2012-Annual Town Report - Laserfiche WebLink

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i Frank Lord attended a two day workshop Report of the "Effective Volunteer Management" in October pre- Mashpee Historical sented by Cape Cod Volunteers. They stressed the Commission need to identify specific tasks that volunteers could perform and develop detailed job descriptions with training and monitoring specified. At the November To the Honorable Board of Selectmen and the opening of the Cape Cod Volunteers Mashpee Citizens of Mashpee Opportunity Center at the Mashpee Public Library Ann Graham recruited four perspective volunteers The Mashpee Historical Commission maintains who expressed interest in helping with the scanning the Town Archives and is open Mondays and Thursdays of documents and pictures and entering them in the from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. from April through December. Mashpee Archives data base. Frank was also able to The mission of the Commission is to preserve and main- recruit an enthusiastic potential docent to conduct tain the history of the town of Mashpee and to identify, summer tours of the Mashpee One Room evaluate and protect its cultural heritage,historic records Schoolhouse. and properties. Frank Lord continues as Schoolmaster and In December 2011,with Community Preservation President of the Mashpee One Room Schoolhouse Committee(CPC)funding for structural renovations to Preservation Council conducting tours of the 1831 the Archives building,constructed in 1966 as the Town Schoolhouse describing its history, what a typical Library,BLW Engineering,Inc.of Littleton,MA with school day was like in the mid 1800's,the life stories extensive experience in archives renovations was of the children enrolled in 1901, and Mashpee's evo- selected and plans were developed for bidding in early lution from Plantation to District to Incorporated 2012. Three rounds of bidding did not generate bids Town. Through coordination with Quashnet School within budget. Modifications to plans and request for third grade teacher Susan Schreiner, seven Quashnet bids are now being reconsidered. School third grade classes toured the schoolhouse and the Indian Museum in late spring. The 2012 Annual In anticipation of interior renovations, the con- Schoolhouse Open House chaired by Brian Hyde tents of the Archives Building were moved into cli- immediately followed the Veteran's Memorial Day mate-controlled donated storage at Anchor Self Ceremonies. From June through October the Storage by two very professional,thoughtful person- Schoolhouse was open for individual and group tours nel of Department of Public Works during two weeks every Thursday from LOAM to 2PM and at other times in January after the Archives closed for the winter. At by appointment by emailing the Schoolmaster at that time the Town's historic Weights and Standards fjlord@msn.com. cabinet was relocated to the upper level of Town Hall, a reminder of the evolution of technology during the The detailed scale model of the Schoolhouse past 50 years. Temporary office space in the Lower made by Mr.O'Connor's grade six students in 2009 is Level Meeting Room of Town Hall has been made now on display in the high school library. Every year available to the Commission set up with basic office Mashpee High School students as part of their equipment and limited historical resources.Computer required Senior Project have made valuable contribu- email and phone keep the Commission connected to tions to the Schoolhouse. During 2012 Tyler the public. To respond to public questions, the Gaudreau designed two gardens for either side of the Archives collections have been accessed while in stor- entry path to the Schoolhouse. Earl Mills,Sr.,Chief age however public inquiries are considerably fewer Flying Eagle, selected garden plants that would have without the Open flag flying at the front door. been used by the Wampanoag and early settlers for Ann Graham,senior clerk,continues to scan his- eating,medicine,or providing decorations. torical photographs from the Archives collection, The permitting process was started in 2012 to building a digital library for future use and distribu- recreate the original woodshed on the back side of the tion.Scans of photographs have appeared in Cape Cod Schoolhouse. This will require the approval of the historical calendars, Cape Cod magazines and tourist Historic District Commission. guides. 112