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THE WATERVLIET SHAKER JOURNAL SHAKER HERITAGE SOCIETY
AMERICA’S FIRST SHAKER SETTLEMENT
SPRING 2019
VOL 39 NO 1
25 Meeting House Road Albany, NY 12211 www.shakerheritage.org 518.456.7890
At an April reception, SHS staff, volunteers, and
board members had the pleasure of seeing a
number of Shaker Heritage Society (SHS) collection
pieces placed in a new context, the Everyday
Perfection exhibit at the Albany International
Airport Gallery. The exhibit juxtaposes Shaker
textile tools with the work of eight contemporary
artists. The idea for the exhibit grew from
conversations curator Kathy Greenwood had with
artist Elana Herzog, former SHS director Starlyn
D’Angelo and former SHS Education Coordinator
Michelle Arthur. Ms. Greenwood explains, “Those
discussions opened a pathway to a broader
examination of how Shaker textile traditions and
contemporary artists’ inclinations might intersect.”
In preparation for their work, artists had the
opportunity to study collections at the Shaker
Museum | Mount Lebanon, pieces of which are
also included in the exhibit. Interpretations of the
Shakers’ textile legacy are realized in a wide variety
of approaches and media. The historic tools
themselves reflect a range of processes required in
textile production, and a few of the items may not
be familiar to modern viewers. As noted in the
catalog: “The relations to labor as a devotional
process is common to both Shakers and artists of
many disciplines. Shakers sought nearness to
divine spirit through work that was necessary,
relentless, and achieved through concentrated
effort. Among artists, labor also serves as a
transcendent purpose—the production of objects
and experiences that reflect and expand upon
human perception.”
One artist, Brece Honeycutt, uses the scale of the
airport itself to bring home the sheer volume of
textiles produced by Shakers. The 1836 Church
Family Journal reports that, among a long list of
textiles produced for the year, Sisters spun 696
“runs” of tow and linen. A run equaled 1,600 yards.
Honeycutt calculates that the linen thread
produced that year was 393 times the length of the
airport’s runway number one.
ALBANY INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT GALLERY EXPLORES
EVERYDAY PERFECTION
One of the SHS pieces on display is a hinged, wooden pattern used for cutting fabric for boys’ shirts. It is paired with a wooden pants pattern in the exhibit.
Kathy Greenwood will lead a tour of the exhibit
for SHS on Thursday, July 11th at 5:30 pm.
Participants are encouraged to park at SHS and
either walk or carpool to the airport. Space is
limited, and pre-registration is requested at
518-456-7890 or educator@shakerheritage.org.
The exhibit is open until September 2, 2019.
The gallery is on the third floor of the main
terminal, before the security checkpoint, and
open from 7am-11pm daily. Visitors’ parking
tickets will be validated at the gallery.
THE WATERVLIET
SHAKER JOURNAL
Edited by
Johanna Batman
Lorraine Weiss
Published by the
SHAKER HERITAGE SOCIETY
Shaker Meeting House
25 Meeting House Road
Albany, NY 12211-1051
518. 456.7890
www.shakerheritage.org
director@shakerheritage.org
Board of Trustees
Jessica Ansert Klami, President
Rebecca Haizmann, Vice President
Judy Disco, Treasurer
Maureen Bigness, Secretary
Terence Curran, Past President
Linda Allen, PhD
Pilar Arthur Snead
Michael Bates
Maureen Bigness
Willard Bruce
Mark Castiglione
Stephen Iachetta
Meredith Rice
David Rowley
Ex. Officio
Hon. Daniel McCoy Hon. Paula Mahan
Dawn McHale, Membership Secretary
Rebecca Langer, Master gardener
Staff
Johanna Batman, Executive Director
Miriam Cantor-Stone,
Volunteer Coordinator
Jackie Davis, Gift Shop
and Craft Fair Manager
Larry Graudons, Maintenance
Candis Murray PhD, Program Associate
Kimberly Spath, Bookkeeper
Lorraine Weiss, Education Coordinator
From the Director
What drives people to volunteer? The
answers are as diverse as the people who
serve. Yet, as fewer and fewer Americans opt
in, the question has become more pressing
for nonprofits. Many museums and historical
societies like SHS would simply cease to exist
without the time, talent, and energy that
volunteers pour into their work. This is a particularly poignant challenge
for SHS, given the communal values of the Shakers themselves.
In his book Bowling Alone, Robert Putnum described the decline of
social networks in America from 1980-2000. During that time-frame, he
documented a 43% drop in shared family meals, a 35% drop in inviting
friends over for a visit, and a whopping 58% drop in participation in club
meetings. The result? We know fewer people, trust fewer people, feel
less empowered and less engaged in civic life both locally and nationally.
Simultaneously, “relevance” has become a buzz word in the museum
community. How do institutions stay relevant in the digital age? How do
they attract new audiences and avoid becoming obsolete in the eyes of
the coveted “Millennial” generation? The answer, perhaps, lies in social
networks.
I had the pleasure of participating in several volunteer events so far this
year. The first was a brainstorming session in January to identify topics
for a new series of outdoor exhibit panels. Twenty volunteers and staff
spent two hours exchanging ideas and identifying themes, facts, and
questions. The second event was a training session in March, where we
reviewed policies and procedures, but also discussed our experiences
and exchanged knowledge about Shaker history, and enjoyed lunch
together after. While both meetings were scheduled and structured, it
was also social, and even fun! The third was our “Hands To Work Day” in
April which was a great success thanks to a stalwart crew who ignored
the wind and cold rain. (More about that on page 6.)
At all these events, I came away buoyed by the sense of belonging. The
feeling that you are a part of a community, a part of something bigger
than yourself, is an addictive sensation. Organizations like SHS can help
regrow our social networks by creating spaces for shared experience,
interest, and activity. If we create the space, people will fill that space
with life. What could be more Shaker than that?
THANK YOU for making our Annual Appeal a success. Inspired by a
private donation that established a $10,000 match, our board,
members, and donors contributed nearly $11,000 to meet that amount
and more. We are deeply grateful, and, as you will see in the following
pages, SHS will be using your support to work towards a number of
important goals.
WATERVLIET SHAKER JOURNAL SPRING 2019 Vol. 39
3
Come Sing in Our House!
On a rather chilly night in February, fifteen
members of the Albany Sacred Harp Singers visited
the Meeting House for a special singing session.
Seated in a square that reflected their four-part, a
cappella harmonies, they managed to fill the space
as though there were 50 voices in the room. The
singers thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to sing
in an historic setting with outstanding acoustics.
SHS staff were enjoying the marvelous sound from
the second floor of the building, and were inspired
to create a program on the spot--one that would
provide other groups with the experience of
singing in the Meeting House. “Come Sing In Our
House!” is intended for informal sessions or a
weekly choir practice.
Between March and mid-October, the Meeting
House will be available by arrangement, free of
charge, on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday
evenings, barring any prior programs scheduled.
Other times may be available. If you or someone
you know is involved in a singing group or choir
that may be interested in using our historic space,
please contact Lorraine Weiss for further details at
educator@shakerheritage.org or 518-456-7890.
In the meantime, if you are interested in learning
more about Sacred Harp singing, also known as
shape note singing, you will find information about
the Albany Sacred Harp Singers at
www.albanysacredharp.org. Their weekly sessions
in Schenectady are “open to newcomers, all ages,
all voices, and all levels of musical (in)experience.”
In The Museum Shop
If you are looking for a unique gift, you will find a
number of new products at the Shaker Heritage
Society Museum Shop, including a new children's
section where you will be able to find gardening
tools, hand puppets, and kits to paint your own
birdhouse, bug house or flower pot.
Your purchases will be rung up on new cash
registers, made possible by a private donation.
Shaker Heritage Society is grateful that we were
able to replace registers that were a bit historic
themselves. The new registers will help us with
inventory and other administrative tasks.
As always, we thank our dedicated crew who
volunteer in the shop each week.
Starlyn D’Angelo Honored
The Museum Association of New York’s Award of
Merit for Individual Achievement is given to
devoted staff and volunteers who are instrumental
in moving their organizations forward over a
sustained period. At their April, 2019 annual
conference in Cooperstown, MANY recognized
Starlyn D’Angelo “for the volume and scope of
work she completed in her tenure as Executive
Director, her tireless motivation and significant
achievements at the Shaker Heritage Shaker
Heritage Society that will
have lasting benefits for
generations to come.”
Star continues to support
SHS programs, and
recently taught a workshop
on preserving family
heirlooms.
WATERVLIET SHAKER JOURNAL SPRING 2019 Vol. 39
4
Workshops
Shaker Heritage Society workshops are suitable for
ages 14 and up. No experience is needed unless
otherwise indicated. Workshop fees include the
cost of materials. Please bring your own lunch
when a lunch break is indicated. Basket workshops
are taught by Sandy Salada, who often
demonstrates the process at our craft fairs.
If your weekends are too busy, note that one
basket workshop is planned for a Wednesday.
There are more classes and programs being
planned, and we would like to hear about your
interests and preferences, particularly if you would
like more weekday sessions.
For more information or to register, contact
Lorraine Weiss at educator@shakerheritage.org or
518-456-7890, x 3. You can also register online via
Eventbrite.
Pie/Casserole Basket Weaving
NEW!
WEDNESDAY, June 26
10:00 am – 3:30 pm
$50 ($45 SHS Members)
This 12 by 12 inch basket is just the
right size to carry your favorite pie or casserole dish. The
basket has an open bottom woven in natural and your
choice of dyed reed with an oak handle. Optional
wrapped handle if time permits. Choose navy, dark
green, red, burgundy or brown at time of registration.
Session includes lunch break.
Indian Corn Swag Workshop NEW! Saturday, August 10 10:00 am – 2:30 pm $50 ($45 SHS Members) This “squirrel proof” Indian Corn Swag is woven with variegated dyed reed over a foam mold. Participants
will make 3 “ears” of corn with a choice of fall accents and a bow. Session includes lunch break.
Calligraphy Workshop with Libby Lee Saturday, August 10, 1:00 pm—4:00 pm $30 ($25 SHS Members) Try your hand at the true art of texting! Artist Libby Lee
will guide you through the steps of creating eye-catching
script using felt tip pens.
Landscape Painting Class Saturday, September 21 10:30am – 12:30pm $45 ($40 SHS Members) Instructor Noreen Powell will teach you to draw inspiration from Nature and create your own masterpiece featuring a scenic view on the historic Shaker Heritage site. The class is for beginning and intermediate painters.
Roll/Counter Basket NEW! Saturday, September 28 10:00 am – 3:30 pm $50 ($45 SHS Members)* This pretty, multi-use basket is
perfect for serving rolls and bread or as a handy basket
on the counter. The basket begins with an oak base,
woven in natural and multi colored dyed reed with a
sturdy rim and optional leather handles. Your choice of
reed colors: black/gray/brown, blue/red/brown, or red/
green/brown. *Fee includes basic materials, the
optional leather handles are $5 additional. Session
includes lunch break.
Woven Holiday Ornaments Saturday, November 9 and December 14 Each workshop will feature a different set of three
ornaments that will be completed by the end of the
class. Details will be available at
www.shakerheritage.org.
Right: Libby Lee works with SHS Volunteer Beth Dorn during a recent workshop on Shaker Chair taping. Beth and her daughter, Christine Dorn, taped two chairs that they donated for SHS visitors to use.
WATERVLIET SHAKER JOURNAL SPRING 2019 Vol. 39
5
Summer Residents Return One of the pleasures of working at SHS is that we
learn something new every day. Recently, Bob
Reilly (former board president, long-time member,
supporter, volunteer, and supplier/manager of our
site’s fauna) informed us that three cows qualify as
a small herd. We have no reason to argue.
We can now proudly announce that the SHS Cattle
Herd has returned to their summer pasture! Three
dark bovine beauties, of the rare Irish Kerry breed,
have taken up residence in the pasture between
the Trustees Office and Ann Lee Preserve. Tralee
(the one with horns), is owned by Bob and will turn
3 this year. Stop by and say hello to the girls next
time you are here.
There are also new chicken coops on the site,
complete with new residents. These are heirloom
breeds—look for information about them near the
coops. We appreciate everything Mr. Reilly does to
connect our site with its important agricultural
heritage. He is aided by volunteers Marc Platt and
Ricky Russell.
Focus on the Old
Shaker Mill Pond
SHS is working with staff at the Albany County
Office of Natural Resource Conservation and the
Albany County Soil and Water Conservation District
to highlight the connection between the Ann Lee
Nature Preserve and the Shaker’s Church Family
site. What is now known as Ann Lee Pond was the
Mill Pond, dredged by the Shakers for the
construction of a mill that was completed in 1812.
In addition to providing water power for the saw
and grist mill and other machinery, such as the
press for printing seed labels, the pond was a
source of ice harvested in the winter. The Shakers
also fished at the pond and gathered a variety of
plants in the area. The same natural bounty that
served the Shaker community for over 100 years
now attracts a variety of visitors who hike,
snowshoe, bird watch, and fish.
While many SHS visitors recall skating at Ann Lee
Pond years ago, a good number of people who
attend craft fairs and other events are unaware of
the Nature Preserve that is located nearby. At the
same time, many of the walkers, hikers, and birders
who frequent the Nature Preserve do not know
about the pond’s history and have not visited the
Shaker site. In order to educate all visitors to both
sites, SHS and Albany County partners will update
and expand interpretive materials on the natural
and historic resources of the Ann Lee Pond. Trail
guides and signs will support guided tours and
other programs in the future.
Do you have a special memory of Ann Lee Pond? Please send your anecdotes and photos to educator@shakerheritage.org.
Left: A detail of David Austin Buckingham’s 1838 Map of the “Village Called the Church Family” shows the mill building and Mill Pond. (Courtesy New York State Museum)
WATERVLIET SHAKER JOURNAL SPRING 2019 Vol. 39
6
Hands to Work First, our sincere apologies to Priscilla Johnson, who
was accidentally not included in the volunteer list in
December’s newsletter. Secondly, Steve O’Connor
was the unnamed member in the photo of the
Shaker Heritage Society board of directors.
We welcome two new volunteers: Shelia Cutler
who has signed on for garden work, and Judy
Turullo, who is assisting with research. SHS also
welcomes Miriam Cantor-Stone as
our new Volunteer Coordinator.
She will lead our efforts in
recruitment, orientation, training,
and recognition for SHS volunteers.
She’s also busy with our social
media. Miriam contacted SHS last October after
moving to the Albany area. Having studied the
Shakers at Mount Holyoke College, she was
interested in volunteering. She has previously
worked and volunteered for several academic and
non-profit institutions. Miriam took on a variety of
tasks at SHS, working on research, documenting and
organizing historic photographs, and helping with
tours. In fact, she will continue to volunteer one day
a week in addition to working in her new position.
Education Coordinator Lorraine Weiss and Miriam
Cantor-Stone are planning monthly volunteer “tea
talks.” The first two were on the role of women in
Shaker Society and the history reflected by the
Shaker Cemetery. On June 20th we plan to tour
West Family site buildings.
The Albany County Soil and Water Conservation
District sponsors the rain garden located behind
the Brethren’s Workshop,. They will soon be
replenishing the plants and restoring the garden.
We will need a volunteer or two to help maintain
this demonstration garden.
SHS hopes to schedule guided site tours on
Saturdays and will also need guides to help with
school and other group tours in the coming year.
Contact Miriam Cantor-Stone if you are interested:
volunteer@shakerheritage.org.
Shaker Heritage
Society leases 5 of the
9 structures that comprise the Church Family site. A new
series of Hands to Work volunteer days are helping us
partner with property owner Albany County to maintain
and enhance this important historic resource and tourist
destination. Despite cold and wet weather served up on
April 27th, the first HTW Day was a success.
Conservator C.R. Jones traveled from Cooperstown with
his wife, Susan, to train SHS volunteers in the process of
cleaning gravestones. Robert Beck, Miriam Cantor-Stone,
and Diane Dugan cautiously removed lichen and grime
from stones to reveal names and dates.
Colonie Rotary Club members Chungchin Chen, Jim
Faddegon, and Kirk and Bonita Pogge attacked the wild
overgrowth along Shaker Creek along with Northeast
Woodworkers Association (NWA) member Mary
Gillespie. Garden “buds” Becky Langer, Janet Nardolillo,
and Elaine Sacco worked on the herb garden and
restored the entrance garden. NWA members also
repaired the
bridge across
Shaker Creek.
Jim Maczeck
and John
Person rebuilt a
fence, and
board members
Bill Bruce and
Linda Allen
joined Johanna
Batman to
improve the
view behind
the Laundry/
Wash House.
WATERVLIET SHAKER JOURNAL SPRING 2019 Vol. 39
7
SHAKER HERITAGE SOCIETY
CRAFT FAIR
JULY 13 – 14 and
SEPTEMBER 14 - 15 10 AM – 4 PM
Rain or Shine
Over 75 Artisans and Vendors
Craft Demonstrations • Tours • Family Activities
Food • Live Music -- Both Days
Pony Rides and Petting Zoo on Sunday
$4.00 per person
SHS Members, Veterans, & Children under 12 FREE
FREE Parking
Proceeds to benefit the Shaker Heritage Society
America’s First Shaker Settlement
www.shakerheritage.org 518-456-7890, ext. 5
25 Meeting House Road, Albany, NY 12211
July Craft Show
Museum Shop and Craft Fair Manager Jackie
Davis’ plans for the fair include new artisans
and vendors, craft demonstrations, more
children’s activities, and of course the all-
important pie tent. On Sunday, we’ll have
ponies to ride and a petting zoo to visit. Craft
demonstrations will include quilting, basket
making, and jewelry making.
Tours will not only introduce visitors to the
former Church Family site, but will also
highlight its historic connections with the Ann
Lee Nature Preserve. A presentation at the
Shaker Cemetery will feature some of the
personal stories reflected by the uniform
gravestones.
Please help us spread the word about this
event which carries on the traditions of
craftsmanship and creativity.
Consider joining in as a volunteer at the fair.
You can choose from a variety of
assignments. Contact Miriam Cantor-Stone
at volunteer@shakerheritage.org.
$3.00 with this ad
For over a year, Reggie Wilson, director of the
Brooklyn-based Fist and Heel Performance Group,
has immersed himself in the history of the
Shakers. His research brought him to the
Watervliet site, where African American Eldress
Rebecca Jackson was first introduced to the
Shakers and where she returned for several
periods before gaining permission to establish a
Shaker community in Philadelphia in 1857.
In fact, as part of developing a performance
commissioned by Jacobs Pillow, all of Mr.
Wilson’s dancers participated in the research
phase by exploring the buildings, collections, and
archives at Hancock Shaker Village. Former SHS
Education Coordinator Michelle Arthur worked
with Reggie Wilson during his Albany visit, and
she and current Education Coordinator Lorraine
Weiss had two opportunities to see the dance
piece in progress.
The new work, POWER, will debut at Hancock
Shaker Village July 6, and will be performed at
Jacobs Pillow July 10-14th. As described by the
Pillow Lab website, “[Wilson’s] new work
reimagines compelling core Shaker values,
contributions, practices, and histories through a
postmodern American lens. Building on his
ongoing examination of early African American
spiritual worship within American Christian
religiosity, Wilson’s POWER promises to present
intriguing perspectives and correlations on
worship and practices connected to Shakerism.”
New Dance Work Inspired by Shaker History
25 Meeting House Road
Albany, NY 12211
ANNUAL MEETING OF
THE MEMBERSHIP Saturday, June 22, 2019, 11:00 am
1848 Shaker Meeting House Enjoy a BBQ picnic, special tours with the director, and exercise your right to vote for candidates for the SHS Board of Directors. Can't make it to the meeting? All members will receive a proxy ballot and instructions.
Craig Apple, Albany County Sheriff will be our guest speaker. Before there were social service agencies, Shakers offered food, shelter, and fellowship to the poor, sick, and forgotten members of society. Today, under Sheriff Apple's guidance, the Albany County Correctional Facility has developed and implemented community partnerships to reduce recidivism and improve outcomes for incarcerated men and women in Albany County. Sheriff Apple will speak about some of these programs, including the County's work with our neighbors at the veteran's service organization, Soldier On.
SHAKER FARE Spring Vegetable Soup
Ingredients:
2 raw potatoes 1 raw carrot 1 tablespoon butter 2 leeks or 4 green onions, sliced 3 ribs celery 3 sprigs flat-leaf parsley 2 parsnips 1 C shredded lettuce 2 qts chicken broth ¼ C green pepper, chopped
Wash potatoes and carrots. Slice thinly, but do not
peel. Melt butter and add leeks, celery and parsley.
Sauté until vegetables are translucent, but not brown.
Blanch the green pepper and lettuce in boiling water
for one minute. Heat broth and pour over vegetables,
including raw potato and carrot. Season with salt and
pepper if desired, and simmer slowly for 20 minutes.
Serve hot with toasted crackers. Serves 4 to 6.
Amelia’s Shaker Recipes
The Shaker Cookbook: Recipes & Lore from the Valley of God’s Pleasure by Caroline Piercy and Arthur Tolve, pg. 27 Gabriel’s Horn Publishing Co., Bowling Green, Ohio, 1953, 1984
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