News
GFA students read war letters at Fairfield Museum reception
By Fairfield Museum and History Center
May 9, 2008 - 11:38:06 AM

Gerard Connelly of Fairfield researches the background of the letter he will perform

On Thursday, May 15 the Fairfield Museum and History Center presents a members-only reception to preview a new exhibit, Keep ‘Em Coming!:World War II Poster Art. The exhibition features a selection of World War II posters from the museum’s collection that explore some of the main themes of visual propaganda of the time, including the consequences of careless talk, the call to purchase war bonds, the need for conservation and the imperative to boost productivity. The exhibit features the artwork of Norman Rockwell, Jen Carlu, Stevan Donanos and other talented artists, and will run through August 10, 2008.

To compliment the exhibit, the reception will feature a dramatic reading of wartime letters, court documents, memoirs and diaries from both the front lines and the home front by students from Green’s Farms Academy. The group of twelve students in GFA’s ‘plays and players’ class will read from documents that span the Pequot War (1636-37), the American Revolution, the Civil War, Vietnam, World War I and World War II. One set of letters from World War II provides an exchange between a son on the frontlines asking about the status of the farm at home and the mother’s response telling her son not to worry.

Revolutionary War Letter, dated September 10, 1775 from Ellen Hobart to her husband, Nathaniel Lothrop. The letter discusses the American colonies’ war preparations.

To prepare for their readings, students visited the museum’s research library, where they were introduced to the materials. “It was a pleasure working with the students,” said Regine Heberlein, Fairfield Museum Librarian. “They were sharp and curious, wanting to do additional research to understand the context of the letters,” she said.

Fairfield Museum and History Center is a community resource, offering modern galleries, a research library, community spaces and a museum shop. Museum members enjoy benefits that include unlimited free admission, use of the Special Collections Library, invitations to members-only events, and advance notice of programs, exhibit openings, special events and much more. To learn more about becoming a member of the museum, please visit www.fairfieldhs.org or call 259-1598.

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