York Town News
Step back in time with OYHS Civil War exhibit by, and about, children
Old York Historical Society Junior Curators Shelly Potter, Jessica Kofman, Allison Gilmer and Lancy Downs work on labels to affix to their new exhibit, "My Age Does Not Matter: Children During the Civil War," which will be on view at the York Public Library beginning this week. Missing from the photograph is Junior Curator Katie Berlin.
Courtesy photo
By Jennifer L. Saunders
YORK VILLAGE - Over the past two months, five local youngsters have been hard at work with Old York Historical Society Elizabeth Perkins Fellow Emily Nichols creating their own exhibit from York's past.This Thursday evening, Aug. 17, that exhibit will open at the York Public Library and will remain on view through mid-December.
"The Civil War was the general topic, but we had to break it down into something more specific, so they chose children of the Civil War," Nichols explained.
Every Thursday afternoon from 1 to 3 p.m. the Junior Curators, who comprise one branch of Old York's brand new Junior Docent Summer Program, have been meeting with Nichols to learn how to plan an exhibit, choose the items that would be included and, ultimately, set it up for public display.
"Their task has been to cooperatively brainstorm, design and install their own exhibit," Nichols said, speaking with the highest praise for the work of Junior Curators Katie Berlin, Allison Gilmer, Shelly Potter, Lancy Downs and Jessica Kofman.
The project has been fulfilling, Nichols said, on many levels.
In researching York's connections to the Civil War through Old York's resources, the Junior Curators have learned that children not much older than they are - and, in some cases, quite a bit younger - played active parts in the war.
Although there were prohibitions in place to keep those under the age of 18 from fighting, Nichols pointed out that some children ran away to war, and with casualties mounting on both sides, officers were willing to look the other way and accept these new soldiers.
York's collections, she added, include items from a past benefactor who, in the time following the devastating Battle of Gettysburg, collected relics from that war-ravaged field.
The texts they have found to include in this exhibit are very thought-provoking, Nichols said, and bring to life the daily hopes and trials of children at home and at war in an era of conflict more than a century and a half ago.
The program is part of the Old York Education Department's ongoing series of programs, and Director Anne Poubeau said she is looking forward to seeing the exhibit in its completed form when it is installed at the York Public Library for a special reception at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday.
For Nichols, who is a Bates College senior with a strong love not only for history but for Maine itself, being selected as an Elizabeth Perkins Fellow and having the opportunity to work with the students on a project like this has been very rewarding.
"Those are the days I really love," she said of her work with the Junior Docent Summer Program. "It's so inspiring."
Nichols explained that the work with the Junior Curators and Old York Education Assistant Richard Bowen included coming up with the topic, researching it, choosing items from the approximately 30,000 pieces in Old York's collections, writing labels for each item used and piecing the exhibit together to create a professional product.
"We gave them no limits," Nichols said of the topic selection, explaining that the process from ideas to exhibit included meetings with Old York Curator Tom Johnson to discuss the elements of curatorial work and presentation.
What visitors to the Old York exhibit space on the lower level of the York Public Library will be able to see are between 20 and 25 items, anecdotes and quotes that are the result of that effort in an exhibit entitled, "My Age Does Not Matter: Children During the Civil War."
And what does Nichols hope the Junior Curators will take away from the process?
"They have successfully learned the skills of a curator while broadening their interest in the study and spread of history," she said.
Want to learn more about the project? Visit the free exhibit at the York Public Library during regular hours through mid-December.
