Silver Tea in Ansonia features history lesson

Actress and history interpreter Judith Kalaora performs as Deborah Sampson Gannett, who served in the Continental Army pretending to be a man. In the performance Kalaora changes from a dress and petticoat and dons the uniform. 


ANSONIA - Those who attended the Derby Historical Society's 24th annual Silver Tea fundraiser Monday enjoyed lunch, tea, and punch served by docents in Colonial garb, and learned a slice of interesting history about the country's early years.

The annual Silver Tea drew a (mostly female) crowd of 165 to Molto Bene Italian Kitchen.

Please check out Register photojournalist Mara Lavitt's photographs of the event, and read more about Kalaora's performance here.

Ansonia school celebrates diversity with fair

ANSONIA - John C. Mead Elementary School celebrated an International Fair Friday.

Pictured from left are third grade teacher Melissa Cook's students: Brianna Martin (Rosa Parks); Moussa Camara (George Washington Carver); Christian Malave (Elvis); Javon Capeles (Michael Jackson).

Their class paraded through the main office to show off their costumes and the historic American figures they were portraying. Each classroom learned about a country for the fair.

Cook said her students ate traditional American fare - hot dogs and beans - as part of the celebration.

David Gaskin of Trinidad performs Calypso steel-drum music in the school lobby.

David Patrick of Freeport, Bahamas gets students, teachers and parents to clap along as he performs Calypso music.



It was clear to this visitor that a good time was had by all!

'Dolley Madison' to visit Oxford this month

Dolley Madison

OXFORD -  In celebration of Women's History Month, the Oxford Historical Society will present Seymour resident Carolyn Ivanoff in "An Afternoon with Dolley Madison" at 3 p.m. March 17.

The program will be held at the Twitchell-Rowland Homestead, 60 Towner Lane.

Admission is free for Historical Society members and for children under 12. Cost is $3 for non-members.

Costumed in period dress, Ivanoff will re-enact Dolley Madison?s life and times. She will discuss her husband James Madison's role as the Father of the United States Constitution, explain key events of the War of 1812 and talk about the great men and events of that era.

Ivanoff is a Housemaster at Shelton Intermediate School. A winner of the Civil War Preservationists Trust's Civil War Teacher of the Year Award, she is a frequent featured speaker at national and state social studies conferences and an educator who is devoted to academic and civic involvement opportunities for local students.

In 2010 and 2011, the educational programs Ivanoff developed to bring history, social studies and literacy beyond the classroom and into the community were given Awards of Merit by the Connecticut League of History Organizations.

For information call 203-888-0230.

Historian's talk at Derby library to focus on U.S. Presidents

DERBY - The Derby Public Library has scheduled a local history program, President’s Special, at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 14.
As the nation approaches the 2013 Presidential Inauguration, Robert Novak, local historian and popular presenter at the Library, will take his audience on a trip through history.

Novak's talk will cover events from 1789 to today, exploring the little known relations and impacts numerous Presidents of the United States and the Valley region have had on one another.
Novak has specialized in presenting local history in fun, interactive formats for more than 20 years.
He is past director of the Derby Historical Society and the City of Shelton’s Municipal Historian.
He has authored four books through Arcadia Publications, and has been a popular historical

columnist.
            Registration is requested. For information, stop by the Library, 313 Elizabeth St., call 203-736-1482 or visit www.derbypubliclibrary.org.