Halloween treat! Exeter Historical Cemetery program - Oct 31, 2009

Get into the spirit of Halloween by attending an afternoon talk on October 31 at the Exeter Public Library. "Beyond Mercy Brown: Exeter's Historical Cemeteries" promises to be a hauntingly a good event.

Click here to read the real truth about Mercy Brown (ProJo article from October 30, 2008).

We have money to help repair Woody Hill School!

Great news! Sheila met with Exeter Town Council and Rhode Island Historic Preservation Commission folks in mid-July to talk about money that had been earmarked some years back for repairs at Woody Hill School. She is happy to report that the money, totaling about $33,000, will be released for use for this project!

Our current plan is to restore the school so it will look as it did when it closed in 1942. These plans are tentative though, as we need to have everything approved by Virginia Hesse, of the RIHPC. But this is very exciting news, and their willingness to release these funds is directly a result of the efforts of all of us at the Exeter Historical Association! Stay tuned for more news...or better yet, come to our next meeting!

Recap of Annual Meeting

Our first Annual Meeting was held on June 16th. A short business meeting was conducted first. Those members of the Board of Directors whose terms were expiring were voted in for another 3-year term. In addition, we added new Board member Jeanne Abbott.

Following the business meeting, those in attendance enjoyed refreshments and were treated to a very interesting presentation about genealogical and historical information that can be found in our One Room Schoolhouse records, compiled by Sheila Reynolds-Boothroyd and Barbara Carroll. The slides have been uploaded to our Flickr account, and you can view them here.

Don't miss our 1st Annual Meeting - June 16

THE DATE OF OUR FIRST ANNUAL MEETING HAS CHANGED!! Due to a conflict we are changing the date of our annual meeting to June 16th (the Town Financial Meeting is on the 9th).

Exeter Historical Association

1st Annual Meeting

Tuesday June 16th,7pm

Exeter Public Library

773 Ten Rod Rd, Exeter

There will be a short business meeting followed by a presentation on researching Exeter's past using schoolhouse records and other materials in our history collection at the library. Attendees are encouraged to bring their favorite photos from the past to share. Refreshments will be served.

It's Reunion Time!!

Don't forget! The 4th Annual Exeter One-Room Schoolhouse Reunion will take place on Sunday, April 26th, from 1 to 4 PM at the Exeter Public Library, 773 Ten Rod Road, Exeter RI. (click here for directions).

Everyone is welcome - join us, enjoy some refreshments, visit with old and new neighbors and come talk about the "good old days"!!

February Meeting highlights

About a half-dozen of us met at the Library for our February meeting. Here are some of the higlights of what was discussed:

• Woody Hill School repairs: Some must-do weatherproofing was completed recently by project chair Loren Andrews. We're using the downtime forced upon us by the winter weather to decide what needs to be done next, and to continue to pursue a "memo of understanding" with the Town Council.
  
• The Fourth Annual One-Room Schoolhouse Reunion will take place on April 26, 2009, from 1Pm to 4PM at the Exeter Public Library. We hope to send notices out by mail. Please come to the Exeter Historical Association meeting on April 14 if you'd like to volunteer to help out on that day.
  
• We're still looking for a logo! Awaken your hidden artistic talents and see if you can create something you think would be appropriate for our group. Fame and fortune will be yours! OK, maybe not the fortune part.
• We discussed compiling a 'Streets of the Town' document, which would include the history of the names of some of the roads in Exeter.

20 members so far!! Details of the December meeting:

At the December 10 meeting, Sheila informed us that we have 20 members so far! This is a great start. We also have collected enough money in dues and donations to pay for the remainder of our 501(c)(3) filings.

Here's a brief summary of some of the items discussed at our meeting:

• Loren Andrews was elected (in abstentia!) to chair the Woody Hill School projects group. However, before any work gets underway at this school, we need to work out a memo of understanding with the Town Council with regard to some grant money that remains earmarked for this building. Sheila hopes to set up this meeting early in 2009.
  
• Next year's One-Room Schoolhouse Reunion dates were discussed. We are zeroing in on three possible Sundays: April 19, April 26 or May 3.
  
• We now have our own email address: exeterhistory@yahoo.com .
• As always, we spoke about getting others involved with different projects. Would you be interested in helping turn Hall School into a museum? Helping to collect oral or written histories? Organizing a photo contest of "Historic Exeter"? The winter months are a great time to brainstorm -- if you come up with an idea, let us know - or better yet, come to the next meeting on Feb 10!