Explore Primary Sources & Wonder Boxes From the HSCC Collection
During this session, you will get the rare opportunity to work with resources available from George Washington Teacher Institute and collections from The Historical Society of Cheshire County.
Melinda Jette', history professor at Franklin Pierce University, will give an overview of the Revolution and then move to the local angle and will also discuss enslavement in New Hampshire and Ona Judge.
JJ and Emilia Prior will talk about regional aspects of the Revolution as they portray Abner Sanger and Mary Stiles.
End the day with a behind the scenes tour of the Wyman Tavern, Keene’s most historic house and the Historical Society of Cheshire County’s most important artifact.
29 Minutemen gathered at the Tavern to march to Lexington at the outbreak of the American Revolution in April 1775.
Schedule
| Check In and Breakfast | |
| Introduction - Welcome to Historical Society of Cheshire County | |
Featured Speaker: Melinda Jetté | |
Teaching Resources from the Historical Society Michelle Walker | |
| Be Washington and Lives Bound Together Brenda Haenchen | |
Hands-On Exploration of Resources | |
Historical Recipes in the Classroom Brenda Haenchen | |
| Lunch | |
Living History Presentation: Abner Sanger and Mary Styles JJ and Emilia Prior | |
Tour of the Wyman Tavern | |
Wrap-Up & Final Discussion |
Registration Requirements
Who can register?
- Teachers MUST teach in a formal K-12 classroom or school setting.
- The program is limited to 20 teachers.
- A waitlist will be available if registration meets full capacity.
Questions? Please contact [email protected]
Meet the Speakers
Melinda Jette
Dr. Melinda Jette is a Professor of History at Franklin Pierce University, where she brings her deep expertise in early American history to her teaching and scholarship.
The recipient of an M.A. in History from Université Laval. She earned her Ph.D. in History from the University of British Columbia in 2004, specializing in North American colonial and Indigenous histories.
JJ Prior and Emilia Whippie Prior
Emilia Whippie Prior teaches fifth grade at Nelson Elementary School, and her husband, J.J. Prior, teaches fifth grade at Symonds Elementary School in Keene. In their spare time, they inhabit the characters of real people who lived in Keene in the 1700s.
In their 18th century programs, J.J. portrays Abner Sanger, a day laborer who lived near the Wyman Tavern in Keene. Sanger got out and about to do odd jobs, and he saw a lot of people.
We know this from the daily journal he kept from 1774 to 1794, in which he took the time to write about what he, and everyone else, was doing.
Emilia Whippie Prior portrays two of the women Abner Sanger often wrote about in his journal. She portrays his sister Mary, who married Jeremiah Stiles, a lieutenant from Keene for the Patriot cause. She also portrays Hepzibah Bragg, a single woman who worked as a housekeeper and was the object of a great deal of Sanger’s attention (no spoilers here about how it turned out).
They have authored a book together called Patriot Papers, which is written for fifth-graders and up, and focuses on the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
Meet the Educators
Brenda Haenchen
Brenda Haenchen has been the Library Media Specialist at Symonds Elementary School in Keene, New Hampshire since 2006. Brenda teaches students to think critically, locate and evaluate information sources, and enjoy some really good books.
She believes an important role of a school librarian is to collaborate with classroom teachers to extend learning – especially in Social Studies! Brenda has an MS from Oklahoma State University and has completed additional graduate work at Cornell, SUNY Albany, and Plymouth State University.
Prior to embracing school libraries, Brenda taught Consumer Behavior at SUNY Oneonta for 10 years. Brenda has participated in two different programs at George Washington's Mount Vernon as well as serving as a Teacher Facilitator.
When she is not in school, Brenda and her family aim to visit every park in their National Park Passport.
Michelle Walker
Michelle Walker is the Director of Education at the Historical Society of Cheshire County, bringing more than 25 years of experience as a social studies educator and public history professional.
Before joining the Society following a national search, she worked with the Rhode Island Historical Society, contributing to curriculum development and K–12 outreach.
Walker holds a Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science from Assumption College. Now relocating to New Hampshire, she looks forward to expanding her work in public history and developing educational programs that support the region’s schools and communities.
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