times in volunteer responses to this BTE production.
gunPowder Joe aFter tHe ligHts By Deborah Bernhisel
But audience members did not always agree when it came to Joseph Priestley’s portrayal on stage. For Ron Blatchley, Joseph Priestley was “nicely portrayed as idealistic and intellectual, immune to the practical advice of his friends and family and tone-deaf to the threats of his enemies.” And Patrick Martino felt the play really captured “a true gentle man who cared about the world around him.” But for Brooke, Joseph Priestley received “a humanizing historical facelift on stage.” She saw the portrayals of the other characters as more balanced than that of Priestley. It would seem that Joseph Priestley continues to be an enigma, even more than 200 years after his death.
The very fact that the volunteers in the audience came away with strong reactions to both Priestley and his historical context speaks to the power of Anthony Clavoe’s play and the BTE cast’s interpretation. “All in all, I was quite impressed,” observed Brooke. And Colleen echoed this praise of the production when she wrote, “The Priestley play should be mandatory watching for all students of American history.”
Charles Maurice Petty-Fitzmaurice, 9th Marquess of Lansdowne
(fourth from left) joins dignitaries at the opening of the Joseph Priestley Building at the
University of Birmingham.
summer 2017 time traveler’s PassPort Program
Priestley House is again participating in the Heritage Alliance Time Traveler’s Passport Program. The 2017 program offers twelve Heritage Sites in the Susquehanna River Valley where visitors are guaranteed to learn something new about the region’s history! Travelers who visit at least five of the participating sites will be entered in a drawing to win a $500 prepaid credit card for an overnight stay in Philadelphia, plus four complimentary tickets for both the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Franklin Institute.
Passports are available at participating sites and at: www.VisitCentralPA.org/2017Passport.
in memoriam: rutH eleanor mccorkill
It is with sadness that we learned of the death of Ruth Eleanor McCorkill in May 2017. McCorkill has been an active volunteer at Joseph Priestley House since 1991. She was the museum’s Volunteer of the Year in 1997 and received the Outstanding Service Award of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission in 2013. Her enthusiasm for this historical site in her beloved home community has been unflagging. She was one of an original group of women who hand sewed costumes and created exhibits for the Elizabeth Ryland Priestley bedroom. Her devotion to the museum has endured; she has been there in person, in costume, as our front door greeter during special events. Her personal addition to costumed events has been the creation of a miniature doll character, Merry-Merry, an attraction that especially charms young children who visit.
Ruth McCorkill with Merry-Merry.
History camP at Priestley House This year’s History Camp at Priestley House will be held on July 26, 27 & 28 from 9-Noon. The cost is $30 per participant and is limited to 20 students. Any child in K-5th grade is welcome to participate. The leaders of this year’s camp are Jo Ann Long and Lorie Becker. This year’s theme is “Colonial Life in Northumberland with the Priestley Family.” Registration can be made through the website or in person at the Priestley House any Saturday or Sunday between 1-4 pm or emailed to Jo Ann Long at [email protected]. Payment may be made on July 26 or in person at the time of registration by cash or check. Checks should be made payable to Friends of Joseph Priestley House.
Pennsylvania Historical & Museum CommissionTom Wolf, Governor ~ Nancy Moses, Chair ~ James M. Vaughan, Executive Director
Friends oF JosePH Priestley House
Board oF directors
Dee Ann Casteel, PresidentDon Mencer, Vice President
Cindy Inkrote, SecretaryGeorge Godlewski, Treasurer
Sam GeiseWade JohnsonHope W. Kopf
Pat MartinoSeth Rohrbach
Volunteer Coordinator
JoAnn Long
Newsletter Editor
Deborah Bernhisel
susqueHanna valley acs awards Banquet by Patrick Martino
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The annual Susquehanna Valley ACS Awards Banquet was held on May 3rd in Danville at the Pine Barn Inn. The Awards Banquet honors local high school students and teachers who participate in various ACS Section activities throughout the year, including the National Chemistry Week Poetry Contest, the ACS High School Exams, and the Chemistry Olympiad. College students pursuing a career in the sciences are also honored. The Banquet includes a Joseph Priestley Service Award, which honors a member of the Susquehanna Valley ACS Section who has contributed many hours of service to the Section in the past. This year’s awardee was Dr. Geneive Henry, Professor of Chemistry at Susquehanna University.
The Banquet includes a catered meal followed by a chemistry related talk, and many Chemistry professors from the local universities usually
attend. Ron Blatchley, Bill Simpson, Don Mencer, and myself were among those in attendance. This year, Dee Casteel, President of the Friends of Joseph Priestley House, gave a talk detailing the life of Joseph Priestley, titled “Joseph Priestley, Chemistry and Controversy.” In her presentation she delved into the work of those who came before Priestley, Priestley’s discoveries, Priestley’s
religious controversies in England, and his (incorrect) theory of phlogiston. Dee will
also be chairing a session and giving a talk at the Middle Atlantic Regional Meeting of the ACS (MARM) in June related to the life of Joseph Priestley.
Dr. Geneive Henry receives the Joseph Priestley Service Award from Dr. Bill Dougherty at the ACS Awards Banquet.
On April 22, 2017, Hope Webster Kopf was honored by the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission. At the 42nd Annual Recognition for Volunteers held at the Pennsylvania State Museum, Hope received the 2016 Volunteer of the Year Award for Joseph Priestley House. She has been a costumed docent for the Joseph Priestley House for many years, staffing the visitor’s center and providing guided tours. She was elected to the Board of Directors for the Friends of the Joseph Priestley House in 2016. Hope has been the driving force in imagining, planning, and executing a new exhibit at the House focusing on children that opened in 2016. She adopted an underused storage room, cleaned it up, got permission for minor adjustments to the space, and then began building a collection of items and displays of interest to children. Her goal was to show how children would have lived at the time that Joseph Priestley and his family were living in Northumberland.
HoPe weBster koPF volunteer oF tHe year 2016
Hope created displays on clothing and how it was made, on daily chores, on games and toys, on education, and on family life. She included many objects that children could play with, pick up, and try out. They can wear a yoke for carrying water buckets or try weaving tapes for tying garments on. As winter approached, she added
pictures about sleds, sledges, and ice skates. Hope was one of the directors of the summer 2016 History Camp and was able to use many of the items that she had acquired for the children’s room with those campers. The new display has been a great success and not only with the younger visitors to the house but also with adults, who enjoy the displays and information just as enthusiastically.
Flanked by Fred Powell (left) and PHMC Executive Director Jim Vaughan (right), Hope Webster Kopf (center) receives the 2016 Volunteer of the Year Award for Joseph Priestley House.
Priestley descendants gatHeringby Tom Bresenhan
The Friends of Joseph Priestley House are holding a special two day gathering for descendants of Joseph and Mary Priestley on Saturday and Sunday, August 5 and 6, 2017 in conjunction with the annual Oxygen Day special event. The event is free except for meals and souvenir T-shirt.
The first gathering of descendants at Priestley House occurred in August 1874 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the discovery of oxygen. Another gathering in September 1926 celebrated the opening of the Priestley Museum. The third in August 1994 celebrated the 200th anniversary of the emigration of Joseph and Mary Priestley from England to America. This event celebrates the descendants.
Photographs of past gatherings of Priestley descendants and others in Northumberland, PA.
1874 1926 1994
scHedule oF events: Priestley descendants gatHering
Pre-registerDescendants are asked to pre-register for the event by July 1, 2017.
Pre-registrations are accepted on-line at: www.josephpriestleyhouse.org
Safe travels. Hope to see you again..
JosePH Priestley House473 Priestley avenue
nortHumBerland, Pa 17857
Visitors CenterOpen 1-4 p.m.
Tours given at 1, 2 & 3
Special ToursCan be arranged by calling
570-473-9497 or by e-mail at
Special AssistanceIndividuals who needspecial assistance or
accommodation to visitThe Joseph Priestley House
should contact us in advance todiscuss their needs.
To join the Friends of Priestley House
call 570-473-9497 or visitwww.josephpriestleyhouse.org
Sunday, August 6, 2017
9:30-10:10 am - Joseph Priestley Memorial Chapel for Program of Words and Music
10:30 – Noon - Attend Unitarian Universalist Congregation Sunday service or other local church service.Bag Lunch for Sale1:00 - 4:00 pm - Oxygen Day at Priestley House with costumed guides in each room and chemistry demonstrations and commentary at 1:30 and 3:00 pm by Joseph Priestley re-enactor Ronald Blatchley. Descendants will have reserved seating for the 1:30 pm demonstration that usually has capacity crowds.
1:30 and 3:00 pm by Joseph Priestley re-enactor Ronald Blatchley. Descendants will have reserved seating for the 1:30 pm demonstration that usually has capacity crowds.
Saturday August 5, 2017
9:00 – 11:00 am - Registration
10:00 – Noon - Special guided tours of Priestley House at 10 & 11 am. The tour includes orientation video, tours of the mansion including the new children’s room, and ample time to view the Priestley timeline exhibit.
Bag Lunch for Sale
1:30-3:00 pm - Walking tours of other Priestley family homes in Northumberland
3:00-4:30 pm - Program at Riverview Cemetery where many Priestley family members are buried. An opportunity to pay respects.
6:00 - 7:30 pm – Buffet (for sale) with after-dinner program.
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