Seated by Susan: Birthplace Museum Launches Special Exhibit

Print Story | Email Story
ADAMS, Mass. — The Susan B. Anthony Birthplace Museum will hold an exhibition launch event to celebrate their newest children's exhibit, Seated by Susan, on Friday, Aug. 23 at 4 pm. The exhibit has a children's focus but is for all ages.

The exhibit provides a glimpse into what working children's lives were like in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Featuring a collection of children's chairs placed throughout the museum, visitors young and old will engage with labels that include different facts and tidbits about working life in the 1800s, which tie into a larger scavenger hunt that includes a prize at the end if all questions are answered correctly. The collection of children's chairs were donated by members of the museum's Board of Directors and includes a variety of different chair styles from the 1800s through the mid 19th century. The decision to use the children's chairs relates to Susan herself, Executive Director James Capuzzi said.

"We want this upcoming exhibit to cater to a younger audience. The Birthplace Museum was the childhood home of Susan B. Anthony, so using the children"s chairs as a vehicle to tell a larger story about what life for children in the 19th century looked like; and how it differs from that of children today, felt natural," he said.

The event with activities for children and refreshments will take place at the Susan B. Anthony Birthplace Museum, 67 East Road, Adams, MA, on Friday, Aug. 23 at 4:00 pm.. All ages are invited to attend. Museum admission will be free from the exhibit launch, Aug. 23 through Monday, Aug. 26 in honor of Women's Equality Day, which commemorates the enactment of the 19th amendment. The amendment states that "the right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex." The 19th amendment was certified by proclamation on August 26, 1920.

The special exhibition will be installed through Susan B. Anthony's Birthday, Feb. 15, and is the combined effort of the museum's past and current interns, Mia Campbell, Hannah Hoggatt, Delaney Thurston, and Christina Lothrop. Current intern Hannah Hoggatt, putting the final touches on this two year project, expresses her excitement for the new exhibit.

"We have all worked hard to ensure that the new exhibition not only provides an accurate representation of life in the 19th century, but also provides visitors with an enriching experience that gets them excited to learn about history in a unique way. We did not want to just display the chairs and their information, so we had to dig deeper to come up with a creative solution; I am super proud of what we have accomplished and I look forward to opening this exhibit to the public," she said.

 


Tags: Susan B. Anthony,   

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Adams Man Sentenced to State, Federal Prison for Child Rape

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — An Adams man pleaded guilty on Friday in Berkshire Superior Court to multiple counts of aggravated rape of a child and aggravated indecent assault and battery on a child under 14. 
 
Brian Warner, 39, was sentenced by Judge Michael K. Callan to 25 to 28 years in state prison. 
 
The defendant pleaded guilty to the following:
  • Two counts of rape of a child with force
  • One count of aggravated rape of a child
  • Two counts of rape of a child, aggravated, five-year age difference
  • Four counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14
  • Fourteen counts of aggravated indecent assault and battery on a child under 14
  • Nine counts of posing a child in the nude
  • Two counts of possession of child sexual abuse material
Callan attributed the lengthy sentencing to the egregious nature of the defendant's crime. In his sentencing memo, the judge wrote, "In fashioning this sentence I have also considered the Sentencing Guidelines, which were established by a Sentencing Commission created by our Legislature and consisting of prosecutors, defense counsel, public safety and correctional officials, and victim-witness advocates. 
 
"While not mandatory, these guidelines were designed, among other goals, to promote consistency in the sentencing process in our judicial system. The guidelines utterly fail in some circumstances and this is one of them."
 
Warner produced child sexual abuse material, otherwise known as child pornography. In doing this, the defendant raped and assaulted a child over a period of two years. Law enforcement uncovered hundreds of images produced by Warner.
 
"Justice was served today, but Warner's crimes are deeply disturbing. When a child in our community is harmed, it naturally causes us to reflect on how we can do more to protect our children. To the survivor and their [singular] family, this outcome cannot undo the trauma you endured; however, I hope it offers some comfort in knowing that your abuser has been held accountable under the law," stated District Attorney Timothy Shugrue. 
 
Chief of the Child Abuse Unit Andrew Giarolo, an assistant district attorney, represented the commonwealth and Ian Benoit the victim witness advocate on behalf of the DA's Office. The Adams Police Department led the investigation with support from the Berkshire State Police Detective Unit's digital evidence lab.  
View Full Story

More Adams Stories